I realized, as I was reviewing recipes for market, that I hadn’t posted a recipe for honey (wal)nut scones, even though I make this type of scone just about as frequently as the fruited types. So, here we go!
You can sub in whatever nuts or seeds you like for the walnuts, or even do a combination, for different flavors. Hazelnuts, pecans, and black walnuts will give the scones a more pronounced nutty flavor, while seeds and “regular” walnuts will be more subtle. Pictured above are some black walnut scones I made last winter, using a trove of black walnuts we got from a neighbor. Toasting and cooling the nuts before mixing them in the dough will bring out their flavor even further.
These, like my other scones, are very lightly sweet, so they’re ideal for topping with jams, soft cheeses, or a drizzle of honey. I’m a particular fan of adding a smear of Nutella to some hazelnut scones. Mmmm, perfect tea time!
So enough of my talking. Let’s scone.
Honey Walnut Scones
The dough will look a little dry before you knead it briefly - that’s normal! Feel free to substitute the walnuts with pecans, hazelnuts, or even seeds.
you will need:
- 2 c all-purpose flour (you can sub up to 1 c wheat flour), plus more for sprinkling
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 2-3 tbsp honey, plus more for brushing
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 5 tbsp cold salted butter, cut into cubes
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- ¼-½ c chopped walnuts, pecans, or other nuts or seeds, or a combination
- ½-¾ c buttermilk or sour milk, plus 1-2 tbsp for brushing
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with a Silpat or parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder. Cut in the butter using a pastry cutter or two forks until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. You can also do this step in the food processor, with 3-4 pulses. Mix in the chopped nuts. (You can also mix in the nuts at the end of Step 3, but I find I’m able to get a better distribution if I do it before the wet ingredients are added.)
- In a large measuring cup or medium bowl, whisk the egg and honey with ½ c of the buttermilk, then fold into the flour mixture enough to get a solid, fairly sticky dough, adding milk a little bit more at a time as needed to achieve this consistency.
- Turn dough onto a lightly floured countertop, sprinkle the dough with flour, and lightly knead the dough until it just comes together. (It’s more of a cross between patting and kneading.) Pat it into a circle about 10 inches diameter and 1 ½ inches thick. Cut the dough into eight equal wedges.
- Transfer each wedge to the prepared baking sheet, spacing each wedge about 2 inches apart. Whisk about 1 tbsp honey with 2-3 tbsp buttermilk in a small bowl (or the same measuring cup you used to mix the milk, honey, and eggs), and brush the tops of the wedges with the buttermilk mixture.
- Bake at 450 degrees F for 10-12 minutes until the edges are lightly browned. Remove from the oven to a cooling rack, allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer the scones to a cooling rack to cool completely, about 20 minutes.
The Crunchy Baker 