Ingredients
Scale
For the Scones:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter (frozen)
- ½ cup plain yogurt, sour cream, or buttermilk (choose based on what you have on hand)
- 1 heaping cup fresh strawberries (hulled and diced)
- 1 large egg
For the Glaze:
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (melted)
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar (sifted)
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract or 1 drop of lemon oil (for a fresh citrus twist)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven and prepare your baking equipment.
Set the oven to 400°F (200°C) to ensure it’s at the right temperature when the scones are ready to bake. If you’re using a scone pan, lightly grease it. For a baking sheet, line it with parchment paper to prevent the scones from sticking. - Mix the dry ingredients.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar. These dry ingredients will provide the base for your scones, giving them structure and flavor. - Grate the frozen butter and incorporate it into the dry ingredients.
Take the cold butter and grate it using the large holes of a box grater. The frozen butter helps create flaky layers in the scones. Once grated, use your fingers to work the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse meal with pea-sized butter chunks. This step is key to achieving the perfect scone texture. - Gently mix in the fresh strawberries.
Add the diced strawberries into the flour mixture and gently stir them in. Be careful not to overmix—it’s important to preserve the integrity of the strawberries. You don’t want the dough to turn pink, so mix just enough for the berries to be evenly distributed. - Prepare the wet ingredients.
In a small bowl, whisk together the yogurt (or sour cream or buttermilk) and the egg. These ingredients will help bring the dough together and add moisture to the scones. - Combine wet and dry ingredients to form the dough.
Slowly stir the yogurt-egg mixture into the dry ingredients using a wooden spoon or spatula. Stir gently until large clumps of dough start to form. Be careful not to crush the strawberries as you mix. If the dough seems too dry, add up to 2 tablespoons of milk, one teaspoon at a time, until the dough comes together into a ball. - Shape the dough and cut the scones.
If you’re not using a scone pan, lightly flour a surface and transfer the dough onto it. Pat the dough into a 7-inch circle that’s about ¾-inch thick. Use a sharp knife to cut the dough into 8 wedges. If you are using a scone pan, gently press the dough into the pan and smooth the top with your fingers. - Bake the scones.
Place the dough triangles or scone pan on the prepared baking sheet or pan. Bake the scones for about 15 minutes, or until they are golden on top. The exact baking time may vary depending on your oven, so keep an eye on them. You’ll know they’re done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. - Cool the scones and prepare the glaze.
Let the scones cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. While they cool, prepare the glaze. In a small bowl, whisk together the melted butter, sifted confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla extract (or lemon oil if you want a citrusy twist). Whisk until smooth. - Glaze the scones and enjoy!
Once the scones have cooled slightly, drizzle the glaze over the top. The glaze will add a sweet, creamy finish to the scones that perfectly complements the fresh strawberries. Serve them while they’re still slightly warm for the best texture and flavor.
Notes
- Don’t overwork the dough. The more you handle the dough, the denser the scones will be. Mix until the dough just comes together. It’s okay if it’s a bit crumbly at first.
- Frozen butter is key. Using cold butter that you’ve frozen helps create the flakiness that makes scones so special. If you don’t have a box grater, you can use a food processor to cut the butter into the flour mixture (but be sure not to overprocess).
- Be gentle with the strawberries. Fresh strawberries are delicate, so fold them into the dough carefully to prevent mashing them. You want to keep them intact so that they burst with flavor when you bite into the scones.
- Watch the baking time. Every oven is different. Start checking the scones at the 12-minute mark, and remove them once they’re golden and firm to the touch.
- Troubleshooting dry dough. If your dough is too dry to come together, don’t panic! Add a little bit of milk (1 teaspoon at a time) until it holds together. It’s better to add milk gradually than to end up with a dough that’s too wet.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes