Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 150 g whole-wheat flour
- 150 g all-purpose flour
- 15 g baking powder
- 2 g baking soda
- 4 g fine sea salt
Herbs and Fat
- 10 g fresh chives, finely chopped
- 5 g fresh thyme, leaves only, chopped
- 60 g unsalted butter, cubed and ice cold
Liquid
- 180 ml buttermilk, cold
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 201 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbohydrates
- 30 g
- Fat
- 7 g
- Fiber
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 1 g
- Sodium
- 290 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 4 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 19 mg
- Potassium
- 323 mg
- Calcium
- 122 mg
- Iron
- 1.2 mg
- Magnesium
- 31 mg
- Phosphorus
- 232 mg
- Zinc
- 0.8 mg
- Vitamin A
- 72 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 2 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.3 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin K
- 1 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.09 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.09 mg
- Niacin
- 1.3 mg
- Folate
- 12 mcg
- Water
- 26 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and fine sea salt until evenly dispersed. Stir in the chopped chives and thyme.
Add the ice cold cubed butter to the dry ingredients. Use a pastry blender or your fingertips to quickly work the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining.
Make a well in the center of the mixture and pour in the cold buttermilk. Stir gently with a fork or spatula just until the dough begins to come together into a shaggy mass.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Gently fold it over itself 2 or 3 times just to bring it together. Pat the dough gently into a disc about 2.5 centimeters or 1 inch thick. Use a biscuit cutter to punch out rounds, pressing straight down without twisting.
Transfer the scones to the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 3 centimeters of space between them. Bake in the preheated oven at 200°C/400°F for 14 to 16 minutes.
Remove the baking sheet from the oven and transfer the scones to a wire cooling rack. Let them cool slightly before serving.
Chef's Notes
- Temperature is the most crucial element in biscuit or scone making. Chill your mixing bowl and flour beforehand if your kitchen is particularly warm.
- The combination of baking soda and buttermilk is classic in Irish baking, providing both a tender crumb and an excellent rise through their chemical reaction.
- For an extra rustic appearance and slight crunch, brush the tops of the unbaked scones with a tiny bit of extra buttermilk and sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
- Do not use a rolling pin to flatten the dough. Gently patting it with your hands preserves the small air pockets and butter chunks needed for flaky layers.
Storage
Refrigerator: 5 days — Store in an airtight container to prevent drying out.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze baked scones in a sealed bag. Unbaked scones can also be frozen and baked directly from frozen, adding a few extra minutes to the bake time.
Reheating: Reheat in a 175C/350F oven for 5 to 7 minutes until warmed through and crisp on the outside.
Troubleshooting
Scones are dense and heavy rather than light and flaky.
Cause: The dough was overworked or the butter melted before baking.
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Handle the dough as little as possible. Ensure the butter and buttermilk are very cold before starting.
Scones did not rise tall in the oven.
Cause: The biscuit cutter was twisted during cutting, sealing the edges of the dough.
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Always press the cutter straight down and lift it straight up.
Cultural Context
Scones and biscuits share a deep culinary lineage, particularly rooted in the baking traditions of the British Isles. The addition of whole-wheat flour nods to traditional Irish brown bread, bridging the gap between a hearty, rustic accompaniment to winter stews and a delicate treat for a refined brunch.
