Get these easy pastries perfectly buttery and flaky with my tips and enjoy this breakfast treat with a cup of coffee.
You might also like these lemon blueberry scones or my favorite strawberry recipes.
Raspberry thumbprint scones are so pretty for Valentine's Day or Mother's Day Brunch!Table of Contents
🗝️ Key takeaways
- Scones make a quick and easy breakfast because they freeze well. Just warm them up in the microwave and go!
- Raspberry Thumbprint scones are perfect for Valentine's Day or a special brunch.
- Be sure to follow the instructions to let the scones rest before baking!
Starbucks Copycat Raspberry Thumbprint Scones are buttery and rich with a bite of tangy raspberry jam in the center. They're just right for a special breakfast, brunch, or tea and they take just minutes to make!
If you like the flaky pastries from the coffee shop you'll love how good homemade scones are.
So good!
🧾 Ingredients
These flaky British-style pastries are absolutely the best! Use whatever kind of jam you like - you can't go wrong.
📖 Variations
- Sprinkle a little vanilla sugar on top of the scones before baking.
- Drizzle with a vanilla glaze after baking.
- Sometimes I just like to dust the baked scones with powdered sugar.
- Sprinkle the scones with some sliced almonds before baking.
🔪 Instructions
Note: This is an overview of the instructions. The full instructions are in the green recipe card below.
Grating the butter makes the most flaky scones ever. Try it!
- Grate the ice-cold butter.
- Mix the dry ingredients and the sugar and add the butter into it.
- Mix gently to coat.
- Mix in the butter well until it looks like small pebbles or peas. Add the cream and knead very gently just until the scone dough holds together.
- Pat out and cut into rounds.
- Place on a baking sheet.
- Press centers down gently with a spoon to make a depressed area to hold the raspberry jam. Sprinkle with a little sugar.
- Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven, press the centers back down a little and add the raspberry jam. Bake for 5 more minutes, or until done.
🥫 How to store raspberry scones
Scones are best if eaten the day they are made. You can store them overnight in an airtight container but I wouldn't try to keep them longer than that.
Freeze them for longer storage.
To Freeze: Place raspberry scones in a single layer on a baking sheet and flash freeze. Then put them in a freezer container with sheets of waxed paper between the layers. This keeps the jam from sticking and getting messy.
Freeze for up to 3 months.
💭 Things to know
Expert Tip: Let the raspberry thumbprint scones "rest" for 20 minutes before you bake them. This lets any gluten that has been developed chill out and relax. You'll get a more tender product.
- Work with chilled ingredients. If you have time put the flour mixture in the freezer for 10 minutes or so before you add the cold butter.
- Always use fresh, unsalted butter and only butter.
- Grating the butter is the secret to the amazing flavor and texture of this raspberry scone recipe.
- Press the centers down gently.
- Brush the tops with a little cream and then sprinkle with sugar crystals. The sugar adds a nice crunchy layer.
- If the room is warm let the unbaked scones "rest" in the refrigerator. Keep that dough cold!
- I used regular raspberry jam for these but you could use a seedless. You could also substitute any other kind of jam that you like. A drizzle of melted white chocolate is delicious on top and makes them even more special.
- Bake these on a heavy pan lined with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
👩🍳 FAQs
Here are the questions I am most frequently asked about this easy recipe.
1. Keep the butter very cold - even frozen. 2. Let the scones rest before putting them in the oven.
Don't let them rest longer than 20 minutes then always put them in a fully preheated oven.
📚 Related recipes
📞 The last word
Back in 2008, when I first wrote this post, I said - These are just like the buttery raspberry scones at your favorite Starbucks — and maybe a bit better.
These were my favorite of all the Starbuck's scone recipes.
Back then Starbucks served up a similar scone and it was amazing. One of my favorites along with their petite vanilla scones!
Now, almost everyone has forgotten these buttery pastries - but you can make them yourself with my recipe!
And let me suggest a dollop of this mock Devonshire cream right on top!
I don't know about you but sitting down to a warm scone and some tea sweeps me into the world of Jane Austen. I feel very ladylike, Victorian, and demure nibbling at the sweet edges and saving the luscious raspberry center for last. I tend to keep one eye on the door for Mr. Darcy...
If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need.
