Glazed Strawberry Shortcake Scones

Glazed Strawberry Shortcake Scones have triple the strawberry flavour for the absolute most strawberry-esque scone ever! Packed with real strawberries, strawberry shortcake crumble, and strawberry extract, these are a tasty and delightful sweet treat!

Lord Byron’s Kitchen is no stranger to a scone recipe. I think I posted three scone recipes last year with different flavours. Now, my 7 Days of Strawberry Shortcake Sweets has me thinking that another scone recipe will never hurt anyone. Glazed Strawberry Shortcake Scones are my way of telling mother nature that I’m close to being over it! This winter has been so much colder than any winter I can remember.

I love winter; I absolutely do! But, there’s a time and place for everything, and after last week’s propane heating bill, I’m ready for spring. As soon as the weather warms up, I begin to crave scones like they’re going out of style!  I fix myself a very hot cup of coffee, slice my scone down the middle, and liberally smear on some butter. I take my coffee and scone to our backyard deck and enjoy the peacefulness while indulging in an afternoon treat.

Sitting out there with my coffee and scone, I loved to listen to the sounds of the countryside, while watching the occasional bunny or chipmunk scurry about. Sometimes the sound of the chirping birds and the buzz of the dragonflies are interrupted by the sounds of the cows and ducks from the farmer up the street. It’s my new happy place, and my Strawberry Shortcake Scones are coming along for the ride!

A SCONE RECIPE WITH VERSATILITY

For the basis of this scone, I used my Basic Scone Recipe. I wanted to make a few versions of that recipe so that I could show you how easy it is. My Basic Scone Recipe is perfect just the way it is, especially if you are looking for a simple scone that can be slathered with butter and jam.

Actually, I put butter on all of my scones before I eat them! It’s the way I was raised. Butter goes on bread, scones, and also cinnamon rolls! (But, not the cinnamon rolls with icing!) If I’m being completely honest, I think jam belongs on almost every scone as well. Maybe not so much when it comes to a Strawberry Shortcake Scone!

I love to slice the scone in half and smear on a bit of salted butter. Next, I add a good layer of my homemade jam, and fetch that hot coffee. Depending on the time of day, I might have a little bit of sharp cheddar cheese with it. I think all of that makes for a great lunch or an afternoon snack.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED FOR THIS RECIPE

You might have guessed by now that you need a batch of Strawberry Shortcake Crumbs. I shared that recipe on Monday, and you can find it here. Go ahead, and click on the link. It will open and new page so you won’t lose this one. The following is a list of the ingredients needed to prepare this recipe. For exact amounts and measurements, refer to the printable recipe card located near the bottom of this post.

For the Crumbs:

• Vanilla Pudding – Just a plain box of the powdered mix is all you need. There’s no need to mix it according to the instructions on the package.
• Strawberry Jello – Again, this is just the powder. You will use the powder as it is – no need to mix it and let it set.
• Flour – Regular all-purpose flour is good.
• Butter – I used salted butter to offset some of the sweetness. Unsalted butter is certainly okay too.
• Golden Oreos – These are the vanilla-flavoured Oreos. You’ll use one full package of Golden Oreos.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE RECIPE INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE CRUMBS

For the Scones:

• Flour – Any all-purpose flour will do just fine. I have not tested this recipe with any other types of flour.
• Butter – I used salted butter. If you’re using unsalted butter, add 1/4 teaspoon of salt to your flour and whisk it through.
• Sugar – Can you believe there are only three tablespoons of sugar in this recipe? It’s just the right amount of sweetness.
• Baking Powder – Quite a lot, like in most scones, to get that rise.
• Egg – Just one egg is all you need. Eggs should always be at room temperature first before baking.
• Milk – This is the liquid that binds it all together.
• Strawberry Extract – You will need one teaspoon. The strawberry extract can be quite strong, so a little goes a long way. If you don’t have strawberry, you can use vanilla extract.
• Vanilla Extract – In addition to the strawberry extract, you will need two teaspoons of vanilla extract. If you are not using the strawberry extract, increase the vanilla from two teaspoons to three.
• Dried Strawberries – One cup is all you need. Read the next section on dried strawberries for more information.

For the Glaze:

• Confectioner’s Sugar – This superfine sugar is sometimes called powdered sugar.  It is used in frostings quite often. 
• Milk – When a baking recipe requires milk, I always use whole milk, unless otherwise stated. 

