Baking with Evie: Strawberry Shortcake Scones
Maplebrook in July is like stepping into a Norman Rockwell painting—if Norman had included more murder, espresso, and sassy senior citizens who gossip faster than a high-speed blender.
At The Sugar Whisk, Evie’s oven is cranking out sunshine in baked form, and this month she’s blessing us with a treat that practically screams “small-town summer” and “solve mysteries with snacks”: Strawberry Shortcake Scones.
These beauties are soft and crumbly with just enough sweetness to make you question whether three is too many for breakfast. (It’s not. Piper confirmed.)
Picture this:
You’re curled up in a corner at Books and Brew with a cozy mystery in one hand and a strawberry scone in the other. Outside, the summer sun filters through Main Street as locals trade gossip over iced lattes and Lottie debates whether Jazz the cat is spoiled or simply selective. (He’s both.)
Let’s bake!
🍓Evie’s Strawberry Shortcake Scones
Fresh strawberries. Golden edges. Sweet vanilla glaze. Piper says they’re "perfect for when you want dessert before noon and still feel like a responsible adult."
Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled (Evie says precision counts, even if you eyeball it anyway)
1 tablespoon baking powder
3 tablespoons granulated sugar (or a fourth if you like your scones like Piper likes her mysteries—extra sweet)
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into tiny cubes (like, Polly-Pocket-sized)
10 small strawberries, hulled and finely diced
3/4 cup half-and-half (the secret to that soft, dreamy texture)
For the glaze (yes, it’s necessary):
2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup half-and-half
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
👩🍳 Instructions:
Preheat your oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and tell it it’s about to witness greatness.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Then cut in the chilled butter using a pastry blender (or your hands if you’re feeling rustic and rebellious). You’re aiming for a crumbly, sandcastle-on-the-beach vibe.
Gently toss in the strawberries so they get a light coating of flour. Yes, it’s pretty. Take a picture. Then move on.
Pour in the half-and-half and stir gently until everything just barely comes together. The dough will be soft and slightly sticky—this is good. Do not overmix unless you want tough scones and disappointment.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and pat it into a 1-inch thick circle or rectangle. Flour your hands if it’s sticky. Flour the cat if she jumps on the counter. (Just kidding. Sort of.)
Use a sharp knife to cut into 6 or 8 wedges—depending on how generous you’re feeling.
Transfer your perfect little triangles to the baking sheet and bake for 16–18 minutes, or until they’re golden on the edges and no longer wet in the middle. All ovens have personalities, so check early if yours runs hot like the Maplebrook gossip mill.
Transfer scones to a cooling rack placed over parchment paper (less cleanup = more time for sleuthing).
While they cool, make the glaze: whisk together powdered sugar, vanilla, and half-and-half until smooth and pourable. If it’s too thick, add a splash more cream. Too thin? More sugar, baby.
Gently dunk or drizzle the glaze over the tops of each scone. Let them sit until the glaze sets... or don’t, and eat one warm and messy right off the rack like Piper does.
☕Pair It With:
A chilled vanilla cream cold brew (Piper’s new summer favorite) and a side of small-town scandal. Or a book. Probably both.
🕵️♀️Want More from Maplebrook?
This fall, Piper and the gang are back in Froth, Fiction, and Felony—where murder strikes during the Pages & Prose Festival. But right now, we’re keeping it breezy with strawberry scones and sunshine. Enjoy the quiet… while it lasts.