Strawberry Buttermilk Scones
These Strawberry Buttermilk Scones prove that you don’t need cream to create tender, moist scones! The results were absolutely incredible!
Using cold butter and buttermilk make this Easy Scones Recipe an irresistible breakfast, brunch, or snack treat!
Why You Must Make
- The base recipe for these scones is from Marion Cunningham, a baker extraordinaire and cookbook author.
- Buttermilk makes the scones extra moist and tender.
- Adding strawberries makes them perfect for a summer breakfast or brunch.
While Bill was hospitalized last month, I wanted to take some goodies to his stellar nursing staff. I got the bright idea to combine my Tuesdays with Dorie recipe for buttermilk scones with my Twelve Loaves theme of strawberries. So I whipped up a batch of these divine Strawberry Buttermilk Scones. They were out of this world!
How to Make
- Dice fresh strawberries and set them on some paper towels to absorb the excess juices.
- A tablespoon of finely grated orange zest adds another hit to the flavor profile.
- Using cold butter makes for flaky scones as the small butter pieces produce steam as they melt in the oven, therefore making tiny air pockets in the dough.
- The buttermilk provides the same tenderness and moisture as the cream in my usual recipe.
- Do not want to overwork the dough once the liquid is added. Just knead enough so the dough comes together, then cut and bake!
Our oldest, Tom, was over to check on his dad and I offered him one of these strawberry scones. There was no arm twisting involved as he shoveled one in before dinner. He hemmed and hawed that he was having his wellness labs drawn at work the next day, so he wouldn’t take any home with him that night. But, what do you know? There was an inquiry about freezing these, then the rest were absconded with. These buttery gems now rival my cream scones as my favorites.
The recipe can be found in Baking with Julia (affiliate link). Note that I added 1/4 cup of diced, then dried (using paper toweling) strawberries to my scones before kneading. I will add even more the next time!
Frequently Asked Questions
First, like with puff pastry, the dough must be cold and the oven must be hot. The little bits of butter will release steam as they bake and help the scones rise along with the baking powder and baking soda.
Plus, baking powder does not have a long shelf life like baking soda. So it will most likely expire before you can even use half the can! So check the expiration date or add some to boiling water to see if it bubbles furiously. If it’s old or doesn’t react strongly, replace it before you start baking.
Scones are best on the day they are baked, so bake on the day you plan to serve them. You can measure out the dry ingredients, etc. the day before, but don’t mix and bake until you’re ready to share them.
As mentioned above, keep the dough cold. You can even refrigerate the cut scones on the baking sheet before baking if the dough gets warm.
Using pastry flour instead of all-purpose flour will make them more tender as the former has less gluten. Next, do not overmix so you have little bits of butter throughout the dough. Finally, make sure the oven is preheated to the temperature in your recipe before baking.
You May Also Like:
- Lemon Blueberry Scones from Sally’s Baking Addiction
- Glazed Lemon Tea Scones
- Cranberry Eggnog Scones
- Best Scones Recipe with fresh blackberries
- Vanilla Scones
- Brown Butter Peach Scones
- More of the Best Breakfast Recipes
- More Favorite Brunch Recipes
Strawberry Buttermilk Scones Recipe
These Strawberry Buttermilk Scones prove that you don't need cream to create tender, moist scones!
Ingredients
For the Scones:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon grated orange or lemon zest
- 6 ounces butter, cut into small pieces
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 4 + tablespoons diced strawberries, dried with paper towels
For the Topping:
- 2 ounces butter, melted, for brushing
- 1/4 cup sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Stir flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and zest together with a fork.
- Add butter pieces and work it into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal.
- Pour in 1 cup buttermilk and the zest, and mix until ingredients are just moistened. If the dough seems dry, add another tablespoon buttermilk. Mix in diced strawberries.
- Gather dough into a ball, turn it onto a lightly floured work surface, and knead briefly. Cut dough in half.
- To Make Triangular-Shaped Scones, roll one piece of dough into a ½-inch-thick circle that is 7 inches across.
- Brush the dough with half of the melted butter, sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of sugar, and cut the circle into 6 triangles.
- Repeat with the second half of the dough.
- Place the scones on an ungreased baking sheet and bake scones 10 minutes or until golden. Remove to a wire rack to cool.
Notes
Add more strawberries if desired.
Adapted from Marion Cunningham.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1 sconeAmount Per Serving: Calories: 297Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 41mgSodium: 417mgCarbohydrates: 35gFiber: 1gSugar: 11gProtein: 4g
100 Comments on “Strawberry Buttermilk Scones”
6 ounces of butter or 6 Tablespoons of butter? One is double the other.
6 ounces or 12 tablespoons or 1 1/2 sticks is the correct amount. Hope you enjoy Pamalee!
These are definitely the best scones I’ve made. The only thing I did different was I did add a little more strawberries and a few blueberries. When working the dough I placed the dough into a rectangle shape and the I tri folded the dough left end to middle the right end to middle the way you do biscuits or croissants folding whole blueberries In the center. Then I shaped it in the circle and cut the triangles egg was and course sugar on top and they came out picture perfect. Definitely the best recipe. Thank you for sharing
This is such a brilliant idea to use buttermilk instead of cream in this recipe. It sounds absolutely delicious.
Perfect idea for this weekend’s brunch. Holding on to summer as long as we can with fresh fruits, scones and lots of iced tea.
I love strawberry everything during the summer. Don’t think I’ve ever tried scones with them and it’s such a great idea. I would love them with coffee in the morning. Or afternoon! 🙂 ~Valentina
Looks absolutely gorgeous and so easy to make
Other fruits can be used if strawberries aren’t in season
I’m going to make these for sure!
Un vero portento questo latticello, un dolce delizioso!!!
Grazie, Simona!!! I hope you give them a try.
I’m not surprised that your scones look absolutely perfect, Liz! I’ve never had strawberries in scones before and clearly that needs to be remedied!
The last update was turtle brownie from July 22.
Shoot! I wonder what’s going on? Thanks for letting me know, Angie! xo
We adore buttery, melt-in-mouth scones! These sound and look terrific with strawberries.
p.s I haven’t got any of updates from your blog in a while.
I need more scones in my life! So good, and there’s so many twists you can make with a basic recipe. Like these terrific strawbery and buttermilk scones. Sound marvelous — thanks.
Absolutely love these scones dear Lizzy, looks amazing ! hugs and love
I rarely bake / cook with buttermilk, so thank you for such a delicious reminder I should use it more often. These scones look and sound great!
These scones look incredible! I haven’t made scones in ages, you’ve definitely inspired me! I sure hope Bill is ok, I hadn’t read that he was hospitalized, it must have been so worrisome.
Wow, I just poured a hot cuppa and ~so~ wish I had a scone to go with it! Sounds funny but, you can tell how flaky they are just by looking at them:@)
I rarely bake / cook with buttermilk, so thank you for such a delicious reminder I should use it more often. These scones look and sound great!