Every spring, when strawberry season arrived, my daughters and I would head out to pick fresh strawberries together — and these Strawberry Scones were always the reason why. We would come home with our baskets full and go straight to the kitchen. This recipe has been a part of our family for years, and it is still the first thing I reach for when the first good berries of the season show up.
What are Strawberry Scones?
Strawberry Scones are a simple, lightly sweet baked treat made by working cold butter into a flour-based dough, then folding in fresh chopped strawberries and baking until golden. They are not a cake and not a biscuit — somewhere in between, with a tender crumb and slightly crisp exterior. These scones are shaped into triangles, brushed with cream, and sprinkled with sugar before baking, which gives them a beautiful finish. They are best served warm, straight from the oven, with a little butter or strawberry jam on the side.
How to Make This Recipe
The process is quick and requires no special equipment. You start by combining the dry ingredients, then work cold butter in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse sand — this step is what creates a tender, flaky scone. The eggs and heavy cream go in next, followed by the chopped strawberries, stirred in gently so they stay intact. The dough gets patted into a rectangle about an inch thick, cut into eight triangles, brushed with cream, and sprinkled with sugar. They bake at 400°F for about 20 minutes until deep golden. Don’t stress about perfect triangles — rustic is fine, and they will taste wonderful either way.
Tips for the Best Strawberry Scones
- Use cold butter. This is the most important step. Cold butter creates steam pockets as it bakes, which gives you a flaky, tender scone. Warm butter just makes a dense one.
- Don’t overwork the dough. Mix until it just comes together. Overworking develops gluten and toughens the texture.
- Fresh strawberries only. Frozen berries release too much moisture and will make the dough wet and heavy. Stick with fresh, especially during strawberry season when flavor is at its peak.
- Chop your strawberries small. Large pieces make the dough hard to cut cleanly and can create soggy spots. Aim for roughly half-inch pieces.
- Pat, don’t roll. A rolling pin compresses the dough. Use your hands to gently pat it to about one inch thick.
- Brush generously with cream. That cream wash is what gives the tops their deep golden color and slight crunch.
- Serve warm. These are best the day they’re baked. If you have leftovers, a quick 5 minutes in a 300°F oven brings them right back.
A good baking sheet makes a difference here — one that heats evenly so the bottoms don’t burn before the tops are done. I like this Nordic Ware baking sheet set from Amazon for its durability and even heat distribution.
Serving and Storing
Serve these warm with butter, clotted cream, or strawberry jam — or all three, no judgment. They make a beautiful addition to a brunch spread or an afternoon tea. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days. For longer storage, wrap individually and freeze for up to one month — reheat straight from frozen at 325°F for about 10 minutes.
PrintStrawberry Scones
This strawberry scone recipe is the perfect use of fresh produce. You can use other berries or fruits as well, of course. For example, blueberries or raspberries would also be delicious substitutes.
- Cook Time: 20 min
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 8 scones 1x
- Category: Baked Goods
Ingredients
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 cup of heavy cream
1/2 cup of fresh strawberries, chopped
8 tablespoons of cold salted butter, cut into small pieces
2 cups of all purpose flour
5 tablespoons of sugar
1 tablespoon of baking powder
1/4 teaspoon of salt
2 tablespoons of heavy cream for brushing
3 tablespoons of sugar for sprinkling
Instructions
Preheat oven at 400 F
1. Line baking sheet with parchment paper and leave aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the small pieces of cold butter and with your fingertips, rub and pinch the butter into the flour mixture, until the mixture looks like course sand.
3. Next add the eggs and heavy cream, and stir until it forms a soft dough. Then gently stir in the chopped strawberries.
4. Place the dough onto a floured surface and form a ball. Pat the dough down to about a 1 inch thick rectangle. Cut into 8 triangle scones. They don’t need to be perfect – they will taste wonderful even if they are not a perfect triangle!
5. Brush the tops with heavy cream and sprinkle with sugar. Bake until a deep golden color for about 20 minutes. It’s best to serve warm with butter and some jam… strawberry jam for us!
Enjoy!
Notes
Looking for another delicious summer dessert?
I suggest this Ginger and Honey Cake which is perfect to bring to parties or my Pineapple Coconut Cake which always reminds me of summer!
