Tomato, Basil and Goat Cheese Scones

When it comes to scones, I'm pretty much a hoarder.  I've tried all sorts of flavor combinations and I love them all!  When my friend posted a picture the other day of her tomato-basil-goat cheese biscuit, I knew these would be the next scones I would make.  After all this is about the time every year when I pull my tomato plants out for the fall and I have a bajillion cherry tomatoes to use up.

I love, love loved the outcome of these scones.  They were every bit as delicious as I had imagined.  Since the cook time is relatively short the tomato and basil still had that fresh picked flavor and the soft, tangy goat cheese just melts in your mouth.


Tomato, Basil and Goat Cheese Scones
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
5 Tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into chunks
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved (about half a pint)
2-3 Tbsp. fresh basil, chiffonade
1/4 cup goat cheese, crumbled

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

In a food processor fitted with a blade attachment, add the flours, baking powder and salt.  Pulse a couple times to blend.  Add butter and whiz until mixture becomes a coarse meal.  Alternately you could use a pastry blender or two knives to cut butter in.

Pour mixture into a mixing bowl and toss in tomatoes, basil and goat cheese. Gently mix in buttermilk until just combined.  Do not over mix!

Turn dough out onto flour dusted counter and knead about 4 times (again, resist the urge to knead much more than that).  Pat into a rectangle and cut into 12 squares.  Place each scone onto a baking sheet.  Place baking sheet into oven and bake 12- 15 minutes, until lightly golden. Cool completely on wire rack.  

Scones are best eaten fresh, the same day.  You can also freeze uncooked scones to bake fresh as needed.  After you cut them out, place them on a large plate and place in freezer for about an hour.  Then transfer them to a freezer safe zip loc bag.  Do not thaw to bake, just add about 3-4 extra minutes onto bake time.

Cake Batter Scones

Celebrating birthdays is just about one of my favorite things to celebrate.  Although my husband isn't much for celebrations, I still try to make a big deal for the rest of us.  My go-to birthday breakfast is usually these Cake Batter Pancakes, but this year I wanted to try something different.  It's no secret that I love scones (thirteen recipes on the blog to be exact) so I thought cake batter flavored scones would be perfect for a birthday breakfast.  While there is no actual cake batter in the dough, you better believe they taste EXACTLY like birthday cake and practically melt in your mouth!  They had me swooning.  I may have eaten one...or three.

Cake Batter Scones

for the scones:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 Tbsp. baking powder

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

5 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1 cup heavy cream

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 tsp. almond extract

1/2 cup rainbow sprinkles (or less if you want)

 

for the icing:

1 cup powdered sugar

1-2 Tbsp. milk

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

extra sprinkles for garnish, if desired

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

In a food processor fitted with a blade attachment, add the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar.  Pulse a couple times to blend.  Add butter and whiz until mixture becomes a coarse meal.  Alternately you could use a pastry blender or two knives to cut butter in.

In a separate bowl, add heavy cream, vanilla and almond extracts and stir briefly to combine.  Add flour mixture to bowl, along with sprinkles, and stir until a dough forms (it will be crumbly).  Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently, only about 3 or 4 times. Do not over-work or dough will be chewy.

Divide dough in half and gently pat out into about a 6-inch circle.  Cut into 6-8 wedges and place on an ungreased cookie sheet or cookie sheet lined with a silicone baking mat. Repeat with other half of dough.  Bake in preheated oven about 12-15 minutes or until lightly golden.  Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.

Make icing by whisking together powdered sugar, milk and vanilla.  Once scones are cooled, drizzle icing over the top, add more sprinkles if desired, and allow to set. 

Cranberry Egg Nog Scones with White Chocolate Glaze

I don't think it is possible for me to EVER get tired of making and eating scones.  After pancakes, it's my next passion.  They are my Saturday morning thing that I look forward to most of the week; that and sleeping in FINALLY!

I bought some egg nog on a whim since it was on sale and I usually can't get enough during the season, so I thought it would be perfect to throw into some scones.  My daughters totally agreed too.  They suggested I add white chocolate chips, I wanted fresh cranberries, so I did cranberries and a white chocolate chip glaze. (I did, however, make a batch for the girls with just white chocolate chips since I knew they wouldn't eat the ones with cranberries.)  The verdict: delish! It just doesn't get much better than this when eating things in season.


