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    Home » Recipes » Biscuits & Scones

    Published: Jun 16, 2022 · Modified: Oct 28, 2022 by alexandra · This post may contain affiliate links

    Easy Coffee Scones (gluten-free option)

    Jump to Recipe
    Two scones on a stack of white plates.

    What better breakfast treat to serve with your morning cup of joe than a coffee scone? Made with a mix of espresso powder and instant coffee, these tender, buttery scones come with a bold dose of java flavor, complimented by a sweet coffee glaze on top. Rich brown sugar adds to the intensity, for a scone that's anything but boring! These are prepped in just 20 minutes, and can easily be frozen before baking.

    Scones on a wire rack, with two iced coffees in the background. this recipe

    These scones came about as the result of one question: "Can I eat and drink my coffee please? (Because that would be incredible.)" And as it turns out, yes, yes you can. If your morning latte just isn't cutting it, it's time to up the ante with a coffee-infused scone.

    But just how do you manage to pack all the flavors of a shot of espresso into a humble scone? Here's the secret: instant coffee granules.

    Now, trust me when I say that I would never recommend instant coffee over fresh beans unless it was absolutely necessary. But with a scone dough (which requires just the right amount of liquid, preferably in the form of heavy cream), coffee granules do the trick by adding that deep coffee flavor without adding moisture.

    The result is truly the ultimate coffee scone, with just the right amount of structure, a soft crumb, and a bold taste. In fact, this is one of my favorite scone flavors to date!

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Recipe FAQ
    • Coffee drinks to serve with coffee scones
    • Have you made this recipe?
    • Recipe Card
    • More biscuit and scone recipes
    • 💬 Comments and Reviews

    Ingredients

    If you've made any of my other scone recipes, you'll notice that they tend to have a few staple ingredients across the board: flour, sugar, butter, cream, baking powder, and salt. This recipe takes that one step further with a couple of simple additions.

    Labeled ingredients needed to make coffee scones.

    A few things to note:

    • These scones can be made with regular or gluten-free all-purpose flour. If you're using gluten-free flour, make sure your blend contains a binding agent like xanthan gum or guar gum. Also - I beg of you to weigh your flour if possible, and to make sure you're measuring it correctly if not. If you use too much flour, your scones will be dry and crumbly, and nobody wants that!
    • You can use light or dark brown sugar. Either one will serve two purposes: 1) keeping the scones moist, and 2) intensifying that rich coffee flavor.
    • It might go without saying, but use the best instant coffee granules that you can find. It's important that they dissolve well in cold liquids AND have good flavor.
    • I've been making my own espresso powder for years, but you can also buy it! Alone, it won't make your scones taste like coffee, but as an addition to this recipe, it's a great flavor enhancer.
    • If you want light, tender, flaky scones, here's a tip: very cold butter is a must. I actually use frozen butter for this recipe, and chop it into cubes before adding it to my scone dough.
    • You should be able to sub the heavy cream with regular or light whipping cream without an issue, but I don't recommend half-n-half or milk. That fat content is important for creating the perfect tender, crumbly scone, so we don't want to cut back on it too much. Your cream should also be COLD in order to keep your butter cold.
    • Although it's definitely not manadatory, I like to garnish these with a hefty sprinkle of coarse sugar, like Demerara or sparkling sugar. The coarser the better here, since finer sugars will have a tendency to melt into the coffee glaze. Instead, you want the sugar to hold its shape in order to add that sweet, satisfying crunch to your coffee scones.

    Instructions

    There are two parts to this recipe: the coffee scones and the coffee glaze. It's crucial that you wait until your scones are baked and (completely) cooled before you even think about glazing them, got it? Okay, let's do this!

    Make the coffee scones:

    Step one - Combine the dry ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, espresso powder, baking powder, and salt until they're thoroughly combined.

    Dry ingredients being mixed in a bowl for scones.

    Step two - Cut in the butter. Add the (frozen! cubed!) butter to the flour mixture and cut it in with a pastry cutter until all of the pieces are pea-sized or smaller and dispersed into the mixture. (If you don't have a pastry cutter, I would recommend grating your butter in with a box grater instead, like I do for my blueberry scones.)

    Butter being cut into a bowl of dry ingredients.

    Step three - Combine the wet ingredients: In a liquid measuring glass or small mixing bowl, stir together 6 ¼ ounces (or ¾ cup) heavy cream, instant coffee granules, and vanilla extract until the majority of the granules have dissolved.

    Instant coffee mixed into cream in a glass measuring bowl.

    Step four - Combine the wet and dry ingredients: Add the coffee-infused cream to the flour mixture and fold it in with a spatula until partially incorporated. Finish gently working the dough together with your hands, adding another 1-1 ½ ounces (2-3 tablespoons) as needed to help it come together. As with all scones, the dough should be fairly soft - not dry but also not sticky. Avoid overmixing or overkneading.

