Tag Archives: Scones

Blueberry Sour Cream Scones

Blueberry Sour Cream Scones​

If you’re on the hunt for impossibly tender scones, look no further. Beneath these nubbly exteriors lie the softest, most buttery interiors. The secret? A hefty spoonful of sour cream.

Blueberry Sour Cream Scones​

Oh, yes. Where most scones are bound with heavy cream, half & half or just plain ol’ milk, these get their delicate decadence from thick, rich sour cream. Between its texture and natural acidity, its scone game simply cannot be beat.

For those concerned that sour cream’s tanginess might overwhelm the other flavors, rest assured that it does not. The acidity is neutralized with a bit of baking soda, ensuring that the end results have a smooth, buttery flavor to accompany their perfect texture.

You can bake this scone base by its lonesome, of course, but blueberries are at their best right now, so we’re tipping a full cup into the mix today. Blueberry Sour Cream Scones? Sign. me. up.

Blueberry Sour Cream Scones start just how any other scone recipe might—cutting butter into dry ingredients—but where the next step is usually to add heavy cream or half & half, these are bound with an egg and 1/2 cup of sour cream. The dough may simultaneously seem both too wet and too dry during mixing (weird and true), but it will come together. Once mixed, it’s filled with blueberries, formed into a disk and sliced into wedges before baking.

These scones bake up craggy and golden with juicy burst blueberries throughout. You may serve them as soon as you can handle them, but you can also wait a few more minutes and give them a drizzle with a quick blueberry glaze. You know, if you’re the kind of person who needs your Blueberry Sour Cream Scones to have a vibrant purple drizzle…which I very much am.

Blueberry Sour Cream Scones​
Blueberry Sour Cream Scones
makes 8 scones

1 large egg, cold
1/2 cup full-fat sour cream, very cold
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon Kosher or sea salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, very cold, cut into cubes
1 cup fresh blueberries
2 tablespoons milk of choice, heavy cream, or half & half

Glaze:
1 tablespoon pulverized freeze dried blueberries (about 2 heaping tablespoons whole)
1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar
pinch of Kosher or sea salt
3-4 teaspoons milk of choice

Make the scones. Place an oven rack in the center position. Preheat oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Set aside.

In a liquid measuring cup, use a fork to whisk together cold egg, sour cream, and vanilla. Refrigerate.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, light brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add cold butter. Use a pastry blender or clean fingertips to cut the butter into the flour until the largest pieces are the size of small peas. Stir in sour cream mixture. Add blueberries and fold them in as gently as you can. Some will break; that’s just the nature of this.

Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Pat it to 1-inch thick circle. Use a large, sharp chef’s knife to slice circle into 8 wedges. Place scones at least 2 inches apart on prepared pan. Brush with milk, cream, or half-and-half. Bake 21-23 minutes, until puffed and golden.

Meanwhile, set a cooling rack over a piece of parchment paper. Let scones cool on the pan on a rack for a few minutes, before removing to the prepared rack.

When scones are cool enough to handle but still a little warm, make the icing. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together pulverized freeze dried blueberries, confectioners sugar, salt and 3 teaspoons milk. Add more milk by the 1/2 teaspoon until icing is thick, but pourable. Pour or drizzle icing over the scones as desired. Icing will set quickly, and eventually harden completely after a few hours.

Scones are best the day they are made, but will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
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Orange Cardamom Scones

Orange Cardamom Scones​

If you’ve never tried combining orange and cardamom, prepared to be wowed. Paired together in baked goods, they somehow walk the line between tea-like subtlety and stealing center stage, and are never, ever boring. In a season of pumpkin spices and apple ciders, this blend can sometimes get lost in the mix, but just like your favorite character actor, when it gets its moment, it’s all “pumpkin spice who?”

Orange Cardamom Scones​

Now, this is not the first time I’ve put Orange Cardamom on this site—far from it, in fact. If you’ve tried my tea cake, shortbread or morning buns, you know why I’m over here waxing poetic, but if you haven’t, I suggest you start simply by mixing some zest and spice into scones.

Orange Cardamom Scones​

Oh yes, these Orange Cardamom Scones may not look particularly exceptional, but they are. Tender, perfumed with citrus, and reminiscent of chai (that’s where you might recognize cardamom from!), they’re a perfect pastry for a weekend morning or lazy afternoon before it starts getting dark at 3pm and afternoons cease to exist.

