Mixed Berry Scones — These homemade scones are incredibly EASY, NOT DRY, you don’t need to dirty a mixer, and are guaranteed-to-disappear weekend breakfast or brunch!! Made with common pantry and fridge ingredients and you can use frozen fruit!!
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The BEST American-Style Scone Recipe
I’ve never been a big fan of scones because they’re usually dry, boring, and taste like flaky cardboard. These glazed berry scones are none of the above.
They’re actually the best scones I’ve ever had. And they’ve changed my mind about scones in general. They’re incredibly easy, you don’t need to dirty a food processor or a mixer, and they’re ready in a half hour.
How’s that for a fast, easy, and guaranteed-to-disappear weekend breakfast, brunch, or easy impromptu dessert or snack?
You don’t even need to use fresh fruit. I used Trader Joe’s frozen berry medley, which includes strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries.
There’s an abundance of juicy berries in every bite. As the mixed berry scones bake, the berries release their juices and the bites of dough surrounding the berries are melt-in-your mouth soft. Those are my favorite bites.
When I made these I thought I was going to have a ton of scones to re-home. Wrong. We devoured them all the same day I made them. And I want to make more.
Ingredients in Mixed Berry Scones
Here’s what you’ll need to make this easy recipe for berry scones:
- All-purpose flour
- Granulated sugar
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Unsalted butter
- Egg
- Sour cream
- Vanilla extract
- Mixed berries
- Lemon or orange zest
- Turbinado sugar
- Confectioners’ sugar
- Heavy cream
Frozen Fruit Tip
Another advantage to using frozen fruit is that it keeps the dough colder, and cold dough rises better. It’s also why you want to use cold butter in pastry-making or when making pie crusts. The hot oven air hits the cold butter in the dough and creates air pockets, which create a tender, flaky crust.
Same principle with cold butter and cold berries in the scones. They’re flaky and tender, but also supremely moist. Sour cream is used which helps prevent dryness.
How to Make Scones
Making mixed berry scones in so quick and easy! Here’s an overview of the recipe steps:
- Cut the cold butter into the dry ingredients. I usually use a fork and then transfer to my hands near the end.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry.
- Fold in the berries and optional citrus zest.
- Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead into an 8-inch round.
- Cut into eight equal-sized pieces and place on baking tray. Sprinkle with turbinado sugar. You can use regular sugar if that’s what you have.
- Bake until very lightly golden and cooked through. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs, but no batter.
- Once mostly cooled, pour the glaze over top.
Crunchy Sugar Topping
Before baking, I sprinkled the tops with turbinado sugar. I love the crunchy, big sugar crystals for an added pop of texture, but it’s optional. And like I said, you can use regular sugar if that’s what you have on hand.
Homemade Scones FAQs
A scone is a traditional British baked good that’s often served with tea. British scones resemble an American biscuit, but are denser and drier. Although scones are often topped with sweet clotted cream and jam, the scone itself is not very sweet.
The recipe I’ve shared in this post is an American scone recipe. American scones are triangular in shape and are much denser than British scones. American scones are also often flavored or contain mix-ins, like fresh fruit, chocolate chips, or nuts.
British scones are circular, and rise up taller and fluffier than American scones. If a British scones contains mix-ins, it’s most often some form of dried fruit (like raisins / sultanas). British scones are also made with less butter and sugar, but are intentionally plainer in flavor so that jam and clotted cream can be spread on top before eating.
Both scones and biscuits are made with flour, butter, and either milk or buttermilk. However, scones are much heartier than biscuits, and most recipes feature eggs and sugar.
American biscuits are taller, fluffier, and more buttery than British scones. They have a more savory flavor as well.
Many times I purposely choose to keep my pricier fresh fruit for snacking and bake with frozen fruit. I almost never have a surplus of fresh berries since we eat them so fast, but feel free to use fresh, noting that baking time will likely be reduced.
Scones are definitely on the drier side when compared to something like a moist birthday cake. But scones should NOT be bone dry or crumbly. They should remain soft and flaky (if British scones) and slightly spongy / cakey (if American scones). Don’t base your scone making results off of the dry bricks you can get at places like Starbucks — their scones could break your teeth sometimes!
