Gingerbread Scones
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Gingerbread Scones are a cozy baking project that fills your kitchen with holiday scents. They have a flaky, tender interior and crisp edges, and are packed with warm spices and a rich molasses flavor.
Table of Contents
- Here’s Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Ingredients You’ll Need
- In Photos: How To Make Gingerbread Scones
- More Scone Recipes
Scones are one of my favorite breakfast treats, but they aren’t reserved for just the mornings around here. Even though I’m firmly in the USA, I don’t mind a little afternoon tea-time pick-me-up, either. There are so many different varieties of scones. Some of my favorites are my Banana Scones, Apple Scones, and these incredible Lemon Blueberry Scones.
Here’s Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Big gingerbread flavor. Molasses, along with a full lineup of spices, gives that classic, cozy taste.
- Flaky and tender texture. Using cold butter and mixing just enough keeps the scones light.
- Quick to make. There’s no yeast or long resting time, and they bake quickly.
- That glaze. A simple vanilla drizzle makes them feel extra special with almost no effort.
Ingredients You’ll Need
The recipe card at the bottom of the post contains the full list with all of the amounts. Refer to that when you’re cooking.
For the scones
- All-purpose flour: Spoon and level the flour for accurate measurements.
- Baking powder & soda: Make sure these are fresh!
- Ground ginger, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, and nutmeg: For the signature gingerbread flavor.
- Kosher salt: Don’t sub in table salt. It has iodine and affects the flavor.
- Unsalted butter (cold): The key to flaky layers. Cold butter melts in the oven, creating pockets of steam.
- Dark brown sugar: Adds moisture and a richer molasses note than light brown sugar.
- Heavy cream: Makes the scones tender and gives them a bakery-style richness.
- Unsulphured molasses: The main source of gingerbread flavor. Choose unsulphured for the best taste.
- Vanilla extract: Softens and sweetens the spice blend.
- Melted butter: Brush on top for more color and flavor.
For the glaze
- Confectioners’ sugar: The base of the sweet glaze.
- Heavy cream: Makes the glaze creamy and rich. Add extra cream for a thinner glaze.
- Vanilla extract: Use a high-quality pure vanilla extract for the best results.
In Photos: How To Make Gingerbread Scones
Step 1: Mix Dry Ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, nutmeg, and salt.
Step 2: Add Butter
Cut the cold butter into the dry ingredients using a pastry blender or clean fingers. The mixture should be crumbly with a few pea-sized bits here and there.
Step 3: Mix Sugars, Cream, & Vanilla
In a separate bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, cream, molasses, and vanilla.
Step 4: Make Dough
Pour over the flour mixture and fold with a spatula until a dough begins to form. The dough will look like it’s barely coming together. Kneed and pinch the dough in the bowl until combined.
Step 5: Form & Cut
Divide the dough in half and flatten into two round discs, about 7 inches each in diameter. Cut both discs into 6 pieces. Brush melted butter on top of each piece.
Step 6: Bake
Bake (in batches if needed) for 10-12 minutes, until tops are golden brown.
Step 7: Glaze
While the scones are baking, prepare the glaze. Stir together the confectioners’ sugar, cream, and vanilla until smooth. Add additional cream if a thinner texture is desired. Drizzle the glaze over the scones using a spatula or whisk.
Helpful Tips and Tricks
- Don’t be afraid to leave small clumps of butter in the dough. They’ll look very noticeable since the dough is a darker color. As the scones bake, the butter bits will melt and create a light, flaky dough.
- Keep everything cold. Cold butter is essential for flaky scones. If your kitchen is warm, chill the shaped wedges in the fridge for 10 minutes before baking.
- Do not overmix. A shaggy dough is good. Overworking makes scones tough.
- For the glaze, you can either drizzle it over the top (as shown in the photos) or brush on a more solid layer.
- Cut straight down. When cutting the discs into wedges, avoid sawing motions, as they can compress the layers.
- Adjust the glaze thickness to your liking. Use less cream for thick icing, or add a bit more for a lighter drizzle.
- Check the scones early, since ovens can vary. Start checking around the 10-minute mark.
More Scone Recipes
- Irish Scones
- Chocolate Chip Scones
- Orange Cranberry Scones
- Petite Vanilla Bean Scones
- Double Chocolate Scones
Gingerbread Scones
Ingredients
For the scones
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, (427g)
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, cold and cut into small pieces
- 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar, (54g)
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup unsulphured molasses, (84g)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
For the glaze
- 3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar, (91g)
- 2 1/2 tablespoons heavy cream, plus more if needed
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and line two standard or one large baking sheet with parchment.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, nutmeg, and salt. Cut the cold butter into the dry ingredients using a pastry blender or clean fingers. The mixture should be crumbly with a few pea-sized bits here and there.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, cream, molasses, and vanilla. Pour over the flour mixture and use a spatula to fold until a dough begins to form. The dough will look like it’s barely coming together. Knead and pinch the dough in the bowl until combined (the less you work the dough, the flakier the scones will be).
- Divide the dough in half and flatten into two round discs, about 7 inches each in diameter. Cut both discs into 6 pieces. Brush melted butter on top of each piece.
- Bake (in batches if needed) for 10-12 minutes, until tops are golden brown.
- While the scones are baking, prepare the glaze. Stir together the confectioners’ sugar, cream, and vanilla until smooth. Add additional cream if a thinner texture is desired. Drizzle the glaze over the scones using a spatula or whisk.
Today was a cold and rainy day just perfect for baking. I decided to try your Gingerbread Scones and I’m so glad I did. They came out so tender and delicious! I only added the 1/2 tsp salt (recipe has kosher salt listed twice 1/2 tsp and 13/4 tsp) and it was perfect. I can’t wait to have my next piece!!! Thank you!