Name: Gingerbread Scones
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: ⅓ cup brown sugar; 2 cups all-purpose flour; 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1 teaspoon ground ginger; ½ teaspoon ground cloves; 1 teaspoon baking powder; ½ cup salted butter; ½ cup molasses; 1 cup whole milk; 1 tablespoon maple syrup; 1 cup powdered sugar

Indulge in holiday magic with these homemadeGingerbread Sconesthat blend warm spices, rich molasses, and tender crumb in every bite. Perfect for cozy winter mornings, these bakery-worthy gingerbread scones feature that classic seasonal flavor your family will request year after year.

Triangle-shaped gingerbread scones with white icing drizzle sit on a round wooden board. A wooden spatula, checkered cloth, cinnamon sticks, a glass, and gold utensils surround the board on a marble surface.

There’s something magical about the aroma of gingerbread filling your home on a chilly morning. I’ll eat gingerbread-flavored goodies all year round, but it really just tastes different (more magical?) in the winter months around the holidays.

Serve them warm from the oven with a simple sprinkle of sugar for a quick breakfast, or dress them up with a drizzle of maple glaze when friends drop by for coffee. They capture the essence of holiday baking without the fuss of rolling and cutting traditional gingerbread cookies.

Baked scones arranged on a baking sheet, each topped with a white icing drizzle. Cinnamon sticks are nearby, and a checkered cloth partially shows in the top left corner. The background is marble.

Why You’ll Love This Gingerbread Scones Recipe

Truly Stress-Free:The dough comes together in one bowl with just a wooden spoon – no mixer required!
Make-Ahead Friendly:Prepare the dough the night before and bake fresh in the morning.
Perfectly Spiced:The balance of ginger, cinnamon, and molasses creates that classic gingerbread flavor without overwhelming young palates.
Freezer-Friendly:Bake a double batch and freeze for last-minute holiday visitors or busy weekday breakfasts!

☕️Homemade gingerbread treatsare the perfect winter addition to an afternoon coffee or tea break — and they make fabulous gifts, too!

Recipe Ingredients

Brown sugar
All-purpose flour
Ground spices —cinnamon, ginger, and cloves
Baking powder
Salted butter
Molasses
Milk —I use full-fat whole milk.
Maple syrup
Powdered sugar

See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Top-down view of baking ingredients on a white surface: molasses, maple syrup, cinnamon, cloves & ginger, baking powder, powdered sugar, whole milk, brown sugar, all-purpose flour, and salted butter.

How to Make Gingerbread Scones

A glass bowl on a marble surface contains various dry ingredients, including flour and brown spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, arranged in small piles.

A clear glass bowl contains flour and several chunks of butter on a white marble surface, ready for mixing in baking preparation.

Step 1:Preheat oven to 350°F. Whisk together the brown sugar, flour, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, and baking powder in a medium sized mixing bowl.

Step 2:Cut the butter into cubes and then use a large fork or pastry masher to combine the butter and dry ingredients. The butter should be roughly pea sized.

A glass bowl containing a ball of dough is placed on a white marble surface. The dough has a slightly rough texture with a dusting of flour on top. Smudges of dough cling to the side of the bowl.

Eight triangular pieces of raw scone dough are evenly spaced on a rectangular baking sheet. The dough is lightly dusted with flour, and the baking sheet rests on a marble surface.

Step 3:Add the molasses and milk. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until homogenous.

Step 4:Dump the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll it out into a disc about ½ inch thick. Cut your disc into 8 slices and place the slices on a large baking sheet.

Eight triangular, golden-brown scones are neatly arranged on a dark baking sheet. The scones have a crumbly texture with a slightly uneven surface, indicating a crispy exterior. The baking sheet rests on a light marble surface.

Eight triangular scones drizzled with white icing arranged neatly on a baking tray. The scones have a golden-brown crust and are placed on a marble countertop background.

Step 5:Bake your scones for 25 minutes and then let them cool on the pan for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire cooling rack until you’re ready to serve them.

Step 6:Make your glaze by whisking together the powdered sugar and maple syrup. Drizzle the glaze over your scones right before serving them.

Recipe FAQs

Can I make these scones ahead of time?

Absolutely! You have two options: prepare the dough, shape it, and refrigerate overnight (just add 2-3 minutes to the baking time), or bake them completely and store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. They also freeze beautifully for up to 3 months.

My scones spread too much when baking. What went wrong?

The key to tall, flaky scones is keeping everything cold. If your butter started to melt while handling the dough, pop the shaped scones in the freezer for 15 minutes before baking. Also, make sure your baking powder is fresh!

Can I substitute something else for the molasses?

While molasses provides that distinctive gingerbread flavor, you can substitute dark honey or maple syrup in a pinch. The flavor profile will be slightly different but still delicious.

A hand holds a glazed triangular scone, drizzled with white icing. In the background, more scones are on a baking sheet. The scone appears golden-brown, indicating its freshly baked.

Expert Tips

Grate Your Butter:Instead of cutting cold butter into chunks, try grating frozen butter with a box grater for the flakiest texture.
Don’t Overwork:Mix just until the ingredients come together – a few flour streaks are actually preferable to overmixing.
Perfect Your Glaze:If you’re adding a maple or vanilla glaze, wait until the scones have cooled for 10 minutes, then drizzle while still slightly warm for the perfect absorption-to-shine ratio.
Storage Tips:Store your scones in an airtight container for up to 5 days. I like to store my scones without any glaze on them and then drizzle it on after reheating my scone. Reheat 1-2 scones in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds.

Close-up of pumpkin biscotti drizzled with white icing. One biscotti is leaning on others, revealing a crumbly texture. The image focuses on the contrasting golden brown biscotti and creamy icing.

Other Festive Gingerbread Favorites

Here are some of our favorite festive baked goods to fill your home with the warm, spicy aroma of gingerbread during the holiday season!

Easy Gingerbread Loaf:Feels a special occasion treat, even though it’s simple enough for everyday baking!
Perfect Iced Gingerbread Cookies:With awarm, decadent, chewy center, these cookies are guaranteed to be a hit.
Spicy Gingerbread Muffins:All the warm, spicy goodness of traditional gingerbread in aconvenient, grab-and-go breakfast treat.