Cranberry Egg Nog Scones with White Chocolate Glaze
2 cups whole wheat flour (half whole wheat half white is ok too)
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/3 cup sucanat (or other sugar)
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
pinch of allspice
6 Tbsp. cold butter, cut into cubes
1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries, coarsely chopped
1 cup egg nog
1/8 tsp. rum extract

for the glaze:
2 oz white chocolate chips
3/4 cup powdered sugar
2 Tbsp. milk

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

In a mixing bowl fitted with a blade attachment, add the flour, baking powder, salt, sucanat and spices.  Pulse a couple times to blend.  Add butter and whiz until mixture becomes a coarse meal.  Alternately you could use a pastry blender or two knives to cut butter in.

Pour flour mixture into a regular mixing bowl and add cranberries.  Toss to coat.  Add egg nog and rum extract and stir until mixture comes together.  It will be shaggy.  Turn dough onto floured surface.  Fold dough over about 3-4 times and pat out into about 3/4-1-inch thickness.  Use a biscuit cutter to cut out scones.  Place scones on silicone or parchment lined baking sheet.  Pat scraps together gently and cut out the rest of the dough.

Bake for 12-15 minutes or until lightly golden.  Remove from oven and cool on wire rack.  While scones are cooling, make the glaze.

For the white chocolate glaze, melt the chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl for twenty second increments at 50% power or less, stirring in between.  Add the milk and gently whisk it with the melted chocolate.  Warm in microwave a few seconds, if necessary.  Add powdered sugar and whisk until smooth.  Drizzle on cooled scones.

Scones are best eaten fresh. You can freeze any cut out scones you do not want to bake by placing them on a plate or large tray and putting them in the freezer for a couple of hours. Transfer to an airtight container to store.  When ready to bake, place frozen scones on baking sheet, as above, adding about 5 minutes to bake time.

Mini Pumpkin Spice Scones with Chocolate Ganache Glaze

 

 It's not a lazy Saturday morning around here without scones.  They have pretty much been my go-to weekend breakfast indulgence and I love them!!  Now that it's fall my thoughts naturally gravitate towards pumpkin and spice...and everything nice, haha!  No really though, I keep thinking of things I can stick pumpkin into...pasta, pancakes, ice cream, muffins, soup....ya know, and pretty much everything.

These little scones scream fall and will remind you of your favorite pumpkin chocolate chip muffin.  Not too sweet and decadently drenched in dark chocolate these are sure to become your favorite weekend treat too.

Mini Pumpkin Spice Scones with Chocolate Ganache Glaze

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup oat flour

3 Tbsp. sugar

1 Tbsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

3/4 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp.  nutmeg

1/4 tsp. ground ginger

1/4 tsp. ground cloves

6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, chilled and cut into cubes

3/4 cup pumpkin puree

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 cup heavy cream

for the ganache:

1 oz. good quality dark chocolate, chopped

1 oz. heavy cream 

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

In large work bowl of a food processor fitted with steel blade, add flours, baking powder, sugar, salt and spices.  Pulse a few times to combine.  Add butter and whiz until mixture resembles a coarse meal.  Alternately, you can use a mixing bowl and cut butter in using a pastry blender or 2 knives.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the cream, pumpkin puree and vanilla extract.  Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture. Stir with a spoon until a dough forms. Use your hands to bring it together. Turn onto a floured surface and knead gently, only about 3 or 4 times, adding a bit more flour, if needed. Do not over-work or dough will be chewy.

Divide dough in half.  Pat each half into about a 6-inch circle.  Cut each circle into 6 wedges. 

Place scones on un-greased baking sheet, or baking sheet lined with a silicone mat. Bake until lightly brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool on wire rack for at least 10 minutes.

While scones are cooling, make ganache.  Place chopped chocolate in a small bowl.  In a separate bowl, heat heavy cream about 20 seconds in the microwave.   Pour over chocolate, cover and let sit about 2-3 minutes.  Remove cover and stir until smooth.  Cool 2-3 minutes in the fridge then spoon over scones.  Allow ganache to set and enjoy!

