Banana Scones
This banana scone recipe gives you soft, buttery scones loaded with flavor that bake up in half the time of banana bread! With a hint of cinnamon, chocolate chips, and walnuts, they're about to become your new favorite way to use up those spotty bananas!
Who doesn’t have overripe bananas sitting around? Mine? They practically multiply overnight. While I love a good banana bread, like this walnut and fig banana bread, sometimes I also want all the flavors, but in a bakery-style scone! They bake really fast, meaning you can go from spotty banana to warm scone in hand in about 30 minutes.
If you love baking with bananas, you might also enjoy my miso banana bread, crunchy banana granola, banana bread with sourdough discard, or these gluten-free banana pancakes!
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
✨ My banana scones recipe is perfect for beginner bakers. It’s impossible to mess up. And it’s a fabulous way to use brown bananas without committing to a full loaf of bread.
✨ Full of natural sweetness, the banana nut scones have a mellow, cozy flavor and an explosion of texture thanks to walnuts and chocolate chips.
✨ The scones are great for any time of day: breakfast, brunch, or as an afternoon snack with coffee or tea.
✨ The recipe is endlessly customizable. Want banana chocolate scones? Throw in some chocolate chips. Prefer banana blueberry scones? Fold in fresh berries or even strawberries, as I did with my strawberry banana bread.
Banana Scone Ingredients
Ripe bananas: The spottier, the better. They add natural sweetness and moisture. You can even use frozen bananas. Thaw and drain them before use.
Flour: All-purpose flour keeps the texture tender. You can use whole wheat flour, but the texture will be a bit dense. I've also made these banana walnut scones using a combination of all-purpose and quinoa flour, and they turned out great!
Butter: Cold butter is key for flaky layers. You can use chilled coconut oil if you prefer. If you’re using salted butter, then skip the salt.
Cinnamon: Adds warmth and depth.
Sugar: I used regular white sugar. Feel free to swap with light brown sugar, raw sugar, or coconut sugar.
Cream: Adds richness and helps bind the dough. Keep it cold. Use a little to brush the tops for that golden finish.
Vanilla extract: I love adding vanilla extract for flavor. Use store-bought or homemade vanilla extract.
Walnuts: For crunch and nutty flavor.
Chocolate chips: Optional, but highly recommended in these banana chocolate scones. Use a good-quality baking chocolate.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations
Swap out the vanilla for almond extract for a slightly different flavor profile. Don’t love walnuts? Pecans add amazing texture and taste. You can also use almonds or hazelnuts.
- Make them vegan: For vegan banana scones, swap the butter for chilled coconut oil and use a plant-based milk instead of cream.
- Instead of just sprinkling sugar on top, you can drizzle these banana bread scones with maple glaze (like in my maple pecan cookies) or use the vanilla glaze I made for cinnamon roll focaccia.
How To Make Banana Scones
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Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 200 C/ 400 F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
Step 2: In a small bowl, mix mashed banana, vanilla extract, and cream well.
Step 3: In a large bowl, sift the dry ingredients - all-purpose flour, sugar, cinnamon powder, baking powder, and salt.
Step 4: Rub in the chilled, cubed butter using your fingertips or a pastry cutter until the mixture forms large, coarse crumbs.
Step 5: Pour the banana mixture over the dry ingredients and mix with a fork until the dry ingredients are just moistened.
Step 6: Bring the dough together using your hands. There is no need to knead the dough.
Step 7: Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface. Flatten the dough with your hands and then sprinkle chocolate chips and chopped walnuts across the surface. Press them down slightly.
Step 8: Using a knife, divide the dough into two. Then place one layer over the other with the side studded with walnuts and chocolate facing upwards. Press the layers so they flatten a bit and stick to each other. Cut them in half once more and place one over the other. Press and then cut again.
Step 9: Roll into a 9" circle and cut into 8 triangles.
Step 10: Place the scones on the prepared tray. Brush lightly with cream. Sprinkle some sugar on top.
Step 11: Bake for 18-20 minutes or until lightly golden and cooked through. Allow to cool for a few minutes, then serve warm!
Pro Tips
- Keep everything cold. Make sure your butter and cream are straight from the fridge. Cold butter creates those irresistible flaky layers in your scones.
- Work quickly. When you're mixing the butter into the dry ingredients, make quick work of it. The less you handle the dough, the better.
- Don't overmix or knead the dough. Mix just until the ingredients are combined. Overmixing can lead to dense, tough scones.
- Don’t knead the add-ins. Stick to the folding method for the add-ins. This helps distribute them evenly and also creates airy, light-textured scones.
- Chill if needed. If your kitchen is warm (or you've handled the dough too much), chill the shaped scones for 10–15 minutes before baking. This keeps the butter cold and helps them rise beautifully.
How To Serve
Banana scones are excellent fresh out of the oven. But they're even better with a little something on the side!
