These easy Rhubarb Scones are a simple recipe that only require 5 ingredients and 30 minutes, for a delicious dessert or treat with the tart flavor of fresh rhubarb.
Rhubarb Scone Recipe
Rhubarb scones offer the opportunity to make an ordinary scone way more interesting. Use your seasonal rhubarb to make these classic scones recipe such a special treat. Scones are so much easier to make than most people realize. Baking doesn’t have to be complex, and baking without worrying about dough rising is always a win in my book.
Scones without butter or eggs
While most people think of making scones with cold butter in a food processor, this recipe is unique and that the dough itself doesn’t call for any butter or egg! 5 simple ingredients come together into these moist and delicious scones.
I first discovered the base recipe for these scones from an amazing little Bed and Breakfast that I visited years ago. The owner happily shared her recipe with me and I quickly made them into these orange and chocolate scones. I was shocked at the simple ingredient list, but it really does come together so beautifully.
How to make easy Rhubarb Scones
There are no fancy techniques or equipment like food processors required to make these easy 5 ingredient rhubarb scones. Simply mix the dry ingredients in a bowl with the rhubarb, add in the cream and knead until it is just combined. It really doesn’t get much easier than that!
Rhubarb Scone Ingredients
Here are the easy ingredients you will need to make your scones. Almost all of these staples will already be found in your pantry.
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¼ cup heavy whipping cream
Mix the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Stir in 1 cup diced rhubarb. Be sure to cut it into small pieces. Unlike my favorite rhubarb custard pie, you can’t get away with large chunks.
Can I use frozen rhubarb?
Frozen rhubarb is almost always an option for rhubarb recipes. Like most recipes, fresh is always preferred, but when it’s out of season frozen rhubarb absolutely works. For these rhubarb scones, just be sure to thaw it and pat dry before mixing in or you will add too much moisture to the dough. Also chop it up into smaller pieces, because frozen rhubarb usually comes in large chunks.
Making scone dough
Add the cream to the dry ingredients and rhubarb and stir just until dough forms. Knead gently in the bowl just until dough holds together.
Form the dough into a 10 inch diameter circle, 1 inch thick, on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Cut the dough into 8 wedges and spread scones 2 inches apart from one another.
Divide 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar by dusting it over the sliced scones. Bake the rhubarb scones until very light golden brown, approximately 20-25 minutes. It is very important not to over bake or they will dry out!
When the rhubarb scones are hot out of the oven, brush them with 3 tablespoons melted butter divided between the 8 scones.
Serving fresh rhubarb scones
A warm scone right from the oven with the tart flavor of rhubarb and a slightly sweet moist dough is perfection all on it’s own. If you like your scones a little sweeter, then add an optional glaze drizzled over top. It just takes a minute to whip it up by combining the following ingredients.
Sweet vanilla glaze
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 2 Tablespoons whipping cream
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Whisk the glaze in a small bowl with the fork until it is smooth. Drizzle over the scones after they have had the chance to cool for a few minutes.
Store any leftover scones in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Scones are undoubtedly always best served fresh though.
Where Do Scones Come From?
Scones come from Scotland, but don’t expect anyone from Ireland or England to agree. Originally, scones were made with oat flour and cooked on a griddle over an open fire. But nowadays, cooking scones in an oven is the way to go. So, in truth, not everything was easier and simpler way back when.
Scones have been a staple of the breakfast table for centuries though and it is easy to understand why. You can make the batter in a matter of minutes, then they bake very quickly too. The result is always best right out of the oven and they go great with tea or coffee for brunch or a sweet treat.
Are Scones Bread Or Pastry?
When you bite into a warm rhubarb scone, then you might find yourself asking that eternal question. Is a scone bread or is it a type of pastry? In truth, it is a bit of both. You can certainly call it a type of bread, just like rhubarb coffee cake is a form of bread. However, the texture and sweetness definitely borders on pastry.
So, it is safe to say that it is both, and neither. The best scones should have a little more density than bread, a little less sweetness than pastry, but still have the best qualities of both. Just light and fluffy enough, and just sweet enough, to be delicious, especially just out of the oven!
More Delicious Rhubarb Recipes
If you love all the rhubarb recipes in spring as much as I do, then be sure to check out a few more of our absolute favorite ways to enjoy rhubarb during it’s season.
- Rhubarb Honey Cupcakes – A moist vanilla cupcake is filled with a delectable rhubarb honey sauce and topped with rhubarb buttercream for an unbelievable dessert.
- Strawberry Rhubarb Cheesecake Bars – Enjoy the rich and decadent goodness of cheesecake in these easy bars with a store-bought crust.
- No Churn Rhubarb Ice Cream – With warm weather here, add some tart rhubarb to sweet ice cream for a perfect summer treat.
- Easy Rhubarb Custard Cake – It doesn’t get much easier than this cake made from a box mix, cream and rhubarb!
- Strawberry Rhubarb Jam – You can never have too much rhubarb jam on hand to enjoy the great flavors of rhubarb throughout the off season.
- Rhubarb Honey Goat Cheese Appetizer – Rhubarb isn’t just for sweets. Use it in this amazing sweet and savory dip served with crusty French bread for a delicious bite.
Easy Rhubarb Scones
Equipment
Ingredients
Scones
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup diced rhubarb
- 1 ¼ cup heavy whipping cream
Topping
- 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
- 3 Tablespoons butter melted
Optional Glaze
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 2 Tablespoons whipping cream
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- For the Scones
- Preheat your oven to 400°.
