As a scrumptious alternative to the usual muffins, bagels or toast, bake a batch of cinnamon scones to savor with your morning coffee or tea. Our guide walks you through the simple recipe and also provides delectable variations featuring ingredients like coffee, chocolate and fruit.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

Cinnamon Scones Ingredients 2 cups flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup butter 1/3 cup buttermilk 1 egg, separated 3 tablespoons honey 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon water 2 tablespoons sugar 1 teaspoon cinnamon Cinnamon Scones Equipment Large mixing bowl 2 small mixing bowls Pastry blender Wooden spoon Rolling pin

• Knife

Greased baking sheet Pastry Brush Oven Wire cooling racks

1. Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.
2. Cut the butter into the mixture with a pastry blender.
3. Stop mixing when the butter is in pea-sized pieces so they'll melt while baking to give the scones a flakier texture.
4. Blend the egg yolk, honey, buttermilk and vanilla in another bowl.
5. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, mixing only until combined.
6. Avoid over mixing, which can lead to tough dough and heavier scones.
7. Form the dough into a circle about 1/2-inch thick.
8. Use a knife dipped in flour to cut the dough into 8 to 12 wedges.
9. Top the scones with an egg wash and a sprinkle of cinnamon and sugar.
10. Bake on a greased cookie sheet at 400 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes.

• Originally from Scotland, scones are a light and flaky quick bread often enjoyed with breakfast or afternoon tea.Food Timeline: About Scones While the Scottish like them topped with honey and the British often top them with clotted cream, you might prefer them with jam, butter or simply straight from the oven.Cookswares: Scones Joy of Baking: Devonshire (clotted) Cream Create a delicious batch of these flaky, simple baked goods with the flavor of cinnamon to enjoy with your next breakfast, brunch or holiday meal.

A cinnamon and sugar topping gives cinnamon scones their signature flavor (Photo by YappsCotta)

• Gather the following ingredients and kitchen tools to make 8 to 12 cinnamon scones.
• ====Cinnamon Scones Ingredients====
  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1/3 cup buttermilk
  • 1 egg, separated
  • 3 tablespoons honey
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon water
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ====Cinnamon Scones Equipment====
  • Large mixing bowl
  • 2 small mixing bowls
  • Pastry blender
  • Wooden spoon
  • Rolling pin
• * Knife
  • Greased baking sheet
  • Pastry Brush
  • Oven
  • Wire cooling racks

• Cinnamon scones are simple to make and even easier to enjoy. Follow these steps to make light, flaky scones.

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.About.com: Cinnamon Scones
2. Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a bowl.Recipe Goldmine: Cinnamon Scones Recipe
3. Use a pastry blender to mix the butter with the dry ingredients until the mixture looks like large crumbs.About Recipes: Cinnamon Scones
   • -Leaving the butter in pea-sized pieces will allow it to melt as the scones bake, resulting in a fluffy texture.Bette's Diner: Scone Tips
4. Blend the egg yolk, honey, buttermilk and vanilla in a small bowl.Recipe Rewards: Cinnamon Scones
5. Add it to the flour mixture, blending until just combined.Recipe Goldmine: Cinnamon Scones Recipe
   • -Avoid over mixing, which can make the dough tough and the scones heavy.Bette's Diner: Scone Tips
6. Dust your hands with flour, then shape the dough into a circle about 8 inches round.About.com: Cinnamon Scones
7. Pat or roll the dough until it's about 1/2-inch thick.Seeds of Knowledge: Cinnamon Scones
8. Use a knife that's been dipped in flour to cut the circle into 8 to 12 wedges.Recipe Rewards: Cinnamon Scones

Bake the scones until they are golden brown (Photo Vince Varga)

1. Make an egg wash by beating the egg white and water in a small mixing bowl.Recipe Goldmine: Cinnamon Scones Recipe

2. Combine the sugar and cinnamon in another bowl.Seeds of Knowledge: Cinnamon Scones

3. Apply the egg wash to the top of each scone with a pastry brush.Kitchen Link: Cinnamon Scones

4. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture on top of the egg wash.Seeds of Knowledge: Cinnamon Scones

5. Place the scones on the greased cookie sheet.Kitchen Link: Cinnamon Scones

6. Bake the scones for 10 to 12 minutes, until golden.Recipe Rewards: Cinnamon Scones

7. After they cool, store the scones in an airtight container at room temperature up to two days.Taste of Home: Storing Muffins, Biscuits and Scones

• Consider these helpful tips to make the baking and storage process even easier.

1. Test to see if the scones are fully baked by inserting a toothpick in the center to see if it comes out clean.Cooking Software: Scone Making Tips
2. As soon as the scones are done baking and the edges are starting to brown, place them on a cooling rack to keep them from drying out.Perfect Pantry: The Perfect Scone
3. Freeze leftover scones for up to three months and reheat them in a 300-degree oven for 10 minutes.Perfect Pantry: The Perfect Scone
4. To create round scones, try using an ice cream scoop.Bette's Diner: Scone Tips

Add chopped apples to the dough to make apple-cinnamon scones (Photo by Jason Nelson)

• Go beyond the basic recipe with these variations that evoke the flavors of cinnamon buns, cinnamon apples and even oatmeal raisin cookies.

1. Include chopped apples in the mixture for the classic apple cinnamon flavor.Recipe Riot: Apple Cinnamon Scones
2. Add brewed coffee, cinnamon, raisins and pecans to create cinnamon coffee scones.Recipezaar: Cinnamon Coffee Scones
3. Walnuts will give the scones a nutty flavor.Recipe Goldmine: Cinnamon Walnut Scones
4. Make a batch of cinnamon bun scones with the addition of cinnamon, oats, pecans and a sugar and orange juice glaze.Recipezaar: Cinnamon Bun Scones
5. Create scones with the flavor of oatmeal raisin cookies by adding rolled oats and raisins.Razzle Dazzle Recipes: Oatmeal Cinnamon Scones
6. Mix in some pecans, currants and heavy cream for a sweet pastry with fruit morsels.Epicurious: Cinnamon Pecan and Currant Cream Scones
7. For something really sweet, substitute cinnamon chips for the cinnamon and add chocolate to the dough.All Recipes: White Chocolate Cinnamon Scones