Strawberry-Almond Cheesecake Scones

There is something about scones that makes them perfect for breakfast, or lunch, or tea–even supper, if you make a savory variety! They can be light and delicately flavored, or substantial enough to make a decent meal along with some cheese and fruit.

Mixing a bit of cream cheese into your scone dough brings an extra-special touch to these treats! Without adding extra sugar, the creamy texture makes them seem extravagant. Luscious chunks of strawberry provide a perfect complement to the cream cheese, reminiscent of strawberry cheesecake! Whether you make them for a weekend brunch or afternoon tea, these scones are a delightful combination of flavors and textures.

Ingredient Notes

Flour

Almond flour adds a mild, nutty flavor to these scones, and also lightens the dough, which would otherwise be heavy due to the whole wheat flour. Since the dough is only half almond flour, the scones do still taste like regular wheat scones, not like a gluten-free scone.

I like to use freshly ground soft white wheat for scones and biscuits. You can substitute store bought whole wheat pastry flour, or all-purpose flour. Freshly-ground flour tends to be fluffier than store-bought flour that has been sitting in a bag for months, so you may need to add a little more or less liquid depending on which type of flour you use.

Sugar

I prefer just a touch of sugar in my scones, so they are not too sweet for everyday baking, but if you are making these for a party, feel free to add an extra spoonful of sugar to the dough. In this recipe, I have used coconut sugar, which is a little less sweet than regular cane sugar, and has a deeper flavor. If you don’t have coconut sugar, try brown sugar or demerara sugar instead.

Strawberries

I like fruited scones for breakfast, but I generally choose dried fruits or berries instead of fresh, so that they don’t change the texture of the scones. Super juicy fruits tend to make the scone dough gooey and difficult to work with. For that reason, I recommend using strawberries that are a little bit firm for this recipe. It is a perfect way to use strawberries that are just shy of perfect flavor and ripeness. Save your perfectly ripe, delicate berries to eat fresh with cream! If you do want to use ripe, juicy berries, the scones will still taste great; just be aware that your dough (and your hands) may get a little messier than usual, and the berries may turn the dough pink!

Method

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, ground almonds, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and coconut sugar. Stir to combine, then tip in the cold butter and cream cheese. Use a pastry blender or fork to cut in the butter and cream cheese until the pieces are the size of peas.

Add the chopped strawberries.

Combine the buttermilk, egg, and almond extract in a glass measuring cup. Pour the liquids into the flour mixture and stir gently with a wooden spoon until only a few streaks of flour remain. You may need to add a little more buttermilk or flour here to get the proper texture, which is a soft dough.

Tip the dough out onto a floured board and knead very gently with the tips of your fingers a few times. Form the dough into a rectangle about 3/4″ thick. Cut into 6 squares, then cut the squares in half to form 12 triangles.

Transfer the scones to a buttered baking sheet. Brush tops with cream, then sprinkle with sliced almonds and additional coconut sugar, if desired. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until the edges are golden. Cool on a wire rack. Serve warm or room temperature.

Scones are best eaten on the day they are made, but you can keep them tightly covered overnight. Lightly toasted with butter is the best way to eat the leftovers, in my opinion.

Enjoy!

~ Kimberly