If you love the taste of eggnog, you'll love the taste of these Eggnog Scones topped with an eggnog glaze and sprinkled with nutmeg. The eggnog flavor is subtle and creamy with a hint of nutmeg spice. They're perfect for your holiday brunch and make a great hostess gift!
In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, nutmeg, and salt.
Grate the butter using a box grater and toss it into the flour mixture a little at a time. Once all the butter is grated, use a pastry blender, two forks, or your hands to work the butter into the flour until coarse, pea-sized crumbs appear.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggnog, egg, heavy cream, and vanilla extract.
Pour the eggnog mixture over the flour mixture and mix with a bowl scraper or your hands until a dough forms. You can add another tablespoon or two of eggnog if the dough appears too dry. Remember, You want the butter to stay as cold as possible, so don't overwork the dough.
Gather the dough, and flatten it into a 6-inch disk (if you want square scones, shape the dough into a rectangle with the short side about 4-inches long). Use a bench scraper to release the dough, if needed. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate the dough at least 30 minutes or up to overnight.
Once the dough is chilled, you have your choice of how to shape the scones:For wedge-shaped scones: Roll out the disk into an 8-inch circle, then use the bench scraper to cut the disk into 8 wedges. For round scones: Roll out the disk to a height of about ¾ inches. Use a 3-inch round cookie cutter to cut out rounds (gather, press, and cut the leftover dough again as needed, but hopefully not more than 2 times).For square scones: Roll out the dough into a 12- by 4-inch rectangle, then cut into twelve 2-inch squares.
Place the scones about 2-inches apart on the prepared baking pan. Brush the tops of the scones with more eggnog, then sprinkle with coarse sugar.
Bake the scones for 18 to 23 minutes or until they are golden brown. If you're going to glaze the scones, allow them cool for 15 minutes before continuing.
For the glaze: In a small bowl, mix together the powdered sugar, eggnog, and vanilla extract. Keep adding the eggnog in one tablespoon increments until smooth glaze is smooth and thick.
Drizzle the glaze generously over the scones. Dust them with nutmeg, then allow the glaze to set before serving.
Storage Instructions: Scones are best enjoyed right away, though leftover scones keep well at room temperature or in the refrigerator for about 3 to 5 days. Glazed or plain scones freeze well, up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator then warm to your liking before enjoying.
Make-ahead instructions: For freshly baked scones anytime, freeze the cut, unbaked scones in a ziplock bag. Take out as many as you want to bake (there's no need to defrost them first), and bake at 400 °F for 20 to 25 minutes.
The yield is generally about 8 scones (that's what I get from a disk cut into wedges or using a 3-inch round cookie cutter), but yours may vary.
Notes
How you cut up your butter isn't as important as keeping it cold. Generally I'll grate frozen butter on a box grater (mostly because I don't have butter defrosted). If you'd rather, cut chilled butter into small ½-inch cubes. Either way will work.Homemade eggnog made in the blender is quick and easy to make. Just combine all the eggnog ingredients in a blender, pulse a few times, and you're ready to roll! And it's safe for those that don't eat raw eggs since you'll be baking the egg yolks. It's your choice whether to spike it or not. Alternatively, commercially made eggnog is fine for an eggnog scones recipe, and you can use a dairy-free eggnog if you wish.However, be aware that homemade eggnog used for the glaze isn't cooked, so any raw egg yolks and alcohol will still be there. Don't use the glaze if you'll be serving children or pregnant women.