Description
These Peach Scones are a real treat, and can go toe-to-toe with any bakery scone! You’ll love these buttermilk scones that are extra tender with juicy peaches in every bite, and topped with a dreamy, spiced bourbon icing. They’re the most perfect little treat to enjoy for breakfast or brunch with a warm beverage to cozy up to!
Ingredients
Scale
For the peach scones:
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup packed light or dark brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold
- ¾ cup whole buttermilk, cold, plus more for brushing
- 1 large Pete & Gerry’s Pasture-Raised Egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 cup peaches, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces- see notes
- demerara or turbinado sugar, for topping- optional
For the spiced bourbon icing:
- 1 ¼ cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons bourbon or whiskey
- 1 tablespoon milk of choice
- ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
Instructions
- Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and then set aside.
- Combine dry ingredients & butter. You can do this 2 ways: in the body of a food processor or in a large bowl. In the body of a food processor, combine flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, and cubed butter. Pulse the mixture together until the butter is fully incorporated within the flour mixture. Then empty this mixture into a large bowl. Alternatively, in a large mixing bowl, combine flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt, and whisk until well blended. Add the butter into the bowl and toss to coat. Then use a pastry blender to cut the butter into the flour, or pinch it with your fingertips, smearing the butter into the flour. Continue this process until you see shaggy flecks throughout the flour.
- Combine wet ingredients & peaches. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, egg, vanilla bean paste/extract, and almond extract, and whisk the mixture well to thoroughly combine. Empty the buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture along with the chopped peaches. Gently mix, bringing the scone dough together just until you have a combined mass, careful not to overwork. The dough should feel slightly sticky, if yours is excessively sticky add in another tablespoon of flour, as needed, working it in until just combined.
- Transfer to work surface. Dust your work surface with a bit of flour and turn the dough out of the bowl onto the surface. Use lightly floured hands to gently shape and pat the dough into a round 8×8-inch disc that’s about 1-inch thick.
- Stamp & shape scones. Use a sharp knife or bench scraper to evenly section the dough into 8 equal triangle-shaped wedges (as pictured).
- Refrigerate scones. Place the shaped scones onto the prepared baking sheet, arranging them about an inch or so apart so the scones have room to puff up and rise. Then place them into the refrigerator to chill for at least 30 minutes while the oven is still preheating. >> Note: do not skip the chilling step. After working the dough, the butter will have softened and the chill time ensures that the butter solidifies again and the scones have time to firm up.
- Brush & bake. Take scones out of the fridge. Use a pastry brush to brush the top of each scone with a bit of buttermilk (or heavy cream). Then sprinkle each scone with a touch of demerara/turbinado sugar, if desired. Bake the chilled scones for 25-30 minutes, rotating the baking sheet at the halfway mark, until the scones have risen and have golden brown tops.
- Glaze & serve. To make the icing: In a small bowl, combine the powdered sugar, bourbon/whiskey, milk, and ground cardamom. Stir mixture until well combined and free of any lumps. Drizzle icing over peach scones. Serve immediately. Enjoy!
Notes
- For the peaches: I use yellow cling peach halves in white grape juice, drained & then chopped. You can also use fresh chopped peaches. I do not recommend using frozen peaches for this recipe.
- Buttermilk substitute: Use heavy whipping cream as a 1:1 ratio in lieu of buttermilk.
- Gluten-free needs? Swap the all-purpose flour for any gluten-free baking flour as a 1:1 ratio (we love Bob’s Red Mill gf flour!).
- Alcohol-free icing: To make your icing NA, combine 1 cup powdered sugar + 2 tablespoons milk of choice + 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom. Stir mixture until well combined and free of any lumps. Drizzle icing over peach scones.
- Please read blog post in its entirety for more tips + tricks.
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