Rather than milk or heavy cream as the wet ingredients that are mixed into the dry ingredients, the sour cream not only moisturizes and tenderizes the dough, but since it’s cultured like buttermilk, it helps the scones rise higher and stay fluffier and lighter, without being airy or dry.
I’m comfortable storing glazed scones at room temperature, but if you’re not, glaze only the scones you plan to consume immediately. I don’t recommend refrigerating them because they will dry out.
Recipe Variations to Try
This a great blank canvas base recipe for any kind of fruit scones — most any fresh fruit, dried fruit, or zest can be added. Use what you have, enjoy, and eat seasonal!
Here are some simple swaps you can make using this base scone recipe:
- Blackberry scones: Replace the mixed berries with 1 cup of fresh or frozen blackberries.
- Strawberry scones: Replace the mixed berries with 1 cup of fresh or frozen strawberries.
- Blueberry scones: Replace the mixed berries with 1 cup of fresh or frozen blueberries.
- Raspberry scones: Replace the mixed berries with 1 cup of fresh or frozen raspberries.
- Lemon blueberry scones: Replace the mixed berries with 1 cup of fresh or frozen blueberries. Add 1 tablespoon of lemon zest to the batter. Replace the heavy cream in the glaze with lemon juice.
- Orange scones: Add 1 tablespoon of orange zest to the batter. Replace the heavy cream in the glaze with orange juice.
- Lemon scones: Add 1 tablespoon of lemon zest to the batter. Replace the heavy cream in the glaze with lemon juice.
- Coconut lime scones: Add 1 tablespoon of lime zest to the batter. Replace the heavy cream in the glaze with lime juice. Sprinkle the tops of the scones with toasted coconut immediately after glazing.
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The Best Glazed Mixed Berry Scones
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour + about 2 to 4 tablespoons for work surface and hands
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- pinch salt, optional and to taste
- ½ cup unsalted butter, cold (1 stick)
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup sour cream, lite is okay
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 heaping cup mixed berries, I used TJ’s frozen mixed berry blend which includes strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries; if using frozen, keep frozen so berries bleed/run less
- 1 tablespoon lemon or orange zest, optional (I didn’t include any in scones shown)
- turbinado, raw, or coarse sugar, optional for sprinkling (granulated sugar may be substituted)
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
- about 1 tablespoon cream or milk, or substitute with orange or lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with a Silpat or parchment; set aside.
- In a large bowl, add 2 cups flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, optional salt, and whisk to combine.
- Add the butter, and with a pastry cutter or two forks, cut the butter in. You can use a food processor, but I find not having to wash it is a big time-saver. I smoosh the butter with forks and when it’s the size of large marbles, I use my hands and knead it in. It will feel like semi-wet, cool sand. Some larger pea-sized butter clumps are okay; set bowl aside.
- In a small bowl, add the egg, sour cream, vanilla, and whisk to combine until smooth.
- Pour wet mixture over dry, and fold until just combined with a soft-tipped spatula; don’t overmix or scones will be tough. Dough will be wet and shaggy.
- Fold in the berries and optional zest.
- Sprinkle about 2 tablespoons flour over a Silpat or clean work surface and lightly coat hands.
- Turn dough out onto surface and knead it into a 8-inch round, approximately. Dough is very moist, wet, sticky, and tacky, but if it’s being too stubborn or too wet to come together, sprinkle with flour 1 tablespoon at a time until you get it to come together and into a round.
- With a large knife, slice round into 8 equal-sized wedges.
- Using a flat spatula or pie turner, transfer wedges to prepared baking sheet spaced at least 2-inches apart. Do not crowd because scones puff and spread while baking. Tip – try to make sure there are no exposed berries touching the baking sheet because they’ll be prone to burning.
- Optionally, sprinkle each wedge with a generous pinch of turbinado sugar, about 1 teaspoon each.
- Bake for about 18 minutes, or until scones are very lightly golden and cooked through. 18 minutes in my oven with frozen fruit is perfect, but if using fresh fruit, baking time will likely be reduced. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs, but no batter. Because they’re baking in quite a hot oven, watch them closely starting after about 15 minutes to ensure the bottoms aren’t getting too browned.
- Allow scones to cool on baking tray for about 5 minutes before removing and transferring to a rack to finish cooling. While the scones cool, make the glaze.
- In a small bowl, combine the confectioners’ sugar and cream (or citrus juice).
