These raspberry white chocolate scones started as a viral recipe and became a permanent fixture in my kitchen. Cold butter gets cut into the dry ingredients until it looks like coarse sand, which is the secret to that craggy, layered crumb you get from a good bakery.
Fresh raspberries and white chocolate chips go in at the very end with a gentle fold, so the berries stay whole instead of bleeding pink streaks through the dough. A quick brush of cream and a shower of coarse sugar gives the tops that crackly finish.
They bake in 18 minutes and are best eaten slightly warm, when the chocolate is still soft and the edges are golden. One batch makes 8 generous wedges, and they freeze beautifully for weekend mornings.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
About the Ingredients
2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
Spoon the flour into the cup and level it off, or weigh it for accuracy. For a slightly tenderer scone, swap 1/4 cup of the flour for cake flour.
1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
Standard white sugar keeps the crumb light and lets the raspberry flavor shine. Superfine sugar works equally well and dissolves faster.
1 tablespoon baking powder
Check the date on your can, since stale baking powder is the number one cause of flat scones. Use an aluminum-free brand for a cleaner flavor.
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
Fine sea salt blends evenly into the dry mix. If using table salt, reduce to 1/4 teaspoon since it is denser.
1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, very cold and cubed
Freeze the butter for 15 minutes before cutting it in for maximum flakiness. Salted butter works if you drop the added salt to a pinch.
1/2 cup (120ml) heavy cream, plus 2 tablespoons for brushing
Cold cream binds the dough without adding too much liquid. Whole milk plus 1 tablespoon melted butter is a solid substitute.
1 large egg
A cold egg keeps the dough temperature down. A flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flax plus 3 tablespoons water) works for an egg-free version.
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pure vanilla rounds out the white chocolate. Almond extract, using just 1/2 teaspoon, gives a lovely berry-almond twist.
1 cup (120g) fresh raspberries
Fresh berries hold their shape best; pat them dry and keep them frozen for 10 minutes before folding in. Frozen raspberries work unthawed but will tint the dough pink.
3/4 cup (130g) white chocolate chips
Use a good-quality bar chopped into chunks for better melt and flavor. Butterscotch chips or dark chocolate chunks are delicious swaps.
1 tablespoon coarse sanding sugar, for topping
Sanding sugar gives a crunchy, sparkly top. Turbinado sugar is an easy grocery-store substitute with a similar crunch.
Tips & Tricks
Keep Everything Cold
Chill the bowl, the flour, and the cubed butter so the fat stays solid until it hits the oven, which creates steam and lift.
Do Not Overwork the Dough
Fold the raspberries in with just 4 or 5 turns; a shaggy, slightly crumbly dough bakes up tender rather than tough.
Freeze Before Baking
Chill the shaped wedges for 10 minutes so they hold their shape and rise evenly instead of spreading.
Pro Tips
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Preheat and line
Preheat the oven to 400F (200C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Keeping the pan ready means the cold dough goes straight into a hot oven.
2. Whisk the dry mix
In a large chilled bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt until no lumps remain. This ensures the leavener is evenly distributed for an even rise.
3. Cut in the butter
Add the cold cubed butter and cut it in with a pastry blender or your fingertips until the mixture looks like coarse sand with a few pea-sized pieces left. Those small butter pockets create the flaky layers.
4. Add the wet ingredients
Whisk the 1/2 cup cream, egg, and vanilla together, then pour into the flour mixture and stir with a fork just until a shaggy dough forms. Stop while dry streaks are still visible.
5. Fold in the add-ins
Gently fold in the raspberries and white chocolate chips with 4 or 5 turns, being careful not to crush the berries. The dough will look messy, and that is exactly right.
6. Shape the dough
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and pat it into a 7-inch (18cm) round about 1 inch thick. Do not knead; patting preserves the layers.
7. Cut the wedges
Cut the round into 8 wedges with a sharp knife, pressing straight down without twisting. Transfer the wedges to the prepared pan, spaced 1 inch apart.
