Basic Recipe for Fluffy Soft Scones with Buttermilk

Welcome to The Storied Recipe Podcast, a podcast about food, culture, and love. 

This recipe for Soft Scones with Buttermilk came from my podcast guest, Carilyn Mae. Make sure you listen to her episode A Nomad Put Down Roots while you make these Fluffy Soft Scones with Buttermilk and her Quick Jam!  

If you're looking for dense scones that break cleanly in half (like a British scone), this isn't the recipe for you. BUT! If you're looking for light, springy, homemade scones with a fluffy inside and a slightly sweet sprinkle of sugar on top - this IS the recipe for you! The scones are the perfect base for the "pan jam", which has a much lower added sugar than canned jams. The result is a perfectly spreadable jam just bursting with fresh berry flavor, making these the perfect scones for a breakfast spread or as sweet treats for an afternoon tea.

Carilyn's Memories of Making Scones

Foraging for berries, namely blackberries, reminds me of summer visits to my Grampa Ben's farm in Minnesota. But in Kitsap County (Washington), this time of year we can find Salmon berries, Thimbleberries, Blackberries, Currants, and Strawberries on our one acre homestead. 

My latest victory is that I successfully rooted a whole bunch of black currants from hardwood cuttings. Propagation is definitely one of my passions in horticulture.

The recipe is simple. But I mean really, baking biscuits is something I learned when I was a kid, so adding a bit more moisture and topping it with a quick jam seems simple to me.

-Carilyn Mae

Ingredients & Substitutions

• All-purpose flour - Substitution: plain flour works too, if you use self-rising flour, omit the baking powder because it is already added in.
• Sugar
• Baking powder
• Baking soda
• Unsalted butter
• Buttermilk - It is really easy to make your own buttermilk, simply add one tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice to a cup of milk and let it sit for 10 minutes before using it.
• Milk or cream - For the top
• Coarse sugar - Sprinkle on top

Jam

• Mixed berries - Substitution: frozen berries are fine, too
• Sugar
• Lemon juice

Instructions

Make the Jam

• Mix berries and sugar in a saucepan; let sit.
• Simmer over medium heat, then cook over medium-high heat until thickened.
• Add lemon juice and cook for a few extra minutes.
• Transfer hot jam to a jar and refrigerate.

Buttermilk Scones

• Preheat oven and prepare a baking tray.
• In a large bowl, whisk together dry ingredients. Cut in cold butter.
• Add buttermilk, stirring scone dough just until it comes together.
• Knead on a lightly floured surface, then pat to 1-inch thick.
• Cut 8-9 rounds and place on the prepared baking sheet.
• Press a dimple in each scone for jam and add milk and sugar to the tops.
• Bake in hot oven for 10 minutes. Add jam to the tops of the scones, lower the temperature, and bake until golden brown.

What's the Difference Between a Scone and a Biscuit? (in American terms)

Not too much, although small differences in ingredients make a huge difference in texture when making soft, tender scones.

Dry Ingredients: They are almost identical in most biscuit and scone recipes, although scones are a tad sweeter. Biscuits tend to include baking soda, while scones tend to rely on only baking powder.

The differences can also be more nuanced - true Southern biscuits would generally use a finer flour (like White Lily flour). This subtle variation in simple ingredients greatly impacts the texture and flavor.

Wet Ingredients: This is the biggest difference. American scones, which historically developed more in the North, rely on heavier ingredients for the wet ingredients like heavy cream, eggs, and more butter. American biscuits, the pride of the South, rely more on acidity for lift. They omit the egg, replace cream with buttermilk, and often use less butter.

According to this definition, Carilyn's scones, which call for buttermilk and just 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda, really straddle that line between biscuits and scones. Carilyn calls them a fluffy scone, which I think is just the right definition for this great recipe.

Quick Jam (or Pan Jam) vs Regular Jam

This jam recipe has just 3 basic ingredients - berries (or other fresh fruit), a relatively small amount of sugar, and lemon. It's made in a pan in just 30-45 minutes and, because of its lower sugar content, it won't last on a shelf for long periods of time. The thickening agent, pectin, is contained in the fruit itself, and no additional pectin is added. It holds its shape on a spoon, but is slightly looser than a jelly, for instance, which you can almost cut.

On the other hand, jam or jelly that you buy at the grocery store or if you make it yourself will have a thickening agent (pectin) plus a higher sugar content which helps the preserves or jam last longer. Since you are "setting" the jam, it will have a firmer texture compared to the quick jam, and it will take longer to make since you need to wait to make sure that the pectin has been set and the jam is set correctly.

How Long Will This Jam Last?

This quick jam (or "pan jam") will last up to a month, refrigerated. It's not preserved, so don't leave it on the shelf. And honestly, if you make it with these soft scones, it won't last anyway!

Do You Have to Strain the Seeds Out of a Quick Jam?

Nope, there's definitely no rule that you have to strain seeds out of this quick jam! Personally, I prefer to keep them in. I like the texture, I like feeling like I'm a little closer to the whole berry, and I like that any nutrient in any part of the berry is going straight into my body. Of course, there's no rule against straining seeds either - this is totally a personal preference on this one!

