Tender, slightly crumbly, and studded with sweet strawberries and creamy cream cheese chunks, these Strawberry Cream Cheese Scones are full of fruity goodness.
Love scones? Check out our Blueberry Lemon Scones, Mini Vanilla Bean Scones, and Sour Cream Rhubarb Scones recipes also.
Why This Strawberry and Cream Cheese Scones Recipe Works
These Strawberry Cream Cheese Scones offer a wonderful twist on a classic baked good. The trick is to freeze the chopped strawberries and cream cheese pieces before hand for an easy to make scone batter.
- Fruity and Creamy: A delightful combination of sweet strawberry and tangy cream cheese.
- Tender Texture: Achieve that perfect scone crumb that's both soft and satisfying.
- Easy to Make: This morning quick bread recipe is fast and easy to make.
Ingredients Overview
For these scones, you'll need all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt. Frozen cubed cream cheese creates creamy pockets and a tender crumb, while frozen chopped strawberries add juicy bursts without bleeding into the dough.
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How To Make Strawberry Cream Cheese Scones
Making these scones involves whisking dry ingredients, cutting in cold butter, then gently folding in frozen chopped strawberries and cream cheese. Cold milk and vanilla form a shaggy dough, which is then shaped, cut, and baked until golden. A simple powdered sugar glaze is drizzled after cooling.
Step 1: Cut the cold cream cheese into a small dice. Layout on one half of a baking sheet covered with parchment paper.
Step 2: Wash and hull the strawberries and dice them up as well. Spread them out on the other half of the baking sheet. Set the baking sheet in the freezer for an hour or two to freeze.
Step 3: Line two 15 x 12 inch baking sheets with parchment paper, or spray with non-stick cooking spray.
Step 4: Add the flour, sugar, baking powder, and the salt to a large mixing bowl and mix well.
Step 5: Set a box grater in the mixing bowl of dry ingredients and using the large side of the grater, grate the cold butter into the flour mixture.
Step 6: When done grating, toss the butter shreds with the flour mixture to coat with the flour mixture.
Step 7: Use a fork or a pastry cutter to cut the butter into flour mixture and break up even smaller.
Step 8: In a small bowl, whisk together the heavy cream, egg, and vanilla extract.
Make a well in the center of the flour and pour in the milk and egg mixture. Add the frozen strawberries and the frozen cream cheese.
Step 9: Using a spatula, mix everything, scraping the sides of the bowl, to quickly mix everything. It will be lumpy, but make sure all the flour is mixed in.
Step 10: Scrape the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Flour your hands and pull the shaggy dough together to finish mixing and to create a ball of dough. Using a rolling pin or your hands, press the dough out to about 1 inch thick.
Step 11: Flour a 2½ inch cookie cutter and cut out round scones from the flattened dough.
Step 12: Transfer the rounds to the prepared baking sheets, spread out at least 2 inches apart..
Pro Tip
Alternatively, you could press the dough out into a 9 inch disc and put into 8 wedges, setting four spread out on each baking sheet.
Step 13: Brush the tops of the scones with some extra heavy cream or milk, and let them rest for 10 minutes. While the scones are resting, reheat your oven to 400℉.
Bake the scones in the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes (about 15 minutes for the smaller round scones, and about 18 - 20 minutes for larger wedge shaped scones).
Step 14: When done, remove from the oven and set to cool completely before drizzling with the vanilla icing.
Substitutions and Variations
Here are a few delicious variations or substitutions when making this recipe.
- Fruit Swap: Instead of strawberries, try blueberries, raspberries, or chopped peaches for a different fruit flavor.
- Citrus Zest: Add the zest of one lemon or orange to the dough for a bright, tangy note that complements the fruit and cream cheese.
- Cream Cheese Alternatives: While cream cheese is classic, you could experiment with mascarpone for a richer scone, or even small chunks of a mild goat cheese for a savory-sweet twist.
Tips for Success
Here are a few tips for making this recipe:
- Keep Ingredients Cold: Ensure your butter and cream cheese are very cold and cut into small pieces. This creates pockets of steam during baking, leading to a tender, flaky scone.
- Don't Overmix: Mix the dough just until it comes together. Overmixing develops gluten, which can result in tough scones rather than tender ones.
- Handle Lightly: When shaping the dough, use a gentle touch. Too much handling will warm the butter and cream cheese and make the scones less flaky.
- Frozen Strawberries and Cream Cheese chunks are key: Using frozen strawberries helps prevent them from bleeding too much into the dough.