8. Brush and sugar
Brush the tops with the remaining 2 tablespoons of cream and sprinkle with sanding sugar. This gives the scones a glossy, crunchy golden top.
9. Bake until golden
Bake at 400F (200C) for 16 to 18 minutes, until the edges are golden brown and the centers reach 200F (93C) on an instant-read thermometer. The chocolate should look soft and the berry juices just beginning to bubble at the edges.
10. Cool briefly and serve
Let the scones cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack. Serve warm, when the white chocolate is still melty.
Delicious Variations
Lemon Blueberry
Swap the raspberries for blueberries and add 1 tablespoon lemon zest to the dry ingredients for a bright, summery version.
Chocolate Cherry
Use chopped dark chocolate and halved fresh cherries in place of the raspberries and white chips for a Black Forest twist.
Coconut Almond
Replace half the white chips with toasted sliced almonds and add 1/4 teaspoon almond extract for a nutty, tropical flavor.
How to Store Raspberry White Chocolate Scones
Refrigerator
Store cooled scones in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days; refrigerate for up to 5 days and refresh in a 300F (150C) oven for 5 minutes.
Freezer
Freeze baked scones in a zip-top bag for up to 3 months, or freeze unbaked wedges on a tray and bake from frozen at 375F (190C) for 22 to 25 minutes.
Reheating
Reheat in a 325F (165C) oven for 6 to 8 minutes to restore the crisp edges, or microwave for 20 seconds if you only want the chocolate soft.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the best way to keep raspberries from bleeding into the dough?
Toss the berries in a tablespoon of flour and fold them in with as few strokes as possible. Handle the dough gently and avoid pressing down on the berries while shaping.
Bake a batch this weekend and watch them disappear before they cool, then tag me in your photos so I can see your golden tops. If you try the lemon blueberry swap, leave a comment and tell me how it turned out.
Raspberry White Chocolate Scones
Raspberry White Chocolate Scones are tender, buttery bakery-style treats studded with juicy berries and sweet white chocolate, ready in under an hour.
🧂 Ingredients
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, very cold and cubed
- 1/2 cup (120ml) heavy cream, plus 2 tablespoons for brushing
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup (120g) fresh raspberries
- 3/4 cup (130g) white chocolate chips
- 1 tablespoon coarse sanding sugar, for topping
📋 Instructions
- 1Preheat and line — Preheat the oven to 400F (200C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Keeping the pan ready means the cold dough goes straight into a hot oven.
- 2Whisk the dry mix — In a large chilled bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt until no lumps remain. This ensures the leavener is evenly distributed for an even rise.
- 3Cut in the butter — Add the cold cubed butter and cut it in with a pastry blender or your fingertips until the mixture looks like coarse sand with a few pea-sized pieces left. Those small butter pockets create the flaky layers.
- 4Add the wet ingredients — Whisk the 1/2 cup cream, egg, and vanilla together, then pour into the flour mixture and stir with a fork just until a shaggy dough forms. Stop while dry streaks are still visible.
- 5Fold in the add-ins — Gently fold in the raspberries and white chocolate chips with 4 or 5 turns, being careful not to crush the berries. The dough will look messy, and that is exactly right.
- 6Shape the dough — Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and pat it into a 7-inch (18cm) round about 1 inch thick. Do not knead; patting preserves the layers.
- 7Cut the wedges — Cut the round into 8 wedges with a sharp knife, pressing straight down without twisting. Transfer the wedges to the prepared pan, spaced 1 inch apart.
- 8Brush and sugar — Brush the tops with the remaining 2 tablespoons of cream and sprinkle with sanding sugar. This gives the scones a glossy, crunchy golden top.
- 9Bake until golden — Bake at 400F (200C) for 16 to 18 minutes, until the edges are golden brown and the centers reach 200F (93C) on an instant-read thermometer. The chocolate should look soft and the berry juices just beginning to bubble at the edges.
- 10Cool briefly and serve — Let the scones cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack. Serve warm, when the white chocolate is still melty.
