Strawberry scones with buttermilk are soft and flaky, with a tender crumb and juicy fresh berries in every bite. They are also surprisingly easy to make!

strawberry scones on a cutting board with a serving spoon

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Scones are often compared to biscuitsโ€”and like biscuits, they can be hit or miss. If youโ€™ve tried scones before and you decided you didnโ€™t like them, odds are that you didnโ€™t have a good scone. These strawberry scones are flavorful, soft, and tender, not bland, crumbly, and dry.

Across the pond in the United Kingdom and Ireland, scones are usually served with clotted cream, butter, or jam. This strawberry scone recipe includes a sweet glaze, so thereโ€™s no need to serve it with anything else, although if you want to go the more traditional route, you can omit the glaze and serve your scones with jam, lemon curd, or orange marmalade instead.

While strawberry scones are a traditional accompaniment to afternoon tea, I like whipping up a batch for a weekend brunch or breakfast. Everyone in my family loves them!

Easy Strawberry Scone Recipe

Another thing that both biscuits and scones have in common is that they have a reputation for being a chore to make. In my humble opinion, the only part thatโ€™s a bit of a hassle is cutting in the butterโ€”you always have to be careful to strike the right balance between too crumbly and too doughy, but itโ€™s best to err on the side of crumbly because thatโ€™s what will give your scones a light, flaky texture.

Once youโ€™ve mixed all of the ingredients together, youโ€™ll turn the dough out onto a marble slab or cutting board and shape it into a disc, then cut the disc into wedges. Since thereโ€™s no excess dough like there is when you use a biscuit cutter, this part of the process is pretty unfussy.

(You’ll love these fresh strawberry recipes too!)

strawberry scone ingredients on a white background

Ingredients for Strawberry Scones

See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.

  • All-purpose flour โ€“ I havenโ€™t tested this recipe with other types of flour, so if you try a different variety, let me know how it turns out in the comments!
  • Granulated sugar โ€“ You only need 1/3 cup of sugar in the scone dough because the sweetness comes from the strawberries and the glaze.
  • Baking powder
  • Baking soda
  • Salt
  • Unsalted butter โ€“ The butter should be cold; if itโ€™s warm, it will melt into the dry ingredients when you cut it in, and your scones will be dense. Some bakers suggest freezing the butter and grating it with a cheese grater.
  • Buttermilk โ€“ You can make a buttermilk substitute with a scant cup of 2% or whole milk and a tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar.
  • Fresh strawberries โ€“ If strawberries are no longer in season, you can substitute blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, or a combination of berries.
  • Powdered sugar โ€“ Powdered sugar makes an easy peasy glaze.
  • Heavy whipping cream โ€“ Milk will work too, but your glaze will be thinner.
  • Almond extract โ€“ This is optional, but itโ€™s so good! You can omit it, though, or use vanilla extract instead.
strawberry scone steps to make

Variations

This strawberry scone recipe is perfect exactly as written but here are a few variations you may want to try:

  • Use a different type of fresh berry to make a whole new kind of scone. Blueberries, blackberries and raspberries all work well in place of strawberries.
  • Replace the buttermilk with half and half to make rich, creamy scones.
  • Bake the scones in a greased muffin tin, filling each muffin cup to the top with scone dough. This will give you perfect, uniform scones.

How to Make Strawberry Scones

  1. Prepare: Preheat the oven to 400ยบF.
  2. Mix the dry ingredients: Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium mixing bowl.
  3. Cut in the butter: Add the butter to the flour mixture in tablespoon-size pieces. Use a pastry blender to cut the butter into the dry ingredients.
  4. Add buttermilk and strawberries: Make a well in the center of the dough mixture and pour the buttermilk into it. Stir briefly, until just combined, then fold in the strawberries.
  5. Form strawberry scones: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Divide it in half, then form each half into a disc thatโ€™s about 3/4-inch thick. Place the rounds on an ungreased cookie sheet, with about 2 inches between them. Score each round into wedges by cutting halfway through the dough.
  6. Bake: Bake the scones for about 14 minutes, or until they are baked through and golden brown on the top. Let the scones cool before glazing.
  7. Glaze: While waiting for the scones to cool, whisk together the powdered sugar, cream, and almond extract. Drizzle the glaze over the scones.
strawberry scones stacked on a cutting board

Quick Tip

Double the recipe for the scone glaze and then dip the top of each scone completely into the glaze. This will make your scones extra sweet. You can really never have enough glaze!

