Tender keto cinnamon scones made to look and taste like cinnamon rolls! It’s a delicious and easy way to satisfy that craving. They make a wonderful low carb and sugar-free breakfast, brunch, or snack.
I originally made these keto cinnamon roll scones way back in 2011, and I decided that they deserved a little bit of an update. The basic recipe was always good and stands the test of time, with a few small tweaks. And some shiny new photos and a how-to video too!
I am fairly certain that cinnamon may be the spice equivalent of love. Think about it. When a room smells of warm cinnamon, you feel cozy and content. It evokes a sense of well-being. And eating a homemade cinnamon roll, with all its soft dough and sweet frosting, is like receiving a comforting hug from your mother.
The problem is that as a diabetic, these edible hugs are off-limits. At least the conventional, refined-flour-and-sugar-that-send-your-glucose-levels-soaring is off limits. But we keto dieters are nothing if not resourceful and we find ways and means to get our share of sweet cinnamon love.
If cinnamon rolls and scones had a baby…
This keto cinnamon scone recipe is like the perfect marriage of two of my favorite breakfast treats. I’ve always had a love for scones of any kind, and who doesn’t love a chewy, warm sweet cinnamon roll? It’s an ideal combination.
Really, when you think about it, cinnamon rolls lend themselves to any number of wonderful variations.
There are so many great ways to enjoy those same flavors in a keto-friendly package. Such as my Cinnamon Roll Cheesecakes, or my famous keto Cinnamon Roll Coffee Cake. I even have a recipe for keto Cinnamon Roll Biscotti! And if you’re looking for a true cinnamon roll, you need to check out my Fathead Cinnamon Rolls with cranberries and pecans. Or skip the berries and pecans, if you’d rather.
Creating Keto Cinnamon Roll Scones
This was actually my first truly successful attempt at keto scones, way back when (almost 8 years ago!). Since then, I have created countless low carb scone recipes, all with some delicious flavor combinations. I also like to play with the flour variations and many of them contain both almond and coconut flour.
But way back when, I made these with just almond flour and I find it still works really well. So for those of you that are allergic to, or simply don’t like, coconut flour, you will love these!
I decided to re-visit this recipe because I wanted to include it in my new book, The Ultimate Guide to Keto Baking. I really kept the recipe the same, with some small changes. I used butter instead of coconut oil.
I made the “cinnamon sugar” just as I have always done, with granular Swerve and ground cinnamon. I sprinkled some of it into the scone dough as I was forming them, as well as sprinkling plenty overtop of the scones.
And I simplified the cream cheese frosting a bit, for a basic cream cheese drizzle instead of a combination of cream cheese and butter.
But as you might expect, the flavor was spot on and these scones were just as delicious as they always were. And well worth a spot in my new cookbook!
Love to bake? Check out my new book!
Keto Cinnamon Roll Scones
Ingredients
Scones:
- 2 cups almond flour
- 6 tbsp Swerve Sweetener divided
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 large egg lightly beaten
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter melted
- 2 tbsp heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
Icing:
- 1 oz cream cheese softened
- 1 tbsp cream
- 1 tbsp powdered Swerve Sweetener
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Scones:
- Preheat the oven to 325F and line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone liner.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, ¼ cup of the sweetener, the baking powder, and the salt. Stir in the egg, melted butter, cream, and vanilla extract until the dough comes together.
- In a small bowl, whisk the remaining 2 tablespoons of sweetener with the cinnamon. Sprinkle half of this mixture into the dough, and mix in a little but do not fully incorporate, so that it remains a bit streaky.
- Turn the dough out onto the prepared baking sheet and pat out into an 8 inch circle. Sprinkle with the remaining cinnamon mixture and cut into 8 even wedges. Carefully separate the wedges.
- Space the wedges evenly around the baking sheet and bake 20 to 25 minutes, until lightly browned and firm to the touch. Remove and let cool 5 minutes on the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Icing:
- In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese with the sweetener until well combined. Beat in the cream and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Place the drizzle in a plastic Ziploc bag and snip of the very tip of one corner. Pipe decoratively over the cooled scones.
