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Sour Cream Scones

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Old fashioned sour cream scones are perfect slathered with jam, butter, or clotted cream!

Old fashioned sour cream scones are perfect slathered with jam, butter, or clotted cream!

There’s a restaurant in Arlington, VA that has the most amazing Sunday brunch spread. I went there for the first time with an old roommate to celebrate getting a new job and fell in l.o.v.e. Who doesn’t fall in love with $1 mimosas? Crazy people, that’s who. They had these super moist, crumby scones that they served with jams and fresh fruit. Holy cow. I almost didn’t make it to the rest of the spread I ate so many scones. Almost. I took my mom there for Mother’s Day brunch the following year and she concurred. The scones were top notch.

After that scones were one of those things that for the longest time I had relegated to the fancy restaurant brunch only to be had on special occasions. I only made them when I was entertaining friends or felt like getting all fancy schmancy on a Saturday. You guys. Scones are so. freaking. easy. Like ridiculously easy. The first time I made them I may have been a little annoyed with myself that I had deemed them “fancy food” for so long.

Old fashioned sour cream scones are perfect slathered with jam, butter, or clotted cream!

I’ve shared brown sugar scones and apple pie scones here before but when I was searching the archives the other week i couldn’t believe I hadn’t shared just my base scone recipe with you! Whaaaaat?! I make this recipe all the time and use it as a base for so many other flavors too. Like these ham and cheese scones I made for my friend Byron. Change up the sugar level depending on whether you’re going for sweet or savory and you can put just about anything in these babies.

I prefer to bake my scones with the sides touching so they’re nice and soft and don’t form a crust. Somewhere Paul from The Great British Baking Show is wagging his finger at me because Paul demands that crust all the way around his scones but that’s ok. I still think he’s cute. If you prefer crunchy, crusty sides separate your scones on the pan and bake away. You’ll be making these scones over and over anywhere so you might as well experiment!

Old fashioned sour cream scones are perfect slathered with jam, butter, or clotted cream!

Meaghan

Sour Cream Scones

Sour Cream Scones

Yield: 8 scones
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 22 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 cups flour
  • cup ⅓ sugar
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • tsp ¼ baking soda
  • tsp ¼ salt
  • 1 stick unsalted butter, cubed
  • cup ½ sour cream
  • 1 large egg

Instructions

  1. Combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Using a fork, pastry cutter, or your fingers cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
  2. Make a well in the center of your dry ingredients and mix sour cream and egg until smooth. Fold in the dry ingredients with a fork or your fingers until dough comes together.
  3. Pat out dough directly onto your lined or greased baking sheet into an 8 inch circle and cut into 8 equal triangles.
  4. Leave scones touching in a circle for soft sides or separate for crunchy ones and bake at 400 degrees for 12 minutes or until golden brown.

Old fashioned sour cream scones are perfect slathered with jam, butter, or clotted cream!

Mags

Thursday 13th of May 2021

Hi,very tasty, did find that it was difficult to keep dough together, added a splash of cream to help. Also you mention in part of the recipe brown sugar, I stuck with the white. good with raisins or cheese added. Mags

Brian Jones

Tuesday 12th of April 2016

So familiar but a little bit different to traditional British Scones, but they sound delicious :D

Meaghan

Wednesday 13th of April 2016

Now I want to run out and try a traditional British scone!

~Meaghan

Byron Thomas

Sunday 10th of April 2016

We are in love with the ham and cheese scones you shared on my site. They're amazing! I have a sour cream scone on my blog too, and I love to serve them with homemade jams and clotted cream. Yum! I have to say though, my dear friend, I'm with Paul - the sides can't touch. :)

Meaghan

Wednesday 13th of April 2016

Haha I make so many baking decisions that would make dear Paul cringe. He's still cute though ;)

~Meaghan

Mary (The Godmother @ Goodie Godmother)

Friday 8th of April 2016

Hooray for scones! I'm partial to the biscuit type more than the cake type like the sour cream yields, but I wouldn't turn down either haha. These sound lovely, and look lovely, but #teamcrunchysides all the way ;)

Meaghan

Wednesday 13th of April 2016

Haha! Who knew I was in such a minority for the soft sides. Maybe it's my biscuit heritage...

~Meaghan

Nicole @Little Blog on the Homestead

Sunday 3rd of April 2016

Yum! Scones are seriously fancy seeming food! So I get why you'd think that! And now I really want to watch the Great British Baking show again

Meaghan

Wednesday 6th of April 2016

Ohmygoodness, I think about that show at least once a week. I need more seasons!

~Meaghan