Saturday, January 18, 2014

Vanilla Scones - Just Like Starbucks



We have a new favorite breakfast treat!  Vanilla Scones!

I found this recipe last week and since it said "just like Starbucks", I knew they had to be good!

I have a confession.  I have never had Starbucks Vanilla Scones.  I guessed that since the chocolate muffins I had at Starbucks were super delicious, so would be the Vanilla Scones.  I was so right!!

This recipe uses ingredients that I usually keep in my pantry and refrigerator.  I like to keep recipes on hand for items just like this - that require no trips to the dreaded grocery store.

My mom came over just as these scones cooled on my kitchen counter.  We dove right in!  They were so delicious that we really couldn't believe it.  My mom told me that they rate right up there with my homemade donuts.  She loves my homemade donuts the most of anything I make so I will take her comments about these scones as a serious compliment, ha-ha.

My husband and dad were outside cutting firewood and when they came in the house, they both had one too.  My husband loved them!  My dad loves everything but he also loved them LOL.  Doug immediately came into the living room chomping on one and said, "What are THESE?  These things are delicious!" 

I had never made scones before I made this recipe.  I will be making them often!  I also will be trying some variations with this recipe. I'm betting that adding some coconut or blueberries would make flavors that we would also like.

Here's how I made Vanilla Scones - Just Like Starbucks AT HOME MY WAY:



Vanilla Scones - Just Like Starbucks
 
 
Dry ingredients:
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 5 Tablespoons salted real butter
 
Wet ingredients:
  • 1 cup plain yogurt (I used homemade yogurt) or sour cream
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
Glaze:
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons milk
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
Directions:
 
Combine dry ingredients.  Grate the COLD butter into the dry ingredients.  Blend the butter into the dry ingredients with a pastry blender, two knives, or a fork until butter is crumbly like the size of peas.
 
In a separate dish, mix the yogurt (or sour cream), egg yolk, and vanilla until completely combined (I just measured my yogurt, then added the egg yolk and vanilla to the measuring cup and stirred well).
 
Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir.  Stir until all the dry ingredients are absorbed into the wet.  I had to use the back of my wooden spoon to bring up all of the dry ingredients from the bottom of the bowl and blend them in.  It may seem like you won't be able to but keep working at it.  Form the dough into a ball in the bowl.  The dough will be sticky.
 
Place a piece of parchment paper on a cookie sheet.
 
Put the ball of dough on the parchment paper and gently press into a circle.  The dough should be about one inch thick.  Cut into pie shapes (wedges) but do not separate the wedges.  Just cut them and leave them.
 
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
 
Bake 15 minutes.
 
Mix glaze while scones are baking.  Add a tiny bit more milk if needed to make a smooth glaze.
 
Brush onto warm scones.  (Brushing makes a smoother surface and uses less glaze than drizzling.)
 
 
Here are some pics of the process:
 
 
Mixing the dry ingredients.
 
 
Grating butter into the dry ingredients.

 
 
 
Blending grated butter into dry ingredients until crumbly.
 

Mixing yogurt, egg yolk, and vanilla until smooth.
 
 
 
Adding wet to dry ingredients.
 
 
Stir until all combined and form into a ball in the bowl.
 
 


 
Place dough on parchment paper covered cookie sheet.
Press into a circle until dough is one inch thick.
Cut into wedges but do not separate.
 
 
I used a pizza cutter to cut the wedges.
 
Bake in preheated 400 degree oven for 15 minutes.
 
 
After 15 minutes they will be toasty brown. 
Remove from the oven.
 
 
Mix the glaze and brush on. 
 
 
Try to let them cool before diving in.
 
 
Enjoy!
 
Gina
 
 
 
I shared this recipe at: