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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 1/2 ounces (2 1/4 cups, spoon and level) all-purpose flour (regular or gluten-free)
  • 3 3/4 ounces (1/2 cup, packed) brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon espresso powder
  • 2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
  • slightly generous 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 1/2 ounces (5 tablespoons) unsalted butter, frozen and cubed
  • 6 1/4 - 7 3/4 ounces (12-15 tablespoons) heavy cream, cold
  • 1/4 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 7/8" 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.