Scones are one of my favorite treats to enjoy with a cup of tea, but these Strawberry Vanilla Scones are good enough to enjoy all by themselves! Filled with strawberries, vanilla extract, and a sprinkle of sugar on top make these scones stand out all on their own!
Butter Makes It Better
Butter is an important ingredient to so many baked goods, but handling the butter is crucial to giving scones their classic scone-texture, which is definitely want we want in these Strawberry Vanilla Scones.
There’s a lot of different methods for incorporating the butter into the dry mixture. I’m going to break down the different methods for each. All of them work great, it’s up to you to decide which you use.
The most important part for working with butter is making sure it doesn’t get too warm. You want the butter to be as cold as possible so it melts while the scones are baking which creates that soft, scone texture. If you feel like the butter is getting too warm, put the butter mixture in the fridge or freezer for a few minutes, then finish working.
1. Using a pastry cutter
Using a pastry cutter is a great way to incorporate the butter into the dry ingredients. Gently press down the pastry cutter into the butter to press the butter into the flour mixture. You want to keep working the butter into the flour mixture until it’s the size of a pea!
This method is great because you don’t have to worry about actually touching the butter and warming it up! Although this method is definitely a labor of love and can take a little bit longer!
You can also use two knives in place of a pastry cutter!
2. Using your hands
The second method is just using your hands to work the butter in. Grab a little bit of the butter and some flour and press the butter into the flour. Use your thumbs to press the butter down, making sure you have plenty of flour in between the butter and your hands.
This way is quicker than using a pastry cutter, but you have to be careful the butter doesn’t get too warm from your hands.
If you use this method, I recommend placing the mixture in the freezer for about 5 minutes before going on to the next step!
3. Using a food processor
The third way to mix the butter into the flour mixture is to use a food processor.
Add the dry ingredients to the processor and pulse once to combine. Then add in the butter. Use the pulse button, stopping every few seconds until the butter is pea-sized. Then pour in the liquids.
This way is definitely the fastest! Just make sure you don’t completely pulverize the butter! You still want to see some chunks of butter in there!
4. Using a Grater
This method is really "grate...." How bad was that?!? The fourth way is to freeze your butter for about 10 minutes then use a box grater to grate the butter into little strips, almost like how you would for grated cheese! Then put the butter back in the freezer for about 10 more minutes. You really want the butter to stay as cold as possible.
Then, add the butter into the flour mixture and cut the butter in using a pastry cutter or two knives until it's the size of peas!
This is my preferred method of scone making, but you can use whichever is easier for you!
Ingredient List
- Flour
- Sugar
- Baking Powder
- Butter
- Heavy Cream - Heavy cream just makes these scones so creamy and decadent!
- Egg
- Vanilla
- Strawberries - Depending on the season, the strawberries may not be as sweet, so you can add a teaspoon or so of sugar to help!
- Turbinado Sugar - I love the sugar on top because it gives the scones a perfect little crunch!
Tips and Tricks
The biggest tip I have for working with scones is to keep the ingredients as cold as you can!
I like to cut my butter and then place it in the freezer to really make sure that it stays cold!
If you feel like the butter is getting too warm, you can always place the dough in the fridge or freezer until it firms up!
You don’t have to rush this dough, so take your time!
These Strawberry Vanilla Scones are the perfect breakfast scones! The strawberries are so bright and vibrant against the soft vanilla scone! It almost gives me strawberry shortcake vibes!
Who wouldn’t want that for breakfast!?!
Cheers!
-Holly Michelle
Strawberry Vanilla Scones
Ingredients
- 2 cups Flour
- ⅓ cup Sugar
- 2 ½ teaspoons Baking Powder
- 1 stick Butter frozen
- ½ cup Heavy Cream
- 1 Egg
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla
- ½ cup Freeze Dried Strawberries chopped
- Turbinado Sugar Garnish
- 1 tablespoon Heavy Cream topping
Glaze (optional):
- 2 cups Powdered Sugar
- 3 tablespoons Milk
- ½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- Pink Food Coloring
- Freeze-Dried Strawberries garnish
Instructions
- Place butter in the freezer for 10 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees
- Whisk flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar together.
- Grate the frozen butter using a box grater. Put butter back in the freezer for another 10 minutes.
- Add in butter and use a pastry cutter to cut the butter into small pea-sized pieces.
- Combine heavy cream, egg, and vanilla extract.
- Pour the wet ingredients over the dry butter mixture.
- Add in the strawberries and mix together.
- Pat the dough into a large circle, then cut into 8 even triangle. Almost like cutting a pizza!
- Place the scones in the fridge to chill for 15 minutes.
- Brush the top with heavy cream and add a sprinkle of sugar.
- Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350 and bake for another 10-15 minutes.
- Let cool slightly and enjoy!
Glaze (optional):
- In a bowl, mix together powdered sugar, vanilla extract, milk, and a drop of pink food coloring.
- Once scones have cooled slightly, drizzle over the glaze.
- Sprinkle a few crushed freeze-dried strawberries and enjoy!
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