These Brown Sugar Cinnamon Scones are soft, buttery, and filled with warm cinnamon and brown sugar flavor. The tops are brushed with melted butter, sprinkled with cinnamon brown sugar, and finished with a simple vanilla glaze for the perfect sweet bite.
These mini scones are easy to make and are perfect for breakfast, brunch, holidays, or serving alongside a warm cup of coffee.
Why You’ll Love These Brown Sugar Cinnamon Scones
These homemade cinnamon scones have everything you want in an easy bakery-style treat. They’re buttery and tender on the inside with slightly crisp edges, warm cinnamon throughout, and a sweet vanilla glaze drizzled over the top.
They’re also made with simple ingredients and require just 15 minutes of chilling time, making them an easy recipe when you want fresh homemade scones without a lot of extra work.
Brown Sugar Cinnamon Scones
Soft and buttery mini scones flavored with cinnamon and brown sugar, topped with a cinnamon sugar mixture and finished with a simple vanilla glaze.
Recipe Details
Category: Breakfast / Brunch
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Chill Time: 15 minutes
Bake Time: 10–12 minutes
Total Time: About 45 minutes
Servings: 19 mini scones
Ingredients
For the Scones
2 cups all-purpose flour
⅓ cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
8 tablespoons cold salted butter, cut into cubes
½ cup heavy cream
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For Brushing & Topping
1 tablespoon melted butter
1 tablespoon brown sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
For the Vanilla Glaze
¾ cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoons whole milk
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
Prepare the dry ingredients. Add the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon to a large mixing bowl. Stir until combined.
Add the butter. Add the cold cubed butter to the dry ingredients and mix until the butter is incorporated throughout the flour mixture.
Add the wet ingredients. Pour in the heavy cream and vanilla extract, then add the egg. Mix until a dough begins to form. Avoid overmixing the dough.
Shape the scones. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface. Gently shape the dough into a rectangle approximately 1 inch thick.
Cut into mini scones. Use a pastry cutter, bench scraper, or pizza cutter to cut the dough into small triangles. You should get approximately 19 mini scones.
Chill. Place the scones on a parchment-lined baking sheet and transfer them to the freezer for 15 minutes.
Preheat the oven. While the scones chill, preheat the oven to 400°F.
Add the topping. In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar and cinnamon. Remove the chilled scones from the freezer and brush the tops with melted butter. Sprinkle the cinnamon brown sugar mixture evenly over each scone.
Bake. Bake at 400°F for 10–12 minutes, or until the scones are lightly golden and baked through.
Make the vanilla glaze. While the scones bake, whisk together the powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon of whole milk, and vanilla extract. Add additional milk as needed until the glaze reaches your desired consistency.
Glaze and serve. Remove the scones from the oven and drizzle the vanilla glaze over the warm scones. Allow the glaze to set slightly before serving.
Tips for the Best Cinnamon Scones
Keep your butter cold until you're ready to use it. Cold butter helps give homemade scones their tender texture.
Try not to overwork the dough when mixing and shaping it. Mix just until everything comes together, then gently form the rectangle.
Don't skip the 15-minute freezer chill. Chilling the shaped scones helps keep the butter cold before they go into the hot oven.
For the glaze, begin with 1 tablespoon of milk. You can always add a little more if you want a thinner glaze, but it is much harder to thicken it again once too much liquid has been added.
What to Serve with Brown Sugar Cinnamon Scones
These cinnamon scones are especially good served warm with coffee or tea. They would also make a great addition to a brunch spread with fresh fruit, eggs, bacon, or other breakfast favorites.
Because they're mini scones, they're also a great size for holiday mornings, showers, parties, and other gatherings.
How to Store Cinnamon Scones
Store leftover scones in an airtight container at room temperature for about 2 days.
For longer storage, keep them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You can warm them briefly before serving if you prefer them soft and warm.
If you're planning to store them for several days, I would wait to add the vanilla glaze until closer to serving for the best texture.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do the scones need to go in the freezer before baking?
Chilling the scones keeps the butter cold before they enter the oven. This helps the scones hold their shape while baking and gives them a better texture.
Can I make these scones ahead of time?
Yes. You can prepare and cut the scones ahead of time, keep them chilled, and bake them when you're ready to serve them.
How thick should the dough be?
Shape the dough into a rectangle about 1 inch thick before cutting it into small triangles.
How do I know when the scones are done?
The scones should be lightly golden around the edges and baked through. Since these are smaller scones, begin checking them around the 10-minute mark.
Can I make the glaze thicker or thinner?
Yes. For a thicker glaze, use less milk. For a thinner drizzle, gradually add a little more milk until it reaches the consistency you like.
Final Thoughts
These Brown Sugar Cinnamon Scones with Vanilla Glaze are an easy homemade treat filled with cozy cinnamon and brown sugar flavor. The buttery scones, crunchy cinnamon sugar topping, and sweet vanilla glaze make them perfect for everything from a slow weekend breakfast to a holiday brunch.
Serve them warm with your favorite cup of coffee and enjoy!
Brown Sugar Cinnamon Scones
Soft and buttery mini scones flavored with cinnamon and brown sugar, topped with a cinnamon sugar mixture and finished with a simple vanilla glaze.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 8 tablespoons cold salted butter, cut into cubes
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon melted butter
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoons whole milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Add the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon to a large mixing bowl. Stir until combined.
- Add the cold cubed butter to the dry ingredients and mix until the butter is incorporated throughout the flour mixture.
- Pour in the heavy cream and vanilla extract, then add the egg. Mix until a dough begins to form. Avoid overmixing the dough.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface. Gently shape the dough into a rectangle approximately 1 inch thick.
- Use a pastry cutter, bench scraper, or pizza cutter to cut the dough into small triangles. You should get approximately 19 mini scones.
- Place the scones on a parchment-lined baking sheet and transfer them to the freezer for 15 minutes.
- While the scones chill, preheat the oven to 400°F.
- In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar and cinnamon. Remove the chilled scones from the freezer and brush the tops with melted butter. Sprinkle the cinnamon brown sugar mixture evenly over each scone.
- Bake at 400°F for 10–12 minutes, or until the scones are lightly golden and baked through.
- While the scones bake, whisk together the powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon of whole milk, and vanilla extract. Add additional milk as needed until the glaze reaches your desired consistency.
- Remove the scones from the oven and drizzle the vanilla glaze over the warm scones. Allow the glaze to set slightly before serving.