    Once you have a cohesive dough, shape it into a flat disc, about ⅞" thick. Wrap it in plastic wrap and freeze it for at least 1 hour prior to baking.

    Scone dough being mixed in a bowl.
    1.
    Coffee scone dough shaped into a disc on a baking sheet.
    2.

    Step five - Bake: Preheat your oven to 400ºF, and line a full-size baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Slice the frozen dough into eight equal triangles, pizza-style, and spread them apart on the prepared baking sheet.

    Bake your coffee scones for about 18 minutes, or just until a toothpick inserted into the center of one comes out clean. Cool them briefly on the pan before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling.

    Scone dough on a parchment-lined baking sheet, ready to bake.
    1.
    Scones cooling on a wire rack.
    2.

    Make the coffee glaze:

    Step one - Whisk all ingredients: In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the water and instant coffee granules until the granules have dissolved. Add the confectioner's sugar, 1 tablespoon of cream, and salt. Whisk the mixture together until smooth, adding as much of the remaining tablespoon of cream as needed to make a glaze that drips slowly down from the whisk when lifted.

    Step two - Glaze scones: Spoon the glaze onto the cooled scones (keep a sheet of parchment paper underneath for easy cleanup!), giving them a few minutes to set. Then, finish the scones off with a hefty sprinkle of coarse sugar before serving.

    Scones with glaze on a wire rack.

    Recipe FAQ

    How should I store scones?

    I tend to think scones are always best the day they're baked, but they'll still taste great for up to 5 days after baking. If unglazed, you can keep them in an airtight zip-top bag or container at cool room temperature. Once your scones are glazed, I'd suggest storing them in the refrigerator if you don't plan to eat them within 24 hours.

    Can I freeze scone dough?

    Absolutely! One of the best things about scones is that the dough freezes really well. After the initial 1 hour freeze, slice the scones into triangles and put them back in the freezer on a tray or baking sheet until they're solid. At this point, you can transfer them to a freezer-safe zip-top bag and freeze them for up to 6 months.

    When you're ready to bake your scones, let the dough sit at room temperature while your oven preheats, so that they thaw slightly before baking.

    Two scones on a white plate with a glass of coffee in the background.

    Coffee drinks to serve with coffee scones

    Coffee scones with coffee glaze obviously need to be served with... coffee! Here are a few of my favorite iced and hot variations:

    • Easy caramel iced coffee
    • Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew (DIY Starbucks Recipe!)
    • DIY: Mint mojito iced coffee
    • DIY: Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha

    Have you made this recipe?

    If so, I'd love to hear your feedback; you can leave a rating and review in the comments section below!

    Help spread the word by sharing this post on your favorite social media channel! If you happen to snap a photo of something you've baked, be sure to share it on Instagram and tag me (@brighteyedbaker) so I can give you a shoutout!

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    Coffee Scones

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    ★★★★★

    5 from 2 reviews

    Brown sugar and espresso powder add extra intensity to these tender, buttery coffee scones, made extra-bold with a sweet coffee glaze. Coffee and scones are a classic pairing, and this recipe combines them into a single package!

    • Author: Alexandra
    • Prep Time: 20 minutes
    • Chill Time: 1 hour
    • Cook Time: 18 minutes
    • Total Time: 1 hour 38 minutes
    • Yield: 8 scones 1x
    • Category: biscuits and scones
    • Method: baking
    • Cuisine: American

    Ingredients

    Scale

    Coffee Scones

    • 9 ½ ounces (2 ¼ cups, spoon and level) all-purpose flour (regular or gluten-free)
    • 3 ¾ ounces (½ cup, packed) brown sugar
    • 1 tablespoon espresso powder
    • 2 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
    • slightly generous ½ teaspoon salt
    • 2 ½ ounces (5 tablespoons) unsalted butter, frozen and cubed
    • 6 ¼ - 7 ¾ ounces (12-15 tablespoons) heavy cream, cold
    • ¼ cup instant coffee granules
    • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

    Coffee Glaze

    • 2 tablespoons instant coffee granules
    • 1 tablespoon water
    • 4 ounces (1 cup) confectioner's sugar
    • 1 - 2 tablespoons heavy cream
    • small pinch of salt
    • coarse sugar, for sprinkling

    Instructions

    Coffee Scones

    1. Combine dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, espresso powder, baking powder, and salt.
    2. Cut in butter with a pastry blender until all pieces are pea-sized or smaller and dispersed into the mixture.
    3. Combine wet ingredients: In a liquid measuring glass or small mixing bowl, mix together 6 ¼ ounces (¾ cup) heavy cream, instant coffee granules, and vanilla extract, stirring until the granules have mostly dissolved.
    4. Combine wet and dry ingredients: Add the cream mixture to the dry ingredients and fold in with a spatula until partially incorporated. Use hands to gently work everything together into a single ball of dough, adding the remaining 1 ½ ounces (3 tablespoons) cream as needed. Shape dough into a flat round about ⅞" thick, wrap in plastic wrap, and freeze for at least an hour before baking.
    5. Bake: Preheat oven to 400ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Just before baking, slice dough into 8 equal triangles and spread apart on baking sheet. Bake for about 18 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of one of the scones comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool before glazing.