- Whisk together until smooth. Depending on desired consistency, you may need to play with the cream and sugar ratios slightly.
- Evenly drizzle the glaze over the scones before serving.
Notes
- Scones are best fresh, but will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 4 days. I’m comfortable storing glazed items at room temperature, but if you’re not, glaze only the scones you plan to consume immediately; I don’t recommend refrigerating them because they will dry out.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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More Breakfast Recipes Using Berries:
Sour Cream Blueberry Muffins — These are fluffy and moist thanks to the addition of sour cream in the batter. Not to mention they’re bursting with fresh blueberry flavor. These are bound to be your new favorite muffins!
Easy Buttermilk Waffles with Mixed Berry Preserves — They’re as fast and easy as using a boxed mix, but so much better. They’re crispy on the outside, yet softer and fluffier in the interior.
Blueberry Dutch Baby Pancake — This oven-baked pancake has the chewiness of crepes with the thickness of clafoutis, and making it is as easy as making pancake batter.
Strawberry Coffee Cake – One of the best coffee cakes I’ve ever had or made. Use your favorite fresh, frozen, or seasonal fruit.
Deep Dish Mixed Berry Skillet Pancake — If you love thick stacks of pancakes, you’re going to love this deep-dish skillet pancake. It’s soft, fluffy, and light, with the texture of pancakes, and it’s packed with berries.
Strawberry Banana Bread— This strawberry bread is packed with fresh, juicy strawberries in every bite! This is an easy, no-mixer quick bread recipe you’re going to love!
Greek Yogurt Raspberry Muffins — EASY, soft, fluffy muffins bursting with fresh raspberries!! So moist thanks to Greek yogurt in the batter! Not overly sweet and perfect with a cup of coffee or tea!!
Originally posted April 26, 2014 and reposted April 24, 2020 with updated text.
I made these a few weeks ago and sent some home with two of my sisters. They both loved them, in fact, I had my sister and her husband over for dinner last night and my brother-in-law asked me to make again please. My sister saif he actually got UP in the middle of the night to have more before someone else got to them
Might not seem like much but this a very picky eater!
Glad to hear these were a huge hit even with the picky eater!
For some reason my mixture never really came together! It stayed wet and tacky the entire time, what do you think I may have done wrong in the purpose? I felt like I added almost another cup of flour but it just never rolled out properly.
That is really strange…if you added almost a whole extra cup of flour and it still never rolled out properly all I can wonder is if you possibly over-added the sour cream? Accidentally added 1 cup rather than 1/2 cup? I have never had anyone write in with this issue and this recipe is 4 years old and well-loved by scone fans. I am at a loss for what to say in your situation. Thanks for trying the recipe. Also one tip – I use King Arthur flour exclusively for baking and I find it to be far superior to any other brand, especially for recipes like this. Maybe try again with that flour and see how it goes.
These scones are phenomenal! Made them for our-of-town guest and made another batch for my husband an I the following morning! I used orange rind in scones and in the icing! Yum yum!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it’s a hit! The orange rind/zest sounds lovely too!
Can you use dried berries?
I’m sure you could although I have only made it with either fresh or frozen.
Wow thank you for this delicious recipe! It was so easy to follow and I did not change a thing. The scones came out perfect, they disappeared so quickly I almost did not get one! I kept my ingredients very cold (the butter,sour cream,eggs) and was careful not to over work the mixture. They fluffed up nicely and were the perfect texture. Thank you again!
Thanks for letting me know that your scones were perfect and that they disappeared super quickly!
The berry scones look wonderful. Can you freeze? I’m looking for something for my daughter’s baby shower brunch and would like something we can make ahead. Thank-you!
I think they would freeze fairly well but I wouldn’t definitely do a trial run to make sure before the shower!
We live in a rural area where scones are nothing more than a biscuit with stuff in it so they’re not in stores. We were out of area and I saw cranberry orange scones and grabbed four packs!! They were divine, a shortbread base with chopped cranberries and orange juice/zest and just the right amount of sugar.
Thing is, I found a recipe that called for 1/2c. frozen butter grated. About half way in I seriously considered putting the bowl and disc of the food processor in the freezer for few but didn’t want to waste any more time. They were awful!! Do you have a recipe that works or any suggestions?
I would make the recipe I wrote here as-is and add a bit of cranberries and orange zest to the batter rather than the berries I call for.
