Triple Cinnamon Scones
With cinnamon filling and cinnamon chips inside, and cinnamon-scented glaze (or cinnamon-sugar) outside, these moist, aromatic scones are a cinnamon-lover's dream come true.
Ingredients
Dough
- 2 3/4 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) cold butter, cut into pats
- 1 cup cinnamon sweet bits or cinnamon chips
- 1/2 to 2/3 cup half & half or evaporated milk
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Filling
- 3/4 cup Baker's Cinnamon Filling*
- 3 tablespoons water
- *For an alternative to Baker's Cinnamon Filling, see "tips," below.
Glaze
- 3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 7 tablespoons water
Instructions
- To make the dough: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- Work in the butter just until the mixture is unevenly crumbly; it's OK for some larger chunks of butter to remain unincorporated. Stir in the cinnamon chips or bits.
- Whisk together 1/2 cup of the half & half or milk, eggs, and vanilla.
- Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until all is moistened and holds together. Add up to 3 additional tablespoons half & half or milk, if necessary, to bring the dough together.
- Scrape the dough onto a well-floured work surface. Pat/roll it into a rough 9" square, a scant 3/4" thick. Make sure the surface underneath the dough is very well floured. If necessary, use a giant spatula (or the biggest spatula you have) to lift the square, and sprinkle more flour underneath.
- To make the filling: Mix together the Baker's Cinnamon Filling and water. If you're using the alternate filling described in "tips," below, whisk together the ingredients; omit the water.
- Spread (or sprinkle) the filling over the dough. Fold one edge into the center and over the filling, as though you were folding a letter. Fold the remaining edge over the center to complete the three-fold. You'll now have a rectangle that's stretched to about 4" x 12". Gently pat/roll it to lengthen it into a 3" x 18" rectangle; it'll be between 3/4" and 1" thick.
- Cut the rectangle into six 3" squares. Transfer the squares to a lightly greased (or parchment-lined) baking sheet. Now you have a choice. For large scones, cut each square in half diagonally to make a triangle; you'll have 12 scones. For medium scones, cut each square in half diagonally again, making four triangular scones from each square. Separate the scones just enough to break contact between them.
- You may also choose to make scone strips, or tiny squares. Cut each 3" square into three 1" x 3" rectangles, for a total of 18 scone strips. Or cut each 3" square into nine 1" squares, to make 54 bite-sized mini scones.
- For best texture and highest rise, place the pan of scones in the freezer for 30 minutes, uncovered. While the scones are chilling, preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Bake the scones for 16 to 20 minutes, or until they're golden brown. Remove the pan from the oven, and allow the scones to cool right on the pan. Once they're cool, cut the scones along their demarcation lines and separate them.
- Make the glaze by stirring together the sugar, cinnamon, and water. If the sugar seems particularly lumpy, sift it first, for an extra-smooth glaze.
- Now you're going to coat each scone with glaze. You can dip each one individually, which is quite time-consuming. Or line a baking sheet (with sides) with parchment, and pour about half the glaze atop the parchment. Set the scones atop the glaze, swirling them around a bit to coat their bottoms. Then drizzle the remaining glaze over the top. Use a pastry brush to brush the glaze over each scone, to coat it entirely. The glaze is very thin, so this is easily done.
- Transfer the scones to a rack set over parchment, to catch any drips. As you pick each scone up, run its sides over the glaze in the bottom of the pan, both to use up some of the extra glaze, and to make sure all sides are coated. Allow the glaze to set before serving the scones.
- Yield: one dozen triangles, 5" x 3"; 2 dozen triangles, 2 1/2" x 3"; 18 strips, 4" x 1 1/2"; or 54 mini (1 1/2") squares.
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size 127g
- Servings Per Batch 12
Amount Per Serving:
- Calories 440
- Calories from Fat 130
- Total Fat 14g
- Saturated Fat 9g
- Trans Fat 1g
- Cholesterol 25mg
- Sodium 280mg
- Total Carbohydrate 76g
- Dietary Fiber 1g
- Sugars 53g
- Protein 4g
* The nutrition information provided for this recipe is determined by the ESHA Genesis R&D software program. Substituting any ingredients may change the posted nutrition information.
Tips from our bakers
- No Baker's Cinnamon Filling? Combine 1/2 cup brown sugar with 2 tablespoons cinnamon and 3 tablespoons cornstarch; don't add the water. Sprinkle the mixture over the dough. You may finish the scones according to the recipe instructions, but we recommend cutting them into 12 larger (rather than medium or bite-sized) triangles. Cutting the scones any smaller will result in a lot of the sugary filling falling out of them.
- For a thicker, spreadable icing, mix together 3 cups confectioners' sugar, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and 3 to 4 tablespoons milk. Spread/drizzle over the scones.
Recommended For You
Reviews
Very good recipe! I could not find cinnamon chips or bits anywhere! So I just didn't add them. For the filling I used 3/4 cup brown sugar, two teaspoons of cinnamon, and 1.5 tablespoons of instant clear jel. Whisk together then add 1/2 a tablespoon of water at a time mixing in between until it got to a consistency I could smear on the dough. Make this once you have your dough ready to add the filling or it will be too thick! If you make it before hand just add about 1/2 teaspoon of water at a time until it thins down a little.
