Scones are one of my favorite baked treats, as they can be for breakfast, dessert, or an afternoon snack! Once the weather turns cooler, I switch the fruit and berry flavors of summer out for something more season appropriate. These caramel toffee scones are the perfect choice!
These simple scones are loaded with toffee bits, butterscotch chips, and an optional drizzle of caramel for a sweet treat. I love them with a cup of coffee in the morning, but they’re equally good for afternoon tea and dessert.
If you bake them in the air fryer, they cook up beautifully in under 15 minutes! But if you don’t have an air fryer (yet) I’ll be sure to include some oven directions as well, but be prepared for them to take slightly longer.
Caramel and toffee are both perfect “warm” flavors that are great for fall and winter baking, but of course you can enjoy them year round. I just find it a nice alternative when berries are not in season so I don’t have to mess around with frozen ingredients!
If you’re a fan of toffee, make sure to check out my easy Microwave Toffee recipe as well for a homemade version!
Ingredients List
2 cups all purpose flour
2 Tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
6 Tbsp cold butter
1 large egg
⅓ cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ cup toffee bits (without chocolate)
½ cup butterscotch baking chips (or chopped up soft caramel candies)
Optional Topping
3-4 Tbsp dulce de leche (or another caramel sauce of your choice)
1-2 tsp milk (to thin the dulce if needed for drizzling)
Ingredient Tips and Substitutions
You may use granulated sugar instead of brown sugar if needed (I just prefer brown with caramel flavors). If you want it sweeter, you can go as high as ¼ cup of sugar, but with the other sweet elements, I don’t think think you need it here
For the milk, feel free to swap in non-dairy milk, sour cream, buttermilk, or Greek yogurt (vanilla or caramel flavors are ideal)
If you can find it, the vanilla extract can be replaced by caramel extract for a more robust caramel flavor
Step By Step Instructions
Combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt together in a large mixing bowl, stirring to evenly distribute
Cut the cold butter into cubes, then mix them into the dry ingredients by hand or using a pastry blender until coarse crumbs form (I use my hands, as the heat helps this process a bit)
Add in your wet ingredients (eggs, milk, and vanilla extract) until you get crumbles that you can press together and they stick. Do not overmix, as that can create tough scones
Fold in the toffee and butterscotch chips
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface (or use wax paper) and pat it into an approximately 1” thick round using your hands (it doesn’t need to be exact). This process should bring those crumbles together into an actual dough disk. You can rework in any dry patches from the edges as you go, but don’t knead it too much or you’ll make them tough
Cut the dough like a pizza into 8 slices using a sharp knife or pizza cutter. Alternatively, you can use a drinking glass to make circles, or a cookie cutter shape of your choice (but cooking times may vary for different sizes)
Place the scone wedges into your air fryer in a single layer, allowing at least ½” of air space between them for expansion, cooking in batches if needed. Pro tip: use perforated parchment to line the basket or rack for easier cleanup!
Cook on the air fry setting for 8-10 minutes at 350°F, until scones are golden brown. Note that you do not need to preheat your air fryer for this recipe, but cooking times may vary by 1-2 minutes based on your specific appliance. I usually reduce 1-2 minutes after the first batch due to the warmer starting temperature of the air fryer
Transfer scones to a wire rack to cool
Drizzle dulce de leche or caramel sauce over top of scones (if desired) before serving!
Alternate Oven Baking Directions
Preheat your oven to 400°F
Place your scones on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper with at least 1” of air space between each one
Bake for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown
Note that these directions simply replace steps 7&8 in the original recipe, but the rest of the steps remain the same.
Yes, you can prepare the dough, cut the scones, and freeze them. Bake when needed.
Alternatively you can also bake them, and then freeze them for longer term storage and defrost when ready to eat. This is a good option if you’re making a large batch for a brunch party or similar event.
What’s the Best Way to Store Leftover Scones?
Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days.
For longer term storage, refrigerate for up to 1 week, or freeze for 2-3 months. You can reheat for a few minutes to take the chill off (if desired) for refrigerated scones.
Can I Use Different Types of Toffee or Caramel in This Recipe?
Absolutely, you can experiment with various toffee or caramel flavors for different tastes.
Just make sure to keep the quantity about the same overall, so that it doesn’t affect the consistency of your dough.
How Can I Prevent My Scones from Becoming Too Dry?
Ensure not to overmix the dough, and avoid overbaking.
Additionally, optionally brushing the dough with cream or butter before baking can help retain moisture.
Can I Make These Scones Gluten-Free?
Yes, you can use gluten-free flour or a mix of alternative flours, but the texture might differ slightly.
Almond flour and cashew flour are the two best alternatives for this recipe, based on their flavors pairing well with caramel. Additionally, make sure to check that your other ingredients are certified gluten free!
What’s the Ideal Consistency for the Scone Dough?
The dough should be crumbly but stick together when pressed. Avoid making it too wet or sticky.
If your dough is too soft and sticky to work with, add a small amount of extra flour just until you can manage the dough.
Can I Add Extra Toppings to the Scones Before Baking?
Of course! Brush 1 Tbsp milk or cream over the top of the dough and sprinkle with 1 Tbsp turbinado or another coarse grain sugar for a sweet, crunchy topper.
Alternatively, you could add additional toffee bits or a drizzle of caramel on top before baking for added flavor.
