Equipment
Ingredients
Scone Dough
- 250 g all-purpose flour, sifted
- 50 g granulated sugar
- 12 g baking powder
- 3 g salt
- 115 g unsalted butter, cold, cubed
- 160 ml heavy cream, cold
Cinnamon Filling
- 65 g light brown sugar, packed
- 6 g ground cinnamon
- 30 g unsalted butter, melted
Glaze
- 120 g confectioners' sugar, sifted
- 30 ml heavy cream
- 5 ml vanilla extract
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 442 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbohydrates
- 55 g
- Fat
- 24 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 30 g
- Sodium
- 316 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 15 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 6 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 66 mg
- Potassium
- 76 mg
- Calcium
- 128 mg
- Iron
- 0.7 mg
- Magnesium
- 11 mg
- Phosphorus
- 86 mg
- Zinc
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin A
- 222 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 0 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.4 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.7 mg
- Vitamin K
- 2 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.0 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.04 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.07 mg
- Niacin
- 0.4 mg
- Folate
- 10 mcg
- Water
- 21 g
- Alcohol
- 0 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a small bowl, whisk together the brown sugar and ground cinnamon for the filling. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt.
Add the cold, cubed butter to the flour mixture. Use a pastry blender or your fingertips to cut the butter in until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining.
Pour in the cold heavy cream. Stir gently with a fork or spatula just until a shaggy dough forms. Do not overmix.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Gently knead 3-4 times to bring it together, then roll into a rectangle approximately 30cm x 20cm (12x8 inches).
Brush the dough surface with the melted butter, leaving a small border at the edges. Sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture evenly over the butter.
Starting from the long edge, roll the dough into a cylinder (log). Press the seam gently to seal. Slice the log into 8 equal rounds.
Place scones on the prepared baking sheet, spaced 5cm apart. Bake for 18-22 minutes until golden brown and firm to the touch.
While scones bake, whisk confectioners' sugar, vanilla, and heavy cream until smooth. Drizzle over warm scones before serving.
Chef's Notes
- Ensure your heavy cream and butter are straight from the fridge. The steam generated by melting butter pockets creates the scone's lift.
- If the dough feels too sticky to roll, dust your hands and the rolling pin with flour, but avoid adding too much excess flour to the dough itself.
- For a sharper presentation, you can cut the ends off the log before slicing the 8 rounds, as the ends often have less filling.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in airtight container; texture is best when reheated.
Freezer: 2 months — Freeze unbaked shaped scones or baked unglazed scones.
Reheating: Warm in oven at 150°C/300°F for 5-8 minutes to restore crust.
Troubleshooting
Scones are tough or rubbery
Cause: The dough was overworked or the butter melted during mixing
Fix: Cannot be fixed after baking; serve warm with extra butter to mask texture
Prevention: Handle the dough as little as possible and ensure ingredients are very cold
Scones spread and lost their spiral shape
Cause: Butter was too warm before baking
Fix: Use a round cutter to trim edges after baking for better presentation
Prevention: Chill the shaped scones in the fridge for 15 minutes before putting them in the oven
Cultural Context
This recipe merges the British tradition of the afternoon tea scone with the rich, spiced indulgence of the American cinnamon roll. While scones originated in Scotland in the early 1500s, the addition of the cinnamon swirl transforms them into a distinctly modern, comfort-food hybrid popular in American bakeries.
