Strawberry Cream Scones

These adorable, heart-shaped, and Valentine’s-inclined Strawberry Scones are an endearing way to express your love to someone, which is totally ironic because I baked them out of selfishness.
Strawberry Scones are pure decadence and comfort, two feelings I woefully needed the day these fluffy, heart-shaped creations came to be. In a span of 24-hours, I managed to:

• Trigger the fire alarm for our entire apartment complex. Six firefighters burst into my apartment while the rest of the building huddled outside in the -9 degree weather. The scene was complete with a firetruck, sirens, and much scolding from the firefighters when they realized the situation lacked an actual fire. Apparently I need to do a better job cleaning my cast-iron stovetop griddle. It started smoking so badly during my sausage-grilling dinner routine that it tripped the building alarm. For the record (and to maintain a shred of my dignity): I did not burn the sausages.
• Land a $200 parking ticket while outside the law school. I was parked without a campus permit, flashers on, for less than three minutes. Never again will I be the nice wife who picks up her husband’s syllabus.
• Break my coffee maker, eliciting mass coffee overflow onto every possible kitchen surface.
• Be attacked by a dog while out jogging. (Confession: this occured a little outside the 24-hour span, but you can still see the bite mark on my arm.)
  

Strawberry Scones are how I handle feeling defeated by life. Something about their ultra-buttery flakiness and melt-in-your-mouth creamy softness reminds me that, no matter how much bad karma strikes me on any given day, reason exists to keep changing my socks. Surely life can only improve from here. If it doesn’t, I’ll bide my time and bake more Strawberry Scones.

While I typically derive great pleasure from creating baked goods that are better for you and still taste fabulous (these Raspberry Oatmeal Scones are a prime example), I won’t lie to you—I left my magic bag of lighter comfort food tricks on the shelf this time. Strawberry Scones are all real butter and heavy cream, and I don’t regret one tender bite. Nor should you. From the moment you break off a piece of the super flakey exterior—a golden crust so flakey it practically shatters—and reveal the splendidly soft, pillowy interior, you will realize that everything about this moment is exactly as it should be. Wonderful happenings wait just ahead.

For a little extra love, I folded dried strawberries into the batter. Dried strawberries are all Valentine’s Day fun and yummy berry sweetness. Mine were a gift from my kind brother-in-law, who in the span of a few short months learned that food is the carpool lane to my heart. The dried strawberries paired beautifully with the scones’ creamy flavor, but if you can’t find them, feel free to swap in the dried fruit of your choice. Cherries or cranberries will give you a similar Valentine hue (and taste fabulous), and currants are traditional for cream scones. I’d also recommend dried apricots, just because I like them. Use what is available and makes you happy. I would not recommend fresh strawberries—their inherent juiciness will make the delicate, flakey batter too runny.

As a final flourish, I added toasted pecans to the batter for their warmth and crunch. Feel free to swap in extra fruit or switch it up to create complementary flavor combos. (Cherry Almond Cream Scones anyone? I vote yes.)

If you don’t have a heart-shaped cookie cutter (or aren’t into cute food), a round biscuit cutter will work nicely, or keep it simple and cut the scones into wedges. No matter their shape, Strawberry Scones will warm your heart.

Tell someone you love them with a warm plate of Strawberry Scones. If that someone is you, all the better! Karma may be fickle, but Strawberry Scones will love you forever.

Print Review

Strawberry Cream Scones

Fluffy, tender Strawberry Cream Scones that are ultra flakey on the outside and pillowy soft on the inside. Feel free to swap the strawberries and pecans for your favorite dried fruits and nuts. The heart shapes make these Strawberry Scones ideal for Valentine's Day, but you can bake them in any shape, any time of year!

Prep Time: 20 mins

Cook Time: 20 mins

Total Time: 40 mins

Servings: 8 to 12 scones, depending upon the size of your biscuit or cookie cutter (12 if cutting into wedges)

Ingredients

  

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For the Scones:

• 1 large egg, - very cold
• 2/3 cup heavy cream, - very cold
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 5 tablespoons butter, - very cold and cut into small cubes (If time allows, freeze the butter in "stick" form and grate into the flour. Additional details in directions below)
• 1/2 cup diced dried strawberries - or the dried fruit of your choice
• 1/4 cup toasted chopped pecans - or the nut or additional dried fruit of your choice

For the Eggwash:

• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon water - or milk

Instructions

 

• Place rack in the upper third of your oven and preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat mat.
• In a large measuring cup or medium bowl, beat the egg and cream together and set aside. In large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. If cutting the butter into small pieces: Add the butter pieces and work it into the flour until you have a pebbly mixture. The butter pieces should look cobbly and be different sizes. If working with a whole stick of frozen butter (my preference): With a grater, grate the butter directly into the mixing bowl. Working with your fingers, quickly toss the butter with the flour just until combined. It should only take a few moments.
• Pour the egg and cream over the flour-butter mixture and with a rubber spatula, stir and fold to combine. The batter will appear a bit dry. Fold in the dried strawberries and pecans. If working with a cookie or biscuit cutter: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and pat to a 1/2-inch thickness. Lightly flour the cutter and cut into desired shape or 2-inch rounds. If cutting into wedges: Divide the dough into two equal sized balls. Pat them into a 5-inch round, then slice each round into 6 wedges using a lightly floured knife. Transfer scones to the prepared baking sheet. In a small bowl, beat together egg and water to create the eggwash, then brush over tops of scones.
• Bake the scones for 18-20 minutes (time will vary based on size), until they are golden brown on top. Serve immediately.

Notes

Scones are best enjoyed the day they are baked, but can be stored for up to 2 days in an airtight container at room temperature. Alternatively, you can place unbaked, shaped scones on a baking sheet, set them in the freezer on the sheet to harden, then individually wrap the scones with plastic and freeze for another time. Bake them directly from the freezer, adding 2 minutes to the baking time.

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

All text and images ©Erin Clarke / Well Plated

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More scone comfort:

• Raspberry Oatmeal Scones
• Brown Sugar Cinnamon Raisin Scones from Crunchy Creamy Sweet
• Cheesy Soda Scones from Recipe Girl