Orange Cardamom Scones​

Scones themselves are pretty easy to make, and as they require cold butter, they’re a great way to practice some pie dough skills before all the holiday food-ing begins. But they’re also a great way to usher in some coziness as fall finally (finally) seems like it might be here to stay.

Orange Cardamom Scones​
Orange Cardamom Scones
makes 8 scones

Scones:
2/3 cup half-and-half, very cold + more for brushing
2 tablespoons maple syrup (or honey)
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
zest of 1 medium navel orange (about 1 1/2 tablespoons)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon Kosher or sea salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, very cold, cut into cubes

Glaze:
2/3 cup confectioner’s sugar
pinch of Kosher or sea salt
1-1 1/2 tablespoons fresh orange juice (from about 1 medium navel orange)

Make the scones. Place an oven rack in the center position. Preheat oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone baking mat. Set aside.

In a liquid measuring cup, use a fork to whisk together half-and-half, maple syrup, and vanilla. Refrigerate.

In a small bowl, use your fingertips to rub together orange zest and sugar until combined.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cardamom, salt, and orange sugar. Add cold butter. Use a pastry blender or clean fingertips to cut the butter into the flour until the largest pieces are the size of small peas. Stir in half-and-half mixture.

Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Pat it to 1-inch thick circle. Use a large, sharp chef’s knife to slice circle into 8 wedges. Place scones at least 2 inches apart on prepared pan. Brush with more half-and-half. Bake 16-18 minutes, until puffed and golden.

Meanwhile, set a cooling rack over a piece of parchment paper. Let scones cool on the pan on a rack for a few minutes, before removing to the prepared rack.

When scones are cool enough to handle but still a little warm, make the icing. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together confectioners sugar, salt and 1 tablespoon orange juice. Add more juice by the 1/2 teaspoon until icing is thick, but pourable. Pour or drizzle icing over the scones as desired. Icing will set quickly, and eventually harden completely after a few hours.

Scones are best the day they are made, but will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.

Maple Scones

Maple SconesMaple Scones are one of my favorite things. They’re so simple and good, and every time I have one, I get nostalgic for the days when I was learning beginner baking basics in a studio apartment I shared with an ex-boyfriend.Maple SconesA lot has changed in seven years, and also very little. I moved into a larger apartment. I got over the boyfriend (finally, and to my great relief). I have a much larger kitchen now. In fact, it’s so big that my work station is in the living room/dining area, and my (second) pantry and a dedicated dairy fridge are in my bedroom. I have a great roommate, who more-than-tolerates my kitchen time and is one of my dearest friends. I’ve taken all those baking basics and built them into more complex things, the way people do when they’re really excited about something.

On that note, I’m still really excited about home baking. I still bake everyday while listening to The Brian Lehrer Show on WNYC—I never miss it. And in the fall, I still get nostalgic for Maple Scones which, in turn, make me nostalgic for that terrible, tiny, dark kitchen where I learned how to properly measure flour by volume.Maple SconesMaple SconesThe first scones I ever made were the very good Maple Scones from Dinner with Julie. I made them over and over as-written, but ever so slowly, I’ve experimented with different scone methods and transformed what was once her recipe into mine. Half-and-half has become heavy cream, I’ve reduced the butter and upped the baking powder, I’ve added butter to the glaze. I kept the brown sugar and maple syrup, obviously. The results are mapley, fluffy and flaky with edges that are somehow both nubbly and tender.Maple SconesWhat I’m saying is that I make a hell of a maple scone. And now, seven years into baking and almost five into this blog, you can too. And maybe one day, when this post is seven years old, you’ll look back and realize that my recipe has ever so slowly become yours.Maple Scones

Maple Scones
makes 8 scones

3/4 cup heavy cream + more for brushing, very cold
2 tablespoons maple syrup (I use Grade A dark amber, robust taste)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 tablespoons light or dark brown sugar, packed
1/2 teaspoon Kosher or sea salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, very cold, cut into cubes

Glaze:
2 tablespoons maple syrup + more to preference
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar
pinch of Kosher or sea salt

Make the scones. Place an oven rack in the center position. Preheat oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Set aside.

