This cinnamon scones recipe is the best of the best! After 10 years of loving on my dear friend Byrdie’s scones, she has shared her recipe with me to share with you! She has made this recipe hundreds of times over the years and has perfected the ingredient ratios, method, and cook time for absolutely drool-worthy homemade scones that will wow your family, friends, and co-workers!
Why You’ll Love Brydie’s Famous Cinnamon Scones Recipe
My former co-worker and dear friend Byrdie is known for bringing in her cinnamon chip scones to the office. The days she brings them are a coveted event, with the platters of scones cleared in minutes. It got to the point that she’d (sweetly) email her good friends in the office to let them know she brought scones in and to come grab one before she sets them out. Ha!
These lovely cinnamon scones are moist, soft, and flaky on the inside with crumbly edges. I’ve broken down her recipe into easy to follow directions, have included step-by-step photos, as well as shared helpful tips for making the very best scones so you can successfully bake up a batch of these on your first try.
We’re so excited to add these scones to our library of breakfast and brunch recipes! And we know you’ll love pairing these with one of our easy coffee recipes like our maple cinnamon coffee or gingerbread coffee recipes!
Ingredients Needed for Cinnamon Scones
- All-Purpose Flour. All-purpose flour holds it’s shape nicely has makes a higher rising scone than other flours. Plus, it’s likely the flour you have in your cabinet already!
- Granulated Sugar. Granulated sugar helps to sweeten our scones, as well as contribute to a scone that is soft and moist.
- Baking Powder. Used as our leavening agent, helping our scones achieve the perfect rise.
- Salt. Enhances the overall flavor of our cinnamon scones.
- Ground Cinnamon. This, along with the cinnamon chips, is what gives our scone their perfectly cinnamony flavor!
- Unsalted Butter. Using cold butter (you can also use frozen butter) is important for great scones. Cold butter helps with the scone’s rise.
- Cinnamon Chips. Hershey’s Cinnamon Chips are what you’ll most likely find in your baking aisle at your local grocery store, Target, or Walmart. If you’re not seeing them, you can order them online or try another brand of cinnamon chips on Amazon.
- Large Eggs. Eggs add moisture, structure, and richness to our scones. We use the full egg, so no need to separate out the yolk and whites for our recipe!
- Half-and-Half. Half-and-half adds moisture, helps to bind our dry ingredients together, and adds extra richness to our scones.
- Vanilla Extract. While adding a subtle vanilla flavor to our scone, vanilla extract also acts as an overall flavor enhancer for the other ingredients in our scones.
All ingredient measurements, along with directions, are listed in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
How to Make Cinnamon Chip Scones
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
Add the COLD butter cubes to the dry ingredient mixture, and cut it in with a pastry cutter (or two forks) until the mixture comes together into pea-sized crumbs.
Stir the cinnamon chips into the dry mixture with butter and set aside.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, half-and-half, and vanilla extract.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix together until everything appears moistened.
Begin to use your hands to form a dough ball.
Adjusting Dough Consistency
If your dough is too dry, add a little more half and half. If your dough is too sticky (so that it’s hard to work with), add a little more flour (I recommend adding 1 Tablespoon at a time).
Split the dough ball in half.
On a lightly floured board, with floured hands, press each dough ball into about a 7″ diameter disc.
Cut each disc into 8 pieces (like you were cutting a pizza).
In a small bowl, mix together your extra cinnamon and sugar. Dip each scone’s top and sides into the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
Place dipped scones onto a lined baking sheet, keeping the scones 2″-3″ apart.
Bake in a preheated oven for 17-23 minutes, or until lightly golden on top and the bottom edges are golden brown.
How Long to Bake Scones
This scone recipe has the oven set to 375°F, which results in a baking time of 17-23 minutes. Baking time will be based on the size of your scones (larger scones will take longer).
How To Tell When Scones Are Done?
Scones are done baking when they are lightly browned on top and golden browned on the bottom. You can check by gently pressing down on the scone. If it’s firm and “bounces back” it’s done, if it indents and stays that way it needs to bake longer. If you’re still unsure, cut one in half to check the interior for doneness. The interior should be moist, not doughy or wet.
Tips for Making Our Cinnamon Scones Recipe
Do not overwork your dough. This will result in tough, dense scones. Mix until your dough just comes together (lumps are ok!). Using a pastry cutter (vs. using two forks or your hands) can help minimize how much you handle your dough when cutting in your butter. While a food processor can work, it often results in overmixed scone dough.
Cold scone dough helps create a flaky center and crumbly exterior! This is why it’s important to use cold (or even frozen) butter and cold half-and-half when making your dough. Take it to the next level by chilling your mixing bowl and pastry cutter too. Chilling your shaped scones for at least 15 minutes prior to baking can also make a big difference in the final product.
Using frozen butter? Grate it first! This is my-go to method when extra cold butter is needed in a recipe! Slicing frozen butter can be really tough, but using a simple box grater to get frozen butter into manageable sized pieces for your dough is super easy!
Cinnamon Scone Variations
Use sour cream or plain yogurt in place some of the half-and-half. You can substitute sour cream or yogurt 1-for-1 with half-and-half in most baking recipes. When baking scones, I often replace about half of the half-and-half called for with yogurt for more protein!
