Gingerbread Scones
Gingerbread Scones! Traditional buttermilk scones flavored with ginger and molasses for a special seasonal treat. These scones are great for breakfast, brunch or tea-time.
Table of contents
Why you’ll love these Gingerbread Scones
I see lots of bad scones in coffee shops and bake shops. Most of the time they’re so light and sweet they’re closer to a muffin than a scone.
To my taste, a good scone should neither be too biscuit-like nor too muffin-like. I also don’t like scones too rich or sweet since I like to top them with a little clotted cream, curd or butter.
These scones have the perfect texture and a big spiced flavor. Cranberry Maple Butter is the perfect accompaniment to these scones.
Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
- All purpose flour – Medium protein all purpose flour makes a scone that has enough structure to rise high in the oven, but also has a tender crumb.
- Buttermilk – Acidic buttermilk tenderizes the scones. If you don’t have fresh buttermilk, buttermilk powder is the best substitute. Mix the buttermilk powder according to the directions before adding to the scones.
- Spices – The spice is ginger forward with notes of cinnamon and clove.
- Molasses – Molasses is a characteristic flavor for gingerbread.
How to make Gingerbread Scones
See the recipe card for detailed measurements and instructions.
- Mix the scone dough until it’s almost all combined.
- Turn the dough out onto your work surface and knead briefly to incorporate the remaining flour.
- Roll the dough to 3/4-1″ thick.
- Use a 2 1/2″-3″ cutter to cut rounds of dough.
- Brush the scones with buttermilk and sprinkle with ginger sugar.
- Bake until the scones are golden brown and feel light when lifted off the tray.
- Enjoy slightly warm or room temperature.
- Combine the ingredients for the cranberry maple butter in a food processor and pulse to combine.
- Serve the butter at room temperature with the scones.
Storage
- Scones are best eaten they day they are baked but will keep at room temperature for a day.
- Baked scones should never be refrigerated.
- Baked scones can be frozen for up to three months. Defrost the scones at room temperature, then warm in the oven to revive the texture.
More Scone Recipes
- Classic British Scones
- Rye Scones
- Irish Cheddar & Scallion Scones
- Cranberry Orange Scones
- Date & Spice Scones
- Pumpkin Scones
- Sweet Corn Scones
- Sourdough Scones
- Homemade Scone Mix
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Gingerbread Scones
Traditional buttermilk scones flavored with ginger and molasses for a special seasonal treat. These scones are great for breakfast, brunch or tea-time.
scones
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Ingredients
Ginger Sugar
- 2 oz demerara sugar (¼ cup)
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
Scones
- 2 large eggs
- 14 oz buttermilk (1 ¾ cup)
- 2 ½ oz molasses (¼ cup)
- 25 oz all purpose flour (5 cups, see note)
- 2 tablespoons baking powder
- 1 tablespoons ground ginger
- 1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 ½ oz granulated sugar (¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon)
- 6 oz unsalted butter (cold, cut into 1″ chunks)
Cranberry-Maple Butter
- 4 oz unsalted butter (room temperature)
- ¼ cup dried cranberries
- 1 teaspoon orange zest (finely grated)
- 1 tablespoon real maple syrup
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 °F. Line two ½ sheet pans with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Make the Ginger Sugar:
- Combine 2 oz demerara sugar and 2 teaspoons ground ginger in a small bowl, whisk to combine
Make the Scones
- Whisk together 2 large eggs, 14 oz buttermilk and 2 ½ oz molasses, set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl whisk together 25 oz all purpose flour, 2 tablespoons baking powder, 1 tablespoons ground ginger, 1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground cloves, ½ teaspoon salt and 2 ½ oz granulated sugar.
- Toss in 6 oz unsalted butter chunks and work them in until they are no larger than a pea.
- Add buttermilk mixture all at once and mix until mostly combined. Some loose flour will remain at the bottom of the bowl. DON'T OVER MIX.
- Dump the dough onto a floured surface and finish kneading by hand just until all the loose flour is absorbed-about 10-12 kneads
- Use your hands to pat the dough until it is a ¾" thick disc. Use a 2½"-3" biscuit cutter to cut scones. Cut straight down, don't twist or turn the cutter.
- Re-roll the scraps and continue cutting until all the dough is used.
- Arrange the scones on a parchment lined baking sheet, leaving at least 1/2" space between. Brush the tops of the scones with buttermilk and sprinkle with ginger sugar.
- Bake on the middle rack of the oven, flipping the tray after 10 minutes (see note). The scones are ready when they are golden brown, feel light and sound hollow when the bottom is tapped, about 15 minutes.
Cranberry-Maple butter
- Combine 4 oz unsalted butter, ¼ cup dried cranberries, 1 teaspoon orange zest and 1 tablespoon real maple syrup in the bowl of a small food processor
- Process in 30 second increments, scraping the bowl between. Process util the cranberries are chopped into small bits.
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Notes
If measuring the flour by volume use the “dip & sweep” method. That is, dip the measuring cup into the flour bin, overfill it, then sweep away the excess.
When you flip the tray around after 10 minutes take a look at the bottom of a scone. If they look like they’re browning too fast slide another tray under the scones until they are fully baked.
If you don’t have a small food processor to make the cranberry maple butter mince the dried cranberries by hand and stir together the ingredients.
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @eileen.bakingsense or tag #bakingsense!