Glazed Eggnog Scones Recipe

Baked goods are welcome year-round, but they're even more special when they incorporate seasonal ingredients. Eggnog is a winter-time staple for many, through the holidays and beyond. Sweet and creamy with a dusting of nutmeg and a splash of rum, there are few drinks as festive as eggnog. This winter, enjoy this simple and perfect combination of flavors in the form of a comforting baked good. Brought to us courtesy of Tasting Table recipe developer Jessica Morone, this sweet and spiced scone recipe is a true crowd-pleaser. 

"These scones taste just like eggnog, but in scone form," Morone says. "They have the eggnog and nutmeg flavor and the glaze on top makes them taste even more special." Morone notes, "These are also so pretty, I'd be happy to take them to a holiday or winter gathering." These scones are a great way to make use of any leftover eggnog, but they're so delicious that you might want to pick up an extra container just for this recipe. 

For this recipe, you'll need all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt, and ground nutmeg. Next, cube cold unsalted butter, and get eggnog, a large egg, and rum extract. For the glaze, you'll need a bit more eggnog and powdered sugar. "For the eggnog, I just used store-bought plain eggnog," Morone comments. "I bet vanilla eggnog would also work really well in this," she remarks and adds, "You could use leftover homemade eggnog as well." She also says, "You can replace the rum extract with rum if you prefer, but instead of 1 teaspoon of rum extract you will have to use 3 tablespoons of rum."

Preheat the oven to 400 F.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

Add the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg to a food processor and pulse together until combined.

Add the cubed butter to the food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse sand.

In a medium bowl whisk together the eggnog, egg, and rum extract.

Add the flour mixture to a large bowl, then stir in the eggnog mixture until a dough forms.

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Use floured hands to form the dough into a 7-inch disc.

Cut the dough into 8 equal wedges.

Place the scones on the prepared baking sheet. Place the baking sheet in the freezer for 5 minutes to chill the scones.

Bake the scones in the preheated oven for 18-22 minutes, until they are golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool completely.

In a small bowl whisk together the powdered sugar and eggnog until smooth.

Drizzle the glaze over the scones.

Let the glaze set for about 10 minutes, then serve.

If you don't have a food processor or just don't feel like going to the fuss of dragging it out of the cupboard and cleaning it afterward, you can still make these scones: Morone confirms that they can be made just as well by hand. "You can definitely do this recipe by hand without the food processor," she confirms and explains, "The food processor just makes it a faster process."

To make these glazed eggnog scones without a food processor, Morone advises, "By hand, you would use a whisk to combine the ingredients in the first step," that is, the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg, "and in the second step you could use a pastry cutter or a fork to cut in the butter." In fact, it might be preferable to make this recipe by hand. With a food processor, you run the risk of overworking the dough, which can cause too much gluten development and yield a tough and stodgy result. Once the dry and wet ingredients have been combined, you just want to mix them briefly until the dough holds its shape, and it might be easier to achieve this balance with your hands than with a machine.

Once you've baked your batch of glazed eggnog scones, they'll probably get eaten pretty quickly, especially if you're bringing them to a potluck or offering them to guests. However, if you happen to have some leftovers you'll want to ensure they are optimally stored. For the best freshness and flavor, "You can keep these in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or store them in the fridge for about a week," Morone recommends.

On the other hand, if you want to get a headstart on the recipe, you can prepare the dough in advance and bake it just before you're ready to eat the scones. "You can make the dough up to 3 days ahead of time, and then just wrap it up in plastic wrap until you are ready to cut it up and bake it," she says. This is especially convenient if you're serving these at a party or other gathering: The scones will still have that freshly baked appeal but you won't be covered in flour when your guests arrive.