19 Scone Recipes That Will Be the Star of Your Brunch Spread (2024)

If you love indulging as much as I do in one of those eye-catching scones when you visit your favorite coffee shop or bakery, it's time to consider making homemade scones. They take just a bit more time than a batch of cookies or other similar baked goods. Plus, most scone recipes freeze wonderfully, so you can pull one out of the freezer anytime for a quick and easy treat. Choose the flavor that most speaks to you and make one of these scone recipes from scratch on a day when you have a bit more time for your future self to enjoy.

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Strawberry Shortcake Scones

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You don't even need a fork when you transform strawberry shortcakes into a scone recipe. This summery strawberry scone recipe combines the elements of that classic dessert—berries, biscuit-like dough, and whipped cream—in a handheld form.

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Peppery Pear-Vanilla Scones

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If you're seeking a showstopping scone recipe perfect for fall, add this idea to your brunch menu. Cranberries (fresh or frozen, you choose), pear, and walnuts add our favorite fall flavors, while vanilla bean paste and just enough black pepper to be detectable lend complexity that keeps you coming back bite after bite.

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Almond and Vanilla Bean Scones

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This scone recipe with cream includes an equal amount of sour cream in the batter to make a moister scone. A sprinkling of sliced almonds on top gives a preview of the almond flavor inside, and sparkly coarse sugar makes them look gourmet.

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Manchego and Brandied Cherry Scones

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A little sweet, a little savory and spiked with brandy to boot! This is a scone recipe unlike any other (at least any other I've seen). They eat extra tender and a bit more crumbly than other scones, so eat this one over a plate and not as an on-the-go breakfast.

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Cranberry-White Chocolate Scones

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Tart, puckery cranberries and intensely sweet white chocolate are often paired together because their flavors complement one another so delightfully. Here, we add one more flavor element in the form of an orange icing and optional orange zest in the batter for a note of citrus in each bite.

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Cherry-Chocolate Scones

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In my book, there's no happier pairing than dark chocolate and fruit. When you put that combination in a scone recipe, it makes it appropriate to eat for breakfast, not just dessert, and I'm even happier. These fruit-studded scones can be made and stored in the freezer for 2 months (without the icing), so get a head start weeks before you need them.

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Double-Strawberry Scones

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Strawberry fans, this may be the best scone recipe on our list for you. How can it be double strawberry you ask? We call for both chopped fresh strawberries and freeze-dried strawberries in the dough. Heck, you could even triple the berry flavor by serving them with strawberry jam or preserves.

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Apple Scones with Spiced Maple Butter

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If you look forward to fall baking in every other season of the year, go ahead and make these apple scones any season. The apples, apple pie spice, and maple butter all conjure memories of crisp fall days, but you can get all the ingredients year-round, so enjoy them whenever you want.

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Cornmeal-Blueberry Scones

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Cornmeal in the dough sets this scone recipe apart. Because cornmeal replaces some of the flour, there is less gluten in the dough, making it too crumbly to knead. So you get to shortcut this recipe by skipping the kneading and rolling step and simply dropping the dough by large spoonfuls onto your baking sheet.

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Scones

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They're no English scones recipe, but with only a half-cup of dried fruit in the dough, this is our most basic scone recipe. Leave it as is or add your favorite flavor twists to make it your own.

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Mini Blueberry Air-Fryer Scones

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This easy scone recipe "bakes" to golden-brown perfection in your air fryer. Brighten up the buttermilk batter with fresh orange zest and a hint of vanilla. In just 6 minutes, you'll have perfectly flaky blueberry scones filled with juicy berries.

The 8 Best Air Fryers of 2024 for Crispy, Golden Brown Food, According to Testing

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Pumpkin Scones with Browned Butter Icing

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While we love the flaky pumpkin dough in this scone recipe, it's the browned butter icing that really stands out. Thin it with heavy cream until it's reached your desired consistency then pile it high on each ginger-spiced bite.

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Strawberry Crumble Scones

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These strawberry-spiked scones are great on their own but they are even better when split open and filled with fresh whipped cream. As one BHG reviewer shared, "Came together perfectly. Was the perfect treat for girls night watching Downton Abbey!"

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Apple-Stilton Scones

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A drizzle of chile-infused hot honey is the perfect topper for this savory scone recipe. We're sharing how to make it along with the Stilton and apple dough. Sprinkle fresh chives on top before baking to bring out even more savory flavor.

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Cranberry-Pear Scones

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A batch of these homemade scones makes a thoughtful gift for the holidays. Take it one step further by packaging them up with a container of homemade maple butter. Get ahead of your holiday baking and make them up to 2 months before serving. Simply stash them in the freezer and thaw when ready.