Equipment

• Medium saucepan
• Jam jars or Mason jars (with tight-fitting lids)
• Baking sheet
• Parchment paper
• Large bowl
• Metal whisk
• Pastry cutter
• Pastry brush
• Wire rack

Storage

• You can store any leftover scones in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. You can't store these at room temperature like other breads because the jam doesn't contain any preservatives and will spoil. 
• If you want to freeze them, for the best results, it is a good idea to individually wrap each scone with plastic wrap/cling wrap and place them on a baking sheet to freeze, once they are frozen put them into freezer bags and freeze for up to 3 months.

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Recipe

Basic Recipe for Fluffy Soft Scones with Buttermilk

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4.8 from 4 reviews

• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 12 servings 1x

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Description

A soft, fluffy buttermilk scone with a sprinkle of sweet, crunchy sugar on top, as well as a recipe for a quick jam.

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

Buttermilk Scones

• 2 1/2 cups (13 oz/370g) all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup (1 3/4 oz/49g) sugar (plus more for sprinkling)
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 8 Tbsp (one stick/4 oz/114g) unsalted butter (cold, cut into 1/2 inch pieces )
• 1 cup (8 3/4 oz/239g) buttermilk (*See Note 1)
• 2 Tbsp Milk or cream (to brush scones)
• 1 cup Jam ((SEE BELOW))

Small Batch of Jam

• 4 cups (28 oz/790g) mixed berries (*See Note 2)
• 1/2 cup (3.55 oz/100g) sugar
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice (fresh)

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Instructions

Cue Up The Episode!

1. Make sure to listen to Carilyn Mae on The Storied Recipe Podcast, A Nomad Puts Down Roots while you make her Buttermilk Scone and Quick Jam recipe!

Make the Jam

1. Place a clean plate in the refrigerator.
2. Mix berries in a saucepan with ½ cup sugar. Allow the berries to macerate in the sugar for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to coax the juice from the berries.
3. Bring the fruit to a strong simmer over medium heat until the berries burst and release their juices.
4. Increase the heat to medium-high and stir the berries with a wooden spoon or spatula, occasionally at first, and then more frequently as the juices thicken. Cook until most of the liquid has evaporated and the fruit has mostly broken down. The time really depends on the ripeness and fruit type, but this could take 20-45 minutes before it will jam. Once the liquid goes from a rapid, rolling boil, with smaller bubbles, to a slow, thick tar like boil with big bubbles you are close. Stir constantly at this stage to prevent scorching. Be careful because it can splatter at this point.
5. Add the lemon juice and continue cooking, stirring constantly, until the jam returns to its previous consistency, about 5 minutes.
6. Test your jam by spooning a small amount onto the plate you chilled. Return the plate to the refrigerator and wait for two minutes. Drag your finger through it. Finished jam will leave a clean line without jagged edges or be runny. If the line isn’t clean, continue cooking the jam for a few minutes, and repeat the plate test.
7. Ladle the hot jam into a clean jar and allow to cool completely before placing in the refrigerator.

Buttermilk Scones

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F / 218ºC.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, kosher salt, and baking soda until fully incorporated.
3. Cut the butter into the dry mixture, using a pastry blender or fingertips, until the mixture looks like course cornmeal.
4. Gradually pour in the buttermilk and mix with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until the dough just comes together.
5. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead lightly and quickly with your hands until the dough is smooth, and the buttermilk is evenly incorporated. Do not overwork! We don’t want the gluten to develop.
6. Pat the dough to a thickness of 1-inch. Use a wide mouth mason jar, or pastry cutter, dusted in flour to cut out 8-9 round scones. When cutting press straight down. Don’t twist. This will help the scones get an even rise as they bake.
7. Flip the scones over and place them on a parchment or silpat lined baking sheet. Make a dimple in the center of a scone to house the jam. I found my mortar to be a perfect tool for the job!
8. Brush the tops with the milk/cream, and sprinkle with sugar to get a good crunchy top. Bake for 10 minutes.
9. Remove the scones from the oven and place a dollop of jam on each scone. Lower the oven temperature to 350ºF / 176.6ºC and continue baking for 12-15 minutes, until the scones are golden brown.
10. Serve the scones while they’re still warm with a delicious cup of coffee or tea.

Notes

• Note 1: It is really easy to make your own buttermilk, simply add one tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice to a cup of milk and let it sit for 10 minutes before using it.
• Note 2: I used blackberry, raspberry, strawberry, blueberry, currants, salmonberry, and thimbleberry, but you can also use frozen berries.
• Make sure to listen to Carilyn Mae on The Storied Recipe Podcast, "A Nomad Puts Down Roots with Garden Coach Carilyn Mae {Summer Scones Recipe}" while you make her Scone and Jam recipe!

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Category: Baking, Breads, Breakfast
• Cuisine: Southern Cooking

Nutrition

• Calories: 251
• Sugar: 18
• Sodium: 245
• Fat: 9
• Saturated Fat: 5
• Carbohydrates: 40
• Fiber: 2
• Protein: 4
• Cholesterol: 23