German Scones Recipe with Cinnamon Honey Butter (2024)

Total Time: 3 hours hours 50 minutes minutes

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Not your typical scones served with tea, this German Scones Recipe is deep fried dough that is served with Cinnamon Honey Butter.

German Scones Recipe with Cinnamon Honey Butter (1)

Originally posted December 25, 2007 – The year I originally posted this recipe was the first year that my little family started the tradition of scones on Christmas morning. I’m happy to report that this tradition has continued and we have fried up this German Scones Recipe every Christmas morning except for one year when we were in a hotel on Christmas morning. This is a highly anticipated recipe every year. My kids were so confused when I made a batch of these to photograph. They kept thinking it was somehow Christmas, because that is the only time I make these! (Unless my husband wants them for his birthday.) I prepare the dough the night before and refrigerate it until we are ready for it in the morning. This makes A LOT, so I will usually use half of the dough on Christmas morning, and fry up the rest the weekend after Christmas. I’m not sure if these are actually German (the name was listed in an old cookbook) but we love them! They are kind of a mix of fry bread/sopaipilla/beignet/doughnut. It’s fried dough, and it’s delicious!!

The presents are unwrapped and our bellies are full. I am prepared to not have a decent conversation with my husband for the next couple of weeks because he will be too preoccupied by his new Xbox 360. All of the preparations we’ve made (or should have made!) over the last months are finished, and we can now put our feet up and take some welcome time off.

I love the holiday season. It just brings out the best in everyone. And I’m always sad when it passes. But this Christmas, I have been thinking a lot about how things change as we get older. I have realized that Christmas is a lot like Disneyland. It’s a blast when you are a kid. And I’m sure that it is a whole lot of fun when you are older and you take your own kids. But when you are in the in-between stage, like I am, it’s still fun, but it doesn’t quite have the same magic. I kind of feel like that is how Christmas is – it’s so much fun anticipating Santa’s visit when you are a kid, and I’m sure that when you have your own kids, you feel that same magic watching them as experience Christmas morning. But when you are in that in-between stage, you still love Christmas, but it almost feels like something is missing.

Although we don’t have kids yet, I decided that this Christmas would be the Christmas that we start our own fun and traditions. I figured now would be the time to start, and also so that I could try to bring some of the child-like magic into our Christmas.

German Scones Recipe with Cinnamon Honey Butter (2)

Well, this was the first Christmas morning that we have spent with just the two of us (3, if you count the dog, and we always do!!). So we started with the first of our new Christmas traditions – this German scones recipe for breakfast!! It also helped that I got a nice new fryer as a gift!

If you don’t know what German scones are, I won’t be surprised. My husband has begged and begged for me to make scones for him for the longest time now, but he didn’t want what most of the world knows scones to be. German scones are more like a mixture between fried bread and doughnuts. My husband didn’t even know that these weren’t what most people know scones to be. I had my mother-in-law email me a recipe for them a few weeks back, but when I went to get the recipe yesterday, I couldn’t find the email. So, thank goodness for the internet. I did a quick Google search, and only a handful of recipes came up. Looking through them, they were all exactly the same, so I figured I couldn’t go wrong. (While over at the in-laws today, I looked at my mother-in-law’s recipe, and hers was the exact same recipe as well!!)

The beautiful thing about this recipe is that you can make the dough, let it rise, and then stick it in the fridge overnight. That way, if you made them for Christmas morning, you don’t have to dirty up your kitchen on Christmas morning, and all you have to do is fry them up. And they are delicious!!

If you notice from the picture, I learned a trick while watching a news program on Christmas Eve – if you poke a hole in the middle of the scone before you fry it, they are a lot easier to turn. These things really puff up when they hit the hot oil, and without the hole in the middle, they become a bit hard to turn because they are so top-heavy. These are really good served with some cinnamon honey butter, and it’s a cinch to whip up while the scones are frying.

It was a great Christmas – my husband said that it has been his best Christmas. I’m not sure if I could give all of the credit to the scones, but they certainly did make our morning!!

German Scones Recipe with Cinnamon Honey Butter (3)

German Scones Recipe with Cinnamon Honey Butter (4)

Author: Deborah Harroun

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 3 hours hours 50 minutes minutes

Servings: 2 -3 dozen

Course: Breakfast

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Not your typical scones served with tea, this German Scones Recipe is deep fried dough that is served with Cinnamon Honey Butter.

Ingredients

Scones

  • 4 1/2 teaspoons dry yeast 2 packages
  • 1/2 cup warm water + 1 cup boiling water
  • 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup butter cut into small pieces
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 3 eggs lightly beaten
  • 4 1/2 cups flour
  • oil for frying

Cinnamon Honey Butter

  • 1/2 cup butter softened
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions

For the scones:

  • In a small bowl, combine the yeast, 1/2 cup warm water and 1 tablespoon sugar. Set aside and let sit until it foams.

  • Put the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer. Pour the boiling water over the top. Add the salt, then the eggs and mix on medium-low speed until combined. Add in the yeast mixture and 2 cups of the flour and mix. Continue to add flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until all of the flour is incorporated. (You may need to add a bit more flour, depending on external circumstances. The dough should still be sticky to the touch, but should be starting to pull away from the sides of the mixer slightly. I usually like to add less flour rather than more - if the dough is too sticky to work with, you can always go heavier on the flour when you are rolling out the dough.)

  • Cover the bowl with plastic wrap sprayed with nonstick cooking spray and let the dough rise for about an hour, then refrigerate until cold. (I usually just leave the dough in my mixer bowl, but if you need it for another use, place it in a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap.)

