Breakfast just got a little brighter with this small batch strawberry scones recipe! An easy small batch of tender and buttery breakfast scones that showcase beautiful fresh strawberries. The scones are finished with a creamy fresh strawberry glaze and are the perfect complement to your morning coffee.
Fresh Strawberry Scones
Real talk: I used to shy away from scones. I found them to be dry and flavorless. That was until I started making my own homemade scones. It all started with my orange and almond scones. Then we moved on to peanut butter and jelly scones, then cherry cornflake crunch scones.
You’ll Love These Scones Too
Here’s why: my scones are incredibly tender, buttery, just the right amount of flaky, and perfectly sweetened.
You take all those key components of a successful scone and add chunks of fresh strawberries – it couldn’t be better! The strawberries burst with a jammy flavor and add a tasty counterpart to the buttery pastry.
And let’s not forget about finishing the scones with a fresh strawberry glaze. All the goodness of a fine breakfast pastry with a little less fuss. That’s a breakfast win in my book!
Ingredient Notes
This strawberry scones recipe only requires a few ingredients to make tender and buttery scones. To prepare for success, place the butter cubes in the freezer for about 5 minutes. Cold butter is a key ingredient for good scones. It will release pockets of steam when baked, which will give the scones a soft and tender texture.
Step-By-Step Instructions
1. Prepare The Fresh Strawberries
It’s spring, so we should be pretty excited about the beautiful bounty of fresh strawberries! As the star ingredient in the scones, we want to make sure they are front and center.
Chop the strawberries into about 1/4-inch pieces. And since we are using bright fresh fruit, we want to remove any excess liquid by placing them in a bowl lined with a paper towel. This will keep unnecessary moisture out of our scone dough – otherwise, the scones may end up too crumbly.
2. Mix The Dry Ingredients
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
3. Toss The Cold Butter Cubes Into The Dry Ingredients
Rescue the butter cubes that have been chilling in the freezer, and add them to the dry ingredients. Give the mix a quick stir to coat the butter with the flour.
Then, use your fingers to press the cold butter cubes into flat discs – about the size of a nickel. We want to keep intact pieces so they can work their magic in the strawberry scones and make them super tender.
4. Prepare The Liquid Ingredients
In a liquid measuring cup, measure out the heavy cream. I start with a 1/4 cup because humidity and flour brands can impact how much cream is needed. Then add the egg yolk and vanilla and give the mix a good stir with a fork or small whisk.
I found through numerous rounds of testing, that to achieve the perfectly tender scone, heavy cream and an egg yolk combine with cold butter to yield the best scone texture.
5. Combine The Wet And Dry Ingredients
Pour the wet ingredients over the dry. Stir with a wooden spoon or spatula until the flour is moistened and a rough, shaggy dough develops. It is at this time if you find your dough to be too dry, you can add more heavy cream 1 tablespoon at a time.
Now it’s time to add the strawberries to the dough! Gently mix the strawberries into the scone dough until just incorporated. We don’t want to overdo it and crush the strawberries.
6. Shape The Strawberry Scones
Pour the dough directly onto the parchment-lined baking sheet. First, gently form the dough into a ball. Then press it into a 5 to 6-inch disc. If the dough is sticky, flour your hands.
Use a metal bench scraper or sharp knife and cut the disc into 4 equal wedges. Brush the tops of the strawberry scones with a little cream – to give them a golden crust. Then, sprinkle turbinado sugar over the tops for a sweet crunch.
7. Bake The Strawberry Scones
Bake your fresh strawberry scones for about 23 to 35 minutes, or until the tops and edges are golden brown and delicious! You will want the scones to cool for a few minutes before you dive in!
Recipe FAQ
Yes, I think this would work fine!
The scones may not be as soft and tender if you use milk. My recommendation is to stick with heavy cream.
There are two reasons we chill the scones before baking: 1. to give the dough time to hydrate and develop flavor, and 2. to keep the butter cold so it doesn’t melt out of the scones when baked. Skipping the chill time may lead to dry, crumbly scones.
Keep un-glazed scones covered at room temperature for up to 3 days. Place the un-glazed scones in a freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
Small Batch Strawberry Scones Recipe
Ingredients
Strawberry Scones
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup organic cane sugar (or granulated sugar)
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes
- 6 tablespoons heavy cream, cold
- 1 large egg yolk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup fresh strawberries, chopped
- turbinado sugar (for sprinkling)
Strawberry Glaze
- ¼ cup strawberries, fresh or frozen
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 to 3 teaspoon heavy cream
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
- Pop the cold butter cubes in the freezer for 5 minutes.
- Chop the fresh strawberries into 1/4 inch pieces. Place them in a paper-towel lined bowl to absorb excess liquid.
Strawberry Scones
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.1 cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, ¼ cup organic cane sugar, ¾ teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Add the cold butter cubes to the flour. Using your fingertips, press the butter cubes into small flat, flaky discs (about the size of a nickel) – making sure they are all coated with flour. You should still see butter chunks in the dough when you are done mixing it. Note – You can also freeze the stick of butter, grate it on a box grater, and toss in the flour until coated.4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes
- In a liquid measuring cup, measure 1/4 cup of heavy cream. Depending on your flour brand, humidity and weather, you may not need all 6 tablespoons. Add the egg yolk, and vanilla. Stir with a fork to combine.6 tablespoons heavy cream, cold, 1 large egg yolk, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pour the liquid into the flour mix. Using a spatula or wooden spoon, gently mix until a rough, shaggy dough forms and the flour is moistened. If needed, add more heavy cream, 1 tablespoon at a time. Gently stir in the strawberries until just combined.½ cup fresh strawberries, chopped
- Pour the dough onto your rolling mat. Gently work the dough into a ball. It will be sticky, so you can flour your hands to make it easier. Press the dough ball into a 6 inch disc. Use a bench scraper or sharp knife to cut into 4 wedges.
- Place the wedges 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. Brush the tops with heavy cream and sprinkle with turbinado sugar.turbinado sugar
- Refrigerate the scones for 10 to 15 minutes (while the oven is preheating) to rest and hydrate the dough.
- Preheat the oven to 400F degrees and adjust the oven rack to the middle position. Line a baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper.
- Bake the chilled scones for 23 to 25 minutes, or until they are golden on tops and edges. Cool the scones on the baking sheet set on a wire cooling rack while you make the glaze.
Strawberry Glaze
- While the scones are baking, make the strawberry glaze. For more details, tips, and faq's for the glaze, check out the full blog post for the strawberry glaze recipe.
- In a blender, add the strawberries, powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon cream, and salt. Blend until smooth. Add more cream, 1 teaspoon at a time, to achieve desired consistency. Note – If using frozen strawberries, thaw and drain before blending.¼ cup strawberries, fresh or frozen, ½ cup powdered sugar, 1 to 3 teaspoon heavy cream, 1 pinch salt
- Optional – Strain the glaze through a fine mesh strainer set over a bowl to remove the seeds.
- The glaze is ready to be used immediately. Leftovers can be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Bring to room temperature to use and, if needed, add a small splash of cream and stir to loosen.
- Drizzle the glaze over the tops of the scones. The scones are best enjoyed the day they are baked. Leftover, un-glazed scones can be stored covered at room temperature for up to 3 days.
RECIPE NOTES
- Serving Size – This is a small batch recipe. I have not tested a larger batch, though I think it would work.
- Yield – As written, the recipe will yield 4 scones.
- Strawberries – I recommend fresh for flavor and texture. To remove excess moisture from the strawberries, place them in a mixing bowl lined with paper towel after chopping.
- Chill Before Baking – I recommend chilling the cut scones for 10 to 15 minutes to let the dough rest and hydrate. Otherwise, the scones my be extra crumbly.
- Overnight Instructions – To make the night before, prepare to step 7, cover the scones and refrigerate, then follow the instructions to bake.
- Freezing Baked Scones – The baked un-glazed and cooled scones can be frozen for up to 3 months. Gently place in a sealed freezer bag. Thaw at room temperature and glaze.
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about the author ...
I'm Erin and I'm all about desserts - and a little bit of butter!
I've tested, written, and photographed hundreds of recipes on my website. Here you'll find the tastiest small batch desserts - all homemade, all simple, and all for you! Click here to learn more about me!