I have a treat for you today.
These scones are probably one of the best things to come out of my kitchen in a while. Or, at least, they are the thing I am most excited about as of late.
Before these, I was not big on scones. They often come out so dry and hockey-puck like. I also find that they generally aren’t sweet enough for me.
I don’t have a HUGE sweet tooth, but I like my baked goods to have a sugary bite to them. Otherwise, I don’t think they are worth the calories. Basically, a scone has to be pretty great for me to be on board.
A few weeks ago, I mentioned that my husband and I went to Washington DC for a weekend. While we were there, we brunched at Art Smith’s place (one of the best meals we had while there, by the way).
Shortly after you sit down, they bring over a plate of warm apricot scones and soft whipped butter. I debated whether they were worth the caloric load given my general scone hesitancy, but my husband dove right in.
His reaction to the scones pulled me in. They were soft, flaky, and sweet with a hint (I’m pretty sure) of ginger. The apricots were sweet and plump.
The best part: there was a thick crust of sugar crystals on top of each scone. TEXTURE! They were phenomenal. We finished off the plate of four (FOUR!) scones in minutes.
We then moved onto two incredible eggs benedict dishes complete with bacon and sweet tomato jam (OMG)…but that’s a story for another time….
Back to the scones…
The wheels in my head were already turning. I knew I had to try recreating them at home. So, I came up with the version below. Much to my delight (and shock), they came out even better than the restaurant version (sorry, Art). It must be that whole homemade thang. They were soft, flaky, and MOIST (no hockey pucks!) with the perfect hint of sweet, spicy ginger. I ate one hot out of the oven (ouch) and another later on smeared with softened butter. Both were delightful (and worth the tongue burn). My husband agreed. He ranked them as a “9.5 out of 10,” and he doesn’t give such accolades lightly! I took the leftovers into work (in an effort to cut myself off from them) on Monday, and people raved. Some even said it was the best scone they’d ever had!
*Pats self on back.*
I’m not trying to toot my own horn here, but the reaction I received from others confirmed my belief that these were spectacular scones.
So, do yourself a favor and make these soon. They are incredibly yummy and very “un-scone-y,” if you’re like me and afraid they won’t be your thing.
Apricot Ginger Scones
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
Description
These Apricot Ginger Scones are the perfect baked good! Soft, flaky, sweet, and with a touch of spice from candied ginger – they have something for everyone!
Ingredients
For the Scones:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- 8 tablespoons very cold butter, cut into small cubes
- ½ cup chopped dried apricots
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped candied ginger
- 1 cup cold heavy cream, plus a little extra for brushing
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (or extract)
- Turbinado (raw) sugar, for sprinkling on top
For the Glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (or extract)
- 1–2 tablespoons milk or cream
Instructions
For the Scones:
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and ground ginger.
- Using a pastry blender, fork, or your hands, work the cubed butter into the flour mixture until it resembles a coarse meal. A few larger chunks of butter are fine.
- Gently fold in the dried apricots and candied ginger.
- Pour the heavy cream and vanilla over the dough and stir until the mixture just comes together. Try not to overmix.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and gently form the dough into a large disc, roughly one inch high and 8-10 inches in diameter.
- Use a sharp knife to cut the scones into 8 triangles. Place the cut scones onto the prepared baking sheet.
- If time permits, place the baking sheet with the scones into a freezer or fridge for 10-15 minutes, just to ensure that the butter is super cold. This will allow the scones to puff up and get really flaky in the oven.
- Brush the tops of the scones with a little heavy cream. Sprinkle turbinado sugar all over the tops.
- Bake for 18-22 minutes or until the scones are golden brown around the edges, lightly golden on the tops, and puffed.
- Cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack to finish cooling.
For the Glaze:
- Whisk together the sugar, ginger, and vanilla in a small bowl.
- Add enough milk or cream (usually between 1-2 tablespoons) to get the mixture to a drizzling consistency. Whisk until completely smooth.
To Serve:
- Drizzle the glaze lightly over the scones.
- Allow to set for a few minutes and then serve.
Notes
- These scones are slightly sweeter than traditional scones. I like my scones to taste like dessert. If you prefer a less sweet scone, you can skip the raw sugar sprinkling or cut the sugar in the dough by half.
- If you want to prepare the scone dough ahead, I suggest making the dough and cutting it into scones. Place the formed scones on a sheet pan in the fridge overnight. You can brush with cream and sprinkle with sugar just before baking. Bake as directed above.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes (includes chill time)
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: baked goods
Hi There. I'm Molly. I'm a food-obsessed, self-taught cook and I can't wait to share my passion for all things culinary with you. My love for egg yolks is just the tip of the iceberg!
I cannot resist a good scones and these look amazing! I love the apricot and ginger combo!
Thank you! They came out so much better than expected – gotta love when that happens!
Hi Molly, I enjoy trying to re-create recipes that I have had in restaurants, it is so much fun. These scones look wonderful, I bet your kitchen smelled wonderful.
Thanks Cheri!