  • When ready to fry, place 2-3 inches of oil in a heavy bottomed pot over medium heat. You want the oil to be about 350ºF. Dust your work surface with flour. Divide the dough into half, and working with one half at a time, roll the dough until it’s about 1/4-inch thick. Cut the dough into 3-inch squares. Puncture the center through the dough with your fingernail (or a knife) and place the square in the hot oil. Don’t overcrowd the pan - you’ll probably be able to fry 2-4 at a time, depending on the size of your pot. Fry until the first side is golden brown and puffy, then flip over and cook until the second side is brown. Remove the scones from the oil with a slotted spoon onto a plate lined with paper towels.

  • Serve with the honey butter, honey, jam, or sprinkle with powdered sugar.

For the cinnamon honey butter:

  • Combine the butter, honey and cinnamon and beat until combined.

Recipe Notes:

*the dough can be refrigerated for 1-2 days before frying. You can also freeze the dough for later use.

Recipe from my mother-in-law

German Scones Recipe with Cinnamon Honey Butter (2024)

FAQs

What is better for scones buttermilk or heavy cream? ›

Heavy Cream or Buttermilk: For the best tasting pastries, stick with a thick liquid such as heavy cream or buttermilk. I usually use heavy cream, but if you want a slightly tangy flavor, use buttermilk.

Why are Utah scones different? ›

While the American and English scone is made with a scraggly dough of butter, flour, salt, and eggs, Utah scones are made with yeast and no butter. The yeast adds flavor and rise to this scone, making the dough more airy and sweet.

Is it better to use butter or margarine for scones? ›

Should you make scones with butter, margarine or a baking spread? Butter is the best option for flavour and richness in your scones. However, you can absolutely make scones using a margarine or baking spread. I've made them many times using Stork and gotten great results.

Do you put cold or hot butter in scones? ›

Butter must be COLD from the very start to when the dough enters the oven. The cold butter melts upon entering the oven and the water content in butter evaporates in steam. As the steam escapes, it bursts up and creates that beautiful tall, flaky, fluffy texture.

What to avoid when making scones? ›

5 Mistakes to Avoid When Baking Scones
  1. Using anything but cold ingredients. The secret to the flakiest scones is to start with cold ingredients — cold butter, cold eggs, and cold cream. ...
  2. Only using all-purpose flour. ...
  3. Overmixing the dough. ...
  4. Not chilling the dough before baking. ...
  5. Baking them ahead of time.
May 1, 2019

What do Europeans call American scones? ›

A Biscuit (U.S.) Is a Scone (U.K.)

The main differences are that scones tend to have less butter (because you'll add butter to it when you eating it — or else, clotted cream or jam) while American biscuits tend to have more butter and light layers.

What is the American version of a scone? ›

Scones are dryer and crumbly. They need the thick, luscious clotted cream and jam to make a delicious sweet treat. American biscuits are more fluffy, from the extra butter, and the acidity of buttermilk. So, they are similar, but not the same.

What is an American scone called? ›

American biscuits are more similar to traditional British scones, but are usually savory and served with savory meals.

Which flour is best for scones? ›

Use all-purpose flour for a higher rising scone that holds its shape nicely, both in and out of the oven. To make more delicate, lower-rising, cake-like scones, substitute cake flour for all-purpose flour. Reduce the liquid in the recipe by 1 to 2 tablespoons, using just enough to bring the dough together.

Should you chill scone dough before baking? ›

Keep scones cold before putting them in the oven: For best results, chill the mixture in the fridge before baking, this will help to stiffen up the butter again, which will stop your scones from slumping as soon as they hit the oven's heat.

Why put egg in scones? ›

The egg gives the scones a golden and shiny finish once they are baked. It is however possible to omit the egg and use 1-2 tablespoons of extra milk as a glaze for the scones instead. They will not quite have the same colour and shine but they will still be delicious to eat.

How long should you rest scones before baking? ›

But now we've found that resting the dough overnight has another benefit: It makes for more symmetrical and attractive pastries.

How do you make scones rise higher? ›

To ensure taller scones, start with a thicker dough disc and place the scones on a tray with sides, allowing them to slightly touch one another. This arrangement encourages the scones to push against the pan and each other, promoting height.

Why is it important to have a hot oven when baking scones? ›

Scones and biscuits both need a hot, quick bake. The high, quick heat is needed to turn that butter into nice steamy air pockets without leaving pools of butter on the cookie sheet.

What happens if you use heavy cream instead of buttermilk? ›

Heavy cream, on the other hand, “is not acidic, and therefore does not react in the same way with baking soda as buttermilk does.” It won't help baked goods rise, but what it can do is “thicken or whiten sauces (e.g., alfredo sauce), soups (e.g., chowder), sour cream, and puddings.

Is it okay to use heavy cream instead of buttermilk? ›

They're not completely interchangeable. Yes, you can swap them in a recipe, but it's not as simple as switching buttermilk for heavy cream/heavy cream for buttermilk. For example, if you're replacing buttermilk with heavy cream you'll probably need to switch out your baking soda for baking powder.

Can you use buttermilk instead of heavy cream? ›

While buttermilk is actually lower in fat than whole milk, its thicker consistency makes it a good substitute for heavy cream in your baked goods.

Do scones contain buttermilk? ›

Buttermilk: This is the key to the scones' phenomenal texture. If you do not have buttermilk and can't get it, use this substitution: Place 1½ teaspoons lemon juice or white vinegar in a liquid measuring cup. Add enough whole or 2% milk to bring the mixture to ½ cup. Stir it, then let it sit for 5 minutes before using.

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