Sage Blackberry Scones with Blackberry Glaze pack a surprising flavor punch in a classic breakfast treat. These scones are tender and buttery, and the peppery, citrusy notes of the sage paired with the sweet and fruity pop of fresh blackberries take them to the next level.
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Your Blackberry & Sage Sales Pitch
Sage and blackberry. Sage and blackberry? Really? Really. I have it growing, almost out of control in my hydroponic unit, and so here we are.
But with a SWEET glaze, Christine? Yes, indeedy!
I was convinced I was the only one who would like this sweet and savory flavor combination, so I pestered my husband and my oldest, “Did you like them? But should I perhaps remove the glaze? Maybe just use a thick sanding sugar to top them off? Remove the sage? Replace with white chocolate?”
They loved them. Asked me to make them again. Told me it 100% needed the glaze. And that they loved the sage in them, too! In fact, Mr. Husband said it’s what made them. It gives them a certain je-ne-sais-quoi, if you will.
So, it would appear, it’s not just me. And if you don’t mind, say, rosemary and peaches, or lemon and thyme, or even strawberry and basil, then don’t just take my word for it: Make. These. Scones!
We like these blackberry scones all on their own, but if you’re feeling a bit over the top, you could serve these with my homemade creme fraiche and a bit of jam (maybe blackberry, why not?).
(P.S. If sage isn’t your thing, simply remove it. And hey, maybe try them with a cup of white chocolate chips instead.)
Why You’ll Love These Buttermilk Fruit Scones
- Unique flavor combo.
- A great way to use up that extra buttermilk.
- They’re light and flaky fresh from the oven.
Ingredients
- Fresh blackberries: We’re going to slightly mash blackberries with a bit of granulated sugar in this recipe, reserve the blackberry juice for the purple glaze, and then use the sweet berry in the scone for maximum flavor.
- All-purpose flour: Keeping it simple today with a pantry staple. You can use cake flour if you’d like for even lighter and fluffier scones (a lot of bakers use ½ AP and ½ cake flour in their scone recipes), but definitely do NOT use bread flour.
- Granulated sugar: For the blackberries and the scones.
- Powdered sugar: For the blackberry glaze you’ll pour over the tops of the scones.
- Unsalted butter: You can use salted butter in a pinch, and honestly, when baking I rarely adjust the salt levels in the recipe, although most recipe developers do recommend it.
- Buttermilk
- Egg
- Vanilla Extract
How to Make Buttermilk Blackberry and Sage Scones
- Mix the blackberries and the sugar, mashing with the back of a fork. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, mix dry ingredients (don’t forget the sage!)
- Cut in the grated butter with two forks or your fingers until the dough has pea-sized crumbs.
- Fold in the buttermilk, egg, and vanilla extract until a very rough dough starts to form.
- Drain blackberries, reserving liquid and fold the blackberries into the dough. Then turn out onto the table and continue to gently knead the dough until you can form it into a circle.
- Transfer to a sheet of parchment paper and pop the scones in the fridge or freezer and preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Remove from the fridge or freezer and using a sharp knife or a pizza cutter, slice into eight uniform triangles. Brush with buttermilk. Bake for 20-24 min until golden brown and cooked through.
- Remove and let cool.
- To make glaze, sieve a tablespoon of the reserved blackberry juice, add to it the milk, the powdered sugar and the salt. Whisk to combine. Stir in a teaspoon of lemon juice. Drizzle on scones.
Tips and Tricks for the Best Sage Blackberry Scones
Use fresh baking powder. Buttermilk scones depend on a reaction between baking powder and buttermilk for the scones to get the best rise. If that baking powder has been idle in the pantry for a while, there is an easy way to check it. Simply stir together 1 cup of warm water with 2 teaspoons of baking powder; if it fizzes you are good to go!
Don’t overwork your dough. The more you work the dough, the more you activate the gluten in the flour, which results in a tough, less flaky scone.
Grate your butter. Freeze your butter at least 30 minutes before using it in this scones recipe and grate it into the dry ingredients for lighter, flakier scones. (And you don’t have to work with big butter cubes either, which is a plus.)
Frequently Asked Questions
What does buttermilk do in baking?
Buttermilk plays a crucial role in creating the texture, flavor, and rise of scones, making them more enjoyable to eat.
Can I substitute heavy cream for buttermilk in these scones?
If you don’t have buttermilk, you can substitute with heavy cream and vinegar, which will curdle the milk and give it the sour taste of buttermilk. For one cup of buttermilk, use 1 tablespoon of vinegar.
Storing & Freezing Instructions for Scones
Store: Store uneaten scones in an air-tight container for 1-2 days. If you think it will be longer than 2 days before you finish your scones I recommend freezing them.
Freeze: To freeze leftover scones, store in a freezer-safe container for up to 1 month. Thaw and reheat in a 350°F oven for 10 minutes.
📖 Recipe
Buttermilk Sage Blackberry Scones
Ingredients
Macerated Blackberries
- 165 g blackberries 1 heaping cup, cut in half
- 2 tablespoons sugar
Blackberry Scones
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour/
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon sage leaves chopped
- 8 tablespoon unsalted butter grated (freeze before grating and store in freezer or fridge until ready to use!)
- ⅔ cup buttermilk milk cold
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Blackberries drained reserve the sauce
- Keep 2 tablespoons of buttermilk and egg mix for the scones
Blackberry Glaze
- 1 tablespoon blackberry juice from macerated blackberries
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- First, you need to use a stick of frozen butter for this recipe. Place in freezer 30 min or even overnight. Grate. Then store in the freezer or fridge for 15 minutes or so.
- In a small bowl, mix the blackberries and the sugar. Mash them slightly with the back of a fork or your fingertips and set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, salt, chopped sage (if using), and sugar.
- Cut in the grated butter with a pastry cutter, two forks or your fingers until the dough has pea-sized crumbs. (Tip: if using your fingers, work quickly to avoid warming the butter too much.)
- Note: Before this step, make sure you remove 2 tablespoons of the buttermilk egg mixture and set it aside for brushing the scones.
- Next, make a small well in the middle of your flour and add to it the buttermilk, egg, and vanilla extract. Lightly whisk the egg into the buttermilk, and using a spatula, stir to combine until a very rough dough starts to form.
- Drain blackberries, reserving liquid and fold the blackberries into the scone dough. Then turn out onto the table and continue to gently knead the dough (roughly 10 times, give or take) until you can form it into a circle.
- Transfer to a lightly floured sheet of parchment paper on a cooking tray. At this stage, pop the scones in the fridge or freezer and preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Remove from fridge or freezer and using a sharp knife or a pizza cutter, slice into eight uniform triangles. Brush with buttermilk.
- Bake at 425F for 20-24 minutes or until golden brown on top and done in the middle.
- Remove from the oven and let cool.
- Meanwhile, make glaze. In a small bowl, sieve a tablespoon of the reserved blackberry juice, add to it the milk, the powdered sugar and the salt. Whisk to combine. Stir in a teaspoon of lemon juice at the very end.
- Drizzle with blackberry glaze and serve!
