Gingerbread Scones with Maple Glaze Recipe
These delicious Gingerbread Scones are a perfect blend of warm spices like ginger, cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg with the rich sweetness of molasses. They are tender, flaky, and topped with a sweet maple glaze for a delightful treat perfect for breakfast or afternoon tea.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings
- Category: Breakfast, Snack, Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground clove
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter (cold, cubed)
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1/4 cup molasses (fancy molasses, not blackstrap)
- 1 tablespoon milk (for brushing the scones before baking)
Toppings and Glaze
- 1 tablespoon sparkling sugar (or coarse sugar, sprinkled on top before baking)
- 1 cup confectioners sugar (icing sugar or powdered sugar)
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1-2 tablespoons milk (or more as needed for glaze consistency)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and for easy cleanup.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a food processor, combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder, ground ginger, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and salt. Pulse a few times until thoroughly mixed. If you don't have a food processor, mix these ingredients in a large bowl.
- Add Butter: Add the cold, cubed butter to the dry ingredients and pulse again until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Without a processor, use a pastry cutter or two knives to cut the butter into the flour mixture.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, and molasses. Add this to the flour mixture and pulse until it forms a wet but crumbly dough. Avoid overworking to keep the scones tender.
- Form Dough: Transfer the dough to a floured surface. Use your hands to gently bring the dough together and shape it into an 8-inch diameter disc. If the dough becomes too warm and butter softens, wrap it and chill in the fridge briefly.
- Cut and Prepare for Baking: Cut the dough into 8 wedges and place them on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them at least an inch apart. Brush each wedge with milk and sprinkle with sparkling or coarse sugar for a crunchy topping.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, or until the scones turn a lovely golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes.
- Make Glaze: In a small bowl, mix confectioners sugar, maple syrup, and milk until smooth. Adjust milk or sugar to reach desired glaze thickness.
- Glaze and Serve: Drizzle the maple glaze over the cooled scones and serve. Enjoy warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- Do not overwork the dough to maintain tender scones.
- Using cold butter helps create flaky layers in the scones.
- Fancy molasses is preferred over blackstrap for a milder, sweeter flavor.
- Glaze consistency can be adjusted with more milk or sugar to suit your preference.
- Store leftover scones in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or freeze for longer storage.
