Sponsored by the Canadian Sugar Institute.
These White Chocolate Pistachio Scones might be one of my favourite recipes, and I’m pretty sure they will be yours too. Scones are delicious year round, but I really crave them during the spring. They make the perfect addition to any breakfast or brunch! And the best part is you can make them ahead of time and freeze them! I explain more about that process below.
If you’re looking for more breakfast or brunch recipes, check out my Strawberry Puff Pastry Pop Tarts and my Boursin Quiche.
Why you’ll love these Pistachio Scones
- Delicious: I’ve made a lot of scones and tried a lot of different flavour combinations, and this is definitely my favourite. I’ve tested them on friends and family, and I’ve gotten nothing but rave reviews.
- Prep ahead: if you want freshly baked scones but you don’t have time to make them the day of, you can make them ahead of time and freeze them. I walk you through how to freeze and bake in the FAQ section below.
Recipe Ingredients
All the ingredient quantities are in the recipe card below.
- pistachios – choose unsalted pistachios, and ideally shelled (unless you have the time to shell them yourself). We will be processing these into a fine powder.
- sugar – granulated sugar is key in this recipe for many reasons. I talk more about the role of sugar in scones below.
- flour – all purpose flour
- baking powder
- baking soda
- salt
- white chocolate – I like to use bars of white chocolate and roughly chop into chunks, but you could use chips if you’d like
- butter – cold (this is important! It shouldn’t be room temperature), unsalted
- egg – I typically use a large egg
- whipping cream – sometimes referred to as heavy cream. This should also be cold.
The role of sugar in scones
Sugar plays a few important roles in these scones and all baked goods. Much more than just adding sweetness. Actually, sugar is also added to baked goods with savoury elements. Sugar helps with overall texture, flavour, and browning.
Sugar in these scones and other baked goods helps create a softer, moister final product. This is because sugar attracts and holds on to water. If you were to reduce or omit the sugar in baked goods your product would be drier and more crumbly. The sugar sprinkled on top adds texture, visual appeal, and extra flavour.
The sugar in the dough is what allows for the beautiful browning that signals when the scones are done baking. Caramelization (sugar + heat) and the Maillard Reaction (sugar + proteins + heat) are two chemical reactions that take place while baking that add colour and flavour.
I partnered with the Canadian Sugar Institute to create this delicious scone recipe. Visit sugar.ca to learn more about sugar and the role it plays in food.
Substitutions for these White Chocolate Pistachio Scones
Substitutions
- Different sugar for topping: I used granulated sugar for the topping because it’s one less ingredient to use. But you could use demerara-style sugar or turbinado-style sugar instead.
- No white chocolate: Personally, I think the chunks of white chocolate make this recipe, but if you don’t like white chocolate you can either omit it completely, or reduce the amount.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! You can make your scones ahead of time (months ahead if you’d like), and freeze them. Follow the recipe, and freeze them after you’ve cut them into triangles – but don’t garnish them (meaning don’t brush with cream and sprinkle with sugar)! Once they’re cut, wrap tightly in plastic wrap (I like to wrap each one individually) and freeze. When you’re ready to bake them, preheat your oven, and bake from frozen. Brush them with the cream and sprinkle sugar right before going into the oven. They should take the same amount of time to bake, maybe a couple minutes longer.
To make a scone amazing, it needs to be light, and slightly crumbly. My biggest tips for getting the best final product are: make sure your butter is cold, don’t overwork your dough, and don’t add too much liquid. Once you can create a delicious scone, then getting creative with flavours and ingredients can help to elevate your final product.
To preface, we’re talking about ‘American’ scones and biscuits vs ‘British’ because there is a difference. While the majority of the ingredients are the same – butter, dairy, flour, leaveners – there are some differences. Scones typically include an egg, tend to be sweeter, are denser, and are baked at a lower temperature. Biscuits often include savoury ingredients, have more butter, are lighter and flakier, and are baked at a higher temperature. Also their shapes are different. Classic American scones are cut into triangles, whereas biscuits are in circles or squares.
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If we haven’t met yet, hi hello! I’m Bailey, a Registered Dietitian and recipe creator. I offer 1:1 nutrition coaching and cooking classes to help make healthy eating easier. On my blog you can find easy, seasonal, vegetarian recipes! If you try this recipe (or any of my other recipes), leave me a comment with your thoughts!
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White Chocolate Pistachio Scones
Equipment
- 1 food processor
- 1 baking sheet
Ingredients
- ½ cup pistachios shelled, unsalted
- 2 ½ cups all purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ cup sugar, more for sprinkling on top
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup butter, unsalted, chilled, cut into cubes
- ½ cup white chocolate chunks 4oz
- 1 egg
- 1 cup whipping cream, more for brushing on top
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 °F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Add the pistachios to a food processor, and pulse for about 30 seconds, or until they are ground into a fine powder (some bigger chunks may remain, that's okay).
- Transfer the pistachio powder into a large mixing bowl. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and salt. Use your hands or a whisk to combine everything.
- Add the cubed butter to the dry ingredients, use your fingers to work the butter into the ingredients until only small, pea-sized pieces remain.
- Add the white chocolate chunks, toss to combine.
- Add the egg and 1 cup of whipping cream. Mix with a fork until everything comes together, then use your hands to gently knead until it comes together. It might feel dry, but don't add more liquid unless you have to. And don't overwork, otherwise the scones will be tough.
- Transfer to a lightly floured surface, and press the dough into a 9" circle. Doesn't have to be perfect, but it should be all the same thickness. Brush with whipping cream, and sprinkle generously with sugar.
- Use a bench scraper or knife to cut into 8 triangles (like you'd cut a pizza). And transfer to the baking sheet. Make sure there is space between each scone because they will expand quite a bit.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool, and enjoy!
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