Buttermilk scones are flaky and buttery scones with crisp, golden edges and soft, tender centers. This buttermilk scones recipe is easy to make and customize. They’re are the perfect cozy treat for breakfast, brunch or afternoon tea.
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Why Make This Recipe
Store bought scones are not very good and often dry and crumbly. But my homemade scones make the absolute best, bakery worthy scones. My Vanilla Bean Scones, Lemon Scones, Chocolate Chip Scones, Blueberry Scones, Strawberry Scones, and Easy Lemon Blueberry Scones are some of my favorites scone recipes. These buttery and flaky scones with buttermilk are another scone recipe I know you will love.
- Easy to make and bake. These buttery scones taste bakery worthy, but they’re actually so easy to make. Simply whisk the dry and wet ingredients together, shape into a thick disk, chill, cut and bake.
- The perfect base scone recipe. This is the perfect base recipe for any flavor scone you could want.
- Perfect for breakfast or anytime. These buttery scones with buttermilk can easily be made in advance, frozen and baked straight from the freezer. They’re the perfect indulgent and elevated breakfast, brunch or afternoon treat.
Ingredients and Substitutions
This buttermilk scone recipe requires only a handful of simple ingredients to make and you probably already have them in your pantry and fridge. Here’s what you’ll need.
- All Purpose Flour: Make these scones gluten free, by using a good 1-1 gluten free flour. I recommend using the one from Bob’s Red Mill. Measure based off of the weight (300 g) versus cup for cup.
- Granulated Sugar: Maple sugar would also work well to make these scones refined sugar free.
- Baking Powder: This acts as a leavener in this scone recipe.
- Unsalted Butter: Vegan butter or plant based can also be used in place of regular unsalted butter. Just make sure the butter is very cold or even frozen.
- Egg: This recipe has not been tested without eggs.
- Buttermilk: Look for full fat buttermilk for the best buttermilk scones. If you can’t find full fat buttermilk, regular buttermilk is fine.
- Vanilla Extract: This is a nice background flavor that pairs well with buttermilk.
Variation
Buttermilk Drop Scones: Prepare the recipe as written through the mixing step. Dump the scone dough onto a lightly floured surface. Gently gather and knead the scones 2 -3 times. Scoop the dough with a large spoon or cookie scoop. This scone with buttermilk recipe should yield about 12 drop scones. Drop the scones onto a lined baking sheet or large plate. Freeze as directed in the recipe. Bake at 425 F for 12 - 14 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.
How To Make
Learn how to make buttermilk scones in a few easy steps.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together until well combined. Grate or toss very small cubes of cold butter into the flour. When all the butter has been added in, use a pastry cutter or your fingers to work the butter into the flour mixture until the butter is fully incorporated and the mixture resembles coarse sand with some larger pieces. This is similar to making a pie crust.
- In a separate bowl, lightly whisk an egg to smooth. Then whisk in the buttermilk and vanilla extract until well combined. Form a little well in the center of the flour and butter mixture. Pour ½ of the wet ingredients into the dry and gently incorporate. Repeat with the remaining wet ingredients into the dough. Mix until the dough just comes together.
3.Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently shape the dough into a ball. Gently knead the scone dough by pressing down on the dough from middle to edges to form a disk. Shape into a 7 - 8 inch disk that’s about 1 inch thick. Place the disk onto a parchment lined baking sheet or plate to chill in the freezer for 20 - 30 minutes. While the scones chill in the freezer, preheat the oven to 425 F (218 C).
4. Remove the scones from the freezer and cut into 6 - 8 wedges using a dough scraper or long sharp knife. Space the scones about 2 - inches apart on a lined baking sheet. Bake in the oven at 425 F (218 C) for 14 - 16 minutes. The scones should be lightly golden brown and will be very fragrant. Allow scones to cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring them to a cooling rack or serve warm. These scones would be especially delicious served with maple butter or whipped honey butter and warm fruit compote.
How To Store, Freeze and Thaw
- Store: Store baked scones in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 - 4 days.
- Freeze: Place the frozen unbaked scone wedges in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months. Bake from frozen in a fully preheated oven. Place the baked, fully cooled and unglazed scones in an airtight container to freeze for up to 2 months. I recommend individually wrap each scone in plastic wrap or wax paper.
- Thaw: If you would like to bake the unbaked scones straight from the freezer, simply add about 3 - 5 minutes to the baking time. Baked and frozen scones can be heated straight from the freezer in the microwave. I recommend heating the scones in 20 second increments until they reach your desired temperature.
