Cinnamon Streusel Coffee Scones
Hey, hi, how are y’all doing? Just thought I’d check in and give an update on my little ‘problem’.
I’m still hooked on coffee. I’ve been meaning to do better, but I just haven’t been able to kick the habit. The cravings are still coming on strong and I continue to satisfy them with little to no remorse. I think at this point the largest reason would be that I’m just not up to getting over all the withdrawal symptoms, worst for me being the headaches. Caffeine withdrawal headache are the WORST. And short of taking some ibuprofen and soldiering through, there’s really not much you can do about it until your body just comes around to accepting that it isn’t going to be getting any coffee anymore.
And I’m not ready to tell my body that. Not sure if my body would even listen to me if I tried. So I’m not. Coffee and I still going strong and as it turns out, all of you will benefit from this ongoing relationship.
Along with my addiction, my quest to incorporate coffee into my favorite baked goods also continues. I’ve already done it (and done it pretty well I think) with cookies and cake. Now, I’ve found that there’s a way to do it (and pull it off) with scones.
I’ve said this before, but I’ll say it again: baking and cooking with coffee is similar to cooking with booze in that you only want to use something you’d be fine with drinking all on its own. I promise that the flavor of the java you use will inevitably come through these scones, so make sure that it’s a flavor you actually like. If you’re partial to french vanilla flavored coffee (like me) then use a french vanilla coffee. If you like Hazelnut, use Hazelnut. Or Mocha. Or French Roast. Heck, if you wanted to use a cappuccino here, that would work too. Whatever you want, just make sure that what you’re using is something you do actually…want.
I do think that these would’ve tasted delicious all on their own, but to give them a little something special, I decided to add a cinnamon sugar streusel on top for flavor, texture and overall appearance. I think the cinnamon pairs very well with the coffee and by the time it’s finished baking, the streusel has a buttery crunchy bite to it that gives it a pleasant contrast with the inside of the scones. I cut them rather small and dainty, but you can feel free to go as big or little as you want. Oh yeah, and the only way to possibly improve these would be to…you guessed it.
Dip them in coffee.
I love how these turned out, guys. Coffee lovers unite!…at the Fiesta Friday #196, co-hosted this week by Antonia @ Zoale.com and Jhuls @ The Not So Creative Cook.
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Cinnamon Streusel Coffee Scones
Recipe Adapted from King Arthur Flour
Ingredients
For Scones
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 8 ounces cream cheese, cold
- 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, frozen
- 5 tablespoons instant coffee, espresso, cappuccino, divided
- 1/4 cup warm milk, plus more cold milk if needed
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
For Streusel
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
Directions
Preheat oven to 425°. Dissolve the instant coffee/espresso in the warm milk. Mix together until thoroughly combined and place in the fridge.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, sugar, baking powder and salt with a fork.
Using the large holes of a box grater, grate the butter directly into the dry ingredients. Use a sharp knife to cut the cream cheese into chunks and fold into the dry ingredients, use the fork to mash up the larger chunks until they’re roughly the same size as the grated butter.
Make a well in the center of the butter/cream cheese/flour mixture. Pour the milk/espresso in the center. Add the beaten egg and vanilla extract. Mix together with a large rubber spatula. If too dry, you can add some more milk until it forms a shaggy dough.
Sprinkle a pastry mat, wooden cutting board or wax paper with flour. Turn the dough out onto the surface and pat a few times with your hands until it loosely holds together. (Don’t knead it too much or the warmth in your palms will melt the butter and cause the scones to be tough.)
Pat and roll the dough into a rectangle. Take the two opposite ends and fold them together like a business letter into thirds. Flip it upside down and pat & roll it into another rectangle, sprinkling the surface with flour if it gets too sticky. Repeat the folding process two to three more times before patting it into one final rectangle.
Use a bench scraper or very sharp knife to divide the rectangle in half, then divide the halves into thirds or fourths squares (depending on what size scones you want). Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and place the cut scones on it. Freeze them for about 15 minutes. In the meantime, fill a shallow pan with water and place it on the bottom rack of the oven.
In a small bowl, mix together all of the streusel ingredients. Just before baking the scones, lightly spray each one with some non-stick cooking spray. Sprinkle about 1 teaspoon of the streusel on top of each one.
Bake them for about 12 minutes. Turn the oven off, leave the door closed & continue to bake for additional 8-12 minutes, until scones are light golden brown. Serve warm with butter, jam or cream cheese.
These look really good. Thanks for sharing.
Thank YOU for stopping by and commenting. I hope you can try & enjoy the scones 🙂
Cup of coffee and these coffee scones sound like a perfect breakfast combination..
It really is! Thanks Chef 😉
These look so good! I’m not a fan of coffee but I’m trying to ween myself onto it by starting with coffee flavoured cake, haha! Great photos too!
I think coffee baked goods are a great way to get started if you are interested in joining us lol Thanks 😉
The scones look fantastic!! I love coffee and anything flavored with coffee. Love this!!
Thank you Suzanne!
Wonderful scones! Perfect recipe.
Thank you!
Question for you, can they be made without the coffee or with something in its place? I’m not a coffee drinker, so when you said about baking with something you’d drink….I wasn’t sure about it! They look delicious though, so I’d like to try it!
Well, I think the alternate drink would depend on what you like. Apple cider would work well with the spices in the dough, as would a strong cinnamon or ginger flavored tea. Of course, you could also just sub in extra milk for the 5 tablespoons of coffee–that way they’d just be regular scones with cinnamon streusel, which would still be very yummy 😉
Hmmm okay I’ll try it that way!!😉 thank you!
Loved this recipe………its yum 🙂
Excellent recipe. I’ve never seen cream cheese in a scone recipe. The best scone I’ve had used the Thomas Keller recipe with creme fraiche. The photos are great. I had to stop drinking cafetiere coffee because it was making me anxious but I love coffee in desserts.
Thank you! This was my first time using cream cheese in scones too, and I was pleased with the results.
I love that you put coffee in your scones! I agree, caffeine headaches are the worst! I would love to have one of these coffee scones with coffee! Thank you for bringing them to the party! Happy Fiesta Friday! 😀
Thank you Antonia!
You really know some of my weaknesses – coffee and anything streusel. These sound so perfect, Jess. These would be a hit at this week’s Fiesta Friday party! Thank you for sharing!
Thanks Jhuls, looks like we have some of the same weaknesses 😉
I love scones-these look wonderful!
Thank you very much Nancy 🙂
lol to dip them in coffee, Jess~ I don’t drink coffee but am a caffeine addict and got really sick withdrawing when I had to be in the hospital three days. Yikes!!
Those scones look amazing, though and I think my mouth is watering, coffee or no! Now if you could only make a diet mountain dew scone for me? I keep quitting that stuff and starting again, so I get your issues!
Lol as it happens I’m NOT a Mountain Dew drinker at all, though I think a Squirt flavored scone would be delish… Thanks Mollie 😉
lol!! (Although I do love Squirt – never think to buy it, though!)
YESS!! Cinnamon streusel is my favvv these look so yummy
Thank you 🙂