What I love about these blackberry cornmeal scones is their casual nature. They’re tender, crunchy, and buttery, but they don’t feel especially indulgent. There’s a touch of sweetness, but nothing over the top. There’s a wonderful texture from the cornmeal and it gives these scones a carefree, summer vibe. And there are big pools of juicy berries scattered throughout, which basically makes these scones a breakfast food.
Some scones conjure up images of fancy British tea with the queen. These aren’t those scones. For me, these blackberry cornmeal scones are all about summer weekends, waking up late (in my dream life, of course, or 20 years from now when I can sleep in again), and playing outside. They can be thrown together in less than an hour and enjoyed all day long.
notes on these blackberry cornmeal scones:
- The key to flaky, tender scones lies in keeping the butter really cold and letting the gluten relax before baking. I always pop my dry ingredients in the freezer for a few minutes right after cutting the butter in-- this makes sure it stays cold. Then, just before baking, I let the scones relax and chill down in the freezer while the oven preheats. They’re tender and flaky every time!
- In a pinch, you can substitute medium grind cornmeal for the finely ground cornmeal in the recipe. There will be more of a crunch, but it works just fine!
- If you prefer, you can also make these scones with frozen blackberries. I prefer to cut fresh ones in half and freeze them, but the opposite also works and you can halve frozen berries instead.
- These are super delicious with blueberries too! Have fun with the frozen berries you have on hand.
related recipes:
triple berry creme fraiche cake
overnight chia pudding with maple butter blueberries
white balsamic tart with fresh berries
Printblackberry cornmeal scones
Learn how to make tender, buttery, flaky scones with the delicate cornmeal crunch and big pools of juicy blackberries. These will be your new favorite summer treat!
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours 20 minutes
- Yield: 8
- Category: Breakfast
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup finely ground cornmeal (can use medium grind in a pinch)
- zest of 1 lemon, finely grated
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- 5 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 1 cup fresh blackberries, halved
- ¾ - 1 cup heavy cream, plus more for brushing
- 2 tablespoons turbinado sugar, for sprinkling
Instructions
- About two hours before making the scones (or the night before), spread the blackberries onto a plate and place in the freezer. Alternatively, use frozen berries and cut in half.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, lemon zest, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add butter and toss to coat. Use your fingers or a pastry cutter to work the butter into the flour mixture until the largest pieces are pea-sized. Put bowl in the freezer for 5 minutes to chill.
- Toss in frozen blackberries, then drizzle in ¾ cup cream and stir until a shaggy dough forms. Knead a few times in the bowl, adding a touch more cream if needed, until the dough just comes together. Transfer to a lightly floured work surface and pat out to a 1 inch thick round. Use a sharp knife to cut into 8 wedges. Alternatively, use a 2 ¼ inch biscuit cutter to cut out scones, re-rolling and cutting the scraps no more than twice.
- Transfer wedges (or rounds) to the prepared baking sheet and place in the freezer for 20- 30 minutes, uncovered. While scones are chilling, preheat oven to 400°F.
- Brush the tops of the scones with cream and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Place sheet pan in the oven and bake scones for 18- 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool briefly on the pan then serve warm.
Notes
makes 8 scones
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 324
- Sugar: 11g
- Sodium: 394mg
- Fat: 19g
- Saturated Fat: 11g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5.9g
- Trans Fat: 0.4g
- Carbohydrates: 36g
- Fiber: 2.1g
- Protein: 4.2g
- Cholesterol: 53mg
Keywords: cornmeal scones, blackberry scones, summer recipe
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