Starbucks Cinnamon Scones Recipe With Cinnamon Glaze

This copycat Starbucks cinnamon scones recipe is buttery and tender with flaky layers and plenty of warm cinnamon flavor. Finished with a simple cinnamon glaze, these scones are perfect for breakfast, brunch, or serving with a hot cup of coffee.

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There was a stretch when the cinnamon scone was the thing I ordered at Starbucks almost every time—not because it was especially fancy, but because it hit that very specific sweet spot between breakfast and dessert.

Now that they’ve been retired from the Starbucks menu I crave them all the time!

When I started trying to replicate the recipe, the texture was the part I cared about most. I wanted that oversized coffee-shop feel, but with a buttery, tender center and crisp edges.

The one ingredient these scones are missing are the cinnamon chips. The Starbucks scones always had cinnamon chips in them and I’ve searched high and low to find some, but no luck. If you see them at your local grocery store feel free to add a cup to the dough.

Ingredients You’ll Need

For the Scones

• All-purpose flour: Gives the scones structure while keeping the crumb tender. I like King Arthur Flour for consistent results.
• Granulated sugar: Sweetens the dough without making it cakey.
• Brown sugar: Adds a little caramel-like depth that works beautifully with cinnamon.
• Baking powder: Provides the lift needed for tall, bakery-style scones.
• Ground cinnamon: Adds warm cinnamon flavor throughout the dough.
• Salt: Balances the sweetness and buttery richness.
• Salted butter: I like to use salted butter here to make these scones really pop but unsalted will work as well. Use it frozen for the flakiest texture.
• Large eggs: Add richness and help bind the dough together.
• Heavy cream: Gives the scones a rich, soft crumb.
• Vanilla extract: Rounds out the cinnamon and brown sugar flavors.
• Cinnamon chips (optional): This is a classic ingredient in the Starbucks cinnamon scones but they can be hard to find. If you have them, add 1 cup.

For the Cinnamon Glaze

• Confectioners’ sugar: Creates a smooth glaze.
• Ground cinnamon: Reinforces the cinnamon flavor.
• Vanilla extract: Adds warmth.
• Heavy cream or milk: Thins the glaze to a drizzleable consistency.

Let’s Bake It!

1. Combine the Dry Ingredients. In a large bowl, combine flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt, whisking until combined.

2. Add the Cold Butter. Working with frozen butter keeps the dough cold, which is the secret to flaky layers. Grate the butter through a box grater directly into the dry mixture, or use a pastry cutter (or pastry blender) to cut cold butter into the flour until you have pea-sized and slightly large pieces of butter throughout — don’t overwork it. A food processor works too: pulse the butter and dry ingredients together in short bursts just until crumbly.

3. Whisk the Wet Ingredients. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, heavy cream, and vanilla extract.

4. Combine and Fold in Cinnamon Chips. Pour the wet ingredients into the flour mixture. Using a rubber spatula, stir just until a soft dough forms, then fold in the cinnamon chips (if using). Stop mixing as soon as the dry streaks disappear — overmixing at this stage is the number one cause of tough scones.

5. Shape the Dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface (a cutting board works well — just sprinkle a little flour underneath so nothing sticks). Pat into an 8-inch circle about 1 inch thick with floured hands.

6. Cut Into Triangles. Using a sharp knife, bench scraper, or pizza cutter, cut each circle into 8 wedges for large, bakery-style shaped scones. Dough will be sticky so dip the cutter in a little flour if needed. Transfer triangles to a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.

7. Brush Scones. Brush a little bit of cream over the top of the scones with a pastry brush (a traditional egg wash works too, if you prefer a shinier finish). Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or even overnight. Meanwhile, heat oven to 400°F.

8. Bake. Place in the hot oven for 18–22 minutes, until golden brown. Transfer scones to a cooling rack and let cool at least 15 minutes before glazing.

9. Make the Glaze. In a small bowl, whisk the confectioners’ sugar, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and heavy cream until smooth, adding more cream a teaspoon at a time if you want a thinner drizzle. Once the scones have cooled to room temperature (a warm scone will melt the glaze right off), drizzle or spoon the cinnamon glaze generously over the tops.

Baking Tips for Tender, Flaky Scones

• Keep the ingredients cold. Cold butter is doing the same important work here that it does in my Macintosh Apple Pie: creating distinct, flaky layers instead of a dense pastry.
• Don’t overmix. Stop once a soft dough forms to avoid tough scones.
• Leave visible butter pieces. Small pieces of frozen butter help the scones rise and stay tender.
• Don’t use too much extra flour. Form the dough with floured hands and try to use as little extra flour as possible when shaping.
• Chill. Refrigerate the shaped scones for at least 30 minutes before baking.
• Watch the bake time. Bake until the tops and edges are golden brown but the tops are still a little soft.

More Ways to Make These Scones

Once you have the basic scone recipe down, it’s easy to change the flavor with a few simple swaps.

• Apple cinnamon scones: Fold 1/2 cup finely diced, peeled apple into the dough with (or instead of) the cinnamon chips. Keep the pieces small so they don’t add too much moisture. If you have more apples to use up, my collection of sweet and savory apple recipes has plenty of other ideas.
• Chocolate chip scones: Swap the cinnamon chips for the same amount of chocolate chips and reduce the amount of cinnamon in the dough to 1/2 teaspoon to make classic chocolate chip scones.
• Pumpkin scones: Add 1 cup pumpkin purée and pumpkin pie spice, then reduce the cream 1 tablespoon. For another warm-spiced fall bake, try my Cinnamon Pumpkin Seed Muffins.
• Coffee glaze: Use instant espresso powder in place of the ground cinnamon for a simple coffee glaze.

What to Serve With Cinnamon Scones

These buttery cinnamon scones are rich and sweet enough that I like serving them with something simple alongside. 

• Coffee or tea: A hot cup of coffee is the obvious choice, and the slight bitterness balances the sweet cinnamon glaze nicely.
• Greek yogurt and fresh fruit: A good option when you want to turn one of these large scones into a more complete breakfast.
• Cinnamon Carrot Apple Bread: If you’re making a larger brunch spread, this cinnamon-topped apple bread is another great sweet treat to put on the table.
• If you want to serve these for a holiday brunch or family breakfast, pair with any of these savory breakfast casseroles and this strawberry Prosecco punch.

FAQs

Can I make the scone dough ahead of time?

Yes. Shape and cut the scone dough, then refrigerate the shaped scones overnight or freeze them for longer storage. Bake straight from cold, adding a few extra minutes if frozen.

Can I make these without cinnamon chips?

Yes. You can swap in chocolate chips, chopped nuts like pecans, or leave the chips out entirely. The scones will still have plenty of cinnamon flavor from the ground cinnamon and cinnamon glaze.

Why did my scones turn out dry?

Dry or tough scones usually come from too much flour, overmixing, or overbaking. Measure the all-purpose flour carefully, stop mixing as soon as the dough comes together, and bake only until the tops are lightly golden brown.