Blackberry Scones

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Hi Bold Bakers!

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE: My essential Blackberry Scones are the most delicious way to enjoy fresh berries from the garden, farmer’s market, or the grocery store! These are easy to make ahead and freeze, for harvest flavor any time of year.

• Perfect texture: Wonderfully soft, slightly flaky, with just a bit of delectible crispiness on the edges.
• Simple ingredients: You probably already have everything you need.
• Minimal clean-up! The dough comes together in a single bowl.
• Homey and fancy: This comforting pastry is pretty great as is, but a glossy vanilla bean glaze only makes it better.
• No need to wait! You can enjoy homemade scones in less than 45 minutes.

When it’s peak berry season, I’m tempted to use them in so many ways, but I’m not happy until I’ve made a batch of scones. Scones are near and dear to my heart, and it’s my mission for all Bold Bakers to know that if they were turned off by a dry, crumbly, bland scone wrapped in plastic wrap they bought in a shop, just try my scone recipes and you’ll become a convert!

I’ve been making scones since I was a small child, and here are my time-tested expert tips: make sure to use good quality butter (preferably salted), use cold butter, and rub it into the dough. I recommend using a pastry blender—it’s super fast, easier, and the heat from your hands won’t soften the butter (which makes the dough a little oily if you don’t work fast enough). If your butter does soften too much while you’re making the dough, pop the dough in the fridge for 20 minutes before shaping and baking. You’ll love my Traditional Irish Scones, Blueberry Scones, Raspberry Scones, and Apple Sage Cheddar Scones.

Table of Contents

• What are Blackberry Scones?
• Tools You Need
• Key Ingredients and Why
• How to Make Blackberry Scones
• Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips
• Make Ahead and Storage Instructions
• FAQs
• More Berry Recipes

What are Blackberry Scones?

• Blackberry Scones are a type of small baked pastry that originated in Ireland and the UK.
  • Flavor: Buttery and mildly sweet with bursts of berry flavor
  • Main ingredients: Butter, all-purpose flour, baking powder and baking soda, buttermilk, blackberries
  • Texture: Rich and tender
  • Great for: Breakfast, brunch, snacks, dessert, tea time accompanied by butter, clotted cream, and jam, fall parties, gifts
• Scones are shaped in different ways. Shaping the dough into a disc and cutting it into wedges is quick, yields an attractively rustic look, and results in soft interiors and pleasantly crusty edges. Traditional scones formed with a biscuit cutter have a more elegant look and bake up taller.

Tools You Need

• Mixing bowl
• Measuring spoons
• Measuring cups
• Glass measuring jug
• Kitchen scale (optional)
• Baking sheet
• Parchment paper
• Wooden spoon
• Pastry blender (optional)
• Knife
• Pastry brush
• Wire cooling rack
• Whisk

Key Ingredients and Why

Scone Dough

All-purpose flour

• All-purpose flour has a 9 to 11% protein content, which gives the blackberry scone its structure while still remaining tender.
• Substitute: Use the same amount of a 1:1 of an all-purpose gluten-free flour blend, such as Easy Almond Flour Baking Mix, or another gluten-free flour mixture.

Granulated sugar

• Sugar sweetens the scones.
• Additionally, sugar contributes to a soft crumb in this scone recipe.
• Substitute: You can use an equal amount of light brown sugar or coconut sugar.

Baking powder

• Baking powder contributes to the rise.
• Here’s how to make your own baking powder.

Baking soda

• Baking soda reacts with acidic ingredients (like the buttermilk in this recipe) for additional leavening and a tender crumb.

Salt

• The salt is crucial for bringing out the flavors in these berry scones.

Butter

• A high ratio of butter to flour is what gives these fruit scones their unique crumbly-tender texture.
• The butter also gives the scones their rich flavor.
• I recommend Irish butter because it’s creamier (it has 82% butterfat, and most other butters have 80%), and has superior flavor because it’s made with milk from Ireland’s grass-fed cows.
• Be sure to use very cold butter from the fridge or freezer, and work quickly when mixing so the butter doesn’t get too soft.
• Substitute: You can also use an equal amount of block-type margarine.
  • Be sure not to use spreadable margarine, as it contains significantly more water and will adversely affect the texture.

Blackberries

• Tart-sweet blackberries work well with the rich scones.
• The berries’ juiciness gives an amazing textural contrast.
• Use only fresh berries here; frozen ones will not work well.
• Cut large berries in half before using.
• Substitute: Use an equal amount of your favorite berry.

Buttermilk

• Buttermilk is acidic, which hinders gluten formation and contributes to the tenderness of the scones.
• Additionally, the buttermilk in this blackberry scones recipe gives a pleasing, subtle tang.
• Substitute: If you don’t have buttermilk, try my easy, handy Buttermilk Substitute recipe.

