How to Make Buttermilk Scones
👩🍳 Step-by-Step Instructions
- Preheat and Chill: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Pro-Tip: Place your cubed stick of butter in the freezer for 10 minutes before starting!
- Whisk the Dry Foundation: In a large bowl, thoroughly whisk together the 2 ½ cups of flour, ¼ cup of sugar, 1 tablespoon of baking powder, and ½ teaspoon of salt. 🌾
- Cut in the Butter: Drop the frozen, cubed butter into the flour mixture. Using a pastry cutter or two knives (or your fingertips very quickly), press and rub the butter into the flour. Keep going until the mixture looks like coarse breadcrumbs with a few pea-sized chunks of butter remaining. 🧈
- Blend the Liquids: In a measuring cup (like the one shown in), vigorously whisk together your cold buttermilk, egg, and vanilla extract.
- Form the Dough: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry flour mixture. Use a fork to gently fold the mixture together until it just starts to clump into a shaggy dough. If it looks a tiny bit dry, don’t worry!
- Shape and Slice: Turn the shaggy dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Gently press it together with your hands 4 to 5 times to form a cohesive ball. Pat the dough down into a flat, neat circle about 1 inch thick, exactly like the top panel of Use a sharp knife to slice the disc straight down into 8 equal wedges (like a pizza!). 📐
- The Golden Glaze: Space the triangular wedges out evenly on your prepared baking sheet. Use a pastry brush to lightly coat the tops with your remaining tablespoon of buttermilk (this gives them that beautiful shiny, rustic brown finish).
- Bake to a Puffed Perfection: Pop the sheet into the center of the oven and bake for 15 to 18 minutes. You are looking for the scones to puff up dramatically and develop a gorgeous, toasted golden color across the tops and edges, matching the stunning plate presentation in !
- Cool and Serve: Let them rest on the warm baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack. Serve warm with clotted cream, salted butter, or your favorite homemade strawberry jam! 🍓🎉