FAQs

What is the secret to making good strawberry scones?

In my opinion, there are two secrets to making good scones. The first is to use very cold (or frozen) butter. If your butter is the least bit warm, it will soften too much when youโ€™re cutting it in and the result is dense, unappetizing scones. The second secret is to mix the dough less than you think it should be mixedโ€”it really needs to be just combined. Itโ€™s okay if you leave behind some flour behind in the bowl when you transfer the dough to your work surface.

Why are my strawberry scones not light and fluffy?

If your scones arenโ€™t light and fluffy, the butter was probably too warm or the dough was over-mixed.

Can strawberry scones be frozen?

Yes, strawberry scones can be frozen either before or after baking. If youโ€™re freezing the dough, you can bake it directly from the freezerโ€”just add a little extra baking time to account for the fact that the dough is frozen.

one strawberry scone on a serving spoon

More Tasty Breakfast Recipes

Strawberry Strawberry Scones

You'll love these Strawberry scones with buttermilk that are soft and flaky, with a tender crumb and juicy fresh berries in every bite!
5 from 1 vote
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8 servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients  

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • โ…“ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 ยฝ teaspoons baking powder
  • ยฝ teaspoon baking soda
  • ยฝ teaspoon salt
  • ยพ cup unsalted butter cold
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 cup fresh strawberries diced into small pieces

Glaze

  • ยผ cup powdered sugar
  • 1-2 tablespoon heavy whipping cream
  • โ…› teaspoon almond extract optional

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 400ยฐF.
  • Combine the dry ingredients: flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium mixing bowl.
  • Cut cold butter into tablespoon size pieces and add to flour mixture.
  • Use a pastry blender cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the butter forms pea-size pieces.
  • Make a well in the center of the flour/butter mixture and pour in buttermilk. Stir briefly to combine into a rough mixture
  • Gently stir the strawberries into the scone mixture.
  • Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and divide in half. Form each dough half into a circle and pat out to 3โ„4โ€ thickness. Place each round on an ungreased cookie sheet, leaving 2-3โ€ between the rounds
  • Score each round (cutting about 1โ„2 way down through the dough) into wedges
  • Bake at 400ยฐF for 13-15 minutes or until the scone is cooked all the way through. Be aware that the strawberries add moisture to the scones and take extra caution that the center/bottom of the scones are cooked
  • Whisk together powdered sugar, cream, and almond extract to make drizzle. Add more cream until desired consistency is achieved.
  • Drizzle glaze over scones; it will form a dry skin after 20-30 minutes.
  • Storage: Store in an airtight container for 2-3 days or freeze for up to 1 month.

Notes

  • In order for the scones to cook all the way through without the tops getting too dark, it is important that the scone rounds are not too thick – be sure they are no more than 3โ„4โ€ thick.
  • The buttermilk adds moisture to the dough. You can also use regular milk.
  • The strawberries add quite a bit of moisture; donโ€™t add more than 1 cup chopped strawberries to the recipe.
  • Rinse and dry strawberries before cutting; if strawberries are prepared in advance, store covered in the refrigerator for up to 1 day before mixing into scones.
  • Drain any excess juice before adding to the dough.
  • You can also use a scone pan or drop into mounds to make individual scones. Cook time may be slightly less.

Nutrition

Calories: 402kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 51mg | Sodium: 250mg | Potassium: 252mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 611IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 105mg | Iron: 2mg
Did you make this recipe?Mention @kasey_allthingsmamma or tag #allthingsmamma!

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About Kasey Schwartz

For over 15 years, Kasey Schwartz, the mastermind behind All Things Mamma, has been the ultimate go-to for mouthwatering family recipes. Her work has been featured on Today.com, Buzz Feed, Better Homes and Gardens, and more, making her your go-to mom next door for all things delicious and family-friendly.

Comments

  1. Debi says:

    5 stars
    Awesome recipe, instructions and tips. I researched many recipes and was quite intimidated by the cutting in step,not having the correct tool. I used the two forks and then my fingers a little to get to the pea size. I also made 4 discs because I wanted cute mini. Scones for an afternoon tea event. They were perfect!! I am so excited Iโ€™m going to make a second batch with blueberries! Thank you !

    1. Shyanne - ATM Team says:

      We’re so glad they turned out well for you, Debi! Thank you for trying them out! ๐Ÿ˜Š

5 from 1 vote

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