Jump to Recipe

Since 2020, I’ve been making one variation or another of these tasty sour cream scones but until recently hadn’t tried a savory-leaning version. A stash of chopped butternut squash that I thought I’d use to bake a batch went, instead, into re-testing an old tortellini with Italian sausage soup recipe I planned on teaching for a cooking class. I bought more and used that for the class itself, along with a whole squash I peeled and chopped. Still no scones baked. It happens. Sadly, the next squash went squishy and white-specked before I could get it cooked. Ugh and sorry! Back to the store, squash purchased again. Then: A free afternoon finally at hand, I worked out the recipe and baked more than a few of these fun little gems. And, it turns out, they’re not totally a savory bake as in Cheddar-Dill Biscuits, let’s say. To begin with, butternut squash itself skews sweet like pumpkin, doesn’t it? My other star and desired ingredients were toasted pecans and sweetened coconut. Toasted pecans feel as if they belong with sweeter ingredients, as of course does sweetened coconut. Add that up with sugar in the dough (less than in a fruit scone but still…) and there’s defo a sweet-ish side to this squash quick bread. But just wait. We tried them with coffee and breakfast, then again with roast chicken dinner, hunkered up with afternoon tea, and found these scones sidled up perfectly next to whichever. Think Sunday fried chicken biscuits that are just great Monday morning with jam. So you choose how you serve them or just keep eating — no additional butter needed, either. That’s what best sous and husband Dave and I are doing.

Scones (Scone, by the way, rhymes with done in Scotland and hence is “skuhn.”) are no more difficult than their kissing cousin biscuits and mine are even simpler using a food processor. Yes, I use a food processor junkie here to cut in the butter but you can do it just as easily utilizing a pastry cutter or your beautiful, strong hands. Mix dry ingredients, cut in butter (rub in if using hands), add liquids (milk/cream/sour cream, etc.), THEN tip out into an extra-large bowl, knead briefly, pat or roll out, cut, and bake; those are the basic steps. Not much, eh? Somewhere in there, you’ll add “other” ingredients should you be using them. In this case, the butternut squash and pecans go in after the dry ingredients are mixed and the butter cut in, but before the sour cream-milk mixture is stirred in. And because butternut squash will not get done baked in dough like this, you’ll need to pre-cook it just a tish and cool it before stirring it into the dough. My idea is to microwave it and, in the meantime, as it cools, toast the pecans. While it looks like a lot of steps, once you’ve done it, you’ll go, “Oh; that’s not hard.” Here is a photo story to help you figure the process:

What’s the difference between a scone and a biscuit, you say?

Biscuits should be light—airy even—with well-defined flaky layers. Tender, yes, but sturdy enough to support or be dragged through gravy, a runny egg yolk, or a generous serving of maple syrup. A scone should not flake like a biscuit. It can have layers of course, but they should err on the side of crumbly. A scone is slightly dryer than a biscuit and yet, when done well, not dry at all. Scones are intended to be consumed with a hot beverage of your choice after all. And clotted cream, or butter, or jam. Or, hell, all three.

A scone's finer crumb welcomes an addition, be it herbs, chocolate, or a simple handful of currants. Ever try to add raisins to a biscuit? Of course you haven't because you're not a crazy person. Would you want to eat that poor burned raisin? (Dawn Perry/Bon Appétit)

And, if you’ve never made an American version of scones before, you’re in luck right now because I surely hope you’re going to try this:

Microwave Hack for Easier Butternut Squash Peeling 
Simply slice off the top and bottom, poke the squash all over with a fork and microwave it on high for about 3 minutes. When it's cool enough to handle, peel the squash. The softened flesh will make peeling (and slicing) way easier.  ( courtesy: FOOD NETWORK)

TRADER JOE’S HACK: TJ’s sells peeled and cut butternut squash if you’re feeling both lazy and flush or if your hands aren’t up to peeling and dicing winter squash. Your local grocery might have some, too.

So, Alyce, how small is “medium dice?” Here’s the dicey story…. Small dice is 1/4″ x 1/4″ x 1/4″. Medium is, similarly 1/2″ x 1/2″ x 1/2″. Large is 3/4″ etc. If a recipe just says, “diced,” you guesstimate with medium dice at 1/2″.