Fresh Peach Buttermilk Scones

 

Fresh summer peaches are just about my favorite thing in the world!! Every bite dripping down your chin, slurping up the juices and going back for more.  Mmm, doesn't get much better than that. Local peaches are just about to start popping up in grocery stores and farmer's markets all over town and I cannot wait!!   Until they arrive locally, we're still getting pretty good peaches from outside the state and other than gobbling them up as fast as they are ripe, I had to save a couple to make delicious fresh scones!  Of course. I'm a breakfast freak...and a scone freak.

I lightened up these scones a bit by using buttermilk and half whole wheat flour and added a little crunch with some raw sugar sprinkled on top.  These scones are absolutely delightful and a must for those summer peaches!

Fresh Peach Buttermilk Scones
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
pinch of cloves
5 Tbsp. unsalted butter, chilled and cut into cubes
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup fresh peaches, peeled and small-diced
coarse sugar, for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

In large work bowl of a food processor fitted with steel blade, add flours, baking powder, sugar, salt and spices.  Pulse a few times to combine.  Add butter and whiz until mixture resembles a coarse meal.

Put mixture into a mixing bowl. Add peaches and toss.  Add buttermilk. Stir with a spoon until a dough forms. Use your hands to bring it together. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently, only about 3 or 4 times, adding a bit more flour, if needed. Do not over-work or dough will be chewy.

Form scones by patting the dough into a circle and cut into wedges.

Place scones on un-greased baking sheet.  Brush with a little more buttermilk and sprinkle each with coarse sugar. Bake until lightly brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool on wire rack for at least 10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Fresh Raspberry Scones

One thing I love about summer is the abundance of fresh produce, especially fresh berries.  Occasionally berries will go a on a super sale and I can't help but stock my freezer full, namely for smoothies.  However, I ALWAYS have to keep some out fresh to enjoy their goodness.  I  have to restrain my girls or they would eat the lot within minutes, but I do give them their fair share before I have a go at them.  I usually limit my use to just one baked goodie and eat the rest fresh as well.

Fresh raspberries are so delicious in simply baked treats and I knew they would shine in these scones.  Pair that with some dark chocolate and buttermilk and you have yourself a little piece of heaven!

Fresh Raspberry Scones
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
5 Tbsp. unsalted butter, chilled and cut into pieces
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1/3 cup dark chocolate chips
1 cup fresh raspberries


Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

In large work bowl of a food processor fitted with steel blade, add flour, oats, baking powder, sugar and salt.  Pulse a few times to combine.  Add butter and whiz until mixture resembles a coarse meal.

Put mixture into a mixing bowl. Add raspberries, chocolate and toss.  Add buttermilk. Stir with a spoon until a dough forms. Use your hands to bring it together. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently, only about 3 or 4 times, adding a bit more flour, if needed. Do not over-work or dough will be chewy.

Form scones by patting the dough into a circle and cut into wedges.

Place scones on un-greased baking sheet and bake until lightly brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool on wire rack for at least 10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Wheat-Oat Blueberry Lemon Scones

Who says a scone can't be healthy?  Since I have been making them more often (because I always seem to have cream that needs to be used up in my fridge!) I figured I should start making them a little more healthy.  I switched out ALL of the white flour and traded it for whole wheat and oat flour, but I was pleasantly surprised how well it worked still.  My scones don't typically have much sugar to begin with but I still tried to do better by using just a smidge less and using raw sugar.  And of course, all the deliciousness of using fresh blueberries, these scones don't disappoint!  They are still light and fluffy and you can feel better about eating (a few more of) them!

Wheat-Oat Blueberry Lemon Scones
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup oats, blended to a powder
1 Tbsp. baking powder
3 Tbsp. raw sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
Zest of 1 lemon
5 Tbsp. unsalted butter, chilled and cut into pieces
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup blueberries (frozen, not thawed, or fresh both work)

Glaze (if desired): juice of half a lemon, powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 425°F.

