Cinnamon Raisin Scones
Move over bagels, there is a new cinnamon raisin treat in town! The comforting classic flavors of cinnamon and raisin work perfectly in these tender, flaky scones. Topped with a cream cheese icing, these scones are great for breakfast, snack, or dessert. The recipe can be made into standard sized or mini scones, so you can choose which works best for your purpose.
Mix the Dough
To start, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl. Cut in cold, cubed butter and cream cheese using a pastry cutter, fork, or your hands until the mixture comes together into pea-sized clumps (see the image below for reference). Refrigerate until needed. These cold butter pieces are critical for the crumbly texture for the scones, so take care to not let the butter melt.
Whisk together heavy cream, granulated sugar, one egg, and vanilla extract in a medium bowl until fully combined and smooth. Pour the wet ingredients over the flour/butter mixture, add the raisins, and mix together using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon until you have a shaggy dough.
Shape the Dough
Work the dough into a ball using your hands. If the dough is too sticky to work with, add an additional 1-2 tablespoons of flour. On a floured work surface, shape the dough into one 8-inch disc for standard sized scones or two 5-inch discs for mini scones. I was making mini scones in these pictures. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400°F.
Cut the discs into 8 equal triangular sections. Place the scones on baking sheets lined with parchment paper or silicone baking mats at least 2 inches apart. Brush with heavy cream.
Bake the Scones
Bake at 400°F for 22-25 minutes for standard sized or 18-20 minutes for mini scones, until golden brown. Let the scones cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the Icing
While the scones are cooling, make the icing. To do so, whisk together the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and 1 tablespoon of milk or cream until smooth. If the icing is too thick, add in another tablespoon of milk or cream.
Drizzle the icing over the cooled scones and enjoy! If you prefer, you can let the icing set in the refrigerator for a few hours.
Store scones in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. If you prefer them warm, heat refrigerated scones in the microwave for 15-30 seconds. I found that this did not degrade the texture or melt the glaze too much.
Cinnamon Raisin Scones
Ingredients
- 2 and 1/4 cups all purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 heaping Tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 1/4 cup cream cheese, cold and cubed
- 1/2 cup heavy cream, plus 1 Tbsp for brushing scones
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup raisins
- 2 Tbsp cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1-2 Tbsp heavy cream or milk
Instructions
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl.
- Cut in the cubed butter and cream cheese using a pastry cutter, fork, or your hands until the mixture comes together into pea-sized clumps. Refrigerate until needed.
- Whisk together the heavy cream, sugar, egg, and vanilla in a medium bowl until smooth and fully combined.
- Stir the raisins into the flour/butter mixture and then pour in the and mix together using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon until you have a shaggy dough. Do not overwork the dough as it may melt the butter. If you notice your butter is melting too much while mixing, put the bowl in the refrigerator for 5 minutes before continuing.
- Work the dough into a ball using your hands. If the dough is too sticky to work with, add an additional 1-2 tablespoons of flour. On a floured work surface, shape the dough into one 8-inch disc for standard sized scones or two 5-inch discs for mini scones. Cut the discs into 8 equal triangular sections and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Place the scones on the baking sheet at least 2 inches apart. Brush with heavy cream. Bake for 22-25 minutes for standard sized or 18-20 minutes for mini scones or until golden brown. Let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Meanwhile, make the icing. Whisk together the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and 1 tablespoon of milk or cream until smooth. If the icing is too thick, add in another tablespoon of milk or cream.
- Drizzle the icing over the scones and let it set at room temperature.
Notes
Storage Instructions: Store scones in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. If you prefer them warm, heat refrigerated scones in the microwave for 15-30 seconds. I found that this did not degrade the texture or melt the glaze.
