Fresh Strawberry Buttermilk Scones

A fabulous recipe for fresh strawberry scones made with buttermilk (it helps make them tender!) and lime zest. Get all my tips for making the best ones and have them ready in under an hour!

I made these for a bridal shower. Which I attended for the first time not long ago. Not knowing what the protocol was or what to expect. So I thought fresh strawberries scream bridal shower in Spring. Who knows. 

But I do know about scones, whether they're savory scones, the best ones made with buttermilk or creamy scones, yep, I can tell you a thing or two.

So let's talk about these gorgeous fresh strawberry buttermilk scones that I made a while ago and decided that if I ever do go to another bridal or baby shower, or any spring gathering for that matter, I would certainly bring these to share.

Ingredients

These strawberry scones have very simple ingredients (image above):

• Flour - white all-purpose is used here, but you can also use cake flour, ideally 50/50. It will make scones cakier and less rustic, but not so much that they lose their essence. 
• Homemade buttermilk - you can make your own buttermilk by adding a tablespoon of lemon juice per cup of regular milk. Stir, it will curdle a bit, and you're set to go.  
• Strawberries - we use fresh for this recipe, and thinly cut or in small cubes. I don't recommend frozen strawberries.

Easy steps

Making scones is easy, but a few pointers should be followed if you want to achieve soft, tender, nicely risen ones. 

• Have the butter in small pieces and as cold as you can (image 1). This will make it easier to incorporate with the dry ingredients. 
• The pieces should be the size of peas or beans. It will be irregular (image 2), especially if you mix by hand. 
• Add the strawberries (after the wet ingredients are already incorporated) and lightly mix. The pieces will feel too many and hard to incorporate but don't worry, it's fine if they feel loose (images 3 and 4).

Pat the dough into a circle, but do not overwork it! 

Cut into 8 triangles. I do this with the dough scraper (image below) which can be bought online (see my favorites in the recipe Notes at the end of the post). You can also use a large kitchen knife. 

These are large scones, so if you like medium-sized ones cut more triangles or any other shape. If you want mini scones (like the Orange Cream Scones) chop the strawberries finer so the pieces don't fall off the scone. 

Top tips

• Very cold ingredients. I’m not kidding when I say frozen butter, at least very cold. And don’t take the cream half an hour before you start mixing the scones. Butter, cream, milk, they belong in the fridge until you need to scatter and pour them.
• Don't overwork the dough. It should come together but still have floury patches. You don’t need to work it until it’s smooth, like a pie dough for instance. It is an uneven dough, with dry spots, and that’s good for flakiness later.
• A rather high oven. They need that extra heat (and baking powder) to rise however they can in spite of all that butter and cream. And if by any chance you forgot to turn the oven on before you start with the mixing, please don’t leave the baking sheet with the cut scones waiting on the counter. Put them in the fridge or freezer the ten or fifteen minutes it takes for the oven to reach its temperature.

Other recipes you might like:

Cranberry Orange Scones
Parmesan Chive Scones
Orange Cream Mini Scones
Double Cheese Scones
Easy Buttermilk Scones
Strawberry Lime Danish Braid

Let me know if you make this recipe! I’d love to hear what you think about it.
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Strawberry Buttermilk Scones

★★★★★ 5 from 2 reviews

• Author: Paula Montenegro
• Prep Time: 20
• Cook Time: 25
• Total Time: 45 minutes
• Yield: 12 large scones 1x
• Category: Scones & Biscuits
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: International

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Description

A fabulous recipe for fresh Strawberry Scones made with buttermilk and orange zest. Get all my tips for making the best scones and have them ready in under an hour!

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Scale 1x2x3x

Ingredients

• 2 ¾ cups (360g) pastry or all purpose flour
• 1 Tbs baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• Large pinch of salt
• ¼ cup + 2 Tbs (80g) granulated sugar
• Zest of 1 lime (or orange)
• A few gratings of fresh nutmeg, optional
• 6 oz. (170g) unsalted butter, cut into cubes and frozen
• 1 1/2 cups (225g) fresh strawberries, sliced
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ to ¾ cup buttermilk or milk, cold
• Extra sugar, for sprinkling

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400ºF /200ºC.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or grease the bottom.
3. Food processor: place flour, baking powder, soda, salt, sugar, nutmeg (if using) and lemon zest in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Pulse a few times to mix.
4. Scatter cubes of frozen butter on top, and process on low until the mixture is grainy and the butter the size of peas. Don't over process.
5. By hand: use a large bowl and add the dry ingredients, mixing lightly.
6. Scatter the butter pieces on top and integrate by hand or with a pastry cutter. The pieces of butter should be the size of peas and beans. It will be irregular. Then follow the recipe below.
7. For both methods: transfer mixture to a large bowl and add buttermilk, lime zest and vanilla in a circle over the flour mixture.
8. Mix with a spatula or fork until it barely comes together, but don't mix too much or the scones will be tough and flat.
9. Add the strawberries and again mix lightly with a fork or spatula.
10. On a lightly floured surface, transfer the mixture, and pat it together, folding it unto itself a few times,  until you have a dough that holds together. It will still be shaggy in places. Don't be tempted to overwork it as you would a pie crust.
11. Make a circle with the dough, about 2 inches high.
12. Cut it in half, and then cut each half into 4 triangles.
13. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet, sprinkle the tops with sugar, and bake for about 25 to 30 minutes, until golden, dry and quite firm. If you need to check, with a fork lift the top of a scone and see if the inside is dry.
14. They should be eaten within a few hours of baked, preferably warm.

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Notes

• Very cold ingredients. I’m not kidding when I say frozen butter, at least very cold. And don’t take the cream half an hour before you start mixing the scones. Butter, cream, milk, they belong in the fridge until you need to scatter and pour them.
• Don't overwork the dough. It should come together but still have floury patches. You don’t need to work it until it’s smooth, like a pie dough for instance. It is an uneven dough, with dry spots, and that’s good for flakiness later.
• A rather high oven. They need that extra heat (and baking powder) to rise however they can in spite of all that butter and cream. And if by any chance you forgot to turn the oven on before you start with the mixing, please don’t leave the baking sheet with the cut scones waiting on the counter. Put them in the fridge or freezer the ten or fifteen minutes it takes for the oven to reach its temperature.
• Freezing scones: Scones can be frozen raw, already formed. Make a big batch, cut them, put them on trays and freeze them. Once frozen, put them in a plastic bag or container so the tray doesn’t occupy freezer space. Bake them directly from the freezer into a hot oven. 
• Dough scraper: I love this kitchen tool for breads and scones. My favorites are all found online at Amazon and are the Napro Stainless Steel Scraper, the AmazonBasic Stainless Scraper and the Ateco Scraper if you want plastic and curved edges.
• Flavorings: use orange instead of lime zest. And you may like to also add some ground cinnamon or cardamom for a warm touch.

Keywords: strawberry scones, fruit scones

Adapted from Pastries from the La Brea Bakery, by Nancy Silverton

Paula Montenegro

I'm Paula, a baker for more than 30 years and your designated recipe finder, sharing the best ones on this blog, with simple ingredients + easy-to-follow instructions.