This is an exercise in restraint. I made Blueberry Scones without bacon, without lemon zest, without goat cheese, without toasted coconut flakes, without white chocolate chips.
Ok… the more things I mention, the more things I want to shove into these precious breakfast treats. No, Joy. Just let a Blueberry Scone be what it is.
I have a history of additions as evidenced by these Feta and Chive Sour Cream Scones and Peach Cobbler Scones (ooh summer…).
Ps. Ok… so I added a bit of maple and a touch of nutmeg to these biscuits. These aren’t fancy additions… they’re mostly staples in my life. I carry a jar of maple syrup in my purse. I have nutmeg in my pocket. Totally normal. No big deal.
Once you’ve made one scone, you’ve made them all. That’s almost true.
This is where we marry cold butter and dry ingredients. I use my fingers to break the butter up into the flour. Maple syrup and buttermilk are on the sidelines for future support.
While breaking the butter into the flour, I realized I forgot an egg. Ok… I also forgot to add salt.
This was pre-coffee scone making. That’s just begging for disaster.
Wet ingredients are combined with dry ingredients. A big spoon will bring it all together.
I splurged on fresh blueberries (yea… sometimes this feels like a splurge) for this recipe. You can totally use frozen blueberries, just make sure to thaw and drain them first. Also, with frozen berries, your scones might be a bit more blue.
After a bit of kneading, the scone dough comes together. I leave the rolling pin in the kitchen. Just pressing with my fingers does the job. This is a blessing on mornings when baking comes before caffeine.
Round cutters. Round scones. Blueberries everywhere.
You know how Jennifer Aniston looks effortlessly beautiful in just a jeans and t-shirt? It’s true. Think about it. She’s gorgeous. These scones rival her fresh face in tender deliciousness. They’re earnest, are studded with blueberry pockets, and are most tremendous served warm with jam.
Also, a quick FYI… yea, people are still talking about Jennifer Aniston. Be cool. Get at these scones.
Maple Blueberry Scones
makes about 12 scones
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup cold unsalted butter, but into small cubes
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
3/4 cup cold buttermilk
1 cup fresh blueberries (you can used thawed and drained berries from the freezer although the scones will have a more purple color)
3 tablespoons buttermilk for brushing the tops of the scones before baking
granulated sugar for sprinkling on top before baking
Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
In a mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, pinch of nutmeg, and salt. Cut in butter (using your fingers or a pastry cutter) until mixture resembles a coarse meal. Work the butter into the dry ingredients until some of the butter flakes are the size of peas and some are the size of oat flakes. In another bowl, combine egg, maple syrup, and milk and beat lightly with a fork. Add to flour mixture all at once, stirring enough to make a soft dough. Fold in the blueberries.
Turn out onto a floured board and knead about 15 times. Roll or pat out into a 1-inch thickness. Cut into 2-inch rounds using a round cutter or cut into 2×2-inch squares. Reshape and roll dough to create more scones with excess scraps. Place on an ungreased baking sheet. Brush lightly with buttermilk and sprinkle with granulated sugar. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown on top. Serve warm. Scones are best the day they’re made, and though they can be frozen and lightly reheated in the oven if you need a future treat.
sinaasappeljetzt
Best scones recipe I’ve ever tried! I loved all about them – the flavours (maple – blueberries – nutmeg – no lemon!), the fact that they were not overly sweet, the texture, and: I’ve never before found a dough for scones that was so easy to handle. Thank you so much, Joy!
Graham
Sooooo good! Just made these and they’re pretty heavenly. Yum.
Fiona
can i substitute the maple syrup with honey?
thediariesofafoodie
Made these today and they were great! However, I the maple syrup flavor doesn’t really stand out in this recipe.
Morgan, a novice baker and curious student
Just transferred them to a container for storing–I’m shocked there are any left– and they looked so tempting, I had to take another bite. My goodness gracious, these things are divine.
Morgan, a novice baker and curious student
I just tried this recipe, and though they did not come out looking as sophisticatedly composed as your lovely scones, they came out pretty darn good if I may say so myself. I thawed some frozen berries and was afraid that they would cause the dough to become too mushy, so I was extra careful when folding them in and rolling out the dough. The color bled a tad bit, but not nearly as much as I’d feared, sending me a huge sigh of relief. The end result was a savory, buttery, and rich scone balanced by the slight moistness of the berries and sweetness of the sugar atop. As you bite into the crispy outer crust, the warmth and richness engulf your senses and send you through a roller coaster of different emotions, spanning from elation to desire to anxiousness. These buttery, fluffy pillows sent from above were perfectly complemented by a fresh cup of cafe au lait.
Overall, I’d deem this recipe a success. I’m definitely trying out more of your recipes. Thanks for sharing, Joy.
mindytrue
I just made these and they were fantastic! This will be one of my new favorite scone recipes, I’m sure. Thanks for the easy instructions and great pictures!!!