Not recommended until it is corrected within the recipe. I followed the recipe exactly, even though I am an experienced baker. The instructions for the substitute filling are incorrect, which y'all acknowledge further down the page. If the original instructions are incorrect, PLEASE correct them in the body of the recipe. Does the filling require butter and cornstarch in addition to the powdered sugar and cinnamon? Does it also need water? It's simply not clear!Hi Susan, we apologize for any confusion regarding the DIY cinnamon filling in this recipe. We hope we can clarify: The original instructions for the make-your-own filling have been updated here in this recipe. (It used to call for 4 tablespoons butter, 3/4 cup brown sugar and 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon to replace the Baker's Cinnamon Filling Mix and the water.) Bakers let us know that this filling was very soft and tended to leak out during baking. We tested a number of new variations for the filling and have come up with what's now listed in the recipe: combine 1/2 cup brown sugar with 2 tablespoons cinnamon and 3 tablespoons cornstarch, and sprinkle the mixture over the dough. (Omit the water; the DIY version makes a dry cinnamon sugar rub that becomes melty and luscious during baking.) We've asked our Recipe Team to make this crystal clear in the instructions above to avoid any future confusion. Kye@KAF
it was amazing my whole family loved them! he whole batch was gone in less then a week! i could not stop eating them
i'm confused. the reply to karen of mass says to make your own cinn filling use 4 tbs butter, 3/4 cup brown sugar and 2 tblsp cinnamon and omit the water. but there was no water in the original do-it-yourself recipe which is 1/2 cup of brown sugar, 2 tblsp cinnamon and 3 tblsp of cornstarch. The water is in the glaze, not the filling, right?Thanks for asking for clarification, Dorothy. We've updated our response to make it more clear the DIY filling should include the brown sugar, cinnamon, and cornstarch. These dry ingredients are mixed together before sprinkling over the dough. (It's a dry cinnamon sugar rub.) There should be 7 tablespooons of water added to the glaze. Happy baking! Kye@KAF
This is my third recipe I have tried for cinnamon scones and this one is a keeper. Used King Author Cinnamon chips which is the fist time I tried these. Could not fine them anywhere in standard groceries stores. With these chips and the cinnamon filling, nice! The filling was 3/4 cup brown sugar with 4 Tbls butter and 2 Tbls Cinnamon. This is different from the recipe online but I decided to try this from another user who posted on this recipe. Came out good! I will also use this base recipe for other scone flavors. Take out the cinnamon chips/filling and add for example, chocolate chips or Blueberries. As we know bakers tend to tweak recipes.
These are amazing - and addictive! I wouldn't substitute the cinnamon chips for anything else. They really make the difference, that and really good cinnamon. We do use a smaller portion for the glaze (ring to cut sugar wherever we can!). This is one thing on my Mother's Day menu that I am definitely making.
I've baked these scones many times now and love, love, love this recipe! I make larger scones and do not have a problem with the sugar staying inside the scone. I also add 2 drops of YL Cinnamon essential oil to my milk & egg mixture which gives the scones an extra zap of cinnamon. I make the dough ahead of time, freeze them, and bake however many I need. Always fresh scones!
I printed this recipe a year ago, but I couldn't find cinnamon chips in the store. finally found them and tried this recipe.. I can't tell you how good this recipe is. It is easy to make, the directions are so clear on the how to make them. I like these scones better than the ones I get from Panara Bread. They are fantastic. As a matter of fact, any recipe from King Arthur flour that I have tried has been fantastic. King Arthur is the only brand of flour that I buy, because of it being a non gmo product. I get the organic when I can find it. I do have trouble getting the self rising flour though. I have to go across town to fresh market to find it in the store. (I make the recipe for King Arthur biscuits as much as my diet allows me to). Another great recipe. I was never able to make a descent biscuit until I tried King Arthurs recipe from the flour bag. Anyway, Love the scones. Thanks King Arthur, I am branching out to try new and exciting recipes because of you.
I love making these scones. Lots of fun to make and they are always enjoyed! When I pulled up the recipe tonight to make them, the alternate for the bakers cinnamon filling is no longer available. How disappointing! While I would usually give this recipe 5 stars, I am giving it one star to protest not being able to make it without the specialized ingredient.Thanks for reaching out, Karen. We're happy to share the instructions for the DIY cinnamon filling that used to be included with this recipe, but we'd also like to take a minute to explain why it was removed. We've heard from a handful of bakers who had trouble with the cinnamon-sugar filling running out of their scone dough and making a big mess on the baking sheet (essentially burning in the oven). The Baker's Cinnamon Filling has other ingredients added to it to make it a more stable filling, which ensures better results. We want you to have the best baking experience with this recipe, so we therefore recommend using the Baker's Cinnamon Filling. We've since updated the instructions for making your own cinnamon filling.
However, if you've had success with the make-your-own-filling that used to be included with this recipe, here are the old instructions: substitute 4 tablespoons softened butter, 3/4 cup brown sugar and 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon in place of the Baker's Cinnamon Filling Mix and the water. We hope that helps! Kye@KAF
Had to throw them away. Filling melted and burned in pan, burning bottoms of scones.We're sorry to hear that you had such a disappointing bake! In response to your feedback and that of other bakers, we have made a few revisions to this recipe to help bakers avoid this potential pitfall. For one thing, we highly suggest using the Baker's Cinnamon Filling for the "filling", as it has thickening properties that can't be achieved with butter, sugar, and cinnamon alone. We've also adjusted the wording to "separate the scones just enough to break contact between them", rather than pulling them fully apart. This should help to contain the filling a bit as well while they bake. Hope this makes for some happier baking! Mollie@KAF