LET’S TALK ABOUT DRIED STRAWBERRIES

Dried or dehydrated – whatever you want to call them – strawberries can be found at almost any baking supply store. Or, you can make your own. Now, I am not completely out of touch with reality, so I know that many of you will not want to spend hours making dried strawberries at home just to make a batch of scones. But, in the case that you do, I can help you with that!

Drying strawberries is super easy to do and can be done without the need for a food dehydrator. You can dry strawberries right in your oven. Sure, it does take some patience, but it’s not like you have to babysit them constantly. Let the oven do all of the work!

Once fully dried and cooled, pack the dried strawberries into a clean jar with a tight seal – much like the one you see in the photos, or simply in a mason jar. It might be a good idea to label the jar with an expiry date which is no longer than six months after you dried them. They probably won’t last that long though. Try them in cookies, scones, cakes, or even as a topping on salads!

BAKING WITH DRIED VS FRESH FRUIT

Dried strawberries are perfect for baking. Baked goods like cookies, cakes, and scones rarely do well with the addition of fresh fruit. Too much water content is released into the batter when the fruit begins to break down from the heat in your oven. In most cases, this “juice” will throw off the balance in the batter and you’ll probably end up with a flat, soggy mess.

To avoid this, use dried fruit or berries. When you work with dried fruit and berries, it’s important to remember that even though in their dried form they can be rather tough and chewy, once baked, they become soft and moist. It’s like magic! If you make use of strawberry season when you can buy a pint for roughly three dollars, you can save your money and dry them yourself rather than buying them from a store. I love Wegman’s dried strawberries, but there’s lots of added sugar, unlike my homemade Oven Dried Strawberries.

With that said, you can use fresh strawberries in this scone recipe. Your scone will still be delicious, but maybe not quite as high. That isn’t the end of the world, now, is it!? Try to get as much moisture out of your fresh strawberries as possible. Wash them, discard the stem, and cut them into 1/4 inch slices. Lay the slices on a few layers of paper towel and top with another layer or two. Gently push on each slice so that the paper towel absorbs much of the moisture. Go ahead and chop them and add them to your scone recipe as indicated in the recipe card below.

HOW TO MAKE STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE SCONES

This really couldn’t be easier! Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Prepare a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper and set it aside. To assemble the recipe, start with the dry ingredients and butter first. Add the flour, sugar, baking powder, and butter into a mixing bowl. Use a hand-held mixer or stand mixer to beat the butter into the dry ingredients until the combined ingredients resemble coarse sand. Add 3/4 cup of the Strawberry Shortcake Crumbs and the strawberries. Mix them through with a spatula.

Next, in a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, and extracts. Pour this mixture into the butter and flour mixture and fold it together. Don’t overmix – the dough will form quite quickly and shouldn’t be one complete, perfectly round ball of dough.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Use your hands to push the dough together, gathering up the bits into a mound. Sprinkle the top lightly with flour and push the dough into a round shape about 1 inch thick. Use a knife to cut the dough into 8 wedges. Transfer those to the baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes depending on your oven, until the top is just slightly golden in colour. Remove from oven and transfer to a wire cooling rack immediately. Let them cool completely before adding the glaze and crumb topping.

When completely cooled, whisk together the confectioner’s sugar and milk until smooth. Drizzle over the surface of the scones. While the glaze is still wet, sprinkle over the remaining Strawberry Shortcake Crumbs. Allow the glaze to harden before storing.

STORING, PACKAGING, & FREEZING

If you plan to eat all eight scones in the next two or three days, you can leave them sitting in a covered container on your countertop. Otherwise, you can freeze them. Once the scones are fully cooled, pack them into a food-safe, freezer-friendly container and set them in your freezer. They will stay fresh for about four to six weeks. To thaw, remove from the freezer and place in a single layer onto a wire cooling rack. Once thawed, they will taste just as good as the day you took them out of the oven!

Personally, I think life with a freshly baked scone and a cup of tea or coffee cannot possibly get any better!  When the weather gets a little warmer, there’s nothing more satisfying and relaxing than a scone smeared with butter. The question remains though, will you retreat to your spot on the couch? Or will you find a quiet place outside and soak up the beauty of spring?