Fig-Vanilla Buttermilk Scones
Golden, craggy and tall, not too sweet, flavored with figs and vanilla, these buttermilk scones are a tasty mash-up of the American and British cousins.
It has been one of those frenetic weeks around here, things happening all at once, having to run from one end of town to the other–all because of technology failure and the [broken] promises of the experts who assured us they would be able to fix what needed fixing.
Then my husband thought he lost his new phone and in the 16 hours that passed between realizing it was lost then finding it tucked between the passenger seat and center console of our car, we spent a total of four hours on the phone with the wireless company, followed by a fruitless visit to their brick and mortar store to restore his service.
And then there was a last-minute trip to book and the delivery of a young oak tree that came in the wrong size but replete with a three-man and two-truck entourage anyway.
All first-world problems, yes, but a Friday morning free of the rest of the week’s chaos was a welcome change…never mind that our old cat climbed onto our bed and was in our faces at six am demanding his breakfast. I decided that my husband and I deserved a morning treat, too, so I popped a few frozen scones that I had baked earlier this week into the oven to break from our oatmeal routine.
Do you have a favorite type of scone? Are you strictly British or American-style? I consider myself an equal opportunity scone lover and regard both versions with equal affection, though they can be pretty different (there’s even debate about their pronunciation).
British Scones vs American Scones
British scones are more like American biscuits–light, fluffy, not too sweet and, apart from the occasional addition of currants, are traditionally baked without add-ons. They’re not a breakfast food but rather an accompaniment to afternoon tea and served with clotted cream and jam. And they’re round.
American Scones tend to be denser, much sweeter, larger, are often embellished with various flavor combinations and/or topped with sugar or glaze. Unlike their British cousins they are meant to be eaten on their own and are typically cut in wedges rather than rounds.
I’ve been lucky to have great scones in London but truthfully, my experience with store-bought scones here at home has mostly been disappointing. They’re either too sweet, too dense, too dry and heavy. I’ve tasted some great ones over the years but I don’t come across them very often.
My ideal scone is a blend of the two–a craggy, crispy top from a little sugar (sometimes glazed is okay too); it doesn’t need to be feather light, some heft is welcome but it needs to be flaky and most importantly, it can’t be too sweet. I’ll never turn down a plain scone but it’s also fun creating seasonal flavor combinations.
I’ve shared some of my favorite scone recipes on this blog over the years but there’s always a part of me that wonders if the best scone experience is still out there waiting to be discovered.
These Fig-Vanilla Buttermilk scones might just become my go-to for a while because they have the best qualities of both British and American scones in one. They’ve got a lot of lift, a crispy top, are flaky and studded with dried figs with flecks of vanilla. They are perfect right out of the oven but are equally enjoyable lightly toasted a few days later.
The base recipe is from Tartine Bakery with some modifications for the flavor combination I wanted to use but the flour, fat and liquid proportions are spot on for the texture I’m after in a scone. I also elected to prepare the scones by hand, in rounds rather than wedges, halved the recipe and it worked wonderfully. I could have kicked myself for letting this recipe sit on my bookshelf for years without bothering to try it until this week. I’ve got some lost time to make up, for sure.
If you’re a scone newbie here are a few useful tips to help you get great scones every time, no matter if you prefer the British or American version.
Scone Baking Tips
- Keep the butter and liquid chilled
- Minimal work on or kneading of the dough is key
- Brush only the tops of the scones with milk or other liquid and not the sides. If you brush the sides this keeps the scones from getting good lift while baking.
- When pressing the dough together it helps to fold the dough once or twice over itself to form layers
- If using a cutter, don’t twist it. Just press the cutter into the dough and lift up the cut piece. Twisting the cutter creates a seal on the sides that prevents a good rise.
Here are More Scone Recipes from the Archives
- Fresh Cherry-Almond Scones
- Chocolate-Coconut Scones
- Persimmon Scones
- Sourdough Scones with Coconut and Chocolate
- Pumpkin-Cheddar Scones
- Ham, Cheese and Chive Spelt Scones
- Vanilla Scones
- Cranberry-Cinnamon Scones

Fig-Vanilla Buttermilk Scones
Golden, craggy and tall, not too sweet, flavored with figs and vanilla, these buttermilk scones are a tasty mash-up of the American and British cousins.
Ingredients
- 340 grams all-purpose flour (12 oz;2 3/8 cup)
- 1/2 tablespoon baking powder
- 3/8 teaspoon baking soda
- 50 grams granulated sugar (1 3/4 oz; 1/4 cup)
- 5/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/2-1/3 cup Chopped fresh or dried figs (See Note on rehydrating dried figs
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup buttermilk (6 oz)
- 128 grams Unsalted, cold butter, cut in small cubes (4 1/2 oz; 1/2 cup)
- 2 tablespoons milk or buttermilk for brushing tops of scones
- Turbinado or raw sugar for sprinkling on top
Instructions
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Preheat your oven to 400ºF. Coat a baking sheet with baking spray or butter.
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In a large bowl sift in the flour, baking powder and baking soda. Add the sugar and salt and stir to combine with a whisk.
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Add the butter and, using your hands, toss in the dry mixture until the butter pieces are coated. Then pinch the butter pieces between your fingers until you have large slivers or pea-sized pieces of butter. This step shouldn't take more than a minute or two and it's important for the butter to be cold. If necessary, refrigerate the entire mixture for a few minutes before proceeding.
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Add the figs to the flour/butter mixture and toss around until the figs are coated in flour.
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Add the buttermilk and vanilla extract to the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon or spatula just until the liquid has been absorbed by the flour.
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Transfer the loose, crumbly mixture onto a lightly-floured work surface and just press the dough together until it holds together. Do not overwork it. I like to press all the loose pieces into a mound, flatten a little then fold the disk in half, lightly press again and fold in half once more. (You don't want to work the dough too much or knead it.) Press the disk until it's about one inch tall and five or six inches in diameter.
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Using a round cookie cutter, cut out round disks (do not twist the cutter as you cut) and transfer to the baking sheet. Pat the remaining dough to get another one or two scones and transfer to the baking sheet. You can also cut the dough in wedges rather than use a cookie cutter. (I used a 2 3/4 inch round cutter but you can use a smaller cutter to yield more scones; just adjust the baking time by a minute or two.)
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Brush just the top of the scones with milk. Avoid brushing the sides as the liquid will keep the scones from rising. Sprinkle with turbinado sugar.
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Bake in the oven for roughly 18 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the cooking time. When done, the scones should be golden and crisp on top. If your scones are cut smaller than 2 3/4 inches, remember to adjust the cooking time by checking at the 14-15 minute mark.
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Serve warm on their own or with butter and jam.
Recipe Notes
* Recipe adapted from Tartine Bakery Buttermilk Scones
* The odd measurements are because I halved the original recipe. These amounts can easily be doubled for rounder measures and about 14 large scones.
* Dried Figs are fine to use as is but if you want them a little softer and more plump you can rehydrate them by soaking in liquid for about 3o minutes. Drain, squeezing out excess liquid, before adding to recipe.
Gorgeous scones, I love the flaky layers!
Thank you so much, Laura!!