Mohamed Shili Mrs. McCarthy’s Strawberry Scones are the gold standard of café-style baking. These are delicate, flaky, and bursting with jammy strawberry pockets. By using chilled butter and a high-heat bake, you get that classic crumbly texture that pairs perfectly with a hot cup of tea or coffee.
If you do nothing else, work as fast as possible to keep that butter cold. That’s the difference between a tall, flaky scone and a flat, greasy biscuit. I’ve found that those tiny, pea-sized clumps of cold butter are what create steam in the oven, puffing up the dough into light layers. If your hands are warm and the butter melts into the flour before it hits the oven, you lose the lift.
The turbinado sugar is doing more work than you’d think here. While the lemon glaze adds sweetness, the coarse turbinado provides a professional “bakery crunch” on the crust that contrasts beautifully with the soft, fruit-filled center. I didn’t expect the tiny pinch of salt to matter that much, but it’s the secret to making the fresh strawberry flavor really pop against the buttery dough.
Mrs. McCarthy’s Strawberry Scones Ingredients
- Strawberries: 1 cup fresh strawberries, chopped into tiny pieces (plus 1 tbsp sugar)
- Flour: 2 cups all-purpose flour (plus extra for dusting)
- Sugar: 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- Baking Powder: 1 tablespoon (do not substitute with baking soda!)
- Salt: ½ teaspoon
- Butter: 5 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed
- Egg: 1 large egg (half for the dough, half for the wash)
- Milk: ½ cup milk (dairy or non-dairy)
- Topping: 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar (coarse sugar)
- Glaze: ½ cup icing sugar mixed with 1–2 teaspoons lemon juice
How To Make Mrs. McCarthy’s Strawberry Scones
- 1. Prep the berries: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Toss your tiny strawberry pieces with 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar and set aside to macerate slightly.
- 2. Mix dry ingredients and cut butter: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, and the remaining granulated sugar. Using a pastry cutter or two knives, “cut” the cold butter into the flour. Work quickly until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs or tiny peas.
- 3. Combine: Toss the strawberries into the flour mixture. In a separate small bowl, whisk the egg and milk together. Pour the liquid into the flour bowl. Use a spatula to fold everything together until a shaggy dough forms. If it feels too sticky to handle, add an extra tablespoon of flour.
- 4. Shape and cut: Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Gently pat it into a circular disk about 10 inches wide and 1 inch thick. Cut the circle into 8 even triangles (like a pizza).
- 5. Wash and bake: Place the triangles on your prepared baking sheet. Brush the tops with the remaining egg wash and sprinkle generously with turbinado sugar. Bake for 20–30 minutes until the edges are golden brown and the centers are set.
- 6. Glaze and serve: While the scones cool slightly, whisk the icing sugar and lemon juice until smooth. Drizzle over the warm scones and serve immediately.
Recipe Tips
- Frozen Berry Trick: If using frozen strawberries, don’t let them thaw completely. Chop them while firm, then pop the pieces back in the freezer for 30 minutes before mixing them in. This prevents them from “bleeding” and turning your dough purple.
- Don’t overmix: Stir the dough just until the flour disappears. Overworking the dough develops gluten, which makes the scones tough and bread-like instead of tender and flaky.
- The “Cold” Rule: If your kitchen is hot, put your bowl of flour and butter in the fridge for 10 minutes before adding the liquid. Cold dough = high rise.
- Check the Baking Powder: Ensure your baking powder is fresh. To test, drop a pinch into hot water; if it bubbles vigorously, it’s good to go.
What To Serve With Mrs Mccarthy’s Strawberry Scones Recipe
- Clotted Cream or Double Cream: This is the gold standard. A thick dollop of unsweetened clotted cream balances the sugar in the strawberries and the lemon glaze perfectly.
- Whipped Salted Butter: If you aren’t a fan of heavy cream, high-quality salted butter (like Kerrygold) creates a wonderful sweet-and-salty dynamic against the warm dough.
- Extra Strawberry Jam: For those who want a “double strawberry” experience, serve a small ramekin of fruit preserves on the side.
How To Store Mrs Mccarthy’s Strawberry Scones Recipe
Room Temp: Keep in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Scones are best eaten the day they are made.
- Reheat: To get that “just baked” feel, pop a leftover scone in a 350°F oven for 5 minutes. Avoid the microwave, as it makes the crust soft and rubbery.
- Freeze: You can freeze unbaked scone wedges for up to 3 months. Bake them straight from the freezer, adding an extra 3–5 minutes to the total bake time.
Mrs Mccarthy’s Strawberry Nutrition Facts
Estimated per scone (1 of 8):
- Calories: 260 kcal
- Fat: 9g
- Carbohydrates: 42g
- Protein: 4g
- Sodium: 210mg
FAQs
Can I use blueberries instead?
Absolutely! Blueberries or raspberries work perfectly in this exact same ratio.
My scones didn’t rise; what happened?
This usually happens if the baking powder is old or if the butter was too soft. Cold butter is essential for creating the steam pockets that lift the dough.
Why is my dough so sticky?
Fruit adds a lot of moisture. If your strawberries were very juicy, you might need a little extra flour on your hands and the board to shape the disk.
Try More Dessert Recipes:
Mrs Mccarthy’s Strawberry Scones Recipe
Description
This charming Mrs Mccarthy’s Strawberry Scones Recipe, inspired by the cozy flavors of Mrs. McCarthy, produces a tender, crumbly scone bursting with jammy pockets of fresh fruit. Unlike dense, heavy biscuits, these are elevated by a bright lemon glaze and a crunchy turbinado sugar crust. The key to their signature “shaggy” texture is keeping the butter ice-cold and handling the dough as little as possible to ensure a flaky, golden-brown finish.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Prep the berries: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Toss your tiny strawberry pieces with 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar and set aside to macerate slightly.
- Mix dry ingredients and cut butter: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, and the remaining granulated sugar. Using a pastry cutter or two knives, “cut” the cold butter into the flour. Work quickly until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs or tiny peas.
- Combine: Toss the strawberries into the flour mixture. In a separate small bowl, whisk the egg and milk together. Pour the liquid into the flour bowl. Use a spatula to fold everything together until a shaggy dough forms. If it feels too sticky to handle, add an extra tablespoon of flour.
- Shape and cut: Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Gently pat it into a circular disk about 10 inches wide and 1 inch thick. Cut the circle into 8 even triangles (like a pizza).
- Wash and bake: Place the triangles on your prepared baking sheet. Brush the tops with the remaining egg wash and sprinkle generously with turbinado sugar. Bake for 20–30 minutes until the edges are golden brown and the centers are set.
- Glaze and serve: While the scones cool slightly, whisk the icing sugar and lemon juice until smooth. Drizzle over the warm scones and serve immediately.
Notes
-
Frozen Berry Trick: If using frozen strawberries, don’t let them thaw completely. Chop them while firm, then pop the pieces back in the freezer for 30 minutes before mixing them in. This prevents them from “bleeding” and turning your dough purple.
Don’t overmix: Stir the dough just until the flour disappears. Overworking the dough develops gluten, which makes the scones tough and bread-like instead of tender and flaky.
The “Cold” Rule: If your kitchen is hot, put your bowl of flour and butter in the fridge for 10 minutes before adding the liquid. Cold dough = high rise.
Check the Baking Powder: Ensure your baking powder is fresh. To test, drop a pinch into hot water; if it bubbles vigorously, it’s good to go.
