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–+ servings

Easy Scones Recipe

Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Serves 8
We love these buttery, flaky scones for breakfast or brunch! This easy recipe works well with a variety of add-ins like blueberries, dried fruit, and chocolate chips. Find some of my favorite flavor variations in the blog post above.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
  • ¼ cup cane sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 stick, frozen for at least 1 hour
  • ½ to 1½ cups mix-ins*, such as berries, dried fruit, or chocolate chips, optional
  • ½ cup cold buttermilk*, or heavy cream, plus more for brushing
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, optional
  • Coarse sugar, for sprinkling

Instructions

  • Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
  • On the large holes of a box grater, grate the frozen butter. Add to the flour mixture and toss to coat. Use your hands to work the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Add desired mix-ins and toss to incorporate.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, egg, and vanilla, if using. Pour over the flour mixture and use a spatula to mix until a shaggy dough forms. Knead with your hands to incorporate any remaining dry flour. The dough should feel soft but not sticky. If it’s sticky, work in a bit more flour. If it’s dry, drizzle in a little more buttermilk. Form the dough into a ball.
  • Transfer the dough ball to a lightly floured surface and form it into a 7- to 8-inch disk about 1 inch thick. Slice into 8 equal wedges and transfer to the prepared baking sheet, leaving a little space around each scone.
  • Freeze the scones for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400°F.
  • Remove the scones from the freezer and brush with buttermilk. Sprinkle with coarse sugar, if using. Bake for 18 to 27 minutes, or until golden brown on top.
  • Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Notes

*Note: Mix-ins such as fresh raspberries or diced fresh strawberries will add moisture to the scone dough. If using these, start by adding just ⅓ cup buttermilk to the dough. Add more as needed, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough comes together. You will likely need less than ½ cup total due to the extra moisture from the fruit.