Fragrant lavender flavors these buttery, soft scones. While some scones can be dense, these are flaky, light pillows of vanilla and lavender. Topped with a sweet vanilla glaze, these lavender scones will be a hit on your brunch menu and are easy to make!
I love the smell and taste of lavender. During these quarantine days, instead of going to the drive through at Starbucks, I've been having iced lattes at home with homemade lavender simple syrup. If you've not had a lavender coffee before, I highly recommend it! It's those little pleasures and routines that have kept me somewhat sane during these unending days. Sometimes it is the most simple things that can carry us through a tough time. I hope that you are finding your own little pleasures and things to look forward to during this time!
How to make scones
To start these scones, you will mix your dry ingredients together in the bowl of a stand mixer. I used a stand mixer and find this is the easiest way but you can definitely use your hands and a pastry cutter to make these if you don’t have a stand mixer. Next, you will add butter that has been frozen and then grated using a box grater. Doing this allows the butter to stay colder and the small grated pieces get incorporated into the flour quicker, again keeping everything nice and cold so you don’t end up with softened butter. Next, you add the wet ingredients and mix until the wet ingredients are just incorporated. Your dough will not be formed together completely and will look a bit shaggy. You want this because over mixing the dough will cause tough scones instead of nice flaky ones.
You’ll dump your dough onto a floured surface and using your hands, bring the dough together into a round disc about an inch tall. You will then cut the dough into 8 triangles, place them onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and pop them in the freezer for about 30 minutes. Finally, brush with some heavy cream and if desired, sprinkle with a bit of coarse sugar or sanding sugar. These will bake for about 12-14 minutes in a 400 degree oven. Once they cool, you'll drizzle them with a simple vanilla glaze.
Tips for the best scones
- Use cold ingredients! Keep the egg, cream and butter cold until just ready to use them. This recipe uses frozen grated butter to both help the butter incorporate into the dry ingredients easier and with the least amount of mixing and have the coldest butter possible. I highly recommend doing it this way but if you prefer to skip the freezing and grating steps, cut very cold butter into small cubes and use a pastry cutter to cut it into the dry ingredients until the butter is incorporated throughout and the mixture is the size of small peas.
- My recipe also recommends freezing the scones for about 30 minutes before baking. I know we all like instant gratification, me especially, but this step is also crucial as it will help the scones to not spread when they bake. It helps the butter from melting too quickly in the oven which causes the spreading. It also allows the gluten to relax helping the scones keep their shape.
- Don't overmix! Overmixing the dough will develop dense and chewy scones. For the flaky lightness that we are looking for, you want to avoid overworking the dough. If using a stand mixer like in my recipe, you'll only mix the butter and then the wet ingredients for about 30 seconds each before dumping the dough onto your surface and gently forming it into a disc and cutting the scones into wedges. Some recipes have you cut the scones with a cookie cutter but then you roll the scraps up multiple times and that can end up overworking the dough.
I hope you can find some simple pleasures to add brightness to your day! If you try these lavender scones, tag me on instagram @tarakringlen and leave a review below! For other great breakfast or brunch recipes, check out these:
Lavender Scones
Ingredients
Scone Dough
- 2 cups flour
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 2 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 2 teaspoon dried lavender plus extra for sprinkling on top if desired
- 8 tablespoon unsalted butter frozen and grated
- 1 egg
- ½ cup + 1 tbsp heavy cream cold, divided
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon coarse or sanding sugar for the tops of the scones, optional
Vanilla Glaze
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 3-4 tablespoon heavy cream
Instructions
Scone Dough
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fit with the paddle attachment, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and lavender. Add the cold grated butter and mix at the lowest speed until the butter is mostly combined and the dough looks craggy, about 20-30 seconds.
- Mix the egg, ½ cup of heavy cream and vanilla in a small bowl. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the flour and butter mixture. Mix until just blended, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. The dough will look lumpy and may not be fully incorporated yet!
- Dump the dough onto a floured surface and use your hands to form it into a disc pressing any dry ingredients into the dough to combine. If the dough seems too dry you can add more heavy cream to help bring it together. Shape the dough into a circle, about 1-inch thick. You should still see small pieces of butter in the dough. Slice the circle into 8 wedges. Place the scones onto the prepared sheet pan.
- Place the sheet pan with the scones into the freezer for 30 minutes. After chilling, brush the tops of the scones with the remaining 1 tablespoon of cream and sprinkle with sugar if desired. Bake for about 12-14 minutes, until the bottoms are golden brown and the scones look set. Let the scones cool completely and then pour the glaze onto the scones.
Vanilla Glaze
- Combine powdered sugar, vanilla and 3 tablespoon of heavy cream in a small bowl and whisk together until incorporated. If the glaze is too stiff, add an additional tablespoon of heavy cream to get it to a pourable consistency. It should be about the consistency of glue.
Notes
- Make sure to use culinary or food grade lavender. I used this one from Amazon.
- Scones are usually best when eaten the same day they are baked but you can store these scones in an airtight container for about 3 days on the counter. The glaze may sink into the scones and they will start to become dry any longer than that.
- To make these ahead, you can freeze the scones on the baking sheet as in the recipe but once frozen, transfer the scones to a zip top bag or other container and freeze until ready to bake. They may require an extra minute of baking time due to being completely frozen.
Maureen says
Not sure about the “culinary grade” lavender distinction: I used lavender harvested from my garden. Also some alterations — semolina flour because it needed to be used up, whole milk yogurt and honey instead of cream and sugar, a little baking soda subbing for part of the baking powder. Delicious results!
Tara Kringlen says
Hi Maureen,
I'm glad all the substitutions worked out for you! Culinary grade or food grade refers to the type of lavender and typically has less of that soapy taste that you may have tasted with lavender in the past.
Cassandra Jones says
Love this recipe. It's quick, easy, and absolutely delicious!
Tara Kringlen says
Thanks Cassandra!
Kirsten says
The first time that I made these I committed one accidental modification: I used a blend of lavender and fennel seed. Amazing!!! Today I made the same recipe but added 1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts and blueberries to the dough and then added cardamom to the glaze - heaven!! This recipe is so versatile!
Tara Kringlen says
Oh, that's an interesting flavor combo! Sounds like a happy accident! Thanks for the kind words 🙂