Indulge your patriotic spirit this week with these AMAZING, Red, White, and Blue Scones. It’s a big batch, one you’ll be thankful for. Pack a basketful along with your coffee to go watch the parade.
I’m not sure if it’s the school teacher genes in my DNA or what, but I get kinda giddy about color coding. Primary colors make me smile. I’ve even owned a snowman-embroidered cardigan in my time. And planning food to match a holiday? I’m all over that. How can you celebrate the Fourth of July without some red, white, and blue food? I mean, seriously.
Longtime readers will remember the Red, White, and Blue Cake Pop fiasco of yesteryear. Yes, well. Let’s say it was one of my more ambitious, though ill-conceived, moments. Not one to be discouraged, I rallied, and discovered an even better Red, White, and Blue food to serve on patriotic holidays.
Red, White, and Blue Scones
Oh my! These are good. And they are incredibly freezer-friendly. And they are also incredibly rich. But, oh my! These are good. Talk about Old Glory!
This recipe makes a huge quantity of scones that will just melt in your mouth. Bake them and enjoy right away. Bake and freeze. Or mix and form the batter and then flash freeze them for instant morning happiness. Either way, you will be super duper happy you made them, holiday or no.
Note: The raspberries probably will squash a little bit and make a bit of a mess. That’s okay. They will be delicious. I promise. Just pretend you’re Jaime Oliver. That man always makes a mess when he cooks.
How to make this good and cheap:
Here are some of the strategies you can use to make this recipe more economical:
- Stock up on ingredients when they are on sale. When I find regular kitchen staples on sale, I buy a lot. I’m currently using a price book to track prices and that’s saving me money. For this recipe, keeping an eye on the price of flour and butter can help keep the price down.
- Buying in bulk – It’s rare that I would buy a small package of dried cranberries. I usually buy the ginormous bag at Costco. I also have gotten into the habit of buying cases of flour from Bob’s Red Mill.
How I make this recipe easy:
One of the great things about scones is that you can freeze them before or after baking. If you freeze them prior to baking, you don’t thaw them, just slide the frozen scones into the hot oven and add a few minutes to the baking time. If you bake them first and then cool and freeze, you can very easily thaw them overnight on the counter so they’re ready when you are.
This recipe really couldn’t be easier than it is, but having the right kitchen tools can really make your time in the kitchen more enjoyable. Over time, I’ve honed my collection so that they are perfect for my needs.
Here are the tools that I use for this recipe:
- food processor or pastry blender – Either of these tools make quick work of the short dough. You can do it by hand with two knives, but I prefer my food processor.
- bench knife – I love this tool for easily cutting dough into pieces.
- parchment paper – I hate washing pans. Parchment paper makes clean up a breeze.
- sheet pans – I LOVE my set of steel sheet pans. They make such a difference in baking.
Red, White & Blue Scones
Ingredients
- 5 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar plus extra for sprinkling
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 cup butter , cut into cubes
- 2 cup half and half plus extra for brushing
- 1 cup raspberries
- 1 cup blueberries
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and baking soda. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender. Or use the food processor in batches to cut in the butter quickly. Gently mix in the half and half, just until mixed. Fold in the berries.
- On a lightly floured surface, pat dough into a 2 inch thick rectangle. Cut into 16-20 squares or triangles, depending on how big you want them. Place on a parchment- or silpat-covered tray, keeping the scones about 2 inches apart. These will spread a fair amount.
- If baking right away, brush them with the extra half and half and sprinkle with the sugar. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes in preheated 400° oven. Cool slightly before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
