I first started working on this recipe about a year ago. I can still remember all the flat and hard as a rock scones. call it ignorance, but I really had no idea what I was in for when I set out to create a fantastic scone. well, lucky for me (and for you), i have made all the terrible scones, so you can have the savory perfect scone. the perfect herb de provence scone.

what is herbs de provence?

this is a blend of various dried, aromatic herbs. traditionally, this blend is made of: thyme, basil, rosemary, tarragon, savory, marjoram, and oregano. named for the provincial region in France. this blend of dried herbs is lovely to flavor meats, soups, stews and now....scones!

you do not have to use this blend in order to make these herb de provence scones. in fact, this scone is incredibly delicious without this added blend of spices. however, its flavor pairs perfectly with the slightest sweet buttery note found in the scones. it is a French spice blend after all....they practically invented the butter in everything cooking philosophy!

what makes a great scone?

a great scone should have a few things going for it. it should be:

golden on the outside
light, tender and flaky on the inside
it should have a solid structure
a short crumb, with the slightest crumble

in short, the perfect scone can be rather elusive if you don't use the right ingredients, keep it at the right temperature or mess with it too much. trust me, ive been down that road.

tell me the secrets to make a great scone....

to make a great scone, you HAVE to remember a few things:

keep your ingredients COLD, always and with everything
to make them properly and perfectly each time, you have to go by hand. no short cuts on this!
use a flour that's meant to make pie crusts or biscuits. all purpose works in a pinch. but, pastry, cake or self rising flour is going to give you a great scone every time
use must use butter. do not try margarine. frozen coconut butter could work. although, I haven't tried this method
give the dough time to rest and get cold
rising agents: this is more a matter of preference. i personally have great success when I use a pinch of baking powder and one egg

do I need special tools to make a great scone?

in short, no. in reality, there is a kitchen tool I didn't own until a few months ago. I picked it up while in target shopping for photo props. in fact, I bought it to BE a photo prop. but, now I can't imagine making a flaky pastry or pie crust without it.

a pastry cutter is one of those tools that you think you don't need until you finally do use one. yes, its a bit of work to cut the butter into the dough. but, ive taken to liking it more than I thought I would. its almost therapeutic- running the cutter through the flour + butter mixture. it works magic every single time.

other options include:

your hands: which are hot and we're trying to keep everything super cold
food processor: works perfectly fine for this. but, you'll want to transfer the mixture to a bowl before adding any wet ingredients
two knives: I have not tried this technique, but it seems to follow the same basic idea as the other methods

another basic tool i recommend for this is a box grater. this helps tremendously when getting the butter to a good size for cutting into the flour. use the medium hole side. the side that gives you finely shredded cheese.

a few extra tips for the perfect herbs de provence scones...

pastry flour: if you can, use this or self rising flour. these flours are meant to be made into biscuits and scones
all purpose flour: this works, too. especially now when flour is a bit hard to find
butter: you must use butter. in fact, you will be using 1/2 a cup (8tbsp) and it will be worth every single bit. promise. plus, it helps the scones rise and this. is. good.
cold ingredients: i mean, COLD. frozen even. I use frozen butter in fact. keep everything as cold as possible while making scones. if the dough gets too sticky, put it in the freezer for 10-15 minutes
mixing wet into dry: once you reach this step and the dough just comes together, try not to touch it too much. you want to shape and create layers while touching as little as possible
floured surface: lightly flour the surface you will be shaping the dough on by grabbing a pinch of flour; in short sideways bursts, release the flour onto the clean surface. if the top of the dough is sticky, repeat this on the dough itself. don't flour too much or the ratio will be off
chill time: this is when your dough gets to collect itself. let it rest and get cold. this helps it puff up in the oven
cutting the scones: to get a perfect slice, dust a dough scraper or long, sharp knife with flour. slice down and then up. don't twist. repeat.

just a few more...

preheat the oven: most ovens, even modern ones, need at least 20-25 minutes to preheat to the desired temperature. when you pop these into the freezer to chill, turn the oven on
oven temperature: you want the temperature to be somewhere around 375-400F. each time I make scones, 375F for 15-18 minutes works for me. watch the scones. they should be golden, but not burned. if this time doesn't work, check back each minute until they are
rest on the hot baking sheet for 1 minute to set. cool any remaining time on a cooling rack
top with more butter: optional, but not. jam is also a great addition
if you're looking for a sweet scone, check out my raspberry almond streusel scone!

herb de provence scones on a baking sheet