I understand that scones are not always a favorite to bake. They can be so dry and crumbly, like the less flavorful cousin of a biscuit. As an avid tea drinker, I think there is something delicious with a mug of hot tea and a buttery scone, but it needs to be the perfect scone recipe. These mini sprinkle scones are just that. The flavors are simple, the sprinkles are adorable, and the mini size means that you can eat two. It also makes them perfect for any party! When I made this recipe the first time, it was for a tea party we were hosting for my daughter’s preschool friends. There is nothing cuter than a bunch of four-year-olds dressed up while drinking pink tea and enjoying mini scones. I plan to make this recipe frequently! For tea parties of course, but also for any occasion that requires a delicious and easy baked good. Scones can be tricky to master because you want them to be nice and tall and also flakey and buttery. No flat scones here! I share some tips below that will help you make the best scones.
How to Make the Best Scones:
- Use cold ingredients. Keep your heavy cream in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use it. Keep your butter in the freezer and then grate in on a box grater. In the past, I’ve used refrigerator-temp butter and cut in into cubes, but working the butter into the flour mixture warmed it up. Grating frozen butter gives you the perfect size butter pieces that are easy to incorporate into the dough and also keeps it cold.
- Freeze your scones. Freezing the scones before baking helps keep them from spreading and losing their flakiness. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve put nice tall scones into the oven only to pull out scones that are dry and flat. Freezing them gets the ingredients nice and cold again after you’ve mixed and form the scones. Don’t skip this step!
- Add the egg. Not every scone recipe has an egg in it, but the egg adds moisture and richness to the scones. This keeps them from being too dry.
You can make these scones into regular sized scones, but I love how adorable they are as mini sizes! These mini sprinkle scones would be the perfect treat for a baby shower, bridal shower, or even your own at home tea party. If you have you own tea party at home and make these, please tag me on Instagram! I would love to see you celebrating. If you’ve never made scones before or have not had your scones turn out the way you’d like them, I’d encourage you to try this easy scone recipe!
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ tsp. salt
- 2½ tsp. baking powder
- 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, kept in freezer until ready to use
- ½ cup heavy cream, very cold
- 1 egg, refrigerated
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- ½ tsp. almond extract
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- ½ tsp. almond extract
- 2-3 tbsp. heavy cream (enough to reach desired consistency)
- Your favorite sprinkles to top!
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.
- Get your butter out of the freezer and grate with a box grater. Transfer the butter shavings to the flour mixture and mix to combine.
- Measure your cream in a measuring cup, then add the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract to the same cup. Whisk with a fork to combine, then add to the dry ingredients. Mix until not quite combined, it will finish coming together as your form the scones.
- Transfer the scone mixture to a floured surface. Use your hands and/or a rolling pin to form a rectangle that's about 1 inch thick or slightly thicker. Use a bench scraper or a knife to cut your scones into mini triangles.
- Transfer the scones to a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Freeze for 40 minutes.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake for 15-20 minutes until the bottoms are golden brown.
- Let cool completely, then make your simple glaze. Whisk together powdered sugar, almond extract, and cream until the desired consistency is reached. You want it to be thick enough to hold the sprinkles, so start with 2 tbsp. of cream and add more as needed.
- Top with sprinkles and enjoy!
[…] excuse for a breakfast pastry and make you wish you had ordered a muffin or a croissant. Not these scones! Years ago, I went to a tiny but popular bakery on the Oregon coast and had the best scone of my […]