Better than Starbucks Brown Sugar Cinnamon Scones (2024)

A delicious, melt-in-your-mouth scone recipe perfect for brunch or an afternoon tea break, these Brown Sugar Cinnamon Scones pair wonderfully with jams, creams or just a dollop of butter.

Brown Sugar Scones Recipe

For our Downton Abbey movie night party, I prepared a full spread of high tea-inspired treats to indulge my guests with – from scones and old-fashioned gingerbread cake to savory Yorkshire puddings stuffed with roast beef and homemade herb and garlic cream cheese. (Our Homemade Bakewell Tarts would have also made a great addition to the menu.)

After living in England for a bit, I have a huge soft spot for a traditional cream tea. It’s like a scaled down afternoon tea with plenty of scones, jams and clotted cream. I wish that more local places offered them, but I’m more than happy to just whip up my own and indulge.

These brown sugar scones lend themselves perfectly to an afternoon indulgence, with a tender, chewy crumb and a melt-in-your-mouth, warming combination of brown sugar, cinnamon and plenty of butter.

If desired, you can add a drizzle of royal icing or cream cheese frosting overtop to make them more like Starbucks scones, but I prefer to get my sweetness by slathering these scones with clotted cream and jam. Butter and jam, if in a pinch.

To ensure your scones are airy and light, make sure to use fresh baking powder and do not over-knead the dough when shaping the scones. Press the dough just enough to form it into a semi-even circle and resist the urge to handle it more than that. (Scones should have scraggly nooks and crannies to capture those delicious spreads.)

Can I freeze these brown sugar scones? Yes, these scones can be prepared ahead of time and frozen before baking. To freeze, prepare the scones right up until the point that you need to brush them with heavy cream. Simply cut into wedges and freeze on a baking sheet. Then remove from the freezer and place the individual wedges in an airtight ziptop freezer bag or your favorite freezer container. (This set of freezer containers is a crazy bargain.)

When ready to bake, remove from the freezer and place on a baking sheet until thawed. Brush with butter or cream before baking as directed. (You may need to bake a bit longer if they are not fully thawed.)

Check out our quick video to see how easy it is to make these brown sugar scones – and then don’t forget to scroll down to grab your free printable recipe card:

More Scrumptious Scone Recipes

• Easy Berry Scones
• Apple Butter Scones
• Pumpkin Spice Scones
• Ham and Cheese Scones

Brown Sugar Scones Ingredients

• All-Purpose Flour
• Brown Sugar
• Baking Powder
• Butter, cold and cut into small pieces
• Heavy Cream
• Nutmeg
• Cinnamon
• Raw Sugar <– can use Coconut Sugar

Tip: add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or almond extract, or do half and half for even more depth of flavor.

Tip #2: I really love how tender heavy cream makes these scones, but you can use milk or half and half cream, if desired.

Kitchen Tools You May Find Helpful

• Measuring cups and spoons
• Mixing Bowl
• Whisk
• Pastry cutter or large fork
• Sharp kitchen knife
• Baking Sheet
• Silicone Baking Mat

How to Make Brown Sugar Scones

Preheat oven to 375ºF.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, baking soda, nutmeg, cinnamon and coconut sugar until well-combined.

Add the cold butter and use a pastry cutter or fork to combine with flour mixture until small pea-sized pieces of butter remain.

Stir in 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream until a cohesive but not sticky dough forms.

Fold the dough out onto a floured cutting board and form into a large circle, about 1” thick.

Slice the circle into 8 equal triangles using a pizza cutter.

Place the scones on a lined baking sheet. Brush with the remaining heavy whipping cream.

Bake for 22-25 minutes until scones are lightly golden.

Pin this Scrumptious Cinnamon Brown Sugar Scone Recipe for your next brunch or afternoon get-together:

Grab your free printable recipe card for our cinnamon brown sugar scones recipe:

I hope you love these cinnamon brown sugar scones as much as my friends did! They didn’t leave me any leftovers after our movie night!

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