Vanilla extract

• Vanilla extract accentuates the berry flavor.
• Try making your own vanilla extract with my simple recipe—it’s easy!
• Substitute: You can use an equal amount of Vanilla Bean Paste.

Egg wash

• Whisk an egg with a tablespoon of milk or water and brush on top of the scones for a shiny, golden brown finish.

Vanilla Bean Glaze

Powdered sugar

• Powdered sugar is the base of this sweet glaze.
• Be sure to sift the powdered sugar first for a uniformly silky glaze.
• Check out my powdered sugar recipe—it’s a snap to make!

Butter

• Butter brings this glaze up a notch from average toppings, adding deep flavor and irresistible richness.
• Substitute: You can use an equal amount of melted plant butter instead.

Vanilla bean paste

• Vanilla bean paste adds wonderfully intense vanilla taste and a lovely speckly look.
• If you don’t have any, you can make your own vanilla bean paste.
• Substitute: Use an equal amount of vanilla extract.

Milk

• Milk makes the glaze smooth and easy to drizzle.
• Additionally, milk makes the glaze more opaque and attractive.
• Substitute: Use the same amount of cream or plant milk.

How to Make Blackberry Scones

To Make the Scones

1. Prepare to bake: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. Mix the dry ingredients: In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
3. Rub in butter and add berries: Rub the butter into the flour mixture with a pastry blender or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Toss in the blackberries.

4. Mix wet ingredients: Combine the buttermilk and vanilla extract in a small jug, then pour into the flour mixture. Stir gently until the dough just comes together.

5. Shape dough: Turn the dough onto the prepared baking sheet and press into a circle that is 1-inch (3 cm) thick and about 7 inches (18 cm) in diameter.

6. Cut scones: Cut the circle into 8 wedges and push apart so they have room to expand.

7. Bake and cool: Brush the tops with egg wash and bake for 20-22 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and the scones feel firm when lightly pressed. Let cool completely on a wire rack.

To Glaze the Scones

8. Make glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, butter, vanilla bean paste and 1 tablespoon of milk. The glaze should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon but pourable. If it is too thick, add more milk, a few drops at a time, until the desired consistency is reached.

9. Finish scones: Drizzle the glaze on the scones and leave undisturbed for 10 minutes, or until the glaze is set.

Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips

• Don’t overwork the dough: When making scones, work quickly and handle the dough minimally for the most tender flaky scones.
• Use fresh berries: Make these scones with fresh blackberries only. Frozen blackberries may result in raw centers.
• Vanilla option: If you don’t have vanilla bean paste for the glaze, you can use vanilla extract as an alternative.
• Pick your berry: You can replace the blackberries in this recipe with raspberries or blueberries if you wish.
• Crunchy and sweet: Instead of glaze, you can simply sprinkle these with a little sanding sugar before baking.

FULL (PRINTABLE) RECIPE BELOW! 

Make Ahead and Storage Instructions

• Make ahead tips:
  • These scones can be shaped, cut, and refrigerated overnight before baking.
  • The unbaked scone can also be frozen for up to two months.
    • Defrost overnight in the refrigerator before baking.
• How to store leftovers: The scones are best on the day they’re made, but they will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days.
  • For more extended storage, you can wrap the scones individually, place them in a freezer bag, and freeze for up to two months.
    • Defrost at room temp for 30 and then REFRESH  in a warm oven (300°F/150°C) until heated through, about 12 minutes.

FAQs

Can I make these Blackberry Scones vegan?

• Yes, you can make these Blackberry Scones vegan.
  • Instead of dairy buttermilk, use my dairy-free buttermilk substitute.
  • Use an equal amount of hard, block-style margarine in place of the butter.
  • For the glaze, use the plant butter and plant milk options.
    • Note that vegan scones will differ in taste and texture from scones made with the original recipe.

Can I make these berry gluten-free?

• Yes, you can make berry scones gluten-free.
• Swap the regular flour for a gluten-free baking mix, like my Easy Almond Flour Baking Mix or another gluten-free flour.
  • Please note that gluten-free scones tend to have a more crumbly texture than those made with wheat flour.

What are some add-ins I can use in this scone recipe?

• Play with the flavor by adding a teaspoon of cinnamon or cardamom.
• Accentuate the berries by mixing in a teaspoon of lemon zest.
• For some added crunchiness, add a handful of chopped toasted pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts, or slivered almonds.

What are some ways to serve these Blackberry Scones?

• Serve Blackberry Scones with butter, clotted cream, and apricot jam.
• Drizzle warm scones with honey.
• Go for a PB&J vibe by spreading with peanut butter or almond butter.

More Blackberry Recipes

• Blackberry Crisp
• 3 Ingredient Microwave Jam (Blackberry)
• Blackberry Pie
• Summer Berry Pudding
• Blackberry Muffins with Oatmeal

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