Peach Scones

These are delicious and so filling.  Enjoy them warm with a cold glass of milk.  We've been blessed with such juicy ripe peaches lately so when I saw this recipe at Joy the Baker, I had to try it.  I adapted it a little by using cold coconut oil instead of shortening and using two peaches instead of one.  I try to avoid shortening since it is an unhealthy fat.  The recipe makes eight scones which is a lot for us, so I baked four the first morning and refrigerated the other four and baked them the next morning.  They were just fine wrapped in plastic wrap overnight and baked beautifully the next day.  I waited to brush the buttermilk on top and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar until right before I put them in the oven.  These are a truly wonderful summer treat.  

Ingredients:

3 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup granulated sugar

3 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes

1/4 cup cold coconut oil crumbled or cubed as best as you can or an additional 1/4 cup unsalted butter, cubed

1 egg, beaten

3/4 cup buttermilk, cold

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 ripe peaches, sliced thin

1/4 cup buttermilk, for brushing

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon


1.  Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

2.  In a mixing bowl, sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Use a pastry blender or two butter knives to cut in butter and coconut oil until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  


My 5 year old loved this part and yes some of our flour mixture did go flying out of the bowl, but most of it stayed in.  Notice the mess (toy boat and sticker art) on top of the microwave.  This is what a home looks like when there are three wonderful boys 5 and under and their mom is too busy to put everything away.  

3.  In another bowl, combine egg, milk, and vanilla and beat lightly with a fork.  Add the liquid to the flour mixture all at once, stirring enough to make a soft dough.

4.  Turn out onto a floured board and knead about 15 times.  If the butter has warmed too much in the making of the dough, shape the batter into a dish, wrap in plastic wrap, and let rest in the fridge for 15 minutes.  If the butter is still cool, shape the dough into a disk and on a well floured surface, roll dough to a little less than 1/2-inch thickness.  The dough will be rolled just thinner than a biscuit dough from which you would cut biscuits.  


(To knead the dough, press down on the dough disc, then fold it over itself and press down again.  Repeat 15 times.)

5.  Brush half of the rolled out dough with buttermilk.  Arrange peach slices in a single layer across the buttermilk moistened dough.  Sprinkle with half of the cinnamon sugar mixture. 

6.  Carefully fold the empty side of dough over the peach slices.  Press gently together.  Add a bit of flour to your hands and press the edges of the dough in, creating more of a rectangle shape than a half circle shape.  Slice dough into eight pieces.  

The picture below is half of the dough which will make four slices.  I refrigerated this half wrapped in plastic wrap and cut and baked it the next morning.  

7.  Place dough on prepared baking sheets, leaving about 1 1/2-inches of room around each scone to spread while baking.  If dough has warmed, and feels mushy, place in the fridge for 20 minutes to rechill.  Remove from the fridge.  Brush each scone top with buttermilk, and sprinkle with remaining cinnamon sugar.  (I never had to refrigerate my dough as I was working and found it was pretty easy to work with.)

8.  Bake scones for 15-18 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through.  Remove from oven and allow to cool for 15 minutes before serving.  Scones are best served warm.


This is what they look like right before cinnamon sugar and baking.