Coffee Scones Recipe with Easy Espresso Glaze

Start the day with the flavor of this Coffee Scones Recipe! Made with simple ingredients, it is the perfect pairing for your morning coffee. These would be an excellent addition to a lazy weekend morning or a delicious recipe for brunch.

coffee scones recipe served on small plate with strawberries and cup of espresso

People tend to think that making scones are difficult, but that couldn't be further from the truth. Once you pop them in the oven, you better start brewing a pot of coffee to pair with this amazing pastry.

While I'm not a huge fan of overly sweet scones, I love the hint of coffee flavoring combined with the subtle sweetness of this treat. It is exactly the boost that my taste buds need in the morning hours!

Even if you're not a coffee drinker, you'll still appreciate the flavor of these tender scones. And if you're a coffee fanatic, you can always add a little bit of extra coffee flavor so that it really has a pop! I also think that these are the best scones to pair with a brunch spread of eggs, bacon, and fresh fruits!

Be sure to check out this Lemon Biscuits Recipe and this Cherry Scones Recipe for more fun flavors.

broken piece of a coffee scone on plate showing texture

Ingredients

Flour - The key ingredient to making the scones.
Salt - Salt enhances the other flavors when baking.
Sugar - For sweetness.
Baking powder - To help with the texture of the scones.
Salted butter - Adds fat content and helps with texture.
Whole milk - You can use milk, half and half, or heavy cream as the liquid.
Brewed coffee - To add coffee flavor. If you brew it fresh let it cool to room temp before adding it.
Powdered sugar - Used to make the glaze.
Instant espresso granules - You can use any type of instant coffee or espresso and add it to taste.
Vanilla extract - For flavor.

See recipe card for quantities.

ingredients in food processor and measuring cups

How to Make Coffee Scones Recipe

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Add parchment paper to a large baking sheet.

Step One: Add the dry ingredients and butter into a food processor and pulse until the butter is cut in.

Step Two: Combine the milk and the coffee.

creamy espresso mixture being poured into food processor shoot

Step Three: While the processor is running, stream in until a dough ball is formed.

Step Four: Make the scone dough into two balls.

Step Five: Press each onto the baking sheet into a 10-12-inch circle. Cut into 8 wedges and separate the triangles so that there is room between them.

Step Six: Put the scones in the oven and bake for 14-16 minutes until golden brown.

coffee scones recipe cooling on wire rack from overhead

Step Seven: Let the scones cool entirely.

Step Eight: Add the glaze ingredients to a small bowl.

Step Five: Stir the glaze ingredients and add milk as needed.

coffee scones on parchment being drizzled with glaze from a fork

Step Six: Drizzle over the cooled scones. Enjoy!

Top Tip

Don't overwork the dough for the scones. You'll notice a huge difference if you try to make it smooth. Just process until a dough ball forms, then start working through the rest of the process.

Substitutions

Coffee mixture - You can use espresso or espresso powder in place of the coffee, depending on how strong of a coffee flavor you want.
Brown sugar - Using a bit of brown sugar can also be a good, sweet addition.

Variations

Fruit - If you want to add fresh fruit to these scones, do so! Blueberry scones are also yummy and delicious. You can also add pumpkin to the mixture to make pumpkin scones. Options are always good!
Chocolate chips - Chocolate chip scones are another amazing option to make and use.
Lemon juice - A bit of freshly squeezed lemon juice added to the scones is great for flavor!
Toppings - A great way to add or change flavors is to add toppings to the tops of the scones. You can melt dark chocolate and drizzle it on top or add an espresso glaze as well. Coffee glaze is one of my favorites!
Coffee granules - You can add, skip, or leave out the granules. You can also use instant coffee granules as well.

Check out this Cherry Scones Recipe for another great option!

coffee scones on parchment with coffee glaze

Equipment

A small bowl, large bowl, and pastry cutter or pastry blender are all good options to have for this scone recipe. I tend to make a cup of coffee and have it to sip on and add to the mixture as well.

Storage

The best part about scones besides the flavor is that they store really well to enjoy the next day. Just add them to an airtight container, and keep them stored at room temperature. Add them to the freezer in a freezer-safe bag for a couple of weeks to save them for later.

Common Questions

Are scones supposed to be dry or moist?

Most scones will have a soft texture and should be slightly moist, not dry. A good scone has a mouth feel where you can take a bite, it crumbles a bit, and then you get to wash it down with some hot coffee.

Can I use unsalted butter?

If that is all that you have, you can use it, but then make sure that you add an extra pinch of salt.

What does the butter have to be cold?

Cold butter is key and a must when making scones. The cold butter helps to create that tender and flaky texture and is an imperative part of the baking process.

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