Cinnamon Sugar Scones
I realize that I could have a section dedicated to scones alone. I love them! These beauties were posted today by Smitten Kitchen and I had to make them. They are cousin to the cinnamon roll, with layers of cinnamon sugar, but without the icing, they are less sweet- which is why I like them so much. They are flaky and light. My only complaint would be that the recipe only makes 6, rather small scones, so you may want to double the batch.
Tips:
Use a large chef knife or bench scraper to fold the dough in half.
Scone dough is shaggy and doesn’t come together easily, but it isn’t meant to. You want the butter to sit in pockets to create that airiness. Don’t overmix them!
If you want to prepare them ahead of time, freeze the scones before you bake them on a sheet pan. Once frozen place in a bag or container until ready to bake. Increase cooking time by up to 5 minutes.
Cinnamon Sugar Scones
Recipe from Smitten Kitchen
Makes 6
PREP 10 minutes
COOK 15-17 minutes
INGREDIENTS
1- 3/4 cups (230 grams) all-purpose flour, plus more for counter
6 tablespoons (75 grams) granulated sugar, divided
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
8 tablespoons (4 ounces or 115 grams) unsalted butter, cold, diced
1/4 cup (60 ml) half-and-half or 2 tablespoons each milk and heavy cream, cold
1 large egg
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
INSTRUCTIONS
Heat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, 3 tablespoons of the sugar, baking powder, and salt. Pinch the butter into the dry mixture with your fingers or cut it in (with a pastry blender; I use this one) until it resembles coarse cornmeal. Make a well (clear area) in the center and pour in the half-and-half, then the egg. Use a fork to gently combine the egg and cream in the center, then use it to combine everything into a rough mass. Dip your hands into the bowl and knead the mixture a few times into an even mass.
On a lightly floured counter, roll the dough to roughly a 10-by-6-inch rectangle (think: a piece of paper but a little smaller). Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the remaining sugar and 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon over half of the rectangle (it will seem like too much but trust me, these scones do not end up overly sweet), then fold it in half. Roll the dough out again into an 8-by-6-inch rectangle; sprinkle another of the remaining tablespoons of sugar and the last teaspoon of cinnamon over half, then fold in half again. Do not roll again, just pat the dough into roughly a 6-inch circle and cut with a sharp knife into 6 wedges. Evenly space the wedges on the pan, sprinkle with final tablespoon of sugar, and bake until slightly golden at the edges, 15 to 17 minutes.