- Mix flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Stir in diced rhubarb.
- Add the cream and stir just until dough forms. Knead gently in the bowl just until the dough holds together.
- Form the dough into a 10 inch diameter circle, 3/4 inch thick, on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Cut the dough into 8 wedges and spread scones 2 inches apart from one another.
- Sprinkle the scones with 1 Tablespoon sugar.
- Bake scones at 400° until very light golden brown, approximately 20-25 minutes. (Do NOT over bake or they will dry out!)
- Brush with melted butter and serve warm.
- Srore leftovers at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- For the OPTIONAL Glaze
- Mix all the ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until smooth.
- Drizzle over the scones once they are cooled.
Janet says
I made these yesterday to test the recipe for a community tea party in my condo building next weekend. I always worry about the texture of scones, and was reluctant to make some. These were amazingly light and flaky. I brought some to several neighbors to be my taste testers, Including one man who grew up in Ireland. His comment said it all! He said they were perfect, and “Just like my mom used to make!”. Is there a better compliment than that?? I especially love the fact that these are made with rhubarb, a much underrated fruit! ❤️❤️❤️
Cindy says
Can you use frozen rhubarb in these scones?
Danielle Green says
Yes! Just thaw it first and drain off any excess moisture
Patricia says
This is a great recipe. It is easy to make, using few ingredients.
I wonder if other fruit such as blueberries or raspberries would also work with it?
Please reply!!
Danielle Green says
Other fruits would work well, but you may want to reduce the sugar slightly.
Janice says
They were the best scones. I love them!
Dale F Schuetz says
I’ve never baked with rubarb. Does it need to be peeled?
Danielle Green says
Nope, just chopped!
Sonia Harms says
So glad that I tried these! They were so good! Had trouble separating them after I cut them. Popped them in the fridge to help firm them up. Will for sure be making every year to use up my plentiful rhubarb! Thank You!
Nan says
I had been looking for a cream scone recipe for awhile. I was delighted with the addition of rhubarb. I made the scone recipe exactly, with the only change being baking the scones for 25 minutes, then slicing into wedges and moving apart slightly before an additional 7-8 minutes of baking. They were perfect. For the icing I use orange juice rather than cream fur additional flavor. Delightful with a good cup of coffee! Thanks!
Steve K. says
I tried adding 1 egg in place of some of the cream, flour mix adsorption was completely wrong forcing be to add 3/4 more flour. I would advise against this move.
Martha says
Just checking – a tablespoon of baking powder? That sounds a lot so just making sure that’s right! Must try these and serve with clotted cream and strawberry rhubarb compote!!
Jodi says
I found with all 3 batches of these scones that I made, I needed much more flour than the recipe calls for. Delicious is what they are. I even added strawberries to one batch!
Kat says
I also found that MUCH more flour was needed, thus leading to overworked the dough, and the scones coming out with more of a bread like texture as opposed to scone texture
Lissa Pelzer says
These turned out great!!!! Thanks!
Leslie says
How small did you “dice” the rhubarb? Unfortunately the recipe doesn’t specify. Since your scones turned out great, it would be very helpful to know. Thanks!
Danielle Green says
about 1/4 inch thick if it’s small stalks. Thinner yet if they are thick stalks.
Jaime says
Anyone have any tips for cutting/separating the scones? Had lots of trouble separating mine, the dough was quite sticky.
Ann A. Brodsky says
Wow! These were perfect! Light and fluffy with just enough tang from the rhubarb. And so easy to make using the heavy cream instead of butter. Thank you!
Diane says
Can I make it with milk instead of cream?
Danielle Green says
I wouldn’t recommend swapping milk for cream
Lin says
I didn’t have heavy cream so I used the light cream that I did have. They are in the oven now so I’ll let you know. I did have to add more flour as the person earlier commented. I tasted the dough, added a tiny bit more sugar and proceeded.
Jerilea says
Made these this morning for my boys. Clean plates all ’round….even the one who said he doesn’t like rhubarb. 5 stars.
Karen says
Could these be made with coconut milk instead of cream?
Linda says
I made mine with coconut cream and they were amazing! I did cut down the amount by 1/4 cup though as the dough was a bit too soft.
Danielle Green says
Ohhhh, coconut cream sounds amazing!
Karen Henderson says
These sound so easy and I expect are delicious! I grew my own rhubarb for the first time this year and am looking forward to trying this recipe. Have you ever frozen the uncooked scones and baked them later from frozen? I have done that with success with my go-to scone recipe (from Café Sucre et Farine), but they contain butter as well as heavy cream. I like this simpler recipe and wonder if it would work for it too.
Danielle Green says
I have not tried it, but I am definitely going to try with a few next time I make a batch!
Denise says
They are delicious
Suzanne says
My neighbour made these. They were delicious! She didn’t add the icing, I can’t make my mind up whether to or not.
Danielle Green says
I can’t make my mind up either most of the time. LOL If I’m feeling lazy I skip it and they are still so good!
Sally says
I put the dough disk in the freezer for a half hour after I cut into 8 pieces. Then I could pick the sections up better n place on parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Put 2″ apart. Bake as directed.
Brenda says
Loved these. Added just a little Cinnamon to the dough, but that was all. Delicious and easy to make.
Malinda says
These are so good!! They will be a springtime staple!
Coleen says
Had my friends over for coffee and served these scones. Everyone begged for the recipe!!!