This recipe for fresh peach scones gives you tender, flaky scones loaded with sweet juicy pieces of peach. They come out golden‑edged and soft inside, buttery and slightly crumbly, with bursts of fresh peach in every bite. They’re great for breakfast with coffee, afternoon tea, or as a laid-back dessert. The whole process—from prepping peaches to pulling scones from the oven—takes under an hour, so you don’t need to plan a big bake day. It’s a recipe that’s forgiving and rewarding, and it works best when your peaches are ripe but firm so they hold their shape without making the dough soggy.
These scones depend on cold butter to create a flaky structure. Use chilled butter, cut into small cubes. The proper technique for cutting the butter into the flour gives you those nice pockets that bake up into buttery layers. You don’t need to fuss with a food processor—just toss the cubes into the dry mix and rub or press them in until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with some pea‑size bits of butter left. Don’t over‑work it. If you lose those lumps or the butter warms up, the scones can turn dense.
Similarly, you want the dough cold when it hits the oven. So after shaping it into a disk and cutting it into triangles, stick it in the freezer or refrigerator briefly. That helps keep the butter firm while preheating your oven. A cold oven at 400 °F (205 °C) helps set the scones’ edges quickly and encourages vertical lift. If your oven runs hot, you’ll want to keep an eye—they typically take 18–23 minutes to reach a golden brown edge and bottom, and be set in the middle.
When choosing peaches, you want them fresh, ripe but still slightly firm. Peel them easily by either blanching briefly in boiling water and sliding the skins off, or using a vegetable peeler if they’re firm. Then dice into about ¼‑inch pieces so they distribute evenly throughout the dough without all sinking to the bottom. Toss the peaches in a little flour or sugar before adding to the dough so they don’t clump or bleed too much moisture into the scones.
Required Equipment, Prep Time, Cooking Time, Servings
You’ll need a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, a large mixing bowl for the dry ingredients, a whisk, a small bowl for the wet mix, a spatula, a knife for cutting the dough, a pastry brush for brushing cream on top, and a wire rack for cooling.
Prepping the dough takes about 30 minutes—that includes peeling and dicing peaches, measuring, combining ingredients, shaping and chilling. Baking time is about 18 to 23 minutes until golden. This recipe makes eight scones, enough to serve eight people (one scone each) or fewer if people want seconds.
Ingredients (US and Metric)
| Ingredient | US Measure | Metric Measure |
|---|---|---|
| Fresh‑peeled peaches, diced | 1 cup | 140 g (approx) |
| All‑purpose flour | 2 cups | 250 g |
| Baking powder | 1 Tbsp | 15 g |
| Granulated sugar | 3 Tbsp | 45 g |
| Salt | ½ tsp | 2.5 g |
| Ground cinnamon | ½ tsp | 2.5 g |
| Heavy cream (plus extra to brush) | 1 cup | 240 ml |
| Cold unsalted butter, cubed | 6 Tbsp | 85 g |
| Pure vanilla extract | ½ tsp | 2.5 ml |
Servings: Makes 8 scones.
Preparation Instructions
Begin by peeling your peaches. If you want minimal fuss, you can peel them with a sharp knife or vegetable peeler. If they’re extra ripe, drop them in boiling water for 30 seconds, then into ice water; the skins slip right off. Once peeled, chop into roughly ¼‑inch dice. You should have about 1 cup (140 g). Put those diced peaches in a small bowl and toss with a teaspoon of sugar or a little flour—this helps keep them from leaking too much juice into your dough.
While the peaches rest, preheat your oven to 400 °F (205 °C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: the 2 cups (250 g) all‑purpose flour, 1 Tbsp (15 g) baking powder, 3 Tbsp (45 g) granulated sugar, ½ tsp (2.5 g) salt, and ½ tsp (2.5 g) ground cinnamon. Stir until it’s homogeneous and light.
Cut your 6 Tbsp (85 g) cold butter into small cubes and toss into the dry mixture. Using your fingers or a pastry cutter, press and rub the butter into the flour until it resembles coarse meal interspersed with bits of butter the size of peas. You still want some visible lumps of butter. That’s going to steam in the oven and create those flaky pockets.
In a small bowl, whisk together the 1 cup (240 ml) cold heavy cream and ½ tsp (2.5 ml) vanilla extract until combined. Gently pour this wet mix into the flour‑butter mixture. Use a spatula to stir just until a rough dough forms—you don’t want to overmix. Fold in the diced peaches gently so they’re evenly distributed and don’t break too much.
