Easy Buttermilk Whole Wheat Scones with Honey - Milk Glass Home (2024)

American scones are very similar to biscuits, especially this version. They’re made to be very flaky, perfect for peeling apart and serving with honey. This whole wheat scone recipe uses 100% whole wheat flour for extra fiber and a mild nutty flavor. It’s a delicious side to serve instead of rolls or biscuits with breakfast, lunch, or dinner. We like to serve them with a drizzle of whipped honey and some tea for an afternoon snack!

Why you’ll love this whole wheat scone recipe

• SO EASY –I swear by the food processor when it comes to making scones! It’s the easiest way to break up the butter pieces quickly without overworking or warming the dough. You’ll be ready to bake in just a few minutes!
• INCREDIBLY FLAKY– The tiny little pieces of butter explode in the hot oven! This will give you the best rise and flaky scones you’ll be thinking about all day.
• GREAT ALTERNATIVE TO BISCUITS –​These scones are very similar to very flaky biscuits and can be used like biscuits or rolls at any time of day.

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
2. Add the dry ingredients to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse 2-3 times to mix everything together.
3. Chop the cold butter into cubes. Add to the food processor and blend for 5-8 seconds until the butter pieces become like very small peas.
4. Add the egg, honey, and buttermilk. Pulse for 5-7 seconds or until the dough turns into large crumbles.
5. Pour the crumbles onto the parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Knead it into a ball, then press it into a round approximately 3/4 inch thick.
6. Use a sharp knife to cut the dough round into 6-8 even slices. Separate the scone pieces to give them room to rise. Chill the scones in the fridge for 10-15 minutes (optional, but recommended).
7. Bake the scones in the middle rack for approximately 15-18 minutes. Be careful not to overbake.
8. Remove from the oven and let the scones cool for 5-10 minutes. Serve warm and enjoy!

Tips & Variations

• Make ’em sweeter.If you prefer your scones on the sweeter side, add an extra tablespoon of honey or feel free to replace it with brown sugar or regular white sugar.
• Add zest. Citrus zest makes everything better! Add some lemon zest or orange zest to complement the whole-grain flour.
• Try pastry flour.You certainly do not have to do this, but I find pastry flour makes absolutely perfect scones. There’s even whole whole pastry flour that’s made for recipes just like this! Just be sure not to use bread flour. That won’t work quite the same.
• Chill the dough.If you use a food processor, you’ll most likely make these scones so quickly that you don’t need to chill them. However, it’s never a bad idea to chill the scones! This lets the flour rest and makes sure the butter is nice and cold, which is key to a flaky scone.
• Make them by hand. Prefer to make these scones by hand? You basically need to follow the same steps but in a bowl with a pastry cutter. I recommend grating the butter and adding more buttermilk one tablespoon at a time if needed (handmade scones almost always need more liquid to come together). Be sure to chill the scones before baking.
• Throw in some nuts, herbs, or fruit.Think of this as a great basic scone recipe. You can easily eat them just like this, or you can add your favorite spices, nuts, herbs, fruits, and more. Try add a teaspoon of cinnamon or poppy seed. Add up to 1/4 cup of chopped walnuts or chocolate chips. Have fun with them!
• Sprinkle with sugar. Just like these date scones, you can easily sprinkle the top of the dough with a little turbinado sugar or regular white sugar for extra sweetness. Flaky salt would be great, too!
• Use all purpose flour.These are called whole wheat scones for a reason, but you can replace the whole wheat with all purpose if you prefer. I use that as the base for most of my scone recipes.
• Adjust the liquid. I prefer to use buttermilk or cream for scones every time, but you can certainly use sour cream or Greek yogurt instead. You may need to add an extra splash or two of water to compensate for the change.

• 2 cups whole wheat flour, or whole wheat pastry flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 4 oz unsalted butter , very cold
• 1 T honey
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup buttermilk

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.

• Add the dry ingredients to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse 2-3 times to mix everything together.

• Chop the cold butter into cubes. Add to the food processor and blend for 5-8 seconds until the butter pieces become like very small peas.

• Add the egg, honey, and buttermilk. Pulse for 5-7 seconds or until the dough turns into large crumbles.

• Pour the crumbles onto the parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Knead it into a ball, then press it into a round approximately 3/4 inch thick.

• Use a sharp knife to cut the dough round into 6-8 even slices. Separate the scone pieces to give them room to rise. Place the entire tray in the fridge to chill for 15-20 minutes (optional, but recommended).

• Bake the scones in the middle rack for approximately 15-18 minutes. Be careful not to overbake.

• Remove from the oven and let the scones cool for 5-10 minutes. Serve warm and enjoy!

Let the scones cool to room temperature before placing them in an airtight container. Eat within 1-2 days for best results.

The nutritional facts are based on cutting the dough into 8 equal portions (the scones in the photos are divided into sixths).