Recipe Pro Tips
If you drizzle your scones with caramel sauce, use some wax paper underneath the rack to catch drips for easy cleanup and less mess!
Note that the air fryer will actually produce a slightly deeper brown scone than the oven will. This is normal and doesn’t mean you’ve overbaked – they’re equally delicious!
I do find these scones cook slightly faster than fruit-based ones, likely due to less moisture. If you’ve seen my other recipes and wonder why the cooking time is slightly less, that’s why! 8 minutes worked out perfectly for these in my Ninja air fryer, but your actual time will vary based on your air fryer as well as the size of your specific scones
Storage and Reheating Tips
Store caramel toffee scones in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days, or refrigerate for up to 1 week. You may also freeze them (before or after cooking) for up to 3 months for long term storage!
Reheat scones in the air fryer for 2-3 minutes at 350°F (add 2 minutes if frozen), or microwave for 30-40 seconds
These caramel toffee scones are a perfect sweet treat! They’re such an easy recipe to make, and bake up in under 15 minutes in the air fryer (or 20 if you go with a traditional oven).
Scones make a perfect grab and go breakfast, but are equally good on your brunch spread, for an afternoon snack, or offered for dessert.
The warm caramel and toffee flavors are lovely for fall and winter, though I certainly won’t stop you from enjoying them any time of year! It’s a nice break from the berry flavors that you commonly find.
Easy Caramel Toffee Scones (Air Fryer or Oven)
These scones are bursting with caramel and toffee flavors perfect for fall and winter. Cook them in the air fryer or the oven for your breakfast, dessert, or a snack.
½Cupbutterscotch baking chips(or chopped up soft caramels)
Optional Topping
3-4 Tbspdulce de leche(or another caramel sauce of your choice)
1-2 Tspmilk(to thin the dulce if needed for drizzling)
Instructions
Combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt together in a large mixing bowl, stirring to evenly distribute
2 Cups all purpose flour, 2 Tbsp brown sugar, 2 Tsp baking powder, ½ Tsp salt
Cut the cold butter into cubes, then mix them into the dry ingredients by hand or using a pastry blender until coarse crumbs form (I use my hands, as the heat helps this process a bit)
6 Tbsp cold butter
Add in your wet ingredients (eggs, milk, and vanilla extract) until you get crumbles that you can press together and they stick. Do not overmix, as that can create tough scones
1 Large egg, ⅓ Cup milk, 1 Tsp vanilla extract
Fold in the toffee and butterscotch chips
½ Cup toffee bits, ½ Cup butterscotch baking chips
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface (or use wax paper) and pat it into an approximately 1” thick round using your hands (it doesn’t need to be exact). This process should bring those crumbles together into an actual dough disk. You can rework in any dry patches from the edges as you go, but don’t knead it too much or you’ll make them tough
Cut the dough like a pizza into 8 slices using a sharp knife or pizza cutter. Alternatively, you can use a drinking glass to make circles, or a cookie cutter shape of your choice (but cooking times may vary for different sizes)
Place the scone wedges into your air fryer in a single layer, allowing at least ½” of air space between them for expansion, cooking in batches if needed. Pro tip: use perforated parchment to line the basket or rack for easier cleanup!
Cook on the air fry setting for 8-10 minutes at 350°F, until scones are golden brown. Note that you do not need to preheat your air fryer for this recipe, but cooking times may vary by 1-2 minutes based on your specific appliance. I usually reduce 1-2 minutes after the first batch due to the warmer starting temperature of the air fryer
Transfer scones to a wire rack (or similar) to cool
Drizzle dulce de leche or caramel sauce over top of scones (if desired) before serving!
3-4 Tbsp dulce de leche, 1-2 Tsp milk
Alternate Oven Baking Directions
Preheat your oven to 400°F
Place your scones on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper with at least 1” of air space between each one
Bake for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown
Notes
You may use granulated sugar instead of brown sugar if needed
For the milk, feel free to swap in non-dairy milk, sour cream, buttermilk, or Greek yogurt (vanilla or caramel flavors are ideal)
The vanilla extract can be replaced by caramel extract for a more robust caramel flavor
Note that the air fryer will produce a slightly deeper brown scone than the oven will (this is normal)
I do find these scones cook slightly faster than fruit-based ones, due to less moisture. 8 minutes worked perfectly in my Ninja air fryer, but your actual time will vary based on your air fryer as well as the size/shape of your specific scones
Store caramel toffee scones in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days, or refrigerate for up to 1 week. You may also freeze them (before or after cooking) for up to 3 months for long term storage!
Reheat scones in the air fryer for 2-3 minutes at 350°F (add 2 minutes if frozen), or microwave for 30-40 seconds if desired (they’re also good at room temperature)
Exact nutritional values will vary based on brand and flavor of ingredients, any sauces or toppings added, size of scones, and quantity consumed, so please consider this a guideline only
I enjoy trying new recipes, creating my own, and dabbling with new techniques all the time. My husband loves to protest when I make him my guinea pig, but it’s all for the love of food!
My cooking philosophy is that great tasting food doesn't have to be complicated or time consuming to make. I'm a home cook with over 20 years of experience feeding myself and others. I've learned from a variety of different people, things I've learned online, and some trial and error as well.
I enjoy cooking a variety of foods, from convenience to comfort foods, as well as international cuisine. You can rest assured that all of my recipes have been actually made, thoroughly tested, and most importantly: tasted! I want you to enjoy my food as much as I do!