In a blender or spice grinder, blend 1/2 cup oats until a powder.  Place flour, ground oats, baking powder, sugar, zest and salt in large bowl or work bowl of a food processor fitted with steel blade. Whisk together or pulse.

If mixing by hand, use two knives, a pastry blender or your fingertips and quickly cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. If using food processor, remove cover and distribute butter evenly over dry ingredients. Cover and pulse until mixture resembles a coarse meal.

Put mixture into a mixing bowl. Add blueberries and toss.  Add cream. Stir with a spoon until a dough forms, using your hands to bring it together. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently, adding a bit more flour, if needed.

Form scones by patting the dough into a circle and cut into wedges.

Place scones on un-greased baking sheet and bake until lightly brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool on wire rack for at least 10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

To glaze, use the juice of half a lemon and powdered sugar to desired consistency.  Drizzle over cooled scones.

Banana Scones with Brown Butter Glaze

Good heavens, I cannot get over how delicious these scones are!  Hello, brown butter and bananas, they were just made to go together.  My oldest daughter even commented the glaze tasted like caramel...so yummy.

Like I said, I can't get enough of scones right now.  I made these the week before Easter when we woke up on a Saturday to MORE SNOW.  We needed a happy place and this was definitely it.  I actually made a double batch, which is not even double the work so quite the time saver, and froze half, so we got to eat these babies two weeks in a row!

My first batch I baked, I made them into wedges but I felt like they were a little large for a single serving.  This recipe makes a little more than my basic scone recipe.  So, the second batch I pressed the dough into a rectangle and cut them into squares.  Much more manageable.

If you have any extra time laying around this weekend, give these a try, you will fall in love as we did!


Banana Scones with Brown Butter Glaze
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 cups  whole wheat flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
Dash of grated nutmeg
10 tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1½ cups mashed ripe banana (about 3-4 large bananas)
1 cup heavy cream (whole milk or buttermilk may be substituted)

For the glaze:
8 tbsp. (4 oz.) butter
1½-2 cups powdered sugar
3 tbsp. milk, plus more as needed

 

Preheat the oven to 425˚ F.

In a large bowl, combine the flours, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg. Whisk to blend. Stir in the pieces of cold butter and cut into the dry ingredients using a pastry cutter or two knives until the mixture resembles coarse meal and the largest pieces of butter are the size of peas. Alternately you may use a food processor with a chopper blade. Whiz until mixture resembles a coarse meal.

In a second bowl, combine the mashed banana and heavy cream.  Add the dry ingredients to the banana mixture and fold together gently with a spatula until a dough just begins to come together.   Do not over mix!

Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently, adding a bit more flour, if needed.

Form scones by patting the dough into a rectangle and cut into squares.

Place scones on un-greased baking sheet and bake until lightly brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool on wire rack for at least 10 minutes.

 

While the scones are cooling, make the glaze. Heat the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Let it melt and continue to cook, swirling occasionally, until the butter is golden brown color and has a nutty fragrance.  Set aside to cool slightly.

 

Transfer the browned butter to a bowl and whisk in the powdered sugar. Whisk in the milk until the mixture is smooth.  Spoon or drizzle the glaze over the scones and let set before serving.

 

SOURCE: Adapted from Annie's Eats

Chocolate Chip Coconut Scones

I've been on kind of a scone kick lately. I simply adore scones and my girls love them too.  They are so wonderful to have fresh and warm in the morning and they aren't too sweet either.  Since finding a fabulous cream scone base recipe, I adapt all other scones I make to that one. Each flavor combination turns out better than the last, it seems like, and they are always so soft and flaky.

I'm nuts for anything coconut, but throw chocolate in with it and don't plan on holding me back! Amazing combination.

I don't usually glaze my scones, but I thought once in a while it would be ok.  These would be perfect for Sunday brunch when you've got some extra time on a quiet day.


Chocolate Chip Coconut Scones
for the scones:
2 cups flour
1 Tbsp.  baking powder
3 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
5 Tbsp. chilled, unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1/2 cup chocolate chips (regular or mini)
1/2 cup sweetened, flaked coconut
2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup canned coconut milk

for the glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
2-3 Tbsp. coconut milk
1/4 cup toasted coconut

Preheat oven to 425°F.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt and sugar. Using a pastry blender, cut the cold butter into the dry ingredients until it is the size of small peas and evenly incorporated. Work quickly so the butter does not soften too much.