- Avoid Overcrowding: Give your scones space on the baking sheet. Overcrowding can inhibit proper air circulation, leading to uneven baking and browning.
Storage Options
Some recommended storage options for this recipe are:
- Store cooled scones in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. They are best enjoyed fresh.
- You can freeze the unbaked scone wedges on a baking sheet until solid, then transfer them to a freezer bag.
- Bake from frozen, adding a few extra minutes to the baking time.
Related Recipes
- Apple Flaxmeal Muffins
- Jumbo Blueberry Muffins
- Sourdough Discard Pancakes
- Banana Chocolate Chip Sheet Pan Pancakes
- Cheddar Cheese Drop Biscuits
Frequently Asked Questions
Fresh strawberries can be used, but they may release more moisture and could make the scones less tender. If using fresh, make sure they are cold and gently fold them in.
If shaping into a wedge, form a disc first. Then using a sharp knife of bench scraper, cutting straight down will help create clean, even wedges.
Breakfast Bread Recipes
Get the Recipe!
Strawberry Cream Cheese Scones
Ingredients
- 1 cup cream cheese cubed and frozen
- 1 cup strawberries washed, chopped and frozen
- 270 grams all-purpose flour 2¼ cups
- 100 grams sugar ½ cup
- 2½ tablespoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt 9 grams
- 113 grams butter 1 stick, cold and grated
- 120 grams heavy cream ½ cup
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- extra cream to brush on scones
Icing
- 85 grams powdered sugar ¾ cup
- 3 tablespoons heavy cream or milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Freeze the Cream Cheese and the Strawberries
- Cut the cold cream cheese into a small dice. Layout on one half of a baking sheet covered with parchment paper.
- Wash and hull the strawberries and dice them up as well. Spread them out on the other half of the baking sheet. Set the baking sheet in the freezer for an hour or two to freeze.
Prepare the Scones
- Line two 15 x 12 inch baking sheets with parchment paper, or spray with non-stick cooking spray.
- Add the flour, sugar, baking powder, and the salt to a large mixing bowl and mix well.270 grams all-purpose flour, 100 grams sugar, 2½ tablespoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt
- Set a box grater in the mixing bowl of dry ingredients and using the large side of the grater, grate the cold butter into the flour mixture. When done grating, toss the butter shreds with the flour mixture to coat and break up even smaller.113 grams butter
- In a smaller bowl, whisk together the heavy cream, egg, and vanilla extract.120 grams heavy cream, 1 egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Make a well in the center of the flour and pour in the milk and egg mixture. Add the frozen strawberries and the frozen cream cheese.1 cup cream cheese, 1 cup strawberries
- Using a spatula, mix everything, scraping the sides of the bowl, to quickly mix everything. It will be lumpy, but make sure all the flour is mixed in.
- Scrape the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Flour your hands and pull the shaggy dough together to finish mixing and to create a ball of dough. Using a rolling pin or your hands, press the dough out to about 1 inch thick.
- Flour a 2½ inch cookie cutter and cut out round scones, transferring them to the prepared baking sheets, spread out so there are nice rounds on each pan.
- Alternatively, you could press the dough out into a 9 inch disc and put into 8 wedges, setting four spread out on each baking sheet .
- Brush the tops of the scones with some extra heavy cream or milk, and let them rest for 10 minutes.extra cream to brush on scones
- While the scones are resting, reheat your oven to 400℉.
- Bake the scones in the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes (about 15 minutes for the smaller round scones, and about 18 - 20 minutes for larger wedge shaped scones).
- When done, remove from the oven and set to cool completely before drizzling with the vanilla icing.
Vanilla Icing
- In a small bowl, mix the powdered sugar, heavy cream (or milk) and the vanilla. Stir with a whisk until creamy with no lumps.85 grams powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons heavy cream, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Notes
- Keep Ingredients Cold: Ensure your butter and cream cheese are very cold and cut into small pieces. This creates pockets of steam during baking, leading to a tender, flaky scone.
- Don't Overmix: Mix the dough just until it comes together. Overmixing develops gluten, which can result in tough scones rather than tender ones.
- Handle Lightly: When shaping the dough, use a gentle touch. Too much handling will warm the butter and cream cheese and make the scones less flaky.
- Frozen Strawberries and Cream Cheese chunks are key: Using frozen strawberries helps prevent them from bleeding too much into the dough.
- Avoid Overcrowding: Give your scones space on the baking sheet. Overcrowding can inhibit proper air circulation, leading to uneven baking and browning.
Kelly says
Delicious, I'm making this again!