Sunday Morning Scones

We’re clearly not very much into the January spirit of denial and prudence around here, although these scones do have some oatmeal (fiber!) and sour cherries (fruit!) mixed in with all the butter and flour. If you are having a virtuous January, then you might wish to check out Fig-Bran Muffins, or Apple-Pecan Muffins, or Crunchy Granola. Otherwise, throw caution to the wind and bake up a batch of feel-good comfort to get you through the dark days of January.

Not that I can personally use that excuse, given that we’ve been having more bright sunshine than we do in the summertime. No, the truth is, I made these scones during the holiday season, and froze them before baking. They were meant as a hostess gift for a party we were attending, but a little hand surgery got in the way. (I’m fine, thanks for asking, and the stitches come out on Monday, thank god!) Now there’s a bag of scones in the freezer, waiting for me to pull them out a few at a time and bake them, at will, on lazy Sunday mornings. Which makes me feel virtuous in a different sort of way. (Do you know how much cheaper it is to make these than to buy them?) And kind of like a kitchen Superwoman, you know? (You’re hungry for scones? No problem, ready in a bit, even with stitches in my hand!) So if you’re watching what you eat this January, go ahead, make them anyway, then freeze the shaped scones for Valentine’s Day. Because it’ll sneak up on you like rain when you’ve forgotten your umbrella. Yikes!

Oatmeal Cherry Scones
adapted from Baking, From My home to yours, by Dorie Greenspan

1 large egg
1/2 cup cold buttermilk
1 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/3 cup old-fashioned oats
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
½ cup dried sour cherries
2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter (optional)
2 tablespoons sugar (optional)

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 400°. Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat.

Stir the egg and buttermilk together.

Whisk the flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. Drop in the butter and using your fingers, toss to coat the pieces of butter with flour. Quickly, working with your fingertips or a pastry blender, cut and rub the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture is pebbly. You’ll have pea-size pieces, pieces the size of oatmeal flakes and pieces the size of everything in between.

Pour the egg and buttermilk mixture over the dry ingredients and stir with a fork just until the dough, which will be wet and sticky, comes together. Don’t overdo it.

Add the dried cherries. Still in the bowl, gently knead the dough by hand, or turn it with a rubber spatula 8 to 10 times. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and divide it in half. Working with one piece at a time, pat the dough into a rough circle that’s about 5 inches in diameter, cut it into 6 wedges and place on the baking sheet. (At this point, the scones can be frozen on the baking sheet, then wrapped airtight. Don’t defrost before baking, just add about 2 minutes to the total baking time.)

Optional step: Gently brush the scones with the melted butter. Sprinkle with the sugar. (I love this step, which I learned from Good to the Grain, because it makes a gorgeous glazed top crust.)

Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, or until their tops are golden and somewhat firm. Transfer them to a rack and cool for 10 minutes before serving, or wait for the scones to cool to room temperature. (I like them best before they’ve gotten to room temperature.)

Tagged as: brunch, freeze and bake, oatmeal cherry scone recipe, scones