I love scones and these were the best I have ever tasted. I used frozen raspberries and left off the glaze because I didn’t really need it. Thank you so much for sharing.
Thanks for trying the recipe and glad they’re the best scones you’ve ever tasted!
They look great- thanks for sharing! Have you ever frozen the dough to bake later? If so, directions please? Thx!
No, I’ve only baked fresh right away.
Hi! Tried this recipe today for my sibling reunion and they are delicious! I am awaiting one more guest and I’d like to have these ready and waiting in a covered cloche dish. Can I drizzle the icing ahead of time as I’ve already made it (for the one I ‘taste tested’ … ) and leave them out but under the cloche? Thanks for the great recipe! Not scared of scones anymore! My first try spread more than what I think is normal, but I’ll keep trying. If you are ever able to post pictures of what the dough is supposed to look like at each stage and maybe a measurement, even a guesstimate, of how big a round the dough should be before cutting it into eighths, that would be extremely helpful. Thanks so much!
I think you can drizzle the icing any time, noting the texture of the scones and icing changes as time passes. I am not normally a step by step shot blogger. Glad you’re enjoying the scones and aren’t scared of them anymore.
First scones ever! Sooooo good! Few tricks, i put the butter in the freezer then grated it like cheese, it will automatically be “crumbled”. And i put plain greek yogourt instead of sour cream to make it a liiiiittle healthier. I do too find it was too dry and measured my flour like tv shows, a scoop then use a knife to take away the excess, but nothing to worry about, i just shoot a few drops of water and that was it. Thanks so much for this receipe or as we say in Quebec, merci!! :)
Glad they turned out great for you!
We love this recipe!! My husband said they were the best scones he has ever had! Would using whole wheat flour instead of white flour be ok to substitute? Also, if I wanted to make mini scones would I just make 2 rounded mounds of the mixture to cut smaller ones and would thebake time be the same?
Thanks for trying the recipe and glad it came out great for you! If they’re the best ever, I wouldn’t tinker too much with the recipe :) Definitely don’t use whole wheat flour! The texture will totally change. As for size, you’d have to play around with that in terms of how much dough as it relates to duration in the oven.
I used vanilla greek yogurt in place of 1/4 cup of the sour cream. My husband, who is not a fan of baked goods and sweets said these were better than any he had ever had at a coffee shop. I only sprinkled a little turbinado/coarse raw sugar on top and did not frost and added a cup and a half of berries because I was trying to make them a bit more healthy. He went back for seconds!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! And that it was a hit with your husband even after some healthy tweaks!
I never leave comments about recipes. However, this recipe is worth the time it takes to sit and write. I made the scones a couple of months ago I have been thinking about them since. I decided that because it is a Saturday that is cold and wet I would make then again this morning. My children love the scones. I love how moist they are. The recipe is so well written and easy to follow. The flavors of the lemon and berries are married perfectly together. Thank you for taking the time to share this recipe.
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! And that it’s a family favorite!
I made these scones a couple of weeks ago and they are fantastic. However, I almost gave up on them when I was trying to shape the dough and the fruit (I used frozen mixed berries) was squishing out and I couldn’t keep the dough together. It seemed “wet” enough, but I added a bit more water, finally got them cut and onto the baking sheet. Decided it was worth the frustration when I bit into my first scone. I am going to give it another try tomorrow for Easter breakfast. ( I found your site when I was looking for a recipe for a Starbucks type lemon loaf. Yours is WAY better than Starbucks!!)
Glad you love the Lemon Loaf (better than the Starbucks version!) and that these scones were worth it :)
I would say if the dough is super annoyingly wet and tricky to work with, add a tbsp or two of additional flour so it’s more bearable. The biggest reason you don’t want to over-flour the dough and put up with the wetness is that denser dough that has more flour doesn’t bake up as light. But there’s a middle ground with it – same with yeast bread making. No two days in the kitchen are the same so just add flour as necessary.
Just to let you know, I made the lemon poppyseed scones today with your suggested measurements of lemon extract and poppy seeds. They turned out fabulous! I also substituted plain greek yogurt for sour cream, and I saw no problems. Once again, thank you for posting this recipe. I now have a go to for scones. My mom has also put in a order for a batch when they come for Easter. :)
Glad the lemon poppyseed version came out great and that you have a go-to recipe for scones!