In a liquid measuring cup, use a fork to whisk together heavy cream and maple syrup. Refrigerate.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, brown sugar, and salt. Add cold butter. Use a pastry blender or clean fingertips to cut the butter into the flour until the largest pieces are the size of small peas. Stir in heavy cream mixture until a shaggy dough forms.

Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Pat it to 3/4-inch thick circle. Use a large, sharp chef’s knife to slice circle into 8 wedges. Place scones at least 2 inches apart on prepared pan. Brush with more heavy cream. Bake 15-16 minutes, until puffed and golden at the edges. Let scones cool on the pan on a rack for 10 minutes, or until they can be handled.

Make the glaze. Combine maple syrup and butter in a microwave safe bowl. Heat in 20 second increments, stirring between, until butter is melted. Whisk in confectioner’s sugar and salt. Glaze should be very thick, but drizzlable. Add more maple syrup by the teaspoon until your desired consistency is reached. Drizzle glaze over scones.

Scones may be served warm or at room temperature. They are best the day they are made, but will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.

Maple SconesMaple SconesMaple Scones

Friday Favorites: Weekend Breakfast

I have always been a sucker for weekend breakfasts, and that goes double now that brunch in public is a high-risk activity. I wake up on Saturday mornings excited to ransack my pantry and fridge to see what I can slap together and enjoy in my pajamas in front of the TV. Whether I’m making eggs on toast with a big side salad, or something extra-carby like waffles or biscuits, this ritual is an act of self-care that sets the tone for my weekend. In COVID times, this is about as luxurious as things get around here.

Below are a dozen fourteen of my favorite weekend breakfast items from the archives. Please believe me when I tell you that this *is* the narrowed down version of the list. I just really like breakfast, y’all.

Friday Favorites: Weekend BreakfastPuff Pancake {Dutch Baby}

My mom made Puff Pancakes for my sister and me when we were growing up, and they are still my favorite weekend breakfast of all time. You wouldn’t know it by their golden bowl shape or custardy centers, but these oven pancakes are absurdly easy to make and require just five ingredients. The best part? You can easily customize them for one serving or up to four.

Friday Favorites: Weekend BreakfastButtermilk Pancakes

Oh man, I am so proud of these fluffy, buttery pancakes. I made many, many test batches as the beginning of quarantine to get them juuuust right. I am here to tell you that I succeeded.

Friday Favorites: Weekend BreakfastWhole Wheat Pancakes for One

Are you a single human like me? Or maybe someone who hates sharing? Well then, this recipe for exactly three pancakes is for you! I have a regular all-purpose flour version too, so take your pick.

Friday Favorites: Weekend BreakfastSour Cream Waffles

These are the best waffles I’ve ever had, period. They’re fluffy, crispy and oh-so easy (no whipped egg whites!). Make a double batch and keep some in your freezer. You won’t regret it.

Friday Favorites: Weekend BreakfastOatmeal Waffles {Vegan & Gluten-Free}

All that said, I posted these Oatmeal Waffles a few weeks ago and am crazy about them! From the blender batter to their crispy exteriors to the fact that they’re vegan and gluten-free, these are a win all around.

Friday Favorites: Weekend BreakfastOvernight Yeast-Raised Doughnuts

I won’t lie to you, yeast-raised doughnuts are a “project” breakfast, but they’re well worth the effort and forethought. Also, do you see that glossy chocolate dip? Because that should be all the convincing you need.

Friday Favorites: Weekend BreakfastPineapple Kolaches

Kolaches are a variety of Czech pastry that is very popular in my home state of Texas. I’ve got many varieties in my archives, but this jammy pineapple version is calling my name right now.

Friday Favorites: Weekend BreakfastCream Biscuit Pecan Sticky Buns

These are sticky buns made simpler. Where sweet rolls are traditionally made with yeast doughs, these buns rely on my trusty Cream Biscuit dough. Oh, and a lake of sticky pecan stuff.

Friday Favorites: Weekend BreakfastBrown Butter Nutella Swirl Muffins

I posted these muffins right before lockdown began, so they understandably got a little lost in the mix, but they are *really* good and you need to know about them. I mean, they’re made with brown butter and swirled with Nutella, so how could they be anything but wonderful?

Friday Favorites: Weekend BreakfastBaguette French Toast

I know this recipe has baguette in the title, but please know that you can make it with any good crusty bread you like. This is just a really solid basic French toast recipe–we all need one in our culinary arsenal.

