Description
Soft, cake like strawberry scones made with fresh strawberries, sour cream, and a hint of lemon, topped with a gorgeous pink strawberry glaze. These tender scones are easy to make and perfect for breakfast, brunch, or an afternoon treat with tea.
Ingredients
For the Scones
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour – the foundation of tender scones
- 1 tablespoon baking powder – helps them rise beautifully
- ½ teaspoon baking soda – adds extra lift and tenderness
- ½ teaspoon salt – balances the sweetness
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold and cubed – keep it cold for the best texture!
- ¾ cup granulated sugar – just the right amount of sweetness
- ½ cup sour cream – makes them incredibly moist and tender
- 2 large eggs – binds everything together
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract – warm, sweet flavor
- Zest of 1 lemon (optional) – brightens the strawberry flavor beautifully
- 1–1½ cups diced fresh strawberries – drained on paper towels to prevent sogginess
Optional Add-Ins
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice – toss with strawberries for extra zing
- Sugar crystals – for rolling tops before baking
- White chocolate chips – a sweet, creamy addition
For the Strawberry Glaze
- 1–1½ cups powdered sugar – creates that sweet, glossy finish
- 1–2 tablespoons milk or cream – thins the glaze to the perfect consistency
- 1–2 tablespoons fresh strawberry puree or juice – gives it that gorgeous pink color
- Optional: a drop of vanilla or lemon juice – enhances the flavor
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper—this keeps your scones from sticking and makes cleanup a breeze.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. This ensures everything is evenly distributed so your scones rise perfectly.
Add those cold, cubed butter pieces to your dry ingredients. Using a pastry cutter or your fingertips, work the butter into the flour until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces still visible. Those little butter bits are what make your scones tender and flaky!
In another bowl, whisk together the sour cream, eggs, sugar, vanilla extract, and lemon zest if you’re using it. Whisk until everything is smooth and well combined.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir gently with a wooden spoon or spatula until just combined. You should still see a few flour streaks—that’s perfect! Overmixing is the enemy of tender scones, so resist the urge to keep stirring.
Gently fold in those drained, diced strawberries. Be careful not to mash them—you want pretty pieces of fruit throughout your scones, not strawberry mush!
Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon, drop about 2 tablespoons of dough per scone onto your prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. If you’re feeling fancy, roll each scoop lightly in sugar crystals for a sparkly finish.
Bake for 12–15 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden. The centers might look a bit soft—don’t worry! They’ll finish setting as they cool. Overbaking will make them dry, so pull them when they’re just set.
Let the scones cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes to firm up, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before glazing.
In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, strawberry puree or juice, and milk until smooth and pourable. Add a splash of vanilla or lemon juice if you want extra flavor. Drizzle that gorgeous pink glaze over your cooled scones and let it set for a few minutes.
Notes
- Don’t overmix – Stir until just combined, even if you see flour streaks. They’ll incorporate during baking
- Drain those berries – Pat strawberries dry on paper towels for at least 10 minutes before using
- Test one first – Bake a test scone to check timing before doing the whole batch
- Glaze when cool – Warm scones will make the glaze melt and slide right off
- Sugar sparkle – Roll tops in coarse sugar before baking for a bakery-style finish
- Freeze the dough – Scoop onto a baking sheet, freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag. Bake from frozen, adding 2–3 extra minutes
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 12–15 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American