Tender Cinnamon Scones with a slightly crunchy cinnamon streusel topping and more cinnamon streusel stuffed in the middle are just the thing to have for breakfast. They are a great compromise when you can’t decide among scones, coffee cake or cinnamon rolls.
If you can’t decide on coffee cake or scone for breakfast, you don’t have to settle when you can have these Cinnamon Scones. Stuffed with cinnamon streusel inside and topped with another layer of cinnamon streusel on top, these are your favorite coffee cake in scone form. They are made with a base of buttery and tender buttermilk scones and a super simple brown sugar cinnamon streusel.
How to Make Cinnamon Scones
We start with a brown sugar cinnamon streusel, which includes light brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and cold butter. Use a pastry blender (or a fork) to cut the butter into the flour mixture to create coarse crumbs. Keep the streusel refrigerated while you make the scone dough so it doesn’t melt.
Proceed to make the scone dough as usual. This one will be spiced with a little bit of cinnamon in the dough as well. You can use a pastry blender to cut the butter into the flour mixture, or simply use the tip of your fingers to rub the butter in until about pea and bean size. Fold in the liquid ingredients until a shaggy dough forms. Make sure to reserve about 2 tablespoon of liquid to use as egg wash.
To assemble the scones, roll out the dough into a sheet. Brush egg wash on the bottom half and spread half of the cinnamon streusel on that bottom half, then fold the other half over the streusel like a book. Brush egg wash on top of the dough and spread the remaining cinnamon streusel on top. Cut into 8 triangles and bake for 20 minutes.
I always use my insulated baking sheet for scones because they bake at high temperature and this baking sheet keeps the bottom from getting scorched. These scones bake up tender and full of warm cinnamon flavor. They have a slightly crunchy top streusel layer and a strip of cinnamon sugar running right through the middle of the scones.
The simple addition of cinnamon and streusel to this cinnamon scones recipe really transforms a simple basic buttermilk scone into something extra special for your brunch get together or even just to enjoy them on a quiet morning at home. I am a sucker for a little bit of something sweet with my morning coffee, and these scones certainly hit the spot.
Try These Cinnamon Filled Treats for Breakfast
- Cinnamon Twists
- Cinnamon Rolls
- Cinnamon Swirl Bread with Berries
- Cinnamon Pull Apart Bread
- Cardamom Apple Coffee Cake
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment, rate it and don’t forget to tag me @wildwildwhisk on Instagram. I’d love to see what’s cooking up in your kitchen. Cheers!
This recipe was originally published on 12/8/2014. The recipe has been updated to reflect a few improvements. The post has also been updated with extra tips and process photos to help you in the kitchen.
📖 Recipe card
Cinnamon Scones
Ingredients
For scones
- 2 cup all-purpose flour ((281 g))
- ¼ cup granulated sugar ((45 g))
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt ((2 g))
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda ((2 g))
- 1 tablespoon baking powder ((12 g))
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon ((1 g))
- 4 oz unsalted butter ((113 g, cubed & cold))
- 1 large egg
- ¾ cup buttermilk ((more or less, enough to fill 1 cup including the egg))
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract ((2 g))
For cinnamon streusel
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter ((28 g, 1 oz))
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour ((34 g))
- ¼ cup light brown sugar ((47 g, tightly packed))
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon ((2 g))
Instructions
Prepare the streusel
- Add sugar, flour and cinnamon in a small mixing bowl and stir together with a whisk to distribute evenly. Toss in the cold cubed butter and cut with a pastry blender or a fork until the texture is sandy. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Prepare the scones
- Preheat oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a measuring cup, add egg and buttermilk to fill 1 cup. Add vanilla extract, and beat to combine. Set aside.
- Add flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon to a medium mixing bowl and mix with a whisk to combine. Toss the cubed butter in the flour mixture and work it into the flour with the tip of your fingers until about large pea size.
- Make a well in the middle of the flour mixture and pour in the liquid mixture set aside earlier, reserving about 2 tablespoons to use as egg wash. Fold with a spatula or wooden spoon until a wet dough forms.
- Turn the dough out onto a well-floured board, pat the dough out to about ½” thick and fold it over itself. Do this a few times to create layers. Shape into a rectangle.
- With a rolling pin, roll the dough out to about 12”x6”. Brush half of the rectangle with the reserved egg wash. Spread half of the cinnamon streusel on top of the egg wash and pat it down. Then fold the other half over like folding a book.
- Brush the top of the dough with egg wash again and spread the remaining cinnamon streusel on top. Cut into 8 triangles.
- Place the scones on the prepared baking sheet, and bake for 20 minutes.
- Let cool completely on a wire rack.
Nutrition
Shop The Recipe Tools
Some of the links above are affiliate links, which pay me a small commission for my referral at no extra cost to you! Thank you for supporting my blog.
Excellent, best-tasting scones ever.
Easy to make.
I was looking for a recipe to use up my buttermilk and found this one. What a hit! I love cinnamon rolls and coffee cake and scones so this is the PERFECT blend of all! soft on the inside, crunchy on outside. Not too sweet! My family loved them! Thank you for the great recipe! It’s a keeper!
Thank you so much Kim! Your wonderful comment made my day 🙂
I had never baked scones before until I tried your buttermilk scone recipe. I loved them so much that the next day I tried the cinnamon scone recipe and it was even better! Everyone loved them and I am making them again today.
This look wonderful. Scones with a hit of warming spice, yum
These look AMAZING !!
I loooooove cinnamon and I can imagine the taste 🙂
Lovely; Just lovely. Gotta try these.