These sweet and tender instant oatmeal scones are baked with a crunchy cinnamon sugar topping and made versatile by using instant oatmeal packets!
I love a good baking hack, don’t you? I love taking something simple and easy that I already have on hand in the pantry and making it just bit better. I know you all love doing this too, because the most popular recipe on AHB is how to make jiffy cornbread mix better. Well, today I’ve got another baking hack you’re going to love.
Instant Oatmeal Scones. Not only do you probably have most of the ingredients on hand already, but because it relies on single serve packets of instant oatmeal you can change up the flavors and have a completely different scone just like that. My personal favorite oatmeal choice for this recipe is Apple Cinnamon, but there are so many good choices out there: Raisin, Date and Walnut, Cranberry and Flaxseed, Maple and Brown Sugar, Apple and Cranberry, Blueberry Cinnamon…just to name a few. 
If I had to pick a favorite recipe on Accidental Happy Baker, these Instant Oatmeal Scones would be it. This was the very first recipe I posted when I started the blog back in 2015 and it’s still my favorite scone recipe to date. They are just so easy and versatile.
Oh how much I’ve learned about blogging since 2015 when I started. When I look back at my first blog posts, I realize that I really had very little clue as to what I was doing. I had no idea about food photography or food styling. Honestly I had no idea that blogging was something that people made money doing! I was so green!
So obviously it made sense to revisit this recipe and make some much needed updates and improvements, but I’ll leave this one old photo for nostalgia and comparison.
Here are a few tips for the best instant oatmeal scones:
- Only use naturally flavored instant oatmeal with real fruit and nuts. No fruit and cream varieties and for heavens sakes, no dinosaur eggs!
- When cutting in the butter for the scones, the mixture should be crumbly and pea-sized. Sometimes the dried fruit and nuts can make this step a little more difficult.
- For this recipe I recommend using whole milk for a richer and more tender scone.
- While this recipe does have a slight kneading incorporated. Only knead until the dough forms a ball. Do not over-knead or your scones will be tough.
- Only slightly separate the scones before baking. If you give these scones too much room they will spread and become flat.
Instant Oatmeal Scones
These scones are my favorite. They are so versatile because of their reliance on instant oatmeal, it makes it easy to change up the flavors.
Ingredients
For the Scones
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 single serve packets instant oatmeal
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/2 cup milk
For the Topping
- 1 Tablespoon melted butter
- 1 Tablespoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease your baking sheet. In a medium sized bowl, combine your flour, oatmeal, brown sugar, baking powder, salt and the cinnamon. Mix it together. Then, with pastry blender or a fork, cut in the 1/2 cup of butter. The mixture should be crumbly. Pour in the milk and stir it just until all the ingredients are moistened.
- Dust a smooth surface with flour and turn the dough out onto it. Gently knead the scone dough about 5 or 6 times. Move the dough over to the baking sheet and pat it into about a 6-8 inch round, around an inch or so thick.
- Cut your scone dough into 8 wedges and gently separate the pieces from each other slightly.
- Mix together the melted butter, sugar, and cinnamon for the topping. Brush or spoon the topping mixture over the round with a pastry brush.
- Bake at 375 for 20 to 30 minutes or until the scones are golden brown. Recut into wedges if they've spread a bit. Serve warm.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 8 ServingsAmount Per Serving: Calories: 265
Erin
Monday 4th of July 2022
These look so good! Cracking up at the Dino eggs. 😂
Do you know if I could freeze and reheat the scones? I will be nursing soon and it was recommended to have hearty breakfast type foods already made and ready to reheat.
TJ
Wednesday 14th of July 2021
I’m curious, why can’t you use the fruit and cream variety oatmeal packets? We usually get the variety boxes in our house but I’m the only one who eats the blueberries and cream and need something else to do with it! I have a ton of them!
Dorothy
Sunday 8th of December 2019
What brand of instant oatmeal did you use? Been looking for the packet with the "yummy" on it for years. A coworker who gave me a packet like urs couldn't tell me the brand. Said she forgot. Anyway it was delicious. Please tell me the brand.
Amy D
Monday 9th of December 2019
The brand that I use for these scones is just the Hy-Vee store brand, which is my local grocery chain. Hope you find what you're looking for Dorothy!
Katie
Sunday 21st of October 2018
Came across this recipe last week, and I have got to say it's a new favorite. Easy to make, and delicious. I used the cinnamon and spice packets and they give it a great flavor. I will be making these often!!
Amy D
Tuesday 23rd of October 2018
Thanks Katie, it's a definite favorite around here too. In fact, I just bought some apple cinnamon oatmeal this morning to use for scones!
Marci
Wednesday 5th of August 2015
These look so easy and delicious. I have never tried making scones. I think the time has come!