These Gingerbread Scones with Cream Cheese Frosting are like a gingerbread cookie, only in breakfast form! Filled with cinnamon, ginger, clove, and molasses, these make a wonderful breakfast treat!
Gingerbread Scones with Cream Cheese Frosting
Phew, what a crazy busy weekend!! Anyone else? I have been frantically trying to finish getting ready for Christmas, and it’s been a bit intense.
My husband was sick over the weekend so he couldn’t help, I decided last minute to make a few cookie trays, my little brother dropped in by surprise (which I’m flattered he wanted to stop by and see his sister!), and we are supposedly going to have a snow storm later this week.
So, I was a bit scatterbrained (okay a lot scatterbrained, just ask my husband) trying to figure everything out. I did, however, manage to get all the Christmas shopping finished.
Now just to wrap everything up and plan for a trip. So that means getting started on my laundry, sigh. Can Santa bring me a live-in maid for Christmas this year?!
Speaking of the upcoming holiday, these gingerbread scones with cream cheese frosting will make an extra special Christmas morning breakfast or any breakfast! They will go perfectly with a cup of hot tea, coffee, or even hot chocolate!
They have the perfect amount of cinnamon, ginger, clove, and molasses, and the cream cheese frosting makes them an indulgent breakfast treat.
Here are a few other breakfast options if you’re interested: Bean and Cheese Breakfast Tacos (my kids love these), Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Crescent Rolls, and this Brioche Cinnamon Snowflake.
Why You’ll Love This Simple Scone Recipe
- Warm and spicy in the best way ever
- Quick and easy
- Perfect for breakfast or a snack
- Family-friendly
- Your whole house will smell amazing!
Key Ingredients to Make Scones With Cream Cheese Frosting
- FLOUR – I’m using all-purpose flour, but you can also use your favorite GF option if you need to!
- BROWN SUGAR – I love the toffee and molasses-like flavor of brown sugar. I don’t recommend replacing with white sugar for this simple scone recipe.
- BAKING POWDER AND BAKING SODA – Both ensure that your scones rise.
- SPICES – You’ll need ground cinnamon, ginger, and clove to make gingerbread scones.
- SALT – Just a bit to balance out the other flavors.
- BUTTER – Make sure that it’s cubed — and cold!
- EGGS – Opt to use large eggs.
- MOLASSES – For more warm and earthy flavor!
- MILK – You’ll need it for the gingerbread scone batter and the cream cheese frosting.
- VANILLA – For added, you guessed it, flavor. Just a teaspoon will do.
- CREAM CHEESE – The base of the homemade frosting!
- POWDERED SUGAR – Also for the cream cheese topping.
- MAPLE SYRUP – You can use either milk or maple syrup for the frosting. I suggest going with maple syrup!
- SPRINKLES – For decoration.
Instructions to Make This Gingerbread Scone Recipe
RECIPE PREP: Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
COMBINE THE DRY INGREDIENTS: Add the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, clove, and salt to a large bowl. Use a pastry cutter to cut in the butter until the batter looks like coarse crumbs.
INCORPORATE THE WET INGREDIENTS: Add the eggs, molasses, milk, and vanilla to the bowl and stir until just combined.
SHAPE THE SCONES: Place the scone batter on a clean work surface and knead 10-15 times, then pat it out into an 8-inch circle. Cut into 8 equal triangles, then place each gingerbread scone on your prepared baking sheet.
BAKE: Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until they turn golden. Let the scones cool completely before adding the cream cheese frosting.
MAKE THE FROSTING: Combine the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, and milk (or maple syrup) in a small bowl, then drizzle on top of the scones when they’re cool. Add the sprinkles and enjoy!
Tips For Making The Best Gingerbread Scone
- Make ahead tip: I will say that scones with cream cheese are best enjoyed fresh, but you can keep these in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- To freeze: Or, you can freeze unfrosted scones for up to 3 months. Thaw completely (on the counter or refrigerator) before frosting.
- If you don’t like cream cheese frosting (we can’t be friends anymore… just kidding!) you can make this simple frosting:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 tablespoon milk or more as needed.
