As we enter the cooler months, scones are one of my favorite things to bake. These maple-glazed cinnamon raisin scones are easy to make and filled with that buttery, savory flavor we all love in a classic scone. The maple glaze is the perfect level of sweetness, and gets its sharp maple flavor from a touch of maple extract!

How to bake a perfect scone

Once you master the scone-baking method, you can dress scones up with any flavor your heart desires. The key part of preparing scones is how you incorporate the butter into the flour. There are many ways to do this. Some people use a food processor to save time, some use the traditional pastry cutter, and some use the grating method. For me, the fullproof method is incorporating frozen grated butter into the scone flour. Whichever method you choose, they all have one thing in common: working with chilled butter is a must. The warmer the butter gets while you’re working it into the flour, the harder it becomes to work with. Baking scones with warm butter can also cause them to spread too much in the oven. For soft and fluffy scones, frozen grated butter is my preferred way to work with scone dough quickly. All you do is freeze the butter for at least two hours or overnight, then use the largest blade on a box grater to grate the butter. Just work as quickly as possible so the butter doesn’t get too warm in your hands!

While combining the butter and dry ingredients, soak your raisins in some warm water to get them nice and plump. When it comes to forming one ball of scone dough, don’t stress yourself out! Baking scones is one of the more freeform treats to prepare- not quite as much of a science as another fall favorite: carrot cake. Re-flour your hands occasionally to keep the dough from getting sticky while you form it into a flat disc about 9 inches in diameter. You’ll also use your hands to mold each individual scone after slicing them into eight equal pieces (again, it doesn’t have to be exact). These scones do their own thing in the oven, and will be ready in about 22 minutes! 

My favorite maple glaze

If I could, I would add this maple glaze to just about anything. Its strong maple flavor pairs perfectly with the savory cinnamon raisin scone. Simply whisk all of the glaze ingredients together, and you’ll have it ready in under a minute. Spoon a heaping portion of the glaze on top of each scone after they have cooled- use up every last drop! Let the glaze set for about 20 minutes before biting into a classic fall flavor combination.

Why you'll love these maple glazed cinnamon raisin scones

  • Soft texture that’s not overly dry
  • Buttery and flour is everything
  • Perfect balance of sweet and savory
  • Strong maple flavor
Print
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Maple Glazed Cinnamon Raisin Scones


  • Author: Maddy
  • Total Time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: 8 1x

Ingredients

Scale

For the scones:

  • 1/2 cup raisins
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose gluten-free flour, like mine!
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar
  • 1 stick unsalted butter, frozen in the freezer for at least two hours or overnight
  • 3/4 cup buttermilk

For the maple glaze:

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 1/3 cup maple syrup (not pancake syrup)
  • 1 1/4 cup confectioners sugar
  • 1 teaspoon maple extract
  • Pinch of salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper (preferably a charcoal gray or gold-toned sheet, not a shiny metal sheet).
  2. Place the raisins in a bowl and cover them with warm water. Let them soak while preparing the rest of the scone dough to get them nice and plump.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
  4. On a medium plate, use the widest blade of a box grater to grate the frozen butter. Work as quickly as possible to keep the butter chilled!
  5. Add the butter to your flour mixture, then use a pastry cutter to combine the butter and flour until you form a sandy crumble and all big butter chunks are gone.
  6. Pour the buttermilk into the dough and use a wooden spoon to combine all of the ingredients well.
  7. Strain the water from the raisins and use a paper towel to press down on the raisins and get as much excess liquid off of them as possible. Add the raisins to the scone dough.
  8. Combine everything well with the wooden spoon, then switch to using your hands. Work the dough until it forms one solid ball.
  9. Transfer the dough to the center of your parchment-lined baking sheet and gently press down on the ball to form a disc about 9 inches in diameter. Press in the outer edges to keep them smooth, and try to make the top as flat and even as possible.
  10. Slice the disc in half both ways, followed by a half down those pieces to form 8 equal pieces.
  11. Now it’s time to mold! Using floured hands, mold each scone so that every angle is curved and you have a soft-looking isosceles triangle (how about that geometry!).
  12. Arrange each scone on the baking sheet a couple inches apart from each other, then bake for 20-22 minutes until golden brown. Transfer the scones to a cooling rack to let them cool completely.
  13. While the scones cool, whisk all of your glaze ingredients together in a small bowl.
  14. To prevent a mess, line your counter with parchment paper, then place the cooling rack and individual scones on top. Scoop a heaping spoonful of the glaze on top of each scone- it’s okay if it drips down the edges, that means you’ll have plenty of maple flavor!Let the glaze set for about 20 minutes before enjoying! These can be enjoyed stored in airtight containers at room temp for three days, refrigerated for up to one week, and frozen for up to two months.
  • Prep Time: 15
  • Cook Time: 20