Easy Buttermilk Vanilla Scones
Easy Buttermilk Vanilla Scones with Berry Jam — tall, flaky, golden-edged scones with cold grated butter, cold buttermilk, and pure vanilla extract baked until deeply golden. Ready in 45 minutes from pantry staples, served warm with butter and berry jam.
Equipment
- large mixing bowl
- Box grater (for butter)
- parchment-lined baking sheet
- Biscuit cutter or sharp knife
- Pastry brush
Ingredients
Scone Dough
- 2.5 cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- 3 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp baking powder fresh — check expiration date
- 0.5 tsp salt
- 0.5 cup unsalted butter, frozen 1 stick — grated on large holes of box grater
- 0.75 cup cold full-fat buttermilk straight from refrigerator
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Topping
- 2 tbsp heavy cream or egg wash for brushing tops before baking
- 1 tbsp coarse sugar for sprinkling over tops
For Serving
- unsalted butter, softened for serving
- berry jam strawberry, mixed berry, or blackberry
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
- Grate frozen butter on the large holes of a box grater directly into the flour. Toss quickly with fingers until butter pieces are coated in flour.
- In a small bowl, whisk together cold buttermilk, egg, and vanilla extract. Pour into the flour mixture and mix gently with a fork just until a shaggy dough forms — do not overmix.
- Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Gently pat (do not roll) to a 1-inch thick rectangle. Cut into 8 triangles or 2½-inch rounds with a sharp cutter pressed straight down without twisting.
- Place on the parchment-lined baking sheet 2 inches apart. Brush tops with heavy cream or egg wash. Sprinkle with coarse sugar. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
- Bake for 18 to 22 minutes until tops and edges are deeply golden. Rest 5 minutes before serving warm with softened butter and berry jam.
Notes
Keep everything cold — frozen butter is the key to flaky layers. Grate butter directly from frozen using a box grater. Handle dough as little as possible — overmixing makes tough scones. Pat to 1-inch thickness — do not roll. Press biscuit cutter straight down without twisting. Chill shaped scones 15 minutes before baking. Freeze unbaked shaped scones for fresh scones any morning — bake from frozen at 400°F for 24 to 26 minutes.