Jon says
Hello, Carolyn;
Thank you for all you do.
This recipe reminded me of a ‘dessert/treat’ I used to eat before keto.
I used to eat a commercial product called “Pecan Swirls”.
But I can’t find a keto version, do you have one?
I don’t care it is actually a cinnamon-roll type w/ layers I just want to make something similar in taste.
Have a GREAT day, Neighbor!
Carolyn says
Do you have a link so I can see exactly what it is?
Jon says
Thank you for your reply.
Here is one link; .
Here is another;
.
I know these may not be what you had in mind so I include these recipes, too.
, “Better Home Made – Cinnamon Pecan Swirl”.
, “Pecan Swirls”.
, “Copycat Pecan Spinwheels”.
Hopefully helpful.
jon
E. Ruban says
I tried making these in a silicone mold with scone shapes, did not cook all the way, so I took them out and cooked a little longer on a pan. So, now I know, not to use my silicone mold. All recipes I have tried here so far have been wonderful. Thank you for all you do.
Carolyn says
I’ve never used one of those… they seem kind of pointless since scones hold their shape already pretty well during baking.
suzanne says
I love these. I make them nearly every week. I added some lemon zest to mix things up. They were lovely
with the lemon tang.
Belinda Collinge says
My new favorite breakfast! Love these! I had a hard time going keto/low carb initially because I am a die hard pastry-and-coffee breakfast person…until I was diagnosed with diabetes June 2020 with an A1C of 7.3. In 3 months I have lost 47 pounds and dropped my A1C down to normal at 5.1! This is my way of life now. Thank you for your amazing recipes that have made the transition so easy!
Belinda Collinge says
Note: I used Lakanto sweetener and Kirkland almond flour. My scones were perfect!
Karen says
I had high hopes for these, and they tasted great – but they never firmed up, not really, and they don’t have anything close to a scone texture (they didn’t rise even a tiny bit). Am I doing something wrong? We followed the recipe exactly.
Carolyn says
So tell me what brands of sweeteners and flours you used. They should definitely rise a bit and they should firm up.
Karen says
Thank you for replying! I used Bob’s Red Mill almond flour and Lakanto monk fruit sweeteners. I wonder if it was the difference in sweetener?
Tara S says
I had shared a link for this recipe to my husband as a hint for Mother’s Day breakfast. They turned out amazing and also taste great the next day. Thank you!
Judy Clark says
Just ate the first one and they are delicious. I love the way the cinnamon/swerve on the top gives some extra crispness. I had no problem with the mixture. It formed easily and separated nicely once cut into triangles. I used a silicone liner on my cookie sheet. I ate mine before DH sees them. 😉
Edda says
I tried making these and the batter was so wet that I could not slice it. What did I do wrong? I followed the recipe to a tee. I had to bake it for a while, then I was able to cut them apart and rebake. The cream cheese drizzle made them better, but why did the batter turn out so wet?
Carolyn says
Well, definitely something went wrong. Could you have mismeasured something? What brand of almond flour were you using?
Edda says
I used 365 brand Almond flour from Whole Foods, 2 cups. I have seen other recipes that use 3 cups. I may try that. What brand of Almond flour do you recommend? What about Anthony’s?
Carolyn says
Always Bob’s Red Mill. I suspect the almond flour in this case and my scone recipes are some of the original keto scones so no, it shouldn’t need 3 cups unless something is off with your flour.
Cara says
I made these this morning because I wanted something to battle my urge for cinnamon rolls which are a Christmas tradition in our house. I am not a great baker – in fact many of my attempts fail. I followed the recipe 100% and they turned out amazing (a little darker on the top than yours). So delicious I had to lock them away so I wouldn’t be tempted to eat them all. I had to smear the icing because working an icing bag is beyond my superpowers it seems but still…again…soooo delicious. Thank you for all you do to help your followers sustain the keto lifestyle.
Carolyn says
Glad they hit the spot!
