These Triple Berry Crème Fraîche Scones are pretty much my dream scones. Berries, vanilla bean, creme fraiche, and butter are all things that make me swoon and these scones have them all. With a make-ahead option, these are the perfect treat for Mother's Day or really for any breakfast or brunch that deserves an extra special touch.
This recipe is a riff on my vanilla bean scones, which are a favorite around here. I make these a little thicker, and they are just so soft, tender, and bursting with a combo of sweet, juicy strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries. And with a nod to my French heritage, they are made just a bit more elegant with the addition of crème fraîche. I have made my own creme fraiche many times, but store bought works just as well - I like Vermont Creamery. Here's an article on How to Make Creme Fraiche just know that it takes about 24 hours to make.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Mix wet ingredients and set aside. Mix dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl, add shredded butter, toss butter in dry ingredients.
Add berries and mix to combine. Add wet mixture and stir gently with a fork until you have a shaggy dough. Dump onto surface and press into a fat rectangle. Divide dough in half and stack one half on top of the other. Press down to original size and repeat the cutting and stacking two more times.
Roll dough into a large rectangle about 1 ½ inches thick. Cut into 9-12 pieces and place on parchment lined tray. Brush with cream, sprinkle with sugar, and place tray in freezer for at least 30 minutes before baking.
Triple Berry Creme Fraiche Scones Recipe
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Triple Berry Crème Fraîche Scones
These Triple Berry Crème Fraîche Scones are thick, soft, and packed with sweet, juicy berries. Perfect for Mother's Day or any special breakfast or brunch.
- Total Time: 55 minutes plus chilling
- Yield: 9-12 large scones
Ingredients
For the scones:
dry mixture:
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
⅓ cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
2 sticks (½ pound) unsalted butter, grated on large holes of box grater
berries:
½ cup blueberries
½ cup raspberries
½ cup diced strawberries
wet mixture:
1 cup crème fraîche
4 tablespoons heavy cream, plus more for brushing
seeds from 1 vanilla bean
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
seeds from 1 vanilla bean
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup crème fraîche
2-4 tablespoons cream, milk, or half and half
Instructions
To make the Scones:
- Whisk the crème fraîche, cream, vanilla seeds, vanilla extract, and egg in a large, spouted measuring cup and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add grated butter and stir to combine.
- Add berries to flour and butter mixture and toss gently to evenly disperse.
- Pour the cream mixture into the flour mixture slowly while gently stirring with a fork just until it comes together. It's ok if there are a few dryer patches of dough, but if you have a lot of dry flour, add a bit more cream about a tablespoon at a time as you keep stirring until you have a mostly moist, cohesive dough.
- Turn the dough onto a floured surface and lightly press it together until it forms a fat rectangle. Cut dough in half and stack one half on top of the other. Press back into original shape. Repeat this process two more times. The stacking process creates perfect, flaky layers.
- Use your hands or a rolling pin to roll into a rectangle about 1 ½ inches thick.
- Cut into 9-12 even pieces. You could also cut rounds with a biscuit cutter if you prefer.
- Place cut scones onto a parchment lined baking sheet about 1.5-2 inches apart. I was able to get all of mine onto a standard half sheet pan. They will spread ever so slightly.
- Brush tops with cream and sprinkle with coarse or granulated sugar.
- Place pan in freezer for at least 30 minutes before baking. *see make ahead option in notes
- When you're ready to bake, preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Bake scones for 25-35 minutes until tops are crackled and golden brown and dough is cooked through. If baking from overnight frozen, you'll definitely need the longer baking time.
- Allow to cool completely before glazing but be sure to enjoy one hot from the oven!
Vanilla Bean Crème Fraîche Glaze
While scones are baking, make the glaze by combining all glaze ingredients in a bowl or spouted measuring cup. Whisk to combine. You should have a not too thick, not too thin, pourable consistency that won't all just slither off the scones. I describe it as the consistency of cool honey.
Drizzle glaze over cooled scones and dig in!
Notes
Here's the cool thing: You can leave that tray in the freezer all night and bake yourself some fresh scones the next day. Or you can freeze them until solid, transfer to plastic bags or a freezer-safe container and have scones anytime your heart desires.
If you want to make your own creme fraiche, it's as simple as mixing 2 cups heavy cream with ¼ cup buttermilk in a large mason jar. Give it a good shake and leave in a warm place for 24 hours. I used Horizon Organic Heavy Cream and Lucerne cultured low fat buttermilk. I left mine next to my coffee pot which is basically always on. It took 24 hours for the cream to thicken, but it was well worth the wait. It thickens more in the fridge. How to Make Creme Fraiche
- Prep Time: 20 minutes plus chilling
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: scones, breakfast
- Method: baking
- Cuisine: American
Sarah W says
Even my picky husband agrees that these are the most perfect scones I've ever made! I don't buy creme fraiche anymore thanks to Anita, I make a fresh batch every week and we've incorporated it into so many places now! I'll be hard pressed to ever make a difference scone recipe again, because this one creates the most perfectly tender and moist little scone! It's amazing that the berries don't get smushed, it's like magic
Sarah W says
This was the first time scones ever came out of my kitchen perfectly, and I've tried about 4 different recipes! These were positively delicious and we happily ate up the whole batch! I can't wait to make them again, and thanks to Anita I make my own Crème Fraîche all the time now and save so much money!
anita | wild thistle kitchen says
Sarah! This comment just made my whole WEEK! Thank you!! Your friendship and support just mean the world to me. xo - Anita
Jess says
These look wonderful Anita!