Cinnamon-Eggnog Scones

Over the long weekend, I was working on cleaning out my fridge when I came upon a quart of eggnog I’d bought a few weeks ago to make this eggnog bundt cake. It had been hiding behind the gallon of milk, and to be honest, I’d completely forgotten about it. Fortunately, it was still good, but it really needed to be used, and soon.  Since I rarely have eggnog on hand, I don’t often flag recipes calling for it, and to say I was lacking inspiration would be an understatement.  I turned to my Facebook friends who are always full of seriously great ideas, and they didn’t let me down.  Now my concern isn’t whether I can finish this quart of eggnog, but if I need to buy another one to make everything new I bookmarked this weekend 🙂

My friend Cathy suggested these cinnamon-eggnog scones from King Arthur Flour, and since I am a huge fan of their recipes, they were first up on my to-do list. It’s a pretty standard scone recipe but in place of the milk/cream typically called for, eggnog is used, and cinnamon chips are also added for flavor. Aside from a nasty burn on my arm courtesy of the inside of the oven door, the scones came together without a hitch. I’d promised the scones to Shane’s parents, but of course had to sample one for quality control purposes 🙂 I tried mine while it was still warm, and absolutely loved it – rich, tender and so flavorful. I’m not usually a big fan of cinnamon chips, but they just worked perfectly with the eggnog in this recipe. These scones would be a really great addition to a brunch menu this holiday season, a definite must-try if you’re an eggnog fan!

Cinnamon-Eggnog Scones
adapted slightly from King Arthur Flour

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
1 cup cinnamon chips
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup cold eggnog

Topping
1 tablespoon eggnog
2 tablespoons sparkling white sugar

Combine the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and nutmeg in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the cubed butter and mix on low speed until the mixture is crumbly and the butter pieces are roughly the size of peas (some may be slightly bigger or smaller, that’s fine). Mix in the cinnamon chips.

In a medium measuring cup, whisk together the egg, vanilla extract and eggnog. Add to the mixer bowl and beat on low speed just until the dry ingredients are moistened and the dough comes together – don’t overmix.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface. Divide it in half and shape each half into a circle that’s roughly 6 inches in diameter and 3/4-inch thick. You can either slice each circle into 6 wedges, or use a 2 1/4-inch round cutter to cut 6 rounds from each (you’ll have to reroll the scraps if you go this route). Transfer your scones to a parchment-lined baking sheet. If you’ve cut rounds, put them close together (about 1/2-inch between them). If you’ve cut wedges, leave them in the circular shape and just slightly pull them from the center to separate the edges about 1/2-inch.

Brush the tops of the scones with eggnog using a pastry brush, then sprinkle with the sparkling sugar. Freeze, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425 F.

Bake for 20 minutes, or until the scones are golden brown and feel firm to the touch. Transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack and let the scones cool for a few minutes before removing them to the rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Makes 12 scones