Today I’m sharing another simple, classic recipe with you guys- this time we’re on scones. This is a really easy base recipe for scones, and I’m throwing in vanilla for flavor.
You can mix up the flavors here, or keep them simple, but either way you’ll end up with the perfect basic recipe for high-altitude scones. They’re really easy to pull together too- let’s get to it!
As per usual, you can do a lot with this recipe. I’ve made it in several variations, and you can find some of those recipes here! It’s super easy to add in fresh chopped berries, chocolate chips, or nuts.
So, we’re starting with your dry ingredients for this one- the process is really similar to biscuit making. You stir up flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt in a large bowl, and then you cut in some very cold butter until the mixture is crumbly. You can do this with a pastry cutter, your hands, or even a couple of forks. Either way, you want to keep the mixture very cold.
Then, you’re adding in your wet ingredients- in this case it’s sour cream, cream, a dash of vinegar, an egg, and vanilla extract. Here’s about what it will look like:
Then, turn it out onto a floured surface, and knead in a little more flour as needed to make things less sticky, but don’t over-work it! Pat it into a circle that is about 1/2 inch-3/4 inch thick, and slice it up! I like to cut the scones into classic triangle shapes because you won’t waste any dough this way.
I like to brush the tops with a little extra cream and then sprinkle coarse sugar over the top for that perfect little crunch in the end. The sour cream makes these moist and tender, and really the perfect pastry to go with your morning coffee.
The best part? You don’t need any special tools, and you can make the whole batch in just a few minutes. In fact, I suggest you DO make it in just a couple minutes so you can keep things cold before they hit the oven.
Tips & Tricks for High-Altitude Scones
Here are my tips to help along the way towards baking the perfect high-altitude scones:
- Keep everything cold. If you notice your butter starting to soften at any point, go ahead and put the whole bowl into the fridge for about 20 minutes. Optionally, you can also chill the dough before baking to ensure everything is chilled thoroughly.
- How do I know when to stop working in the butter? You want the mixture to have small chunks of butter running throughout fairly evenly- think about a sandy mixture with chunks of butter about the size of peas.
- When do I add in optional add-ins? If you want to add in berries or nuts, toss them into the flour mixture after working in the butter.
- Be sure to avoid over-working the dough. You want to work quickly here, and just until everything comes together. Over working the dough will create tough scones.
- How do I know when the scones are finished baking? The scones should be puffed and lightly golden brown all over when they are finished baking.
- I’m at about 5,000 ft. above sea level, and I find that most people who live between about 3,000-7,000 ft. above sea level do not need to make any adjustments to my recipes.
Enjoy!
Classic Vanilla Scones
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups flour (plus more as needed for shaping)
- 1 tbs. baking powder
- 1/8 tsp. baking soda
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 6 tbs. cold butter
- 3 tbs. sour cream
- 2/3 cup heavy cream (plus more to brush the tops)
- 2 tsp. white vinegar
- 1 egg, cold
- 1 tbs. vanilla extract
- 1 tbs. coarse sugar
Instructions
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Preheat your oven to 425 degrees, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
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In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt. Using a pastry blender or clean hands, cut the cold butter into your flour mixture until it has coarse crumbs of butter running throughout.
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In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream, heavy cream, vinegar, egg, and vanilla extract until combined. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry, and use a spatula to mix until a dough comes together.
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Turn your dough out onto a floured surface, and gently knead it until it just comes together, adding more flour if needed until the dough is not sticky, but still holds together. Pat the dough into a disc about 1/2-3/4 inch thick. Use a sharp knife to cut it like a pizza into 8 even scones.
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Place your scones onto your prepared baking sheet spaced evenly. Brush the tops generously with cream, and sprinkle with the coarse sugar. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the scones are golden on top. Cool and enjoy!
Hello and welcome! My name is Nicole, and Dough-eyed is a food blog for people who want to bake for their family and friends in high-altitude areas. Think of me as a friendly voice there with you in the kitchen, here to give you confidence when you’re baking, and to help you with the struggles of baking at high-altitude. Come back every week for new recipes, tips, and advice on high-altitude baking!
Hello I made this recipe and I used a heavy whipping cream and put the butter in the freezer for about 5 minutes when the scones were done I waited for them to cool slightly and then I put a lemon glaze on top of them thanks for sharing your recipe
YUM! Sounds so good!
Hi there. I'm a Colorado girl as well! Can these be made using gluten free flour?
This is the BEST scone recipe that I have found! Can you tell me what adjustments I would make for when I’m almost at sea level?