Strawberry Rhubarb Scones
These strawberry rhubarb scones are made by folding diced strawberries and chopped rhubarb into a cream-based scone dough with grated frozen butter. The cold butter helps create tender, craggy scones perfect with a hot cup of tea or coffee.
Updated May 2026 with expanded notes and clearer instructions.
These strawberry rhubarb scones are a bit different from the sturdier, biscuit-style scones I usually make. I wanted these to be softer inside, with a tender crumb, a crisp top and bottom, and enough structure to hold the juicy fruit.
I tested this recipe three times before landing on the right oven temperature. The first batch spread too much at 325ºF (165ºC), and 400ºF (205ºC) still didn’t give me the structure I wanted, but 450ºF (230ºC) helped the scones hold their shape while staying soft in the centre.
The egg yolk gives the dough a slightly richer, cakier feel, and stirring the sugar into the flour helps the tops and bottoms brown nicely. A pizza cutter works surprisingly well for slicing the dough because it cuts cleanly through the rhubarb without dragging the wedges apart.
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A Note From Kelly
The combination of strawberries and rhubarb always takes me back to the stand-up freezer my parents kept in the basement. Every late spring, my Mum would make a huge batch of strawberry rhubarb freezer jam, and I can still picture jars of all sizes tucked away for the year.
Scones are one of my favourite things to bake because they sit somewhere between a tea biscuit and a not-too-sweet treat. This version is a simple way to showcase that familiar strawberry rhubarb flavour I grew up with.
Ingredients for Strawberry Rhubarb Scones
Ingredient Notes
- Apple Cider Vinegar: The vinegar helps sour the cream slightly, creating a quick buttermilk-style mixture for the scone dough.
- Butter (Salted): I use salted butter for all of my recipes, and it should be frozen before grating.
- Cream (35%): Sometimes called heavy cream.
- Egg Yolk: I use large eggs for all of my recipes.
- Rhubarb: Fresh or frozen rhubarb can be used, and it should be chopped into ½-inch pieces.
- Salt (Table): I use table salt for all of my recipes.
- Strawberries: Fresh or frozen strawberries both work. I like to dice the strawberries into small pieces so they mix through the dough evenly without creating heavy, wet pockets.
It’s important to note that when making substitutions in recipes, the texture and flavour may be slightly different. However, these substitutes are the best options for changing the original recipe.
Ingredient Substitutions
- Apple Cider Vinegar: Use 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or freshly squeezed lemon juice in place of the apple cider vinegar.
- Butter (Salted): Use ½ cup (113 g) of unsalted butter or margarine.
- Cream (35%): Use the same amount of 18% coffee cream, 10% blend cream, or whole milk, knowing the scones will be slightly less rich.
- Flour (All-Purpose): Cake & pastry flour is a good substitute for all-purpose.
- Salt (Table): Use ½ teaspoon of fine sea salt in place of the table salt.
Recipe Variations for Strawberry Rhubarb Scones
- Almond Extract: ¼ teaspoon, stirred into the cream mixture with the vinegar and egg yolk
- Almonds: ¼ cup (30 g), sliced, sprinkled over the scones before baking
- Cream (35%): 1 tablespoon, brushed over the tops of the shaped scones before baking
- Ginger (Fresh): 1 teaspoon, freshly grated, whisked into the cream mixture before adding it to the flour
- Lemon Zest: 1 tablespoon, finely grated, rubbed into the sugar before whisking it into the flour
- Pistachios: ¼ cup (30 g), chopped, scattered over the scones before baking
- Sugar (Coarse): 1 tablespoon, sprinkled over the scones after brushing with cream and before baking
Use the JUMP TO RECIPE button at the top of this post, or scroll to the bottom to see the PRINTABLE recipe card with ingredient measurements and complete instructions.
How To Make Strawberry Rhubarb Scones
STEP 1. Stir the grated frozen butter into the dry ingredients until it’s evenly distributed.
STEP 2. Add the diced strawberries and chopped rhubarb, then gently toss the fruit in the flour mixture.
STEP 3. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and pour in the cream mixture.
STEP 4. Fold the dough together just until most of the dry bits are incorporated.