Serve them as a dessert with fresh berries for an added burst of flavor or chocolate ice cream.
Slather on some cinnamon honey butter and your favorite jam (cherry jam or homemade fig jam) for an easy and quick breakfast.
These homemade scones taste amazing alongside Vietnamese iced coffee, a strawberry matcha latte, or a cozy cup of tea, making them a great choice for a relaxing evening.
Recipe FAQs
How are banana scones different from biscuits?
Scones are slightly sweeter and often flavored with fruit or spices. Biscuits are usually savory and have more butter. Scones also have a higher ratio of liquid to flour, and their texture is somewhere between cake and bread.
Are these scones very sweet?
They are actually quite mild! Most of the sweetness comes from the ripe bananas and the chocolate chips. If you like things sweeter, you can increase the quantity of sugar to 1/2 cup.
Can I make this banana bread scones recipe ahead of time?
Absolutely! You can shape the scones and freeze them unbaked. When you're ready to bake, you can thaw them briefly and add a few extra minutes to the baking time.
How do I store banana bread scones?
They’re best served fresh but can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 2–3 days.
More Easy Scones
Recipe
Banana Scones
Ingredients
- 1 Large Banana, mashed
- 1/3 cup Cream
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- 2 cup All-purpose flour
- 2 tsp Baking powder
- 1/4 tsp Salt Use salt if your butter is unsalted or if you're using coconut oil. Omit if using salted butter
- 1 tsp Cinnamon
- 1/3 cup Sugar
- 1/2 cup Butter, chilled, cut into small cubes
- 1/4 cup Walnuts, chopped
- 1/3 cup Chocolate chips/ chunks
- 1 tbsp Cream or milk For brushing on top
- 2 tsp Sugar For sprinkling on top
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 200 C/ 400 F. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
- In a small bowl, mix the mashed banana, vanilla extract, and cream well. 1 Large Banana, mashed, 1/3 cup Cream, 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- In a large bowl, sift the dry ingredients - all-purpose flour, sugar, cinnamon powder, baking powder, and salt.2 cup All-purpose flour, 1/3 cup Sugar, 2 tsp Baking powder, 1 tsp Cinnamon, 1/4 tsp Salt
- Rub in the chilled cubed butter, using your fingertips or a pastry cutter, until the mixture forms large coarse crumbs.1/2 cup Butter, chilled, cut into small cubes
- Pour the banana mixture over the dry ingredients and mix with a fork or your hands until a rough dough forms.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly -floured surface and gently pat into an even circle, about 6" in diameter.
- Sprinkle the chopped walnuts and chocolate chips on the dough. Press them down slightly. Cut the dough in half and place one on top of the other. Press the dough slightly, and again cut it in half.Place the halves on top of each other, press them slightly, and repeat this process twice more.This helps the walnuts and chocolate chips get dispersed evenly through the dough without overworking it. It also helps create flaky layers.1/4 cup Walnuts, chopped, 1/3 cup Chocolate chips/ chunks
- Use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a 9" circle and cut into 8 triangles. Place on the prepared tray. Brush lightly with cream. Sprinkle some sugar on top.1 tbsp Cream or milk, 2 tsp Sugar
- Bake at 200 C/ 400 F for 18-20 minutes or until lightly golden and cooked through. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes.
- Serve warm. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Keep everything cold. Make sure your butter and cream are straight from the fridge. Cold butter creates those irresistible flaky layers in your scones.
- Work quickly. When you're mixing the butter into the dry ingredients, make quick work of it. The less you handle the dough, the better.
- Don't overmix or knead the dough. Mix just until the ingredients are combined. Overmixing can lead to dense, tough scones.
- Don’t knead the add-ins. Stick to the folding method for the add-ins. This helps distribute them evenly and also creates airy, light-textured scones.
- Chill if needed. If your kitchen is warm (or you've handled the dough too much), chill the shaped scones for 10–15 minutes before baking. This keeps the butter cold and helps them rise beautifully.
Tried this recipe a couple of times and it's delish....was over in no time!!!
Thank you Natasha!!!
Natasha Author
I'm thrilled to hear this, Shaaista! Thank you very much for trying the recipe and sharing your wonderful feedback here. I appreciate you. xx
Hi,
The recipe looks too good! is it possible to replace AP flour with whole wheat? or go for a 50-50 in place of full AP?
Natasha Author
Hi Abhishikta, thank you! Yes, you can replace all-purpose with wholewheat or do 50-50. Hope you enjoy the recipe as much as we did!:)
Hi,
I don't have measurement for 1/3rd cup. It would be glad if you can help in grams. That would be helpgul
Natasha Author
Hi Arpita, this would be 80ml of cream and 45 grams of sugar. Hope this helps. 🙂
Hi ! What can be substituted for coconut cream ?
TIA
Natasha Author
Hi Amrita, you can use regular cream. 🙂