Want to get better at baking? Start with scones.
Scones are my recommendation to anyone who wants to get into baking. Here are 5 reasons why, and 5 recipes to try.
- Homemade scones are delicious. Much better than what you can buy, which is usually “gummy” or dry.
- Scones are fast. Most of these recipes take just 7-10 minutes from when you pull out the mixing bowl to when you throw them in the oven + only 10-12 minutes to bake.
- Scones are much easier to test for done-ness (one of those things that inexperienced bakers struggle with) than a cake. No toothpick in the middle nonsense.
- Scale. It’s easy to make a small batch or share with the neighbors if you make too many.
- They are a great sweet snack at parties, any time of day! (You knew I’d bring it back to my favorite subject: parties!)
Convinced? Good. Now, one thing you need to know is that not all scones are created equal. No worries, though, because I have sifted through (pun intended!) many a recipe in recent years, and here are my 5 favorite recipes. The technique is the same for all of them. But the texture and tastes are a little different.
1. Blueberry Oat scones from Orangette blog
2. Vanilla Bean scones (Starbucks copycat recipe) from Recipe Girl blog
3. Buttermilk scones with golden raisins from Tasting Spoons blog — These are fluffy like biscuits and I usually add some orange zest. If you don’t make any others, make these!
4. Pumpkin scones (another Starbucks copycat recipe) from Damn Delicious blog
5. Currant Oat scones from Yossy Arefi (Apt. 2B Baking Co. blog)
Ready to get started?
While I am not one to push equipment purchases, there are three kitchen tools that make scones super easy to make. Not required, but if it becomes an almost-every-Saturday-morning thing, as it is at our house, you may want to invest in:
- Bench Scraper
- Pastry Blender
- Circle Cutter
Happy baking!