- For best results, cool scones completely before frosting.
FAQ
Baking powder biscuits and scones are almost identical, save for one ingredient. Scones feature eggs, while baking powder biscuits don’t. Now you know!
The fat content is key! I’m using 1/2 cup of cold butter and 1/4 cup of milk for this simple scone recipe, which will give you —in my opinion — the perfect amount for moist results. If dry scones are a real concern, you can always add extra milk or even a bit of yogurt or sour cream. Feel free to experiment!
You don’t have to for my gingerbread scone recipe if you make sure to use cold butter. That said, if you do chill the batter a bit before baking, you could end up with super tender and flaky end results. If you want to take the extra step, go for it! If not, no big deal.
My scones with cream cheese frosting are meant to be crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. Remember to remove them from the oven as soon as they turn golden brown!
More Scone Recipes To Try
- Pumpkin Scones
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Scones
- Lemon Blueberry Scones
- Ham and Cheese Scones
- Banana Pecan Scones with Caramel Icing
Thanks so much for reading! Let me know what you think about my gingerbread scone recipe!
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Gingerbread Scones with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
Gingerbread Scones
- 3 cups (400g) all purpose flour
- ¼ cup (45g) packed brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground clove
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup cold butter, cubed
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- ⅓ cup (80ml) molasses
- ¼ cup (60ml) milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 2 ounces (55g) cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup (110g) powdered sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons milk or maple syrup
- sprinkles (optional)
Instructions
Gingerbread Scones
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease; set aside.
- In a large bowl combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, clove, and salt. With a pastry cutter or two knives cut in the butter until it resembles coarse crumbs. (or you can freeze the stick of butter briefly and grate the butter, then just simply mix it in.)
- Add the eggs, molasses, milk, and vanilla. Stir just until combined then place on a work surface to knead 10-15 times (this will help to finish incorporating the flour). Pat out to an 8 inch circle. Cut circle into 8 equal triangles and place on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until lightly golden. Let cool completely before frosting.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a small bowl combine the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, and milk. Drizzle over the cooled scones.
Notes
- Best enjoyed fresh but can be stored in a single layer covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Make ahead tip: Freeze unfrosted scones for up to 3 months. Thaw completely (on the counter or refrigerator) before frosting.
- Nutrition facts: Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the information shown is just an estimate.
Can I make the dough the night before but bake them in the morning?
Yes, you can refrigerate the dough overnight and bake in the morning.
This is the best gingerbread scone recipe I’ve tried! I tis flaky like a scone should be and it tastes like gingerbread! Not all that I have tried do. I was about to give up until I found this recipe!
Thank you so much!! I am so glad you like them!!
Great recipe! I made it this morning and the scones are delicious. I made the icing using Cabot Trail Maple Cream Liqueur, which I would highly recommend for anyone who is able to find it in their area!
Thank you very much!! And that sounds to die for! I will have to see if we have that liqueur in our area!
I’m so excited to make these gingerbread scones! I did a pickup order at the store and they replaced my molasses with cane sugar. Do you think that will work as a substitution in this recipe?
Hi Tiffany! Unfortunately, it will not work. So sorry!
Where does the brown sugar go?
Thanks for catching that! I fixed the recipe. Let me know how you like them!!
OMGoodness Malinda!! 😊
How yummy looking are these scones, I LOVE scones!
I am into cream cheese anything, so we are friends, no worries on my end! 😉
I have frozen some scones on occasion and they’re good.
I will admit I do eat one or two more than I should, so freezing them hardly happens.
I don’t think I ever made a gingerbread scone, so I will be trying your recipe.
It’s the Christmas season so gingerbread is going to be perfect, well, actually, this recipe might become a regular at my house.
Thanks Malinda for another good idea!
Merry Christmas!
Pinned!
Thank you so much Dalia!! I love scones too and hardly ever freeze them because they don’t make it that far, lol! And thanks for the pin!!
Boy these sound delicious for Christmas morning! Thankfully I love cream cheese frosting (not just because I want to stay your friend 🙂 Thanks for such great recipes!
Thank you!! I’ll have to make a batch for you sometime! 🙂