19 Scone Recipes That Will Be the Star of Your Brunch Spread

Whip up a batch of flaky homemade scones for breakfast.

Peppery Pear-Vanilla Scones
Photo: Blaine Moats

If you love indulging as much as I do in one of those eye-catching scones when you visit your favorite coffee shop or bakery, it's time to consider making homemade scones. They take just a bit more time than a batch of cookies or other similar baked goods. Plus, most scone recipes freeze wonderfully, so you can pull one out of the freezer anytime for a quick and easy treat. Choose the flavor that most speaks to you and make one of these scone recipes from scratch on a day when you have a bit more time for your future self to enjoy.

01 of 19

Strawberry Shortcake Scones

Strawberry Shortcake Scones
Andy Lyons

You don't even need a fork when you transform strawberry shortcakes into a scone recipe. This summery strawberry scone recipe combines the elements of that classic dessert—berries, biscuit-like dough, and whipped cream—in a handheld form.

02 of 19

Peppery Pear-Vanilla Scones

Peppery Pear-Vanilla Scones
Blaine Moats

If you're seeking a showstopping scone recipe perfect for fall, add this idea to your brunch menu. Cranberries (fresh or frozen, you choose), pear, and walnuts add our favorite fall flavors, while vanilla bean paste and just enough black pepper to be detectable lend complexity that keeps you coming back bite after bite.

03 of 19

Almond and Vanilla Bean Scones

Almond Vanilla Bean Scones with jar of lemon curd
Jason Donnelly

This scone recipe with cream includes an equal amount of sour cream in the batter to make a moister scone. A sprinkling of sliced almonds on top gives a preview of the almond flavor inside, and sparkly coarse sugar makes them look gourmet.

04 of 19

Manchego and Brandied Cherry Scones

Manchego and Brandied Cherry Scones
Jason Donnelly

A little sweet, a little savory and spiked with brandy to boot! This is a scone recipe unlike any other (at least any other I've seen). They eat extra tender and a bit more crumbly than other scones, so eat this one over a plate and not as an on-the-go breakfast.

05 of 19

Cranberry-White Chocolate Scones

Cranberry-White Chocolate Scones
Jason Donnelly

Tart, puckery cranberries and intensely sweet white chocolate are often paired together because their flavors complement one another so delightfully. Here, we add one more flavor element in the form of an orange icing and optional orange zest in the batter for a note of citrus in each bite.

06 of 19

Cherry-Chocolate Scones

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In my book, there's no happier pairing than dark chocolate and fruit. When you put that combination in a scone recipe, it makes it appropriate to eat for breakfast, not just dessert, and I'm even happier. These fruit-studded scones can be made and stored in the freezer for 2 months (without the icing), so get a head start weeks before you need them.

07 of 19

Double-Strawberry Scones

Double-Strawberry Scones

Strawberry fans, this may be the best scone recipe on our list for you. How can it be double strawberry you ask? We call for both chopped fresh strawberries and freeze-dried strawberries in the dough. Heck, you could even triple the berry flavor by serving them with strawberry jam or preserves.

08 of 19

Apple Scones with Spiced Maple Butter

Apple Scones with Spiced Maple Butter
Andy Lyons

If you look forward to fall baking in every other season of the year, go ahead and make these apple scones any season. The apples, apple pie spice, and maple butter all conjure memories of crisp fall days, but you can get all the ingredients year-round, so enjoy them whenever you want.

09 of 19

Cornmeal-Blueberry Scones

Cornmeal-Blueberry Scones
Jay Wilde

Cornmeal in the dough sets this scone recipe apart. Because cornmeal replaces some of the flour, there is less gluten in the dough, making it too crumbly to knead. So you get to shortcut this recipe by skipping the kneading and rolling step and simply dropping the dough by large spoonfuls onto your baking sheet.

10 of 19

Scones

Scones

They're no English scones recipe, but with only a half-cup of dried fruit in the dough, this is our most basic scone recipe. Leave it as is or add your favorite flavor twists to make it your own.

11 of 19

Mini Blueberry Air-Fryer Scones

Mini Blueberry Air-Fryer Scones
Caitlin Bensel

This easy scone recipe "bakes" to golden-brown perfection in your air fryer. Brighten up the buttermilk batter with fresh orange zest and a hint of vanilla. In just 6 minutes, you'll have perfectly flaky blueberry scones filled with juicy berries.

12 of 19

Pumpkin Scones with Browned Butter Icing

Pumpkin Scones with Browned Butter Icing
Carson Downing

While we love the flaky pumpkin dough in this scone recipe, it's the browned butter icing that really stands out. Thin it with heavy cream until it's reached your desired consistency then pile it high on each ginger-spiced bite.

13 of 19

Strawberry Crumble Scones

Strawberry Crumble Scones
Carson Downing

These strawberry-spiked scones are great on their own but they are even better when split open and filled with fresh whipped cream. As one BHG reviewer shared, "Came together perfectly. Was the perfect treat for girls night watching Downton Abbey!"

14 of 19

Apple-Stilton Scones

Apple-Stilton Scones on pink-white stripe background with small gravy bowl of hot honey
Dera Burreson

A drizzle of chile-infused hot honey is the perfect topper for this savory scone recipe. We're sharing how to make it along with the Stilton and apple dough. Sprinkle fresh chives on top before baking to bring out even more savory flavor.

15 of 19

Cranberry-Pear Scones

Cranberry-Pear Scones stacked with pink gift bag
Jason Donnelly

A batch of these homemade scones makes a thoughtful gift for the holidays. Take it one step further by packaging them up with a container of homemade maple butter. Get ahead of your holiday baking and make them up to 2 months before serving. Simply stash them in the freezer and thaw when ready.

16 of 19

Make-Ahead Ginger-Pear Scones

Make-Ahead Ginger-Pear Scones

Our Test Kitchen found that finely chopped Bosc pear worked best in this recipe for scones. Crystallized ginger in the scones and spiced butter brings sweet-heat to each bite. For even more texture and flavor, top with more ginger before baking.

17 of 19

Blueberry Cream Muffin-Tin Scones

Blueberry Cream Muffin-Tin Scones

You don't have to roll out this blueberry scone recipe. Instead, pile the batter into prepared muffin cups and bake. Once out of the oven, drizzle on a creamy vanilla glaze.

18 of 19

Cranberry-Lemon Scones

Cranberry-Lemon Scones

This cranberry scone recipe proves simple is best. As one BHG reviewer raved, "Delicious! The lemon and the fresh cranberries made this scone such a great treat! Loved the combination. Skipped the topping as it was great as it without it. Would make them smaller in the future as they were huge scones. I make a lot of scones, this is a keeper recipe!"

19 of 19

Rosemary-Citrus Scones

Rosemary-Citrus Scones

Adding rolled outs to the dough in this scone recipe is our Test Kitchen's secret to achieving the perfect flaky-yet-chewy texture. Dried rosemary and orange zest bring out the natural sweetness of the oats.

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