Tender Buttery Strawberry Scones (Printer-friendly)
Tender, buttery scones filled with fresh strawberries bake up golden in 18 minutes. Perfect with cream for breakfast or tea time.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Dry Ingredients
01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1 tablespoon baking powder
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
→ Wet Ingredients
05 - 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
06 - 2/3 cup heavy cream, plus extra for brushing
07 - 1 large egg
08 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
→ Fruit
09 - 1 cup fresh strawberries, hulled and diced
→ Topping
10 - 2 tablespoons coarse sugar
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt until well blended.
03 - Add cold cubed butter to the flour mixture. Using a pastry cutter or fingertips, work butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces remaining.
04 - In a separate bowl, whisk together heavy cream, egg, and vanilla extract until fully combined.
05 - Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix gently with a spatula or wooden spoon until just combined. Do not overmix.
06 - Gently fold in the diced strawberries until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
07 - Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Gently pat into a 1-inch-thick circle, approximately 7 inches in diameter.
08 - Cut the circle into 8 equal wedges. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet, spacing wedges 2 inches apart.
09 - Brush the tops of each scone with a small amount of cream. Sprinkle with coarse sugar if desired.
10 - Bake for 16 to 18 minutes until golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
11 - Transfer scones to a wire rack and cool for at least 10 minutes before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The exterior bakes into a slightly crisp golden blanket while the interior stays impossibly tender and moist
- Fresh strawberries release just enough juice during baking to create pockets of sweet jam without making the dough soggy
02 -
- Cold ingredients are non negotiable. Warm butter melts into the flour instead of creating distinct layers, leaving you with biscuits instead of flaky scones.
- Mix just until the flour disappears. The moment you see streaks of white flour vanishing, stop mixing. Any additional handling develops gluten and creates toughness.
03 -
- If your strawberries are particularly juicy, toss them in a tablespoon of flour before folding into the dough
- For the tallest rise, place your shaped scones in the freezer for 15 minutes before baking