Stir in coconut milk and vanilla with a rubber spatula or fork until dough begins to form, about 30 seconds.

Transfer dough to countertop, there will be some crumbly bits, and knead dough by hand just until it comes together into a rough, sticky ball, 5 to 10 seconds.

Press the dough into an 8-inch disc and cut into 8 wedges.  Place wedges on ungreased baking sheet and bake until  tops are light brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool on wire rack for at least 10 minutes.

While scones are baking, make glaze and toast coconut.

For the glaze, mix powdered sugar and coconut milk and whisk until smooth. Add more milk until it reaches desired consistency.

To toast the coconut, place in a medium frying pan over medium-high heat.  Monitor closely and stir frequently, until coconut starts to brown.  Immediately remove from heat and set aside.

Once scones are cooled, spoon glaze over tops, a few at a time, then sprinkle the toasted coconut on top.  Allow to finish cooling and glaze to set.



SOURCE: Adapted from Smitten Kitchen and My Baking Addiction

Pesto Parmesan Scones

I told you I was obsessed with scones lately.  I rarely ever make savory scones, but I needed some dippers for my tomato soup and these seemed to fit the bill.  I mean who wouldn't want to pair tomatoes with basil and parm??  Delicious. 

I was a little nervous straying from my basic cream scone recipe that I LIVE by.  But after a little tweaking, I think these came out perfect.  And just to be different I made them square, but go ahead and make them in a circle or triangle or whatever shape you want.  You won't want to resist their deliciousness!

Pesto Parmesan Scones
2 cups flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 Tbsp.  sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
5 Tbsp. cold butter, cut into pieces
1 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup pesto
1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Place flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and pepper in large bowl or work bowl of a  food processor fitted with steel blade. Whisk together or pulse.

If mixing by hand, use two knives, a pastry blender or your fingertips and quickly cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. If using food processor, remove cover and distribute butter evenly over dry ingredients. Cover and pulse until mixture resembles a coarse meal.

Put mixture into a mixing bowl.  Add buttermilk, pesto and parmesan cheese.  Stir with a spoon until a dough forms, using your hands to bring it together. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently, adding a bit more flour, if needed.

Form scones by patting the dough into a rectangle and cut into squares.

Place scones on un-greased baking sheet and bake until lightly brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool on wire rack for at least 10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.


SOURCE: Adapted from How Sweet It Is and Smitten Kitchen

Cherry Chocolate Scones

I think it's funny how some words have two meanings. Take scones, for instance. When I tell my husband I want to make scones, he gets all excited and asks if we can make honey butter to go with them. See, to him scones are what I've always heard referred to as fry bread, or Indian Fry bread. Not an unlikable treat, but not something I'd generally go to. I find it funny that my husband doesn't think of scones as typical English scones (like I do) because he lived near there for practically 2 years of his life! Oh well.

Anyway, back to what I call scones. These dreamy, cream scones are as good as you're going to get people! If you've ever made scones, it's weird how it all comes together. Almost seems like it won't, looking at that big floury mass. But that butter and cream work their magic.

These are the lightest and most fluffy scones I have ever eaten. They practically melt in your mouth. My girls absolutely went crazy for them, especially with the little chocolate chips; although they could have done without the cherries. They actually love cherries, but they don't do the whole chunky fruit mixed up in baked goods concept.

Now is the prime time to get you some cherries. They do make the dough a little stickier than usual, but don't be dissuaded, you won't be sorry.

Cherry Chocolate Scones
2 cups (10 ounces) all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
3 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 Tbsp. chilled, unsalted butter, cut into cubes
1 cup fresh cherries, halved and pitted
4 oz. dark chocolate, chopped (or use chips)
1 cup heavy cream
2 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Place flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in large bowl or work bowl of food processor fitted with steel blade. Whisk together or pulse.