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Make-Ahead Ginger-Pear Scones

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Our Test Kitchen found that finely chopped Bosc pear worked best in this recipe for scones. Crystallized ginger in the scones and spiced butter brings sweet-heat to each bite. For even more texture and flavor, top with more ginger before baking.

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Blueberry Cream Muffin-Tin Scones

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You don't have to roll out this blueberry scone recipe. Instead, pile the batter into prepared muffin cups and bake. Once out of the oven, drizzle on a creamy vanilla glaze.

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Cranberry-Lemon Scones

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This cranberry scone recipe proves simple is best. As one BHG reviewer raved, "Delicious! The lemon and the fresh cranberries made this scone such a great treat! Loved the combination. Skipped the topping as it was great as it without it. Would make them smaller in the future as they were huge scones. I make a lot of scones, this is a keeper recipe!"

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Rosemary-Citrus Scones

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Adding rolled outs to the dough in this scone recipe is our Test Kitchen's secret to achieving the perfect flaky-yet-chewy texture. Dried rosemary and orange zest bring out the natural sweetness of the oats.

19 Scone Recipes That Will Be the Star of Your Brunch Spread (2024)

FAQs

What do you spread on scones? ›

The clotted cream is spread liberally over each slice of scone and a little strawberry jam is placed on top. If you don't have clotted cream then you use butter instead. Though, you could use any type of jam, strawberry is probably the most authentic variety.

What is the best flour for making scones? ›

Use all-purpose flour for a higher rising scone that holds its shape nicely, both in and out of the oven. To make more delicate, lower-rising, cake-like scones, substitute cake flour for all-purpose flour. Reduce the liquid in the recipe by 1 to 2 tablespoons, using just enough to bring the dough together.

What to serve with scones for brunch? ›

The best side dishes to serve with scones are strawberry jam, lavender milk tea, cool whip fruit dip, lemon curd, raspberry jam, guacamole, whipped coffee, mochi pancakes, Greek yogurt, lavender milk tea, shakshuka, sautéed mushrooms, hot chocolate, scrambled eggs, and fresh fruit salad. Now, let's get cooking!

What makes scones rise best? ›

Using self-raising flour, cream, and water is excellent for what I consider great scones. Lemonade or soda water can also be used instead of plain water to add more rise; we had some fun with this at our Bake Club meetings using different flavours.

Is it better to make scones with butter or oil? ›

In baking, you can generally substitute half the amount of oil as the butter or margarine called for. However, there is one caveat: Do not overmix the dough. Knead the dough as little as possible to produce light and tender baked goods made with oil.

Do you put cold or hot butter in scones? ›

Butter must be COLD from the very start to when the dough enters the oven. The cold butter melts upon entering the oven and the water content in butter evaporates in steam. As the steam escapes, it bursts up and creates that beautiful tall, flaky, fluffy texture.

Why do my scones spread out and not rise? ›

The most likely reason I can think of is that you omitted the leavening, or what you used was flat. Another reason might be that your dough was too warm when you baked it, so it spread more while baking. Of course, scones are not yeast products, so they shouldn't rise as much as bread would.

Why is clotted cream illegal? ›

Its exclusivity extends beyond England, however, as clotted cream is technically illegal in America. Why? True clotted cream is made with unpasteurized milk, and the FDA officially banned the distribution of any milk or milk products that haven't been pasteurized in America in 1987.

Is heavy cream or buttermilk better for scones? ›

Heavy Cream or Buttermilk: For the best tasting pastries, stick with a thick liquid such as heavy cream or buttermilk. I usually use heavy cream, but if you want a slightly tangy flavor, use buttermilk.

Should you chill scone dough before baking? ›

Keep scones cold before putting them in the oven: For best results, chill the mixture in the fridge before baking, this will help to stiffen up the butter again, which will stop your scones from slumping as soon as they hit the oven's heat.

How long should you rest scones before baking? ›

But now we've found that resting the dough overnight has another benefit: It makes for more symmetrical and attractive pastries.

What are 3 common foods you can have for brunch? ›

French toast, waffles, pancakes, and similar dishes are great choices for brunch. You could also do something even more impressive like apple pecan or ultimate berry bread pudding. Add some parfaits for a lighter option that pairs well with these dishes.

What 2 things are scones commonly served with? ›

Classic jam and cream

Whether you prefer the Devonshire version of cream first, then jam; or the more widely known Cornish version of jam first, then cream, there is very little better topping for a classic scone.

What kind of menu is ideal for a brunch? ›

Popular brunch menu items include eggs Benedict, pancakes, waffles, French toast, omelettes, avocado toast, breakfast sandwiches, pastries, and fruit salads.

Why are my scones not light and fluffy? ›

Some common reasons for dense scones are not using enough baking powder, overworking the dough and not baking with the oven at the correct temperature.

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