Buttermilk Scones with Raspberry Butter
When I worked at Rutherford House in Edmonton, I made two dozen of these scones daily for four and a half years. That’s a lot of scones! Scone making was the first thing on my morning prep list and there was something about the gentle kneading and patting and cutting out rounds that eased me into my busy day. The scones, along with our famous raspberry butter, were the centrepieces of the dessert plates that we served for High Tea. Occasionally, bold customers would knock on the kitchen door and ask for the recipes—that’s how good this combination is. The scones are light and fluffy, thanks to the eggs and buttermilk. I’m especially fond of these on Sunday mornings, with a good cuppa tea and the whole day ahead of me.
For the raspberry butter, feel free to substitute any jam or jelly for the raspberry jam. Blueberry and cherry are also delicious! Jars of this make a lovely gift and the recipe doubles easily. Raspberry butter is also delicious on toast, waffles and pancakes.
Makes 1 dozen (3-inch) scones
Recipe excerpted with permission from All the Sweet Things © 2017 Renée Kohlman. Read our review here.
You’ll Need
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 / 3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup cold, unsalted butter, cubed
- 3 large eggs
- 3/4 cup cold buttermilk
- 1/4 cup cold whipping cream
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- Coarse sugar (optional)
- For the raspberry butter
- 1/2 cup salted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup good-quality raspberry jam
Prep and Cook
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Place the rack in the centre of the oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. To make the buttermilk scones, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt with the sugar in a large bowl. Cut in the butter using a pastry blender, being sure to leave some pea-sized bits behind.
- In a medium bowl, beat the eggs then add the buttermilk, whipping cream and vanilla. Whisk well to combine. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon just to combine. Shape the dough into a ball and gently knead it a few times on a floured surface. It’s quite a wet batter, so be sure your countertop is well dusted with flour. Pat it into a 3/4-inch thickness and cut out rounds using a 3-inch cookie cutter or water glass. Place the scones on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 1 inch apart. They like to be snug as they bake. Sprinkle the tops with coarse sugar if you like. Bake for 20–25 minutes, until the scones are lightly golden brown.
- Store the scones in an airtight container for up to 1 day, or freeze for up to 1 month. Simply warm them before eating them.
- To make the raspberry butter, in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix the butter and jam together on high speed until light, creamy and well incorporated, about 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the mixer once or twice. Scrape the raspberry butter into a serving dish and serve it with the scones. You can refrigerate the raspberry butter in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