If mixing by hand, use two knives, a pastry blender or your fingertips and quickly cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. If using food processor, remove cover and distribute butter evenly over dry ingredients. Cover and pulse until mixture resembles a coarse meal.

Stir in cream and vanilla, just barely combining, then gently stir in cherries and chocolate. Stir with a spoon until a dough forms, using your hands to bring it together. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently, adding a bit more flour, if needed.

Form scones by either patting the dough into an 8-inch circle and cutting it into 8 wedges or cutting pieces with a biscuit cutter.

Place rounds or wedges on un-greased baking sheet and bake until scone tops are light brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool on wire rack for at least 10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

**If you want to glaze the scones, whisk together 1 cup powdered sugar, 1-2 Tbsp. milk and 1/4 tsp. almond extract. Drizzle over tops of warm scones.


SOURCE: Adapted from America's Test Kitchen via. Smitten Kitchen, and How Sweet It Is

Orange Cranberry Scones with White Chips

Anyone still eating leftover Thanksgiving pie for breakfast? I think one of the best parts of a huge Thanksgiving meal is eating the leftovers for days in a row. I usually eat some of the leftovers straight up, but I like to save a little bit of turkey to make some good old comfort food; Chicken Pot Pie and Chicken Noodle Soup. IF there are any sweet potato leftovers (which their usually isn't), I like to make these Ginger Sweet Potato Muffins, practically my favorite muffin ever!

Leftover cranberry sauce probably gets overlooked most of the time. I know I haven't paid much attention to it in the past. I don't like to let things go to waste though, so I decided to incorporate what I had left into a scone. I think it worked out perfect. I had been dying to make scones anyway and the combination of the cranberries, orange and white chocolate chips couldn't have been better.

These scones are more moist than your typical scone, due to the cranberry sauce, but they still turn out wonderfully light and flaky. You may need to sprinkle your hands with flour when patting them out, and remember not to work them too much.

Orange Cranberry Scones with White Chips
For the dough:
2 1/4 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. orange zest
1/4 cup white chocolate chips
6 Tbsp. cold butter, cut into pieces
1 egg
1/2 cup cranberry sauce
3 Tbsp. freshly squeezed orange juice (about half a small orange)
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp. heavy cream, chilled

For the glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
3-4 Tbsp. freshly squeezed orange juice (about half a small orange)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, cinnamon and orange zest. With either a pastry blender or two knives, cut in the cold butter until the mixture is crumbly. Stir in white chips and set aside.

In a separate small mixing bowl, combine egg, cranberry sauce, orange juice and 1/2 cup heavy cream. Fold the wet ingredients into the dry and form the dough into a disk.

Gently and quickly pat the dough out, on a floured surface, into an 8-10 inch circle. Cut into 8 wedges and place onto baking pan. Brush tops with remaining 2 Tbsp. of heavy cream.

Bake for 13-15 minutes or until scones are slightly brown on top.

For the glaze, mix powdered sugar and orange juice and drizzle over top of the warm scones. Serve warm or allow to cool completely.


Linked to...
It's A Keeper Thursday @ It's A Keeper

Raspberry Chocolate Scones

I think I found my new favorite breakfast food! I love these scones. I actually made them on Valentine's Day for something a little extra special. These scones are a little bit softer than traditional scones because of the yogurt in them, and they're not too sweet. The dark chocolate is the perfect accent because it gives that burst of chocolate without being too sweet either. This was a great way to use up some of my frozen raspberries.

For the scones
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. salt
6 tbsp. unsalted butter, cold and cut into pieces
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
¾ cup fresh or frozen raspberries
½ cup plain or vanilla yogurt
1 ½ tsp. vanilla extract
1 large egg, lightly beaten

For the egg wash
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 tbsp. milk or cream

Preheat oven to 375° F and place rack in middle of oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or spray with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Cut the butter into small pieces and blend into the flour mixture with a pastry blender or two knives. The mixture should look like coarse crumbs. Stir in the chocolate chips and raspberries. In a small measuring cup, whisk together the yogurt, vanilla extract, and egg. Add this mixture to the flour mixture and stir just until the dough comes together. Do not over mix.

Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead the dough gently four or five times. Dough will be a little sticky so put a littl more flour under the ball of dough (as well as on your hands) then pat, or roll, the dough into a circle that is about 7 inches round and about 1 1/2 inches thick. Cut the dough into 8-12 triangles. Place the scones on the baking sheet. Make an egg wash of one well-beaten egg mixed with 1 tablespoon milk and brush the tops of the scones with this mixture. Sprinkle with additional sugar if desired.

Bake for about 18 to 20 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.


SOURCE: Adapted from Annie's Eats

Strawberry White Chip Scones

I love breakfast! I especially like it when it's fresh and either hot off the stove or hot out of the oven. Most mornings, I make me and the girls (Ben sleeps late because of his shift)eggs and toast, mush (cream of wheat or oatmeal), my favorite pancakes that I grew up eating, or my favorite pancakes that I discovered as an adult. If I get up early enough, or at least before my littlest one, I love to make muffins, scones, coffee cake, quickbread, or whatever. That seems to be way too rare lately though; the girls have had to PRY me out of bed in the morning the past few weeks! Maybe it's the post-holiday slump, or maybe just the post-flu slump that has left me exhausted for weeks it seems.

Anyway, I did manage to make these delicious scones the other day. When I saw strawberries on sale at the grocery store, I grabbed a couple knowing I could make these and my oldest daughter would devour the rest. And that she did.

I used several recipes to get the finished product I was looking for. Some used dried strawberries, others added walnuts. I decided to add white chips because the flavor combination seemed to go well together. Knowing that I was going to have these for breakfast, I only added just enough to get a taste but not overwhelm the scone with sweetness or heaviness. The scones turned out light and a little softer than traditional scones.

1 1/4 cup flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
6 Tbsp. unsalted cold butter, diced
2/3 cup low-fat buttermilk
1 large egg white
1 Tbsp. orange rind
1/4 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup strawberries
2 tsp. sugar

Preheat oven to 375 F.

In a food processor, fitted with a blade attachment, add flours, sugar, baking powder and baking soda. Pulse to combine. Add cold butter and mix until crumbly. Combine buttermilk, egg white and orange rind; add to flour mixture, stirring until just moist. Fold in white chips and strawberries.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. With hands well floured, knead the dough four times. Pat into an 8-10” circle. Cut into 12 wedges. Place on baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray. Sprinkle with 2 teaspoons of sugar. Bake for 20 minutes or until lightly browned.

Calories per scone (1/12): 227

SOURCE:Adapted loosely from Annie's Eats

NOTES:If you do not have a food processor with a blade attachment, to cut in the butter to the dry ingredients, you could do one of two things. First, you could cut in the butter with either a pastry blender (hand-held), or use two knives, slicing back and forth. Second, you could melt the butter and it to the wet ingredients and follow the directions from there.

Pumpkin Scones

Breakfasts are so fun for me. You can eat anything from eggs and toast to hot cereal, pancakes, muffins, granola and scones. Really the possibilities are endless and I'm always trying new things. Breakfast is never the same for us. These pumpkin scones are perfect for this time of year. They are great for a holiday gift basket or on Thanksgiving morning for a light breakfast. Even if you want to make them the day after, you can use up some of your leftover pumpkin. The white chips make these scones extra special.

Pumpkin Scones
2 cups flour, white or whole wheat
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/3 cup white chocolate chips (optional)
1/3 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1 tsp. vanilla extract

For the egg wash:
1 large egg
1 tablespoon milk or cream

Preheat the oven to 375° and place a rack in the middle of the oven.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, spices, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Cut the butter into small pieces and blend into the flour mixture with a pastry blender or two knives. The mixture should look like coarse crumbs. Stir in the chopped white chocolate. In a separate bowl mix together the buttermilk, pumpkin and vanilla, and then add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture. Mix just until the dough comes together. Do not over mix the dough.

Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead dough gently four or five times and then pat the dough into a circle that is about 7 inches round. Cut the circle into 8 equal triangles. Place the scones on the baking sheet. Brush the tops of the scones with the egg wash. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Makes 8 scones.

SOURCE:Adapted from Annie's Eats