Ingredients:

  • 3 cups All-Purpose Flour
  • 2 cups cold Unsalted Butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  • 1 1/4 cups Granulated Sugar
  • 1 cup cold Buttermilk
  • 1 tablespoon Baking Powder
  • 1 teaspoon Salt
  • 1 tablespoon Vanilla Extract

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. In a very large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
  3. Using a pastry blender or your fingertips, cut the extremely cold butter into the dry ingredients. Work quickly until the mixture resembles coarse meal with some pea-sized chunks of butter remaining. Do not allow the butter to soften.
  4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the cold buttermilk and vanilla extract. Pour the wet mixture into the flour mixture. Mix gently with a spatula until the dough is just combined and shaggy. Minimal handling is key to tenderness.
  5. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Pat the dough into a round disc, about 1 to 1.5 inches thick. Use a sharp knife or biscuit cutter to cut out 8 tall, wedge-shaped scones. Place them on the prepared baking sheet.
  6. CRITICAL CHILL STEP: Place the baking sheet with the cut scones into the freezer or refrigerator for 35 minutes. This ensures the butter is completely frozen and guarantees maximum lift and flakiness during baking.
  7. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the tops are deeply golden brown and craggy. Transfer the hot scones to a wire rack to cool slightly before serving.