Add a glaze. We top our scones with additional cinnamon and sugar… but that doesn’t mean you can’t add a simple glaze on top too! Make a simple vanilla glaze with ½ Cup powdered sugar, 1-2 Tablespoons of milk or heavy cream, and ¼ teaspoon of vanilla extract. Mix all ingredients together and drizzle over your scones!
How to Store & Reheat Cinnamon Chip Scones
Once fully cooled, store scones in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days or in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Reheat in the microwave for 15-30 seconds or in the oven preheated to 300°F for 5-10 minutes. Wrapping your scones in foil when warming in the oven can help them from getting dried out.
Can You Freeze Scones?
Yes! You can freeze scones either cooked or uncooked! Both cooked and uncooked scones can be frozen for up to 3 months.
How to Freeze Cooked Scones
Be sure to cool the baked scones completely. Then place the cooled scones into a freezer-safe zip top bag, or airtight container, with a piece of wax paper or parchment paper between layers.
When ready to enjoy simply thaw the frozen scones at room temperature for 1-3 hours or place them in the fridge to thaw overnight.
How to Freeze Uncooked Scones
Freeze uncooked scones after they are shaped (triangles, biscuit shaped, whatever you prefer!). Begin with a “flash freeze” by placing the shaped scones onto a lined baking sheet and placing the baking sheet into the freezer for about 1 hour. Once frozen, transfer the frozen scones into a freezer-friendly ziplock bag.
When ready to bake, simply pull out the amount you’d like to bake out while your oven preheats. Check your scones at the designated time on the recipe card for doneness. Because they are baking from frozen, they may need a few extra minutes (potentially an additional 5-10 minutes).
Helpful Equipment
A simple pastry cutter is very helpful when making scones for cutting in the cold butter. If using frozen butter, we recommend using a box grater to help get the extra cold butter into manageable sized pieces to cut into your dough.
FAQs About Cinnamon Scones
How long do scones last? When stored properly, scones will last 1-2 days at room temperature and up to 1 week in the fridge.
Where do I find cinnamon chips? Check the baking aisle of your local grocery store, Target, or Walmart. You can also purchase cinnamon chips online.
Love This Recipe? Try One of These Breakfast Recipes Next!
Cinnamon Chip Scones
Equipment
- Box Grater (optional, but helpful is using frozen butter)
Ingredients
Scones
- 4 Cups all-purpose flour
- ½ Cup granulated sugar
- 4 Tablespoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 + ¼ Cups COLD unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
- 1 , 10oz bag cinnamon chips
- 2 large eggs
- 1 Cup COLD half-and-half
- ½ Tablespoon vanilla extract (optional, but recommended)
Cinnamon-Sugar Mixture for Dipping Prior to Baking
- 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 4 Tablespoons granulated sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
- Add the COLD butter cubes to the dry ingredient mixture, and cut it in with a pastry cutter (or two forks, or your hands) until the mixture comes together into pea-sized crumbs.
- Stir the cinnamon chips into the dry mixture with butter and set aside.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, half-and-half, and vanilla extract.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix together until everything appears moistened.
- Begin to use your hands to form a dough ball. If your dough is too dry, add a little more half and half. If your dough is too sticky (so that it's hard to work with), add a little more flour.
- Split the dough in half, creating two dough balls.
- On a lightly floured board, with floured hands, press each dough ball into about a 7" diameter disc.
- Cut each disc into 8 pieces (like you were cutting a pizza).
- In a small bowl, mix together your extra cinnamon and sugar. Dip each scone triangle's top and sides into the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
- Place dipped scones onto a lined baking sheet, keeping the scones 2"-3" apart.
- OPTIONAL STEP: chill scones for 15 minutes prior to baking.
- Bake for 17-23 minutes, or until lightly golden on top and the bottom edges are golden brown.
Notes
- Do not overwork your dough. This will result in tough, dense scones. Mix until your dough just comes together (lumps are ok!).
- Optional chill time before baking. Chilling your shaped scones for at least 15 minutes prior to baking can help scones from spreading, and create an extra flaky texture.
- Using frozen butter? Grate it first! Using frozen butter for scones ensures extra cold butter. Instead of cutting it into cubes and using a pastry blender to cut it into the dry ingredients, use a simple box grater to grate frozen butter into your dry ingredients.
Victoria says
MMMM – wow! I loved the sugar and cinnamon-y taste of these scones. Thanks for the easy to follow directions and note about overworking the dough. You are right – Byrdie’s recipe is a winner.
Meredith says
I’m so happy to hear you loved these too Victoria! Thanks for giving the recipe a try 🙂
Amanda H. says
Love these scones! It’s “cinn”-ful how scrumptious they are. 🙂
Meredith says
So happy you love them too Amanda 🙂
Vivienne says
Best scones I have had in a long time. Fluffy and a bit crispy on the outside with the cinny-sugar. Perfect for the relaxed weekend morning with tea or coffee.
Meredith says
So happy to hear you loved these cinnamon scones Vivienne! Thanks for giving the recipe a try 🙂
Marge says
Best. Scones. EVER!