These eggnog scones are tender buttermilk scones flavored with classic holiday spices and finished with a simple eggnog glaze. They come together quickly, making them an easy, festive choice for Christmas morning or holiday brunch.

Eggnog scones on a black wire rack next to a single scone on a serving plate, a cup of black coffee, cinnamon sticks, a bowl of eggnog glaze, and a spoon. — *Photos by* *Tom Pitera* *| Styling by* *Erika Pitera*

A Festive Twist on Buttermilk Scones

Servings: 8 scones
Total Time: 35 minutes
Effort Level: Simple

Personally, I’ve never been a huge fan of eggnog. I’m the odd one out in my family, but that challenge pushed me to figure out how to capture those familiar holiday flavors in a way I’d actually look forward to eating. These eggnog scones start with our reliable buttermilk scone base – the same one used for our Cherry Buttermilk Scones. Using buttermilk keeps the crumb tender and lightly tangy, which balances the sweetness of both the spices and the glaze.

Cinnamon, nutmeg, and a hint of rum extract give the dough that unmistakable eggnog character, while a light eggnog glaze adds just enough sweetness to finish things off. I may still pass on a glass of eggnog, but these scones have earned a permanent spot on our Christmas morning table.

A labeled overhead view of the ingredients for eggnog scones including flour, butter, sugar, rum extract, buttermilk, nutmeg, cinnamon, and golden raisins.

Key Ingredients

We believe that great flavor starts with quality ingredients. Here are the small details that make these choices work. For a full list and measurements, see the recipe card below.

Golden raisins – Though you might not typically think of raisins when you think of eggnog, they add a nice bit of chew to the texture of these scones and a subtle sweetness. You could substitute other dried fruits, but we feel the mellow flavor of the raisins pairs best with the cinnamon and nutmeg notes in eggnog.
Rum extract – A dash of rum extract is just enough to make these scones reminiscent of eggnog without adding actual alcohol.
Buttermilk – The acidity in buttermilk results in a more tender scone, and the tanginess cuts through the richness of the butter. Buttermilk also reacts with the baking powder to make a lighter scone.
Eggnog – Store-bought eggnog is the key to making a delicious finishing glaze for these scones. Because eggnog is so sweet on its own, we did cut it with whole milk.

Prep Overview

How to Make Eggnog Scones with Buttermilk

Here’s a quick overview of the process, with the key techniques that make it work. Detailed, step-by-step instructions are in the printable recipe card below.

Begin by preheating the oven and lining a baking sheet. In a stand mixer, combine the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg) then mix in the raisins. Add the butter and mix just enough to coat it with flour; the chunks should remain visible. Slowly mix in the rum extract and buttermilk until the dough just starts to come together.

A stainless steel stand mixer bowl with scone dough, fully mixed and ready to be formed

A flattened ball of eggnog scone dough on a piece of parchment paper, ready to be cut into wedges.

Turn the dough out onto parchment, shape it into a round, and cut into wedges. Place the scones on the baking sheet, brush with buttermilk, and sprinkle with a cinnamon-sugar mixture before baking.

Scones ready for baking on a parchment lined baking sheet, brushed with buttermilk, and sprikled with cinnamon sugar.

Freshly baked and glazed eggnog scones on a wire rack.

While they bake, make the glaze by mixing confectioners’ sugar with milk and a bit of eggnog until smooth.

Once the scones are out of the oven and slightly cooled, drizzle with the glaze and serve warm.

Tips for Success

Use cold ingredients – Cold butter and buttermilk straight from the refrigerator are essential for making light, flaky scones.
Don’t overmix – When adding the butter and then the buttermilk, only mix until the dry ingredients are moistened. Overworking the dough will yield tough scones.
Handle gently Flour your hands and gently shape the dough. Avoid re-rolling the dough. Cut straight down with a sharp blade – don’t drag the blade through when cutting the scones.

Six eggnog scones cooling on a black wire rack on a rustic brown surface, surrounded by cinnamon sticks, sugar, and golden raisins.

More Buttermilk Baking Recipes

If you like how buttermilk keeps these eggnog scones light and tender, it works just as well in other lightly sweet baked treats. Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins use buttermilk and fresh lemon for a bright flavor and a soft crumb; Spiced Banana Rum Cupcakes pair ripe bananas with warm spice and a hint of rum for a holiday-friendly dessert; and Chocolate Zucchini Bread delivers deep cocoa flavor with a moist, tender texture thanks to tangy buttermilk.