White Chocolate Cranberry Scones (Gluten-Free Optional)
5 from 1 vote
Cold butter and buttermilk, a quick mix, a hot oven, and not over-baking are the keys for achieving that desired flaky, tender interior and crisp exterior. Delightful for breakfast or a snack, with a cup of coffee or tea!
Mix dry ingredients (flour through salt) together in a large bowl. Cut in butter and combine until mixture resembles bread crumbs. (I think the easiest way to do this is with your fingers.) Add cranberries and chips.
In separate bowl, combine buttermilk and vanilla, then gradually add to the dry ingredients until a soft, sticky dough is formed. If the dough seems too dry, add more buttermilk, a tablespoon at a time, being careful not to over-mix.
Pat dough into a 6-8-inch circle, depending on how thick you prefer your scones, and cut into 8 wedge-shaped pieces. I like to pat the dough out on a piece of parchment paper and then transfer the wedges to a baking sheet covered with a clean piece of parchment.
Bake for about 13-15 minutes (will vary slightly depending on how thick you make your scones) or until the scones are golden brown and pass the toothpick test.
Notes
For extra crunch and decadence, brush the tops of the scones with buttermilk and sprinkle generously with sugar. Broil for a minute or so, watching very closely as sugar will brown quickly.
No buttermilk? Add 2 teaspoons white vinegar or lemon juice to ⅔ cup whole milk and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes. The milk will begin to curdle and thicken slightly, which means it's ready to use.
Mix it up: While I love the white chocolate-cranberry combination, you could vary the add-ins with ingredients like semi-sweet, milk, or dark chocolate chips; dried currants, raisins, blueberries, or another dried fruit of choice; and/or pistachios, almonds, hazelnuts, or your preferred nut. Just keep the total amount of add-ins about the same as noted above. For more flavor variation, you could experiment with a touch of cinnamon and/or orange or lemon zest.