STEP 5. Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface and pat it into a rough 8-inch disc.
STEP 6. Slice the dough into 8 wedges with a pizza cutter or sharp knife.
STEP 7. Transfer the scones to a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them apart before baking.
STEP 8. Bake until the scones are deeply golden, then cool them on a wire rack.
Kelly’s Top Tips
- I like to freeze blocks of butter first, then grate them while frozen. I store the shreds in a zip-top bag or container in the freezer so they’re always on hand.
- Stop mixing the dough as soon as most of the dry bits are incorporated so the scones stay tender.
- Let the scones rest on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before moving them so the structure sets and they’re easier to lift.
Recipe Notes
- For detailed ingredient notes, substitution tips, variations, and step-by-step photos, scroll through the full recipe post.
- Use a digital kitchen scale for precise measurements and an oven thermometer to confirm your oven is heating correctly.
- To switch to gram measurements, click “Metric grams” in the ingredients section of the recipe card.
- Whisk the cream, vinegar, and egg yolk together first so the mixture has a few minutes to sit while you prepare the dry ingredients.
- Use the grated butter straight from the freezer so it stays cold while you mix the dough.
- Dice the strawberries instead of slicing them so they mix through the dough without creating heavy, wet pockets.
- If using frozen strawberries or rhubarb, add them straight from the freezer and don’t thaw them first.
Storage for Strawberry Rhubarb Scones
- Store cooled scones in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
- For longer storage, freeze the cooled scones in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 2 months. You can reheat thawed scones in a 300ºF (150ºC) oven until warmed through.
Recipes Related To Strawberry Rhubarb Scones
Printable Recipe Card
Strawberry Rhubarb Cream Scones
Equipment
- Measuring cups and spoons or digital kitchen scale
- Mixing bowls
- Box grater
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Pizza cutter or sharp knife
- Wire cooling rack
Ingredients US cups or click for Metric grams
- ¾ cup 35% heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- ½ cup salted butter (frozen and grated)
- 1 cup strawberries (fresh or frozen, diced)
- 1 cup rhubarb (fresh or frozen, chopped into ½-inch (1 cm) pieces)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450ºF (230ºC). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside.
- Whisk the cream, vinegar, and egg yolk together in a small bowl, then set it aside.
- Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large mixing bowl.
- Add the grated butter and stir until it’s evenly distributed. Add the strawberries and rhubarb, then gently stir to coat the fruit in flour.
- Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients. Pour in the cream mixture, then fold the dough together just until most of the dry bits are incorporated.
- Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface. Gather it into a rough disc, then use your fingertips to pat it to about 8 inches (20 cm) in diameter. The dough may look craggy and uneven, but it should hold together.
- Use a pizza cutter or sharp knife to slice the disc into 8 wedges. Carefully lift each wedge with an offset spatula or lifter, then place the scones evenly spaced on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 14 to 16 minutes, or until the scones are deeply golden and feel firm when pressed gently with a fingertip. Cool the scones on the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- For detailed ingredient notes, substitution tips, variations, and step-by-step photos, scroll through the full recipe post.
- Use a digital kitchen scale for precise measurements and an oven thermometer to confirm your oven is heating correctly.
- To switch to gram measurements, click “Metric grams” in the ingredients section of the recipe card.
- Whisk the cream, vinegar, and egg yolk together first so the mixture has a few minutes to sit while you prepare the dry ingredients.
- Use the grated butter straight from the freezer so it stays cold while you mix the dough.
- Dice the strawberries instead of slicing them so they mix through the dough without creating heavy, wet pockets.
- If using frozen strawberries or rhubarb, add them straight from the freezer and don’t thaw them first.
Storage
- Store cooled scones in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
- For longer storage, freeze the cooled scones in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 2 months. You can reheat thawed scones in a 300ºF (150ºC) oven until warmed through.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an estimate and is provided as a courtesy. For precise nutritional data, please calculate it independently using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Kelly Neil is a recipe developer, food photographer, and lifelong Nova Scotian building a sense of home and identity through recipes. She lives in her hometown of Dartmouth with her partner, Chris, their daughter, Elodie, and their little dog, Skipper.
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