Lavender Walnut Scones

Everywhere I look this Spring, I see blooming pink azaleas, vibrant purple irises, and fields of tulips. Flowers are simply everywhere.

Including in these scones.

Now, don’t panic. These scones don’t taste like a bite out of your flower beds or anything. But they are delicately fragrant and slightly herbaceous. Honestly, a perfect Spring treat!

As always with scones, start by putting your butter into the freezer so it will be nice and cold when you are ready to cut it into the scones.

Toast the walnuts in the oven. Chop coarsely and set aside to cool. Using a mortar and pestle (or the back of a spoon in a small bowl), crush the lavender to break it up a little.

In a mixer bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add in the crushed lavender.

Shave the cold butter into the flour mixture and cut in. The butter pieces should end up about the size of small peas.

In a measuring cup or small bowl, whisk the buttermilk and egg together. Make sure to really blend the egg in well.

Make a well in the center of the butter-flour mixture and pour in the liquid. Using the whisk attachment on the mixer, stir the liquid into the dry ingredients. Add in the cooled toasted nuts and stir briefly to incorporate. (But be careful not to overmix!)

Dump the scone dough out onto a cutting board. It will likely be quite shaggy, meaning that a lot of flour and butter will still need to be worked into the dough. Knead several times, until the stray bits of flour are worked in.

Form into a square about 2″ thick. Cut into 9 squares.

Bake on a parchment covered baking sheet for 13–15 minutes, until golden on top. Let the scones cool for several minutes.

Meanwhile, make the sweet glaze. Mix together powdered sugar, milk, and honey. The glaze should the thick and viscous. Spoon over the cooling scones and allow to set slightly.

Enjoy with tea!

Lavender Walnut Scones

lightly adapted from Joy the Baker
makes 9

Scone Ingredients:
1 scant tbsp. dried lavender
½ cup walnut pieces
3 cups flour
6 tbsp. sugar
4½ tsp. baking powder
¾ tsp. salt
¾ cup unsalted butter, cold
1 egg
¾ cup buttermilk

Glaze Ingredients:
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
1 tbsp. honey
1 tbsp. milk

Directions:
Preheat to 425°.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Using a mortar and pestle, crush or press the dried lavender to bring out the oils and fragrance.
Place walnut pieces on a baking sheet and place in the oven.  Toast for about 5 minutes, until slightly browned and fragrant.  Remove from the oven and cool completely. Chop coarsely and set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.  Add the lavender.
Cut the cold butter into small cubes, or shave it into the bowl. Working quickly, cut in the butter.  The butter bits will be the size of small pebbles and oat flakes.
Whisk together egg and buttermilk.
Toss the walnut into the dry ingredient mixture, and create a small well in the center of the flour and butter mixture. Pour in the buttermilk, all at once, and use a fork or whisk to incorporate the ingredients. Make sure that all of the flour bits are moistened by the egg and buttermilk.
Dump the shaggy dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Bring together, kneading lightly, until the dough forms a 2″ thick square. Use a knife to cut the dough into 9 equal pieces. Place on the baking sheet.
Bake the scones for 13–15 minutes, until lightly browned on top and not soft or doughy in the center. Let cool until almost entirely cool before topping with glaze.
To make the glaze, whisk together powdered sugar, honey, and milk until smooth.  Drizzle scones with glaze.

Enjoy!