Rhubarb Buttermilk Scones

 To me, rhubarb is like a delicacy.  It's only in season for such a short time, and the grocery stores around here seem to only carry small amounts of it when it is in season.  Whenever I see it for sale in the spring, I make sure to pick up a few stalks, even if I don't have anything specific in mind to make with it.

I recently found some great looking stalks of rhubarb and decided to make scones with it.  I hadn't made scones in awhile, and I love having them in the freezer to have for breakfast and snacks, especially on the weekends.  This recipe made a ton-I think I made almost 2 dozen scones-which makes me happy because now I can have some rhubarb well into the summer.

 Rhubarb Buttermilk Scones

2¼ cups + 2 tablespoons (12 ounces) all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ + 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
¼ cup (1.75 ounces) granulated sugar
½ teaspoon + 1/8 teaspoon salt
9 tablespoons butter, very cold
¾ cup buttermilk
½ teaspoon lemon zest
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
large crystal sugar or granulated sugar for sprinkling
2 cups diced rhubarb (¼-inch cubes), about 3 stalks


Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

Whisk the flour, baking powder, and baking soda in a large mixing bowl if making by hand, or into the large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the sugar and salt and stir to mix. Cut the butter into ½-inch cubes and scatter the cubes over the dry ingredients. If you are using a mixer, pulse on and off so that you don’t break down the butter too much-you want to end up with a coarse mixture with pea-sized lumps of butter visible. If you are mixing by hand, combine the mixture using your hands until the mixture is thoughroughly combined with large pea-sized lumps of butter.

Add the buttermilk all at once along with the lemon zest. Mix gently with a rubber spatula by hand or on low speed if using the mixer. Add the rhubarb and continue to mix just until you have a dough that holds together. If the mixture seems dry, add a little more buttermilk. You still want to see some of the butter pieces at this point.

Dust your work surface with flour, and turn the dough out onto it. Using your hands, pat the dough into a rectangle about 9 inches long, 5 inches wide, and 1½ inches thick. Brush the top with the melted butter and sprinkle with the sugar. Using a chef’s knife, cut the dough into triangles of desired size. Transfer the triangles to the prepared baking sheet. 

If you are freezing some (or all of them)-place the scones on a tray lined with parchment paper and "flash freeze" for about 20 minutes.  Transfer to a large ziploc bag or other freezer safe storage container. 

Bake the scones until the tops are lightly browned, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve immediately.

Source:The Way the Cookie Crumbles