Rhubarb scones are a favourite spring treat! Spicy fresh ginger is a great match for the rich cream scone base and tart chopped rhubarb.
This post first appeared February 4, 2015 and was last updated May 14, 2021.
The arrival of rhubarb season makes us want to celebrate! Along with the arrival of asparagus, finally seeing colourful rhubarb in our gardens and at the markets means the beiges and browns of winter can once again be banished until the cold weather returns.
Made with 35% whipping cream rhubarb scones are indulgent and rich — a great match for tart spring rhubarb! The scones are tender and fluffy inside, with a light golden crust on the outside. Don’t be alarmed, however, we added extra sugar to compensate for the mouth puckering sourness of the rhubarb. But that’s what a treat is right?
This recipe can be made with fresh or frozen rhubarb, however, fresh works best if you haven’t chopped it small enough before freezing. Because the scones only take 15 minutes the rhubarb needs to be cut into small pieces so it softens quickly. We believe nothing compares to the beautiful shades of dark pink and green in these pretty little baked treats and we hope you love them too.
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Ingredients
Method
Preheat the oven to 425ºF (220ºC) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Whisk together the cream, sugar, and egg.
If you haven’t chopped your rhubarb and ginger, do so now. Cut each piece of rhubarb into three or four segments (depending on how long your stalks are). Slice each segment lengthwise into three strips (or four if your stalks are huge). Gather the strips of rhubarb together and carefully chop them into small bits, about ⅓ inch (roughly 1 cm) in size.
Peel and mince the fresh ginger.
Stir the chopped rhubarb and ginger into the egg and cream mixture. Set aside.
In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
Add the butter to the bowl and cut it into the flour using a pastry blender or two butter knives (for information about butter temperature see the tips & notes section below). The mixture should look coarse and crumbly.
Make a well in the middle of the flour mixture. Pour the rhubarb and cream into the well.
Using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, fold everything together until most of the flour is moistened. Switch to using your hands and knead the dough inside the bowl about 10 times.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface then sprinkle the top of it with more flour. Use your fingertips to gently press the dough into a round disc, using your hands to shape and smooth the edges.
The disc should be approximately 7-½ inches (19-cm) in diameter, and about 1-inch (2-½ cm) tall.
Brush the top and sides of the dough with whipping cream and sprinkle generously with coarse sugar if using.
Using a long sharp knife, slice the disc into eight wedges. Use an offset spatula or butter knife to lift each wedge from the work surface onto the prepared baking sheet.
Place the sheet in the oven and bake the scones for 15 to 17 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking. The scones are done when the outsides are light gold in colour. Cool the scones on a wire rack, still on the tray for 10 minutes before removing and cooling directly on the rack.
Tips & Notes
We used room temperature butter for this recipe which yields a lighter, fluffier, more cake-like scone. Far a flakier version use cold or frozen butter.
If you don’t have fresh ginger on hand you can use 1 to 2 teaspoons of ground ginger.
Frozen rhubarb can be used, however, it’s best if it’s chopped small before freezing as the bake time is so short.
Store scones in an airtight container or zip-top bag on the counter for up to two days. They start to get a bit soggy after that.
Rhubarb scones freeze well! Once cool, place them in a large zip-top bag in the freezer for up to one month. To thaw, simply leave out at room temperature, or heat at half-power in the microwave.
If you’re not using coarse sugar on top, consider making a simple glaze to drizzle over the scones once cool.
Substitutions
Buttermilk or whole milk can be swapped in for cream.
You can add 1 teaspoon of vanilla, orange blossom water, almond extract, or any other flavouring you like to the egg and cream mixture.
Lemon or orange zest is a good substitute for ginger.
Whole wheat or light flour can be substituted for all-purpose. If the dough seems dry add a drizzle of cream while kneading to moisten.
More Rhubarb Recipes
Recipe
Rhubarb Scones With Fresh Ginger
Rhubarb scones are a favourite spring treat! Spicy fresh ginger is a great match for the rich cream scone base and tart chopped rhubarb.
