These rustic, fresh peach scones are made with heavy cream instead of butter. The cream makes for wonderful flavour and texture. I also love that these scones are just lightly sweet, to let the fruit shine!
It's peach season and it's the weekend, so fresh peach scones are definitely in order :) I can't think of a nicer way to enjoy a leisurely Summer morning than with these freshly baked peach scones and a cup of tea.
These cream scones are a little different than the usual. Instead of using butter, these rely on the butterfat in heavy cream for richness, but produce a lighter and moister crumb. They are deliciously different.
Ingredient Notes
Peaches - I have only tested these scones with fresh peaches. I suspect frozen peaches may work, but I'm unsure it they would work from frozen, as they are only in the oven a short time. If you want to try it, I think I would at least partially thaw before using.
Heavy (Whipping) Cream - this is the 35% b.f. cream and the high butterfat cream is necessary for these scones, that are made without butter. I haven't tested these scones with a lower fat cream. It may work, though you might end up with more of a biscuit, than a scone.
Step-by-Step Photos
Baker's Tips
- These are not scones to fuss over. They are wonderful in their rustic shape and the ease with which they come together, so embrace that and don't worry if they aren't perfect.
- You can make smaller scones by cutting the round of dough into more/smaller wedges.
- Be sure to cook the scones thoroughly. Judge "done-ness" by the colour on top of the scone. They should be nice and golden all over the top and a touch darker around the edges.
- These scones are quite moist when warm, but will dry and set as they sit. I don't store these in a completely air-tight container, as I like to let some of the excess moisture escape, rather than make the scones soggy from the fruit.
Recipe Video
Top Tip! Don't skip the trip to the freezer. Chilling the scones before baking will give you the best results, as it will solidify the butterfat in the cream and help to give your scones some lift, similar to butter.
Peaches and Cream Scones
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 Tbsp baking powder
- 1 tsp fine table salt
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar, or adjust to taste
- 1 tsp vanilla, or vanilla bean paste
- 1 1/3 cups heavy whipping cream (35% b.f.), cold, plus more as needed to moisten
- 1 1/4 cups fresh peaches, diced
For topping:
- Additional heavy cream, for brushing
- White granulated or turbinado sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar in a large bowl.3 cups all-purpose flour, 1 Tbsp baking powder, 1 tsp fine table salt, 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- Peel the peaches, then cut off the sides and cut into 1/2-inch dice. Set aside for now.1 1/4 cups fresh peaches
- Measure out the heavy cream, then stir in the vanilla. Pour half of the cream over the dry ingredients, then stirring gently while adding just enough of the rest of the heavy cream to make a just moist dough. There shouldn't be any pockets of dry flour in the bottom of the bowl, but the dough shouldn't be super sticky, either. Don't hesitate to add an additional tablespoon or so of heavy cream if needed to achieve this. Gently and quickly stir in the diced peaches.1 1/3 cups heavy whipping cream (35% b.f.), 1 tsp vanilla
- Remove the dough to a lightly floured work surface. Gently gather the dough into a rough ball, then using the palms of your hands, gently press into a 7-inch round, even-height circle. (Press in along the sides, as well, to ensure the sides are not crumbly).
- Transfer the dough round to the prepared baking sheet. Using a sharp knife, cut the round into 8 even wedges. Separate the wedges and arrange on baking sheet with at least 1 inch in between. Place the baking sheet with the dough wedges into the freezer for 15 minutes. **If you don't have room in your freezer for the whole baking sheet, you can just transfer the whole dough round (before cutting into wedges) to a plate or a piece of parchment paper to the freezer, then cut into wedges when you remove from the freezer instead. Leave the larger round in the freezer a few extra minutes - about 20 minutes.
- Remove from freezer and brush the tops of scones with additional heavy cream. Sprinkle tops generously with white granulated or turbinado sugar. Work quickly so the scones don't warm up too much.
- Bake the chilled scones in preheated oven for about 20-25 minutes, or until the are nicely golden on top.
- Remove the scones from the oven and immediately remove to a cooling rack. Allow the scones to cool almost completely before serving. Store at room temperature for several days or these scones can also be frozen for longer storage.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information provided for general guidance only and should not be relied upon to make personal health decisions.
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joan says
can these be frozen after baking or freeze and then bake
Jennifer says
Hi Joan, they an definitely be frozen after baking. I haven't tried freezing them before baking myself.
Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary says
Peaches are definitely one of my all time favorite summer fruits! There's a peach farm not too far from our house that I've been meaning to go to, and this recipe is giving me the perfect excuse!!! Seriously, these scones look TO DIE FOR DELICIOUS!!! I'm printing this recipe and making these scones this weekend - can't wait!!
Jennifer says
Thanks so much, Cheyanne :) It's a perfect treat for an August day!
Pat says
What perfect timing for us here…we went to market, bought a bag full of Ontario peaches and we had everything else in our fridge and pantry. They just came out of the oven . Look wonderful. We will have them for breakfast in the morning. I followed every instruction I even gave them an extra 5 minutes in the freezer they cut so darn easy doing that great tip!
I appreciate you!
Pat
Jennifer says
So glad to hear, Pat! Perfect for breakfast. Enjoy :)