Birthday Scones!

If you’ve been around here for birthdays or half birthdays, you’ve heard of our birthday scones. If not, today is your lucky day.

A little over ten years ago a friend of a friend (who would become one of my very best friends) showed up at my house with food for my family thanks to my post-babies meal train. I had just delivered the twins and we also had a 20-month-old at home, and Lord bless the people that showed up day after day to feed all of us.

Honestly I have no idea what she brought for dinner that night, but I do remember that in addition to dinner, she included a batch of her now famous birthday scones. To be completely transparent, at that point I don’t know that I would’ve said I was really a scone person, but boy has that changed.

I’m pretty sure she brought the OG scones* (see below) and then taught me and all of our friends about birthday scones. We’ve now made birthday scones (and half-birthday scones) for a decade. All 6 of us devour these and I never get away with making just one batch.

Our kids know that for their birthdays (and half birthdays) they get to choose two types – usually birthday + their other personal favorite. We also make them for other special occasions, holidays, to give to others, because we have heavy cream on hand, because it’s apple season, or just because we want them.

Kelly’s Famous Birthday Scones

Ingredients:

2 cups all purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup sugar

½ cup rainbow sprinkles (the jimmies kind)*

½ cup chocolate chips*

1-1/4 cups heavy cream 

2 tsp vanilla OR almond extract*

Glaze:

3 tablespoons butter, melted OR 3 tbsp heavy cream

2 tablespoons sugar 

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 & line baking sheets with a parchment paper sheet.
2. In a large bowl combine flour, baking powder, salt and sugar with a fork.  Mix well.
3. Add sprinkles and chocolate chips (or other preferred mix-ins – see below!).
4. In a separate measuring cup or small bowl, add extract to heavy cream and mix well.
5. Using a fork, stir the cream into the flour mixture until the dough holds together. The dough will be sticky. At this point you will have to use your hands and get a little messy to form the dough into a ball. (Sometimes I have to add a bit more flour or cream to get it to work right!)
6. Lightly flour a cutting board and transfer dough to it.
7. Knead the dough 8 or 9 times.
8. Pat into a circle about 10 inches in diameter.
9. Cut circle into 8 wedges.
10. Place each piece on the baking sheet, allowing at least an inch between scones. 
11. Brush the melted butter or heavy cream over the top and sides of each piece and sprinkle with sugar*.
12. Bake 12-15 minutes or until golden on top.  

Other favorite flavor combinations:

Cinnamon Apple – cinnamon, diced apple, cinnamon chips, and vanilla in the batter + *cinnamon sugar on top!

Orange Chocolate – orange zest, orange extract (+ vanilla never hurt anyone), your choice chocolate chips.

Cherry Chocolate – chopped dried cherries and dark chocolate chunks + either vanilla or almond extract.

Lemon – lemon zest, lemon extract, chopped pecans or walnuts, and white chocolate chips (or another type of chocolate if someone in your home also hates white chocolate like my husband…)

The OG – 1/2 cup craisins, 1/2 cup white chocolate chips (I still add vanilla)

Try them, celebrate with them, enjoy them, and share them with a friend – especially if she’s just had a baby or two!

Also important to note – these travel well and are super easy to make when not at home. Like in the OBX for their 5th birthday above!

Kelly – thank you. For dinner that day, even when you barely knew me. Thank you for all of the dinners more times than I can count since then. Especially on the days you knew I couldn’t possibly make dinner. Thank you for birthday scones and coffee treats and your invaluable friendship as we walk this motherhood journey together. I can’t imagine doing it without you.

Speaking of bringing new babies home…

Tips to prepare your toddler for a newborn session

How to prepare for your newborn session (for you, not your toddler)

& if you love little kid birthdays as much as I do, check out what we decided to do when our kids turn 10!