Brown Sugar Cardamom Scones

These warm, buttery Brown Sugar Cardamom Scones are infused with the exotic flavor of cardamom and the rich sweetness of brown sugar, creating a perfect balance of indulgence and comfort. This easy recipe is ideal for breakfast, brunch, or a cozy afternoon treat.

In the world of baking, cardamom is incredibly unique. Its complex, citrusy-sweet flavor profile adds a distinctive flair to any recipe, and when combined with the comforting simplicity of a scone, the result is pure magic.

Keep reading for step-by-step instructions and a few expert tips and tricks for baking these Brown Sugar Cardamom Scones at home!

Why This Recipe Works

• This recipe pairs the simplicity of a scone with the sublime flavors of brown sugar and cardamom. It is unassumingly sophisticated!
• The scones are light and tender in texture thanks to a few mixing tricks which I share below.
• You can bake a batch of these scones as a quick afternoon baking project. So easy!

Ingredients

• All-purpose flour serves as the base of this recipe.
• Baking powder and baking soda act as leaveners and salt heightens the sweet flavors and brings out the best in these scones.
• Brown sugar brings its caramel-y sweetness to the recipe.
• Cardamom (preferably freshly ground) adds its unique citrus, floral notes and combines so beautifully with the brown sugar.
• Cold unsalted butter is an absolute necessity in scones and this recipe is no exception!
• Buttermilk, an egg and vanilla extract are the wet ingredients in this recipe, providing tenderness, structure and flavor.
• Turbinado or any other kind of coarsely textured sugar is sprinkled over the top of the scones before they bake so that they have a crisp, sweet crust on the top.

Special Equipment Needed

• Food processor
• Dough scraper (also not necessary but nice to have)
• Pastry brush

How to Make This Recipe

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the flour, brown sugar, cardamom, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in the work bowl of a food processor. Pulse a few times to combine.
• Scatter half of the butter cubes over the top of the dry ingredients. Pulse until butter is beginning to become incorporated into the dry ingredients, about 6 pulses.
• Scatter the remaining butter cubes over the top and continue to pulse until the butter pieces are no larger than the size of a pea, about 6 additional pulses.

• Transfer the butter and flour mixture to a large bowl and make a well in the center. Quickly whisk the buttermilk, egg and vanilla together in a liquid measuring cup. Pour the liquids in with dry ingredients.
• Using a rubber spatula, combine the ingredients into a rough dough and then knead with your hands to get it to just come together. Dough will be sticky.

• Transfer the dough to a well-floured countertop and pat into an 8 inch circle, flouring the top of the dough round as necessary to keep it from sticking to your hands. Cut into 8 equal-sized wedges with a dough scraper or sharp knife.

• Transfer the scones to a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper and space out so that the scones are a couple of inches away from one another. Brush with melted butter and generously sprinkle Turbinado sugar over the top of each scone.

• Bake until golden brown, 22-26 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Serve warm.

Expert Tips

• Keep your butter, buttermilk and egg cold prior to adding to the recipe for best results.
• Freshly ground cardamom is really nice in this recipe but you can also use pre-ground.
• There is no need to over process the butter into the dry ingredients. In fact, having a some pieces of butter that are pea-sized is desirable and will create tender, flaky scones.
• The dough will be sticky so be sure to scatter flour over the work surface and over the top of the dough as you pat it into a round.

FAQs

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Recipe

Brown Sugar Cardamom Scones

These warm, buttery Brown Sugar Cardamom Scones are are infused with the exotic flavor of cardamom and the rich sweetness of brown sugar, creating a perfect balance of indulgence and comfort. This easy recipe is perfect for breakfast, brunch, or a cozy afternoon treat.

5 from 2 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: breakfast and brunch, Fika

Cuisine: Nordic, Scandinavian

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 22 minutes minutes

Total Time: 37 minutes minutes

Servings: 8 scones

Calories: 243kcal

Author: Kristi

Equipment

• ▢
  Food processor

Ingredients

For the dough:

• ▢ 2 cups all purpose flour
• ▢ ½ cup packed light brown sugar
• ▢ 2 teaspoons ground cardamom preferably freshly ground
• ▢ 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ▢ ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ ¾ teaspoon salt
• ▢ 8 tablespoons cold unsalted butter cut into ½ inch pieces and chilled
• ▢ ½ cup cold buttermilk
• ▢ 1 large egg
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

To finish:

• ▢ 1 tablespoon cooled melted butter
• ▢ Turbinado or other coarse sugar for sprinkling

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
• Combine flour, brown sugar, cardamom, baking powder, baking soda and salt in the work bowl of a food processor. Process a few times to combine ingredients. Sprinkle half of the cold butter cubes over the top of the flour mixture and process until combined, about 6-8 pulses. Sprinkle the remaining cold butter cubes over the mixture and pulse just until these butter pieces are about the size of a pea, about 6 short pulses.
• Transfer mixture to a large bowl. Whisk the buttermilk, egg and vanilla together in a liquid measuring cup. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the buttermilk mixture in the center. Using a rubber spatula, fold everything together until a shaggy dough forms, kneading with your hands a couple of times if necessary to just bring everything together. Do not overmix.
• Transfer dough to a floured work surface. Pat the dough into an 8 inch circle, dusting it with additional flour as necessary to keep it from sticking to your hands as you work.
• Cut the dough into 8 wedges using a sharp knife or dough scraper. Transfer the dough wedges to the prepared baking sheet and evenly space them out so there are a couple of inches between each scone. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle generously with coarse sugar. Bake for 22-26 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.

Notes

Store in an airtight container or bag at room temperature for 2-3 days or freeze for longer storage.

Adapted from Good to the Grain by Kim Boyce.

Nutrition

Calories: 243kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 56mg | Sodium: 422mg | Potassium: 73mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 448IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 99mg | Iron: 1mg

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