Lightly flour your countertop. Dump the dough onto it and gently pat it together into a rough rectangle or circle about 1 inch thick. Don’t knead—just press. If the dough is sticky, dust with a little extra flour but not too much. Use a sharp knife or bench scraper to cut into eight equal triangles. Transfer those triangles to the parchment‑lined baking sheet, spacing them a couple inches apart.
Here’s the key: stick the tray with the cut scones into the freezer—or in the fridge if your freezer is too full—for about 15 to 20 minutes. This chills the butter and dough and helps them bake up tall instead of spreading too quickly.
Once chilled, brush the tops of the scones with a bit more heavy cream (use a pastry brush). That helps develop a golden sheen. Slide the tray into the 400 °F oven. Bake for about 18 to 23 minutes, turning once halfway if your oven heats unevenly. The scones should be golden‑brown around the edges, slightly crisp at the bottom, and firm in the center. Ovens vary, so start checking around 18 minutes.
When they’re done, pull the tray out and let the scones sit for 5 minutes on the pan—this helps them set. Then gently transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly. They’re best served warm, but they’ll hold for a couple of hours at room temperature in an airtight container.
Serving Suggestions and Garnish
Serve these peach scones the way you like: on their own, or with some jam—apricot, peach, or strawberry works great. A pat of butter or clotted cream is wonderful too. You can drizzle a simple glaze made from powdered sugar mixed with a little milk and vanilla if you want a sweet finish. Or put them beside whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, or even offer alongside coffee or black tea. The flavor profile stays honest and pleasing—not overly sweet, with fresh fruit and rich buttery flavor delivering the treat.
Nutritional Information (approx per scone, 8 servings)
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | ~270 kcal |
| Total Fat | ~15 g |
| Saturated Fat | ~9 g |
| Cholesterol | ~60 mg |
| Sodium | ~220 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | ~28 g |
| Sugars | ~12 g |
| Protein | ~4 g |
| Dietary Fiber | ~1 g |
Nutrition values are approximate—they depend on the exact size of scones and ingredient brands.
Why This Works and Tips to Adapt or Troubleshoot
The all‑purpose flour gives a good structure while keeping the crumb tender—the baking powder gives gentle lift. The sugar amount is enough to sweeten and caramelize the edges but not overpower. You could use 1 tablespoon plus a teaspoon if your peaches are less sweet. Flavored variations work too—add a handful of chopped nuts or dried fruit, but reduce the sugar a bit if adding dried fruit. You can swap out the ground cinnamon for cardamom or nutmeg for a different spice note.
If your peaches are extremely juicy, drain excess moisture after dicing and toss in a little flour before folding into the dough. That keeps the dough from getting soggy. If the climate is warm where you bake, chill your mixing bowl and mixer, or work in batches so butter stays cold. Cold butter is your best friend for flaky scones.
If you want a dairy‑free version, you can substitute non‑dairy heavy cream (like coconut cream) and vegan butter, but flavor and texture slightly differ—they might be denser. For a lower‑fat version, you could reduce butter to 4 Tbsp and use a bit more cream or a mix of milk and yogurt, but again, expect slightly less flakiness.
To scale the recipe, keep ratios of dry to wet—2 cups flour per 1 cup heavy cream. For 12 scones, use 3 cups flour, 1½ cups cream, 9 Tbsp butter, peaches increased accordingly. Watch baking time—they may take a minute or two longer if slightly larger.
Storage and Make‑Ahead Tips
You can freeze unbaked scones. After shaping and cutting, flash‑freeze on the tray until solid, then transfer to zip‑top bags. When you want them, brush with cream and bake straight from frozen, adding a couple extra minutes to baking time. Baked scones keep at room temperature in an airtight container for up to two days. You can also freeze baked scones, then reheat in a 350 °F oven for 5 to 7 minutes.
Final Thoughts
These peach scones reward simple ingredients treated with care. No special techniques—just cold butter, ripe fruit, and respectful mixing. They’re not too sweet, with honest flavors and a tender crumb. They bake in under 25 minutes and deliver a warm, fresh‑from‑oven treat with juicy peach pockets and buttery texture. And you can tweak them seasonally—swap peaches for berries or stone fruit any time you want a fruit scone. Once you get the ratio down, it becomes your weekend go‑to. mouth-watering dessert.
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