This is one of my favorite recipes for berry scones, but I also think of them as "cream scones", because cream is the only liquid. In addition to the cream, they have a little butter so they're not lacking in richness.
Berry Scones with Other Fruit
For flavor, anything goes. The ones in the photo above have lemon, raspberries and white chips, while the ones in the other photos have blueberries. I've also made them sans lemon zest with vanilla, fresh cherries and white chocolate.
The recipe makes six large or eight small berry scones. And if you only want a half batch of scones, you can halve all the ingredients (even the egg yolk) and make three or four.
The scones will spread if you use too much liquid. Keeping the dough on the dry side will give you flakier scones, so be sure to add the cream gradually. The egg yolk in the dough also softens the inside and adds a little more richness, so the scones should definitely not be dry.
Recipe
Raspberry or Blueberry Cream Scones
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour 260 grams
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest optional, or just use a smaller amount
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter cold and cut into pieces (42 grams)
- 1 egg yolk
- ¾ cup heavy or whipping cream plus more as needed and for brushing**
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup fresh raspberries or blueberries
- ¼ cup white chips optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400ºF. Have ready a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt until very well blended. Add the bits of butter and work with a pastry cutter or your fingers until coarse. Stir in the sugar and the lemon zest until evenly blended.
- Combine the egg yolk with ¾ cup of cream and vanilla. Add the cream/yolk mixture to the food flour mixture gradually, stirring until the dough is moist enough to shape.
- Empty mixture onto a pastry mat and pat down flat. If using berries, carefully press them into the batter. Fold the batter over on itself and press down again. Add more berries. Fold again. Shape dough into a large square or a circle (your choice).
- With knife, cut the square into 4 squares, the cut each square in half diagonally so that you have 8 triangles. The triangles should be crumbly and delicate. Arrange them on the tray a few inches apart so they have room to rise. If shaping into a circle, cut into 6 triangles.
- Alternatively, you can just divide the dough into 6 or 8 round scones.
- With a pastry brush, brush tops with cream.
- Bake the scones on center rack of oven for about 16 to 18 minutes. Allow them to cool on the sheet for a few minutes and then transfer them to a wire rack.
Sue says
I don't recall ever making a cream scone. My recipes are heavier on the butter.
Anna says
Hi Jennifer,
You use half the egg yolk in the dough and save the rest of the egg (all the white and what's left of the yolk) for the topping. And I think saving the dough for the next day would be fine, so long as you're using regular double-acting baking powder. I always freeze mine and THEN thaw and bake so I know that works, but I've never just stuck the dough in the refrigerator and then baked it the next day. I can't believe I haven't tried that. Let me know how it goes!
Jennifer says
I have a quick, probably stupid, question about this recipe. Do you put the 'half yolk and white' into the batter, or just the 'half yolk'? Also, can you make the scones, cover/ refrigerate them and then bake off in the morning? I'm hoping you get this in time..... my daughter loves scones and I want to make these for her breakfast before her 1st day of school tomorrow morning. Thank you so much. I love your stuff! 🙂
Mackenzie@The Caramel Cookie says
I like how this recipe only makes 4. Usually if I make a lot of something I end up eating ALOT more of them :).
Cookie Sleuth says
Tasty! That lemon glaze really takes these to a new level.
Anna says
Kirsten, I know white whole wheat would be okay, but you'll have to let me know how whole wheat pastry flour works. I think it would be fine, but you might want to weigh it just to make sure you're using the same amount. You'll be able to tell my the consistency of the dough. It's on the dry side -- not the least bit sticky. But really, with all the cream I don't think you can go wrong. The scones are the type that are a little dry by nature, but dry in a crumbly and short way.
Nancy Baggett says
Those look delish-will have to try them. (BTW, I like the countertop, too 🙂
Kristen @ Chocolate Covered Kristen says
These look delicious! I have been on a serious raspberry kick lately. I love all of the small batch baking you do, too. Will whole wheat pastry flour make them too dry? They'd be great for a mid-week treat.
vanillasugarblog says
one of my all time favorite scones.
raspberries, to me, are just perfect in scones.
Gloria says
These look delicious! I've never made scones, but since my last day of work was Friday, I will soon have LOTS of time to try them.