If you love this recipe please comment below and give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📖 Recipe
Raspberry Thumbprint Scones
Print Pin Recipe Save Recipe Rate RecipeIngredients
- 3 ½ cups all purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons baking powder
- ½ cup butter
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 ⅓ cup half and half cream, (light cream)
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 4 ounces raspberry jam
- Sugar , for sprinkling
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F.
- Place silpat over a large cookie sheet, or leave ungreased.
- Sift the dry ingredients together.
- Add sugar.
- Grate the cold butter into the flour mixture. You can also rub it in with your fingers but I find grating it gives a tenderer crumb.
- Mix in the butter well until it looks like small pebbles or peas.
- Add the cream and knead very gently just until dough holds together.
- Pat out and cut into rounds. I use a can with the ends cut off for this - it is the perfect size for a generously sized scone.
- Allow to stand for 15 - 20 minutes. If the kitchen is hot place the scones in the refrigerator during this time.
- Press centers down gently with a spoon to make a depressed area to hold the jam.
- Brush with the melted butter.
- Sprinkle with a little sugar.
- Bake for 10 minutes.
- Remove from oven, press the centers back down a little and add the raspberry.
- Bake for 5 more minutes, or until done.
- Allow to cool slightly..
- Dust with confectioner's sugar if desired.
Notes
- Work with chilled ingredients. If you have time put the flour mixture in the freezer for 10 minutes or so before you add the cold butter.
- Brush the tops with a little cream and then sprinkle with sugar crystals. The sugar adds a nice crunchy layer.
- Always use fresh, unsalted butter and only butter.
- Grating the butter is the secret to the amazing flavor and texture of this raspberry scone recipe.
- Press the centers down gently.
- If the room is warm let them "rest" in the refrigerator. Keep that dough cold!
- I used regular raspberry jam for these but you could use a seedless. You could also substitute any other kind of jam that you like. A drizzle of melted white chocolate is delicious on top and makes them even more special.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
This recipe has been tested several times. If you choose to use other ingredients, or change the technique in some way, the results may not be the same.
First published November 14, 2008. Last updated December 29, 2023 for editorial improvements.
Bobbi Kiser says
I'm a bit confused by the 1/2 cup butter and 2 tablespoons butter. It the two tablespoons grated right along with the 1/2 cup. They look wonderful!
Marye says
My mistake. 🙂 the butter is to be melted and brushed on the scones before baking. It's fixed now.
Beth Meyer says
I have made this recipe so many times in the past year! It’s amazing! Feels fancy but not like you’re trying *too* hard. This has become one of my favorite recipes for holidays, but I even make it for a weekday breakfast sometimes bc it’s relatively quick and looks so cheerful.
I follow everything almost exactly as written, but one thing I changed for our taste is to cut back the baking powder to 1.5 Tbsp. (we could taste a hint of the baking powder in bites where there was no jam. The slight reduction fixed it and doesn’t affect the texture.) I also like doing half of the scones with raspberry jam and half of the scones with apricot jam. My favorite is apricot but my kids go for the raspberry every time. Anyways, this recipe is a gem. Thanks so much for sharing it!!
Oh! And have to share this compliment.. I recently made a batch of these on a day when we had a contractor working on our home, so I could send some home with him as a thank-you. The next day, he said he typically doesn’t like scones bc he finds them to be dry, but that these were fantastic and he’s a changed man. Hah!! ..so Marye - nice job with this recipe!!
Jill Silverman Hough says
Funny, Marye! I posted a copycat Starbucks scone recipe recently, too--but mine were their Maple Oat Pecan Scones, which were discontinued so I miss them. I've never seen this raspberry thumbprint one in their stores--maybe we're in different parts of the country?--but it looks delish!
Katie @ Recipe for Perfection says
If these scones make Mr. Darcy show up... well, then, sign me up for a few dozen! 🙂 Have you seen the Pride & Prejudice version with Colin Firth?
allie @ Through Her Looking Glass says
I will definitely have to make these gorgeous thumbprint scones and be on the lookout for Mr. Darcy....what a pleasant surprise that would be! 🙂
Elle @ Only Taste Matters says
These look amazing! Thanks for sharing!
sarah says
My mom said that she would make me some today! 🙂
Elle says
I can't even tell you how much I want these! They look.incredible
Lee Ann says
Starbucks' scones are always too dry and heavy for my taste. These look delicious!
marye says
Just be sure to give the the resting time Lee Ann.. 🙂
Angela says
These look absolutely delicious! I'll have to make them after I've recovered from my surgery. Can't wait!