These pretty rhubarb scones loaded with little bits of juicy rhubarb make a perfect breakfast or afternoon tea-time treat. Be sure to freeze some rhubarb when it’s in season so you can enjoy them year round.
Rhubarb scones are a simple and delicious way to enjoy seasonal rhubarb while it’s around! The beautiful subtle rhubarb-y shades of pink and green poke through the dough and lend a lovely sweet-tart flavor that brightens the buttery scones.
See all my rhubarb recipes here
rhubarb scones ingredients
Rhubarb scones would be great served for brunch or afternoon tea, or really any spring or summer gathering. Here’s what you’ll need:
- chopped rhubarb
- sugar
- all purpose flour
- baking powder and salt
- vanilla extract
- unsalted butter
- buttermilk or half and half
A simple scone is a great thing to know how to make ~ swap out almost any fresh berry as they come into season and you have a perfect portable breakfast or special brunch treat. Since rhubarb has such a short and sweet season I highly suggest freezing any extra.
How to freeze rhubarb
- Wash and dry the stalks.
- Thinly slice them into about 1/2 inch pieces.
- Lay the fruit out in a single layer on a lined baking sheet. Put the pan in the freezer for an hour. The fruit will be hard.
- Quickly transfer the fruit to heavy duty zip lock freezer bags, label, and put back in the freezer. Push out any excess air before zipping closed.
- They’ll last 6 months to a year.
- Use the fruit straight from frozen in your recipes, unless a recipe specifically states otherwise.
Scones are almost a religion here in the Great Island kitchen. Whenever I get the baking urge, but I don’t want to trek to the store, I can always rely on a great scone recipe to satisfy the craving.
You can definitely make a simple glaze for these rhubarb scones, like I did with my Fresh Cranberry and White Chocolate Scones, or my Maple Oat Nut Scones. You can also simply dust them with a little sugar before baking, which gives them a subtle sweet crunch.
I loved them served warm with a generous smear of my homemade Instant Pot Clotted Cream!
Rhubarb Scones
Ingredients
- 1 cup chopped rhubarb, about 1-3 stalks, depending on size
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 Tbsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 8 Tbsp unsalted cold butter, cut in pieces
- 1/2 cup possibly a little bit more cold buttermilk or half and half
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Add the sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt to the bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine.
- Drop in the pieces of cold butter and pulse about 20-25 times until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Remove the mixture to a large mixing bowl and add in the buttermilk or half and half, and vanilla extract, and mix gently with a large spoon until the dough just comes together, it will be crumbly. If it is very dry, drizzle in a little more buttermilk or half and half. Gently fold in the chopped rhubarb.
- Turn the mixture onto a floured surface and knead a few times with floured hands until the dough is one piece, without a lot of dry flour left. Pat it out into a rectangular shape and use a 3-inch biscuit cutter to cut out the scones. You can also cut the dough into squares if you prefer.
- Arrange the scones 2 inches apart on the lined baking sheet and bake for about 20 minutes, until just starting to turn golden. Don’t over bake.
Nutrition
These scones were delicious. Made them this morning with some really pink spring rhubarb – so pretty. Will make these again for sure and thought some finely chopped candied ginger would be a nice add.
Glad you liked them Nancy, I paired ginger and rhubarb in this ginger rhubarb crisp recipe and it was great.
My oh my we’re theses ever good. Perfect texture and amount of sweetness…
These sound great but I usually use 35% cream and an egg as well. Will doing so make a difference and if so what ?
I’d like to make them today. Thanks.
Feel free to try your regular method, but I would reduce the liquid if you add an egg.
A friend brought me some rhubarb from her garden today, Lucky me! I want to try your recipe but wish to know if the scones can be frozen after baking?
Yes, they’ll freeze perfectly.
Hi Sue have just made the scones absolutely delicious will be adding them to my regular bakes
Thanks Sue makes lots more sense now!!
I would love to have a go go at these delicious looking scones as I have lots of rhubarb in my garden. I’m in the UK so am trying to convert the recipe to metric! I have managed most of it but I’m a little confused with the flour quantity. The recipe says 2 1/4 cups is that the same as half a cup? it doesn’t seem very much flour compared to sugar either way or am I reading it wrong!
That would be 2 cups, plus a quarter cup, Lee. That’s about 270 grams.
I made these for dinner today. But did a slight variation. Although I know these will be amazing with rhubarb i had fresh cherries ? so I pitted them and quartered them plus I did half almond extract and half vanilla. The crisp edges, the buttery flakiness – so good. I will be keeping this one and using over and over again.
Oh and for the one who asked about half and half verses buttermilk, I used half and half and the rise was just right.
I normally do not comment on recipes I’ve made, especially when I have changed it to allow for substitutions. But… You said you could use yogurt instead of the milk.
I used strawberry Kefir in place of the buttermilk. Omg. One of the best things I have ever put into my mouth. I’m my experience scones are kinda hard and bland, but this one was moist and soft and flavorful. So good. I’m so glad I found this recipe, as is my family! I am definitely going to keep this one for a long time. Thank you!
Thanks Shawnalee, I’m so glad you commented 🙂 I bet others will be interested that the kefir works so well.
I did not have any buttermilk so I substituted 2% milk with 1 /2 Tsp of vinegar in it. They came out great and taste fantastic. Thank you for a great recipe.