    Coffee Glaze

    1. Whisk all ingredients: In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the water and instant coffee granules until the granules have dissolved. Add the confectioner's sugar, salt, and 1 tablespoon of cream, whisking until smooth. Add the remaining tablespoon of cream as needed to make a glaze that drips slowly down from the whisk when lifted.
    2. Glaze scones: Spoon glaze over scones (for easier cleanup keep a sheet of parchment underneath), allowing it to drizzle down the sides of each scone. Let the glaze set for about 5 minutes before sprinkling scones with coarse sugar.

    Notes

    Ingredients Notes and Substitutions:

    • Flour should be measured by weight, or using the spoon-and-level method. If using gluten-free flour, make sure your blend contains a binding agent like xanthan gum or guar gum. 
    • Heavy cream can be substituted with regular or light whipping cream.

    Storing Leftovers:

    • Unglazed scones can be kept in an airtight zip-top bag or container at cool room temperature. Glazed scones should be kept in the refrigerator, unless you plan to eat them within 24 hours of glazing.

    Freezing Scone Dough:

    • If you want to bake the scones more than a few hours after prepping the dough, take them out of the freezer after 1 hour, slice into 8 pieces as directed, and place on a half sheet pan. Return to freezer until firm, and then transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container to store until ready to bake (up to 6 months). Remove from freezer to thaw slightly while oven is preheating. Baking time may need to be increased; simply bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

    Keywords: coffee scones, brown sugar scones, gluten-free scones, espresso scones, coffee glaze

    Have you made this recipe?

    Tag @brighteyedbaker on Instagram and hashtag it #brighteyedbaker

    More biscuit and scone recipes

    • Glazed Pumpkin Scones {gluten-free}
    • Gluten-Free Blueberry Buttermilk Scones
    • Gluten-free buttermilk biscuits
    • Vanilla Bean Scones

         

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    More Biscuit and scone recipes

    • Bacon Cheddar Scones
    • Nutella-Filled Scones
    • Zested Orange & Vanilla Bean Scones
    • Gingerbread Scones

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    1. AlexA says

      June 27, 2022 at 8:37 pm

      These are the best. I love the pictures and they tasted better than I could have imagined. I could eat these every day, no joke!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    2. Sandra says

      June 27, 2022 at 8:36 pm

      These were so delicious! I rate them right up there next to your apricot almond scones, if not better.. so so very good!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    3. Jenny K. says

      September 11, 2015 at 8:23 pm

      These look delicious! I can't wait to try them! Thank you!

      Reply
    4. Allison - Celebrating Sweets says

      June 26, 2015 at 1:47 pm

      I was looking for a brown sugar biscuit recipe and I stumbled on these scones. Ah! They look amazing! And I just happen to have all the ingredients needed on hand. :)

      Reply
      • alexandra says

        June 30, 2015 at 5:48 pm

        Oooh try them! They're one of my faves for sure! :)

        Reply
    5. Kristen {good habits and guilty pleasures} says

      April 23, 2015 at 2:52 pm

      YUM! I have a slight obsession with scones lately and have been trying to find unique flavors and I love this idea! Thanks for sharing :)

      Reply
      • alexandra says

        April 24, 2015 at 12:01 pm

        I feel you on the scone obsession! This is one of my favorites so I hope you try it and love it just as much!

        Reply
    6. Mary @chattavore says

      April 22, 2015 at 6:42 pm

      I adore scones. The flavors here are perfect! I will have to make these soon.

      Reply
    7. taylor @ greens & chocolate says

      April 22, 2015 at 11:21 am

      These are totally calling my name! I would love one of these with a big cuppa (decaf for me) coffee!

      Reply
    8. Ashley says

      April 22, 2015 at 10:16 am

      Those mugs are so so pretty! I love the gold on the handles!

      And these scones ... sound utterly perfect. Coffee + brown sugar??

      Reply
      • alexandra says

        April 22, 2015 at 7:00 pm

        I love them too! Got them from Anthro :) Not sure if they're still available, but they might be!

        Reply
    9. Katy | Her Cup of Joy says

      April 22, 2015 at 10:02 am

      I love coffee, and anything coffee related! These scones look so delicious, perfect for afternoon tea :)

      Reply
    10. Ilona @ Ilona's Passion says

      April 22, 2015 at 9:38 am

      Coffee + brown sugar this is the type of scones that I will like the most:)

      Reply

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    Hey There! Thanks for stopping by! Here's what you can expect to find on Bright-Eyed Baker: lots of baked goods and other sweets made from scratch (many of which are gluten-free), plus the occasional savory recipe or mixed drink. My goal is to show you that from-scratch baking - gluten-free or not! - doesn't have to be intimidating. Learn more about me.

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