Want more information on freezing unbaked scones or freezing them in smaller quantities? Read here for the King Arthur instructions.

Making scones without a food processor and with only your strong hands? Read here for the King Arthur instructions.

What is the Difference between a British and an American Scone?

CHANGE IT UP:

• For scones that lean more toward a truer savory, try stirring in a little rubbed sage or dried or ground thyme into the flour mixture. Skip the coconut and sprinkle on grated Parmesan cheese just before baking.
• For scones that lean more toward sweet, increase the sugar to 1/2 cup or 100 grams granulated sugar and stir a 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon into the flour mixture.
• For vegan scones, try using plant-based butter and soy milk to replace both the sour cream and dairy milk. Skip the egg wash and brush the top of the dough with some of the soy milk before adding sugar and coconut.
• For fruit scones, try my Blueberry Scones, or Peach Scones, or Strawberry-Chocolate Chip Scones, or Cornmeal Plum Scones with Almonds. They are mostly based on the same recipe.
• No butternut squash? Use sweet potatoes instead.
• No nuts for you? Leave them out but increase the butternut squash to 1 cup.
• No eggs for you? Just brush the top of the dough with a little milk instead of the beaten egg mixture.

---

If you liked this, you might also like my Italian Sausage-Butternut Squash Soup with Tortellini.

LIFE GOES ON:

TIME IS FLYING! I’m a little behind in the blogging (and much else) after serving a couple of weeks as our church’s Kitchen Manager for Family Promise/Interfaith Hospitality Network. We house and feed typically several homeless families four weeks each year but somehow this time did two weeks in a row. Wonderful volunteer turnout and 42 tasty and nutritious meals a day were provided! No sooner was I done with that but my once or twice yearly Healthy Living Cooking School came up and I had to rewrite the recipes for a large group, make them a few times, and then teach the class last week. Class title was “Whole Meal Soups with Paired Desserts.” Next! Leading my book club. Once a year, each of us serves as the group “reviewer” for that month’s book. For my turn, I had:

a beautifully written if heart-breaking novel about people living in the slums of Mumbai. If you’re looking for a non-fiction book that reads like a novel to open or broaden your mind, this might be it.

Meanwhile, I turned 71 (Husband and best sous, Dave Morgan cooked me a great meal at home.) and then before Halloween could get here, the World Series began. Time for a dog and a beer!! I eat one hot dog a year and this is it. Go Dodgers 😉

For Halloween night, coming up in two days, we rarely get more than a couple of trick-or-treaters and so each one is doubly precious. After they’ve come and gone, our empty-nest tradition is a slow cooker full of chili and hot cornbread with butter while watching “Hocus Pocus.” You?

Fall keeps trying to arrive but is so late this year. While it’s cooler, it been awfully warm for October and the fire danger is quite high with our winds. The next few days promise cooler temperatures and maybe a little rain/snow.

If I don’t get back here any too soon and we get past the election (#$%*@), we’ve jumped on a plane for a few days in Italy–stopping overnight in Atlanta first– before getting back on a cruise ship to head west across the Mediterranean, down the coast of Spain, and over to the Azores before whipping over the Atlantic to end up in Ft. Lauderdale. We’ll have a beautiful Thanksgiving meal on the ship; Holland America knows how to do holidays. A few post-Thanksgiving days with the Florida fam and we’ll fly home just in time to get ready for Christmas.

But, hey! Back to the scones… If you’re in charge of Thanksgiving breakfast (or any fall breakfast coming up), make the scones and freeze them–just toss into a hot oven at 7am before you slide the turkey in, and brew the coffee while they bake. You’ll be the shining star when folks start smelling it all and wander down into the kitchen to see what’s going on.

Keep breathing these next few days and I’ll do that same — whichever side of the aisle you’re on. I know we each think we’re on the right side. That can be confusing. At this point, I’m praying for peace and skipping some tv news for my own mental health. What are you doing to take care of yourself?

Thanks for keeping me company in my kitchen as you fall into baking,

Alyce