Sophie Brinton says
I wonder if anybody actually tried this recipe? I ask because I followed the instructions exactly, and the dough was too dry to form into a shape. I added 1/4c additional cream, another egg, 1/4c coconut oil, and still it is too crumbly to hold any kind of shape. Finally I was able to squeeze them into balls, which immediately fell apart on the parchment paper. I’m baking them as-is since I don’t want to waste all these ingredients, but I’m frustrated and quite disappointed. I will not be testing any more recipes from here unless the comments show that people have actually successfully made the recipe. It’s easy to show delicious pictures, but I doubt that these pictures are the real results of this recipe.
Very bummed out.
Carolyn says
Hi Sophie, I have to say that the accusation that these photos are not the real recipe is absolutely unfounded and my regular readers know that I never show anything but the REAL results. You definitely had an issue but it was with your ingredients, not my recipe, I am sorry to say. It sounds to me like you might have been using coconut flour rather than almond flour. OR you happen to have some of the almond flour that is defatted, which is very dry and powder.
Normal almond flour is not fine and powdery, it’s just finely ground almonds. And this recipe works as written, and works perfectly. I’ve made it several times and so have many readers.
gremlin says
I made this yesterday, and while mine aren’t pretty, they are delicious!
Thank you so much for the recipe. It’s always nice to see a tasty-looking low carb recipe that I not only have all the ingredients for already, but seems (and was) simple enough for my somewhat novice baking skills.
Carolyn says
Glad you like them!
CICI says
From your commentary, I was expecting to find some coconut flour in the updated recipe. Did I misunderstand?
Carolyn says
Yes, I think you did misunderstand. My point was that in many subsequent scone recipes, I have used a combination of flours, but that this one stood the test of time being all almond flour.
Melanie says
I made this yesterday and mine doesn’t look anything like yours. My filling isn’t gooey at all. What did I do wrong? Did I over cook it?
Carolyn says
What are you referring to? This is a scones recipe and doesn’t have a filling.
Debbie says
I was diagnosed with Diabetes just over three months ago. I went back to the doctor this week and am no longer diabetic, in fact I’m not even pre-diabetic. I’m completely normal. I am down 37 pounds and I feel great! My doctor never put me on medication, he simply told me about the Ketogenic diet. I’ve been doing it since the moment I walked out of his office that fateful day. I have been cooking some of your recipes. They are awesome. I hadn’t tried anything sweet yet due to a fear of starting to crave sweets again. I bit the bullet this morning and made these scones. WOW! They turned out fantastic. Thank you so much for all your hard work that you put into your recipes. I for one am here to stay. This diet will be a permanent way of life for us.
Carolyn says
I am SO glad to hear of a doctor that suggests keto!
Laura Smallwood says
I just made these and it was my first time ever making any kind of scones, let alone sugar-free. I didn’t have Swerve so I used Lakanto Monk Fruit Classic and also their powdered sweetener for the frosting. OMG! These were amazing! I had to stop myself at 2 so the rest of my family could try them, but I will definitely be doubling the next batch (maybe triple!) Thanks for the recipe!
Carolyn says
So glad you liked them!
Laura Smallwood says
I was wondering if I could add pumpkin to these. How much should I add and do I need to add more almond flour to make up for the added moisture? Thanks!
Carolyn says
I already have a pumpkin scones recipe. Please use my search box and you will find it.
Laura Smallwood says
Thank you!
Sarah says
These are delicious!! I’ve made them 3 times in the past couple of weeks, the last time a double batch! I’ve never even put on the glaze…they are already so good without. I’m sharing the recipe (and the link) with everyone!
Carolyn says
Thanks, Sarah!
Angelique says
I’m in heaven! There is nothing I like more than a pastry with my morning coffee, and this recipe is the best! Rich, delicious and no guilt! Thank you so much for the recipe. I can’t wait to try out your other scone recipes! 🙂
Florence Julias says
Delicious! Just what I needed to perk up the morning without over indulging in carbs.
LindainCO says
I finally made these and thought they were ok that day, but after refrigerating overnight, they are fabulous! I used the topping like frosting and maybe that made a difference, but it is great at this point!
Scones and coffee, and I lost weight!
I smile every time I see your title, alldayidreamaboutfood…..I thought my husband was food-obsessed, but I’ve discovered I am, too, and it’s a good thing!
Carolyn says
So glad you liked them!