Friday Favorites: Weekend BreakfastButtermilk Biscuits & Chocolate Gravy

My grandmother used to make biscuits & chocolate gravy for us on Sunday mornings. Her recipes died with her, but mine is pretty dang close to the real deal. Sweet, savory and deeply southern, this is one of my favorite things.

Friday Favorites: Weekend BreakfastBacon, Cheddar & Scallion Scones

These savory scones are great any time of day, but I’d be remiss if I didn’t suggest you use them to make an egg and tomato sandwich for breakfast tomorrow.

Friday Favorites: Weekend BreakfastFriday Favorites: Weekend BreakfastHow to Make Eggs 5 Ways

And speaking of eggs, my first post of 2020 detailed how to make eggs five ways: scrambled, poached, fried, hard-boiled and soft-boiled. If you can master these, you can put an egg on toast or dang near anything else.

Friday Favorites: Weekend BreakfastMason Jar Cold Brew Coffee

For me, no breakfast (weekend, weekday, whatever) is complete without a small bucket of coffee. This small batch cold brew is a summer staple for me, and far more manageable than most of the methods out there. Just shake it together at night and swap the mason jar lid for cheesecloth in the morning. Perfect cold brew every time.

Have you made any of these or any of my other weekend breakfasts? Let me know in the comments or on social media!

Friday Favorites: Weekend BreakfastFriday Favorites: Weekend Breakfast

Eggnog Scones

Eggnog SconesI had something a bit more complicated planned for today’s post, but due to circumstances beyond my control (number of hours in a day, number of days in a week), I had to take the easy way out.Eggnog SconesLucky for all of us, the easy way out is through a warm batch of Eggnog Scones.Eggnog SconesY’all, these are goooood. We’re talking 8 springy, nubbly-edged breakfast treats made with eggnog and then topped with eggnog glaze—what’s not to love.?! I am not a fan of eggnog in its liquid state, but mix it into dough or whirl it into glaze and add warming spices, and I’m suddenly *very* interested.Eggnog SconesAs with nearly all scones, these are a breeze to make. The dough comes together in ten minutes and bakes in fifteen. The glaze is technically optional, but it’s a snap to whisk up while the scones are cooling, and it’s delicious, of course. Creamy and lightly spiced, it’s the perfect accompaniment to the not-too-sweet scones. And that’s to say nothing of how satisfying it is to drizzle over the tops!Eggnog Scones Speaking of satisfying, eating one…or one and a half…or two…of these with a big cup of coffee is, like, the best way to start a holiday morning. I’ve been so busy since I returned home from Thanksgiving that I keep forgetting that Christmas is almost here. When I’m eating an Eggnog Scone though, the holiday cheer is real. Real delicious, that is.Eggnog Scones

Eggnog Scones
makes 8 scones

3/4 cup eggnog + more for brushing, very cold
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon Kosher or sea salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, very cold, cut into pieces

Glaze:
1 cup confectioner’s sugar
small pinch of ground cinnamon + more for garnish
small pinch of ground nutmeg + more for garnish
pinch of Kosher or sea salt
3 tablespoons eggnog

Preheat the oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Set aside.

Use a fork to whisk together 3/4 cup eggnog and vanilla. Set the mixture in the refrigerator.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, and salt. Use a pastry blender (or two forks or your fingertips) to cut the cold butter into the flour mixture. Remove the eggnog from the refrigerator and pour it into the bowl. Stir with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon until a dough forms.

Turn dough out onto a very well-floured surface. Using floured fingertips, press dough into a large 1-inch thick disc. Use a floured chef’s knife to cut the circle into 8 wedges. Remove wedges to prepared pan, setting them at least two inches apart. Brush the tops of the scones with additional eggnog. Bake for 15-16 minutes, until they “bounce back” when pressed with your finger. Let cool on their pan for about 10 minutes, or until you can handle them.

Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment or wax paper. Set a cooling rack over the top. Place Scones on cooling rack.

Make the glaze. In a small bowl, use a fork to whisk together confectioner’s sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and eggnog. Mixture should be very thick, but pourable. Drizzle glaze over scones. Top each with small pinches of cinnamon and nutmeg, if desired.

Serve scones immediately, or once the glaze sets (20 minutes or so). Scones are best the day they’re made, but will keep covered at room temperature for up to 48 hours.Eggnog SconesEggnog Scones