Ingredients
- ½ cup (125 ml) 35% whipping cream, plus extra for brushing the top of the scones
- ½ cup (100 g) sugar
- 1 egg
- 2 cups (300 g) rhubarb (about 4 medium-sized stalks, ends trimmed), chopped into small pieces about ⅓ inch (roughly 1 cm)
- 2 tbsp (20 g) ginger, minced
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (300 g)
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- ⅓ cup (76 g) butter, room temperature (see notes)
- Coarse sugar for sprinkling (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425ºF (220ºC) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Whisk together the cream, sugar, and egg in a large bowl.
- If you haven't chopped your rhubarb and ginger, do so now. Cut each piece of rhubarb into three or four segments (depending on how long your stalks are). Slice each segment lengthwise into three strips (or four if your stalks are huge). Gather the strips of rhubarb together and carefully chop them into small bits, about ⅓ inch (roughly 1 cm) in size. Peel and mince the fresh ginger.
- Stir the chopped rhubarb and minced ginger into the egg and cream mixture. Set aside.
- In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the butter to the flour and cut it in using a pastry blender or two butter knives (for information about butter temperature see the notes section below). The mixture should look coarse and crumbly.
- Make a well in the middle of the flour mixture. Pour the rhubarb and cream into the well. Using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, fold everything together until most of the flour is moistened. Switch to using your hands and knead the dough inside the bowl about 10 times.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface then sprinkle the top of the dough with more flour. Use your fingertips to gently press the dough into a round disc, and use your hands to shape and smooth the edges. The disc should be approximately 7-½ inches (19-cm) in diameter, and about 1-inch (2-½ cm) tall.
- Brush the top and sides of the disc with whipping cream then sprinkle the top generously with coarse sugar if using. Using a long sharp knife, slice the disc into eight wedges. Use an offset spatula or butter knife to lift each wedge from the work surface onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Place the sheet in the oven and bake the scones for 15 to 17 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking. The scones are done when the outsides are light gold in colour. Cool the scones on a wire rack, on the baking sheet, for 10 minutes before removing them from the sheet and cooling them directly on the rack.
Notes
We used room temperature butter for this recipe which yields a lighter, fluffier, more cake-like scone. Far a flakier version use cold or frozen butter.
If you don't have fresh ginger on hand you can use 1 to 2 teaspoons of ground ginger.
Frozen rhubarb can be used, however, it's best if it's chopped small before freezing as the bake time is so short.
If you're not using coarse sugar on top, consider making a simple glaze to drizzle over the scones once cool.
Store scones in an airtight container or zip-top bag on the counter for up to two days. They start to get a bit soggy after that.
Rhubarb scones freeze well! Once cool, place them in a large zip-top bag in the freezer for up to one month. To thaw, simply leave out at room temperature, or heat at half-power in the microwave.
SUBSTITUTIONS
Buttermilk or whole milk can be subbed for cream.
You can add 1 teaspoon of vanilla, orange blossom water, almond extract, or any other flavouring you like to the egg and cream mixture.
Lemon or orange zest is a good substitute for ginger.
Whole wheat or light flour can be substituted for all-purpose. If the dough seems dry add a drizzle of cream while kneading to moisten.
Use dairy-free cream or milk, and dairy-free butter to make this recipe dairy-free.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 181Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 26mgSodium: 495mgCarbohydrates: 32gFiber: 1gSugar: 1gProtein: 5g
This is an approximation of the nutrition offered in this recipe, and is created using a nutrition calculator.
kristie {birch and wild} says
These look lovely. I have not experimented with barley in sweet baked good before, so I am excited to try it. Thank you :)
emily says
any advice on making these gluten free? I would love to try my hand at gluten free scones, and these look so delicious!
Kelly Brisson // the gouda life says
Hi Emily,
I’d love to give a bit of advice but haven’t played around with GF baking enough to be 100% on it and would hate to give you bad advice. I’m sure there are lots of good recipes out there for a basic scone, so I’d start there and once you’ve got the base, you can still add the jam and get a great result!
lynsey | lynseylovesfood says
oh I have never played with barley flour but do love its grains in a hearty soup! Need to add to the pantry rotation. xo
Kelly Brisson // the gouda life says
It’s such a tasty one to play with, Lynsey! Happy experimenting. <3