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”
I made these with blueberries for my roofers who wolfed them down! I first saw this recipe on “Baking with Julia” when she had Marion Cunningham on to make quick breads. How funny to think that Julia had never had a scone before. I guess they are a recent addition to our American repertoire.
I made them with peaches the other day, which is a bit trickier than berries. Tossing the fruit in the dry ingredients ahead of the buttermilk helped.
Hi, Ann!!! Too funny about Julia! You cannot beat a Marion Cunningham recipe—and thanks for your tips. I’ll have to check my peach scones and see if they’re adapted from this recipe or a Cook’s Illustrated one. Both are perfect for summer. P.S. I’ve been feeding my landscapers, LOL!
Oh how I love a good scone! They’re so pretty, and perfect with a giant cup of coffee!
going to try these with my red raspberries on Sunday for my daughterinlaw. She will love them like I will and they will be a special treat for us!
WOWWW
These scones look super tasty!!
We have wonderful strawberries now, and I like the idea of baking scones
These remind me of the scones from my youth!
Liz, you never cease to amaze me! You really are a great cook…love seeing recipes from you, adaptations or otherwise! This looks wonderful…thanks for sharing!
These look gorgeous. I love how you share your thanks with food. Best kind of thanks in my book.
I love this idea! and the TwelveLoaves – will definitely be checking out all those great bread posts. This is my idea of a great breakfast or afternoon tea!
There is nothing more comforting than scones. They are one of my absolute favorites. These strawberry scones look sensational and soft in the center. A perfect thank-you.
Toodles,
Tammy<3
These scones scream spring to me. I am so excited for strawberry season!
Hope Bill is back home by now, Liz.
The stuff must have loved your scones, Liz.
The addition of Strawberry is heavenly.
Well done.
I have never really been able to make scones that look like this, for some reason I just can’t make them but this recipe sounds so good I am going to give them another go. I would love a plate of these for afternoon tea, buttermilk scones are the best.
Since strawberries are my alltime favorite fruit, and scones are my alltime favorite breakfast, I say this is my dream combo!!! 🙂
Love me some scones, but strawberry scones are my fave!! Lucky nurses!!
Those look just like the ones that I used to make in yesteryear.
I just adore scones made with buttermilk. I think it adds such a special flavor. And fresh strawberries in there is simply a big bonus.
That was so nice of you to make these for the nursing staff, they must have loved these. They look incredible! I love strawberry scones and these buttermilk ones sound delicious 🙂
These look delicious. I have everything on hand so think I will bake these tomorrow. My daughter in law will be here and I think she will like them! I’m glad Bill is doing well!
These scones look wonderful, Liz!
I skipped dinner today so that I could control some of that out of calorie intake that has been going on due to the freezing temperatures and sheer boredom, and these beautiful looking scones are not helping. At all. They look perfect!