M’s Expert Tips
- Use full fat buttermilk for the best buttermilk scones. Everything tastes better and bake more perfectly with some fat. Look for full fat buttermilk for the best scones. If you can’t find full fat buttermilk, look for regular buttermilk.
- Use very cold butter. It’s perfectly fine to pull the butter directly from the fridge, but if you remember, toss the butter in the freezer an hour before you plan to make the scones.
- Cold is a scone’s best friend. In order to create those beautiful tender and flaky layers, the scone needs to be cold. Keep the ingredients as cold as you can prior to baking. Pop the scones in the freezer while the oven fully preheats. This usually takes about 20 - 30 minutes.
- Don’t overmix. Just like making a pie crust, try to handle the scone dough as little as possible while forming it into a disk. Some kneading is necessary to get those tall layers, but try to touch the dough as little as possible.
- Chill the scones. It’s helpful to rest the dough in the freezer to help the butter solidify and the flour to hydrate. Use this time to full preheat the oven (which takes about 30 minutes).
- Give the scones some space. Some recipes call for leaving the scone wedges close together. I find the scones need a bit more room in order to have space to fully rise.
FAQs
They are soft, tender, flaky and buttery scones. They predominate flavors are vanilla, with the slightest tangy from the buttermilk. They’re the perfect base recipe for any mix-ins you like.
Touch the scone dough as little as possible. Gather the dough into a ball and knead just until the dough comes together into an 7 - 8 inch disk that measures about 1 inch thick.
This serves two purposes. One is to allow the glutens in the flour to rest and hydrate. The other is to help the butter fat resolidify before baking, creating beautiful flaky layers.
Yes, swapping buttermilk for heavy cream will create a scone with more a more bread like texture. The buttery and vanilla flavor is more prominent and the crumb is lighter.
Other Buttermilk Recipes to Try
If you try this Buttermilk Scones recipe please rate the recipe and leave a comment below. Doing so helps other readers decide if this is a great recipe to bake. Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram using @olivesnthyme so I can see what you’re baking! - M
Buttermilk Scones Recipe
Equipment
- 1 whisk
- 1 pastry cutter, optional
- 1 large cookie sheet
- 1 sheet parchment paper
Ingredients
- 2½ cups (300 g) all purpose flour
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 10 tablespoons (141 g) cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup (120 ml) cold buttermilk plus more for brushing on scones
- 2 teaspoons (10 ml) vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon sugar for topping, optional
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together until well combined. Grate or toss very small cubes of cold butter into the flour. When all the butter has been added in, use a pastry cutter or your fingers to work the butter into the flour mixture until the butter is fully incorporated and the mixture resembles coarse sand with some larger pieces. This is similar to making a pie crust.2½ cups (300 g) all purpose flour, ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt, 10 tablespoons (141 g) cold unsalted butter, cubed
- In a separate bowl, lightly whisk an egg to smooth. Then whisk in the buttermilk and vanilla extract until well combined. Form a little well in the center of the flour and butter mixture.1 large egg, ½ cup (120 ml) cold buttermilk, 2 teaspoons (10 ml) vanilla extract
- Pour ½ of the wet ingredients into the dry and gently incorporate. Repeat with the remaining wet ingredients into the dough. Mix until the dough just comes together. There should be a few stray pieces of the dough. Try to mix everything in as gently as possible.
- Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently shape the dough into a ball. Gently knead the scone dough by pressing down on the dough from middle to edges to form a disk. Fold in half. Repeat gently pressing the dough back into a round disk. Shape into a 7 - 8 inch disk that’s about 1 inch thick. Place the disk onto a parchment lined baking sheet or plate to chill in the freezer for 20 - 30 minutes. While the scones chill in the freezer, preheat the oven to 425 F (218 C).
- Remove the scones from the freezer and cut into 6 - 8 wedges using a dough scraper or long sharp knife. Space the scones about 2 - inches apart on a lined baking sheet. Brush the tops with buttermilk and sprinkle with sugar if you like. Bake in the oven at 425 F (218 C) for 14 - 16 minutes. The scones should be lightly golden brown and will be very fragrant.1 tablespoon sugar for topping, optional
- Allow scones to cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring them to a cooling rack or serve warm. These scones would be especially delicious served with maple butter or whipped honey butter and warm fruit compote.
Megan says