Apricot Scones

Buttery and brimming with the summery flavor of stone fruit, my apricot scones with buttermilk glaze bake up golden and delicious, and oh-so cozy. Filled with chunks of fresh, sweet, aromatic apricots, a kiss of lemon zest plus rich buttermilk, this apricot scones recipe is a scrumptious delight to bake up during apricot season!

Homemade Scones Filled with the Flavor of Fresh Apricots

If you were to choose a favorite summer stone fruit, which would you pick?

For me, that's a tough choice to make, because I love all stone fruits. From peaches to plums, and to nectarines, I enjoy their sweet and juicy flavors all summer long.

But there is one tiny and fuzzy option among all of those stone fruits that is at the tippy-top of my list of favorites, and that's the apricot.

Small in size, yet loaded with sweet aroma and lots of tangy-sweet flavor, apricots are the perfect little fruit to snack on or add to my summer dessert making.

I love to prepare my homemade apricot jam, and keep that stashed in the fridge to use throughout the summer season.

And one of my most beloved treats to slather that juicy jam on is my apricot scones, baked up all buttery and warm!

Apricot scones kissed with lemon are one of my favorite goodies to enjoy this time of year, prepared in one bowl with fresh, diced apricots, a bit of lemon zest, organic butter, and rich buttermilk.

When these scrumptious homemade scones are baking, it makes the whole kitchen smell like heaven!

So if you love the flavor of fresh summer apricots as much as I do, then this apricot scones recipe with a rich buttermilk glaze is one to bake up while apricots are plentiful!

My Recipe For Apricot Scones with Buttermilk Glaze

Part of the fun of preparing scones is how relatively easy they are to make...

Everything gets added to one bowl and gently combined, then the dough is shaped and cut, then baked off.

Scones, with their buttery flavor and tender crumb, make for an excellent treat to enjoy for breakfast or even as a snack with tea or coffee.

Baked up in around 18 minutes, they're absolutely irresistible when warm and fresh out of the oven, and slathered with fresh apricot jam!

When preparing scones, it's about using very cold ingredients (butter and buttermilk) to allow the dough to stay cold until it hits that high heat in the oven.

Then, the scones puff up gently as the butter slowly melts and creates pockets in the dough, and the fruit (apricots, in this case) warms and becomes tender and juicy—so delicious!

Here's a peek at my apricot scones recipe: (or just jump to the full recipe...)

1. To get started, I add my dry ingredients to a large bowl, then add in my cold butter and mix until pea-size pieces are present.
2. Then, I add the cold buttermilk and diced apricots, and gently fold those in just until the scones dough comes together.
3. Next, I gather the dough and shape it into a disc, then cut that disc into 8 wedges.
4. I then place the dough wedges onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, brush with a touch of buttermilk, and bake until golden.
5. Once cooled, I drizzle the buttermilk glaze over the scones, allow it to set, then serve with my homemade apricot jam.

Recipe

Apricot Scones

by Ingrid Beer

Print Recipe

These sweet apricot scones kissed with lemon are buttery and tender, and drizzled with a rich, creamy buttermilk glaze!

Category: Dessert
Cuisine: American

Yield: 8 scones

Nutrition Info: 283 calories per scone

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 18 minutes
Total time: 38 minutes

Scones Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest (about 1 lemon)
• Pinch salt
• 8 tablespoons cold butter (1 stick), cut into small pieces
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ¾ cup cold buttermilk, plus a little extra to brush tops with
• 2 small apricots, pitted and chopped finely
• Raw sugar, to sprinkle

Buttermilk Glaze Ingredients:

• ½ cup powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon buttermilk
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation:

1. Begin by gathering and prepping all of our scone ingredients according to the ingredient list above to have ready and organized for use.
2. Preheat the oven to 425°, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. To prepare the scones, add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, lemon zest and salt to a large bowl, and whisk them together to combine very well.
4. Next, add in the cold butter, and using a pastry cutter or your fingers, work the butter into the flour as quickly as possible (to keep it cold) until it forms little “pea size” lumps and resembles coarse meal.
5. Add the vanilla to the buttermilk, and make a little well in the center of the dry ingredients. Pour the buttermilk in, and add in the diced apricot, and fold all of the ingredients together using a spatula until the dry ingredients become moist and begin to come together to form dough (take care not to over-work the dough).
6. Gather the dough together into a ball as best as possible, then place it onto a lightly floured work surface. Form the dough into a disk shape that is about 1inch thick, then cut the disk into 8 equal-sized wedges and place those scone wedges onto the parchment-lined baking sheet.
7. Brush the tops with a little buttermilk and sprinkle each with a little raw sugar, and bake for about 18 minutes, until pale-golden. Allow them to cool completely.
8. Gather and prep all of your buttermilk glaze ingredient according to the ingredient list to have ready and organized for use.
9. To prepare the glaze, lace the powdered sugar into a small bowl, and add in the buttermilk and vanilla. Whisk together until well-blended and it becomes a thick yet “drizzle-able” glaze.
10. Once the apricot scones are cooled, drizzle over top of them the buttermilk glaze and allow it firm up for a few minutes, and then serve the scones with apricot jam, if desired.

Tips & Tidbits for my Apricot Scones recipe:

• Fresh, ripe apricots: When choosing apricots for these scones, opt for fresh, ripe apricots that still have a slight firmness to them. You don't want them too mushy or soft, as these will be more difficult to work with when combining ingredients. You want them just juicy and sweet enough, with just a bit of give, to dice them and fold them in.
• Lemon zest for added lemony flavor: Since apricots and lemon go hand in hand, I love to add a little kiss of lemon zest in this sweet recipe to compliment that tanginess. You can leave it out, if you prefer, but the lemon offers a nice balance.
• Buttermilk or half and half: The buttermilk in these scones adds really nice flavor and tang, but half and half is also a terrific option and adds a bit more fat. If you do use half and half, then reduce the amount of butter to 6 tablespoons, and omit the baking soda.
• Serve the apricot scones with homemade apricot jam: If you love to slather warm, buttery scones with jam, then you'll love my homemade apricot jam—it's so sweet and tangy, and the perfect accompaniment for these scones!

Craving more sweet, cozy summer-y desserts? Check out these Strawberry Lemonade Scones, these Blueberry Scones, these Strawberry Oatmeal Bars, this Lemon Blueberry Cake, this Nectarine Crumb Tart, or this Summer Fruit Crostata!

Cook's Note: This recipe was originally published in 2013, and has been updated with even more love!