Fresh Strawberry Lemon Scones. What makes scones such great food? Maybe it is the tender, flaky texture? Or the way you can customize them to whatever your taste preferences are? Whatever it is, we love them! If you have always wondered how to get those light fluffy scones with wonderful rise, let me show you how! It is going to be so much easier to make scones from scratch than you might think!
If you are looking for some more baked goods to serve with your brunch, try some of these delicious recipes! I recommend these Sprouted Grain Pecan Muffins, Mini Strawberry Donuts, and Cranberry Orange Muffins. These Gingerbread Cupcakes with Orange Buttercream are also a great idea! Whole Wheat Popovers are a hit on our brunch table.
Are Scones Hard To Make?
No! There are a few simple steps, tricks, and tips you should know to make the perfect scones, but they are definitely not hard to make! Once you master these techniques you are going to want to be making scones all the time!
I promise you will be addicted to that light flaky texture and that perfect flavor in a good scone.
Ingredients In The Tender Strawberry Lemon Scones
- All-purpose flour- I love to use a blend of all-purpose flour and whole wheat pastry flour in this recipe.
- Whole wheat pastry flour- whole wheat flour has less protein, which helps it to yield a more tender baked crust. I buy my soft wheat berries from Farm Fresh Wheat, and then grind them in my Nutrimill grain mill. If you don't have a grain mill you can also buy whole wheat pastry flour from your local grocery store or even online.
- Granulated sugar- you could also sub this in for either coconut sugar or dark brown sugar if you prefer. I do not recommend liquid sweeteners in this recipe as it completely changes the texture.
- Baking Powder- You want to give these scones a good rise, so I like to use baking powder for this recipe.
- Salt- You won't use very much salt in this recipe, but it is essential for bringing out flavors.
- Butter- Make sure the butter is absolutely chilled before you start adding it in. I like to cut mine into ½ inch chunks and put them into the freezer until I am ready to use them. Also, If you don't have a food processor and are planning on making these by hand, You will want to grate frozen butter and then return to the freezer until you are ready to use it.
- Buttermilk- You can also use normal milk in this recipe, but I prefer the rise and flavor that the buttermilk gives. If you prefer, for a more decadent scone, you can also use heavy cream
- Fresh strawberries- The nice thing about this recipe is that you can use strawberries that are a little past their prime, they don't have to be perfect for this recipe. Don't let them go too far, however, but they can be a little bit past their peak.
- Egg- I love the richness that an egg adds to the scone dough.
- Heavy cream- I use this for brushing on the scone right before it is baked.
Steps To Making The Tender Strawberry Lemon Scones
- Combine the dry ingredients in the food processor or bowl, depending on how you are mixing them. The next step is to add in your butter. If you are using a food processor, pulse it until the chunks are roughly pea-sized.
- If you are using the grated butter, just mix it directly in. Once the butter is incorporated but not overmixed, add in your buttermilk and egg. You want to just barely mix them in.
- Don't overmix this as it will produce a tough scone instead of a tender flaky one. Finally, add in your strawberries. I like to fold the dough on my countertop so I add them in. Fold your strawberries until they are well incorporated, and then cut your scones.
- I always cut my scones in triangles. When I worked in a bakery, all of the scones that we made were triangular, and so I have kept doing that my whole life.
Secrets For The Perfect Scones
- Work quickly with cold ingredients. You want to make sure that everything stays chilled through the process. To do this, it is important to have all of your ingredients ready to use before you start making these scones. I cut up my butter into chunks and put them into the freezer beforehand, I keep my buttermilk chilled in the freezer as well.
- Make sure your oven is well heated before you ever put the scones in. I bake these at 400 degrees, and you want to make sure your oven is every bit as hot as that before you get going.
- For a beautiful golden-brown top I like to brush the top of the scones with either an egg wash or heavy cream as I did in this recipe. Sprinkle it with a tiny bit of sugar. That sugar will caramelize and create a beautiful coloring on the scones' top.
- There are two methods for creating the scones. You can make them in a food processor as I show in the video, or you can grate the frozen butter and then mix it by hand that way. Either method created great results!
- Make sure your fruit pieces are cut up fairly small. You don't want to have huge chunks of strawberries in the middle of your scones.
Why Whole Wheat Pastry Flour?
A question I get a lot is why and when to use whole wheat pastry flour. Whole wheat pastry flour has less protein than other types of flour, which changes both the texture and the flavor of what you are baking.
I prefer the lower protein in whole wheat pastry flour for all of my cookies, cakes, scones, muffins, etc. If you have never used whole wheat pastry flour before, I recommend giving it a try. I think that you will be very surprised, and so will your friends and family.
If you love strawberry baked goods, how about these Strawberry Sugar Cookie Bars? Pineapple Agua Fresca is also a really delicious treat. Strawberry Basil Salad. Strawberry Mini Donuts.
Strawberry Lemon Scones
Equipment
- food processor or pastry cutter, baking sheet
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup whole wheat pastry flour
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup chilled butter cut in ½ inch pieces. Remember you need this butter to be chilled the whole time. Then mix quickly and get stright into the hot oven.
- ⅓ cup buttermilk chilled
- 1 cup chopped strawberries
- 1 egg
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
Lemon Glaze
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- fresh lemon juice You will use as much as you need to get it to the consistency you are looking for. I used about 3 tablespoons
Instructions
- Preheat Oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment, if you are using it. It isn't necessary but makes for easy cleanup.
- Place your all-purpose flour, whole wheat pastry flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Blend well. If you do not have a food processor, no problem, use a pastry cutter.
- Add in your chilled butter and pulse 2 or 3 times. If you are using the pastry cutter, cut in until it resembles large peas.
- Next, add in your egg and the buttermilk. Again, pulse or cut until it is well incorporated. When you add in the strawberries, I like to remove them from the food processor onto the countertop and gently knead them in.
- You can cut your scones however you like, but I will tell you how I cut mine. Divide the dough in half. Gently press each half into a 6-inch circle. Then cut in half, and each half into thirds. Place the 12 pieces on your baking sheet.
- Brush gently with the heavy cream and sprinkle with sugar. Move immediately into the hot oven.
- Bake until they are a beautiful golden brown and risen. Remove from the oven.
- Now on to the drizzle. Add your powdered sugar, lemon zest, vanilla, and 3 tablespoons fresh lemon quice to a boil. With a hand mixer or whisk, mix well. Check for consistency. If you need it thinner, add more lemon juice. Thicker? Add a little more powdered sugar.
- Drizzle over your scones.
- These are best eaten the day you make them. The fresh berries will make the scones too after more than a day.
Video
Notes
- Work quickly with cold ingredients. You want to make sure that everything stays chilled through the process. To do this, it is important to have all of your ingredients ready to use before you start making these scones. I cut up my butter into chunks and put them into the freezer beforehand, I keep my buttermilk chilled in the freezer as well.
- Make sure your oven is well heated before you ever put the scones in. I bake these at 400 degrees, and you want to make sure your oven is every bit as hot as that before you get going.
- For a beautiful golden-brown top I like to brush the top of the scones with either an egg wash or heavy cream as I did in this recipe. Sprinkle it with a tiny bit of sugar. That sugar will caramelize and create a beautiful coloring on the scones' top.
- There are two methods for creating the scones. You can make them in a food processor as I show in the video, or you can grate the frozen butter and then mix it by hand that way. Either method created great results!
- Make sure your fruit pieces are cut up fairly small. You don't want to have huge chunks of strawberries in the middle of your scones.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!