Nothing quite says Holidays like gingerbread. Unfortunately, making traditional gingerbread men takes a bit of effort and a bit of skill as well.  So what are you to do if you’re craving the Holiday’s most delectable and iconic treat but are unwilling to wrestle with traditional dough?

Make scones!

These things are little bites of gingerbread heaven. Pleasantly spiced with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and allspice with a hint of molasses in the background. The addition of cranberries adds an unexpected zing, and the lemon sugar glaze ads something crisp and fresh to what could otherwise be a bit heavy. In other words, it’s everything gingerbread should be, but without the effort of wrestling a traditional gingerbread dough.

Look how easy it is to work with!

Rather than the crisp bite of a normal gingerbread cookie, these scones have a light, slightly chewy texture that fully allows the flavors of the spices to come through.  They’re dense, but not overwhelmingly so, and the spices are perfect with a cup of chai tea, espresso or Turkish coffee. (More on that later!)

At the end of a quick baking session, you’ll be greeted with 24 pillows of Holiday happiness, just waiting to be kissed by a little glaze.

If you can resist the urge to gobble the batch down in one sitting, you’ve got more willpower than we did.  All 24 of these gems were gone within a night. They disappeared, one-by-one, from the basket as the kids walked by.  The verdict from all in our family is that these are a new Holiday tradition that will continue for years to come.  We hope that it becomes one of yours as well.

What are your Holiday baking traditions? Is it cookies, cakes, fruitcake or Rosca de Reyes? let us know in the comments. We’d love to know what your favorite Holiday treats are!

As always, the recipe is available after the jump, so click through for the yumminess!

Yield: 24 scones

Glazed Gingerbread Scones

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

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Ingredients

• For the Scones
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 cup butter (cut in small cubes and chilled)
• 3/4 cup sweetened dried cranberries, raisins or currants
• 1/3 cup molasses
• 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
• For the Glaze:
• 2/3 cup to 1 1/4 cup sifted confectioners’ sugar (depending on your lemon)
• The juice of 1 lemon
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest

Instructions

1. For the Scones
2. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and nutmeg in a large bowl or in the bowl of a food processor. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or pulse with cutting blades in a food processor until the mixture resembles coarse meal. (It's best to chill the blades and bowl of your food processor if you're using one) Stir in dried cranberries. Add molasses and cream then stir with a spoon until just moistened. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead lightly 4 or 5 times to ensure everything is nice and moist.
3. Roll dough out to 1/2-inch thick. Cut scones with a 2-inch biscuit cutter. Place on a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Bake at 425 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes, or until lightly browned. Move to a rack to cool, then glaze.
4. For the Glaze
5. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until combined.
6. pour over scones and allow to set.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

24

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 193Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 19mgSodium: 93mgCarbohydrates: 31gFiber: 1gSugar: 18gProtein: 2g

I think my baking powder was a bit old, so I didn’t get a lot of rise out of these scones.  I’m sure yours will come out a little fluffier.  Regardless, they were delicious!