Cinnamon Scones

What is it about cinnamon that just warms the tummy? They are the perfect treat to warm you up on a cold winter morning, accompanied with a hot cup of tea. This is a classic buttermilk scone recipe where each scone is covered in cinnamon (with a pinch of nutmeg for good measure) then layered on top of itself to create bursts of cinnamon swirls.

In the winter I find comfort in my kitchen with the oven on, mixing up batches of treats. For me the simple act of blending ingredients by hand, like kneading dough or rubbing butter and flour with my fingers, has a calming effect!  There’s nothing more enjoyable than waking up to the smell of buttery cinnamon filling the air.

What Are Scones?

Scones are a type of ‘quick bread’ and are simple to make with not much time involved. Typically they are not sweet, and are paired with clotted cream and jam. These cinnamon scones are no exception to that! They are cinnamony, not sweet and take no time at all to make. They look more difficult than they actually are, promise! 😉

How to Cut Butter Into Flour

There are a few ways to cut butter into flour but the most important rule to remember is to cut your butter in smaller cubes first, approx. 1 inch x 1 inch. Then coat each piece in the flour before you start. You also want to make sure you are working with cold butter from the fridge.

• By Hand – You can use your hands by picking up the flour and butter in your finger tips and gently rubbing the butter and flour between your fingers and thumb. Continue to pick up flour and butter and rub between your fingers until you have small pea size crumbs or coarse crumbs.
• Two Knives – Using two butter knives, one knife in each hand, simply cut the butter into the flour to create little pieces/coarse crumbs.
• A Pastry Cutter – A pastry cutter is designed to roll back and forth to cut the butter into the flour. Use a knife to scrape any stuck on butter and continue to cut into the flour until you have small pea size crumbs or coarse crumbs.

You want to make sure to keep your butter cold, if you’ve worked your butter too much while making your scones you won’t get those beautiful layers. Simply place the pan of scones in the freezer for 5 minutes before baking. This is to help firm up the butter before baking and give you those layers that you look for in a scone.

Dough

The dough should be a little more on the ragged side and a touch dry. Be careful not to add more liquid, scones are meant to be a little dryer and denser. You just want the dough to come together when pressed but you may still have pieces that don’t stick (that means you’ve got it right).

How To Make Cinnamon Scones

Add cold butter cubes to the flour mixture. Using a pastry cutter, cut butter into flour until small crumbs form.

Add liquid, using a fork mix together until dough becomes ragged.

Shape dough into an 8 x 10 rectangle, cover in the cinnamon mixture & fold over.

Shape into a circle, and cut into 8 equal pieces. Brush tops with whipping cream, sprinkle cinnamon on top.

Cinnamon Scones

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These cinnamon scones are a classic buttermilk scone covered in cinnamon then layered on top of itself to create a swirl of cinnamon bursts. They are flaky, buttery and not sweet at all.

• Author: Alie Romano
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 15 mins
• Total Time: 30 mins
• Yield: 8 1x
• Category: Breakfast
• Cuisine: Scottish

Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 3 Tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
• 1 cup buttermilk or sour milk
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 Tablespoon sugar
• pinch of ground cloves
• pinch of salt

For the Top of the Scones

• 1/4 cup whipping cream (or full milk)
• 2 Tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400˚F.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and baking soda.
4. Add butter to flour mixture. Using a pastry cutter, cut butter into flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs.
5. In a small bowl add buttermilk and egg, whisk together.
6. In another small bowl add cinnamon and sugar, ground cloves and salt together, mix well and set aside.
7. Create a well in the centre of the flour and butter mixture. Pour the buttermilk mixture into the well. Using a fork bring the mixture together just until the dough comes together and is ragged.
8. Turn out onto a work surface; bring the dough together, folding it over itself a few times. (approx. 6-8 times, DO NOT OVERWORK IT).
9. Pat out to an 8 x 10 inch rectangle. Sprinkle half of the cinnamon and sugar mixture all over the top. Fold the rectangle in half and gently press out to another 8 x 10 inch rectangle. Sprinkle the rest of the cinnamon and sugar mixture on the top and fold over again.
10. Now shape the rectangle into a circle (your dough should be approx. 1 inch in height). Using a large knife, cut into 8 triangles.
11. Place each triangle on your prepared baking sheet 1-2 inches apart.
12. Using your fingers press the tip of each triangle down to pinch them closed (this will help the scone stay together as it rises).
13. Brush tops of scones with whipping cream, sprinkle with a little extra sugar and cinnamon.
14. Place your baking sheet of scones in the freezer for 5 minutes (this will help firm up your butter).
15. Bake for 15 minutes or until bottoms are golden brown and the middle is set.
16. Enjoy warm.

Notes

Scones are best eaten the day of. Store in a tin for one day. Reheat as needed.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 scone
• Calories: 508
• Sugar: 5.3g
• Sodium: 141mg
• Fat: 10.1g
• Saturated Fat: 5.8g
• Unsaturated Fat: 0
• Trans Fat: 0
• Carbohydrates: 91g
• Fiber: 3.3g
• Protein: 12.7g
• Cholesterol: 39mg

Keywords: Scones, Cinnamon, Breakfast, Treat, Buttermilk

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