Name: Cardamom Grapefruit Scones
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 18 min
Total time: 33 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 1 c. whole wheat flour; 1 c. all purpose flour; 1/3 c. sugar; 2 green cardamom pods; 1 teaspoon baking powder; 1/2 teaspoon baking soda; 1 teaspoon salt; 1/2 c. (1 stick) butter, cold; 1/2 c. sour cream; 1 teaspoon vanilla; 3 Tablespoons grapefruit juice; 1 Tablespoon grapefruit zest; 1 egg; 3/4 c. powdered sugar; 1-2 Tablespoons grapefruit juice

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Grapefruit Scones are tender, buttery scones filled with fresh grapefruit juice and hints of cardamom for an awesome breakfast or snack!

A few weeks ago we picked up a produce box that had a ton of citrus fruit in it. I knew we would eat the oranges in a fruit salad and I have a few recipes I make with them regularly. Same goes for the lemons.

The wild card of the bunch was the grapefruit. While I love to bake with grapefruit and to enjoy recipes with grapefruit in them, I’m not big on grapefruit on its own. My husband, on the other hand, will happily eat a grapefruit.

So I decided I would keep one grapefruit for him and I wanted to bake something with the other one because I really love the sweet and tart flavor that they add to baked goods. I found a recipe for Grapefruit Scones with cardamom in them that sounded amazing.

Ingredients:

Whole wheat flour
All purpose flour
Sugar
Green cardamom pods (I like these ones from The Spice Way)
Baking powder
Baking soda
Salt
Butter
Sour cream
Grapefruit
Vanilla
Egg
Powdered sugar

To Make the Scone Dough: In a large bowl combine the flours, sugar, cardamom, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix well. Add the butter and mix with your fingers until it resembles wet sand. In a small bowl whisk together the sour cream, grapefruit juice, grapefruit zest, and egg. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix until just combined.

Shaping and Baking the Scones: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Turn dough onto floured surface and knead for 30 seconds or until dough comes together. Shape into an 8 inch circle. Cut the circle into 8 pieces and place on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until they begin to brown. Transfer to wire rack and cool completely.

To Make the Glaze: In a small bowl whisk together the powdered sugar and grapefruit juice. Dip the tops of the scones into the glaze and allow to set. You can also drizzle over top of the scones if desired.

The dough is a buttery, traditional scone dough. The difference here is that it is made with cardamom spice and fresh grapefruit juice. Both of these add to the flavor of the scone.

If you are picturing a dry, hard scone please check your things at the door and get ready to try your hand at these amazing citrus scones! This scone is buttery, tender, and full of flavor. It’s not your average store bought, break a tooth on it scone.

Do I have to use the green cardamom pods?

No you don’t but if you do these cardamom pods from Selefina Spices are awesome!. I used them because the flavor is stronger and I happen to have a large amount of them but you can use cardamom powder. Use 1 ½ teaspoons in this recipe.

Can I substitute something for the sour cream?

Plain or vanilla Greek yogurt would work in place of the sour cream. You can also use milk but then you will need to add 2-3 tablespoons of flour to the dough to help thicken it up.

Do I have to use both types of flour?

No you don’t. You can use either the all purpose flour or the whole wheat flour. I like using both because the whole wheat flour is a little healthier but I don’t like using all whole wheat flour because it changes the flavor and consistency of the scones.

Can I freeze the scones?

Yes you can! You can freeze them baked and unbaked. In order to freeze them unbaked simply place them on a baking sheet and put in the freezer for 1 hour. After they have firmed up wrap in plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag. They will last for up to 1 month frozen. You can also cook them from frozen but keep an eye on the time because they will require more time to bake then in the directions.

If you want to thaw before baking take out as many as you need and put them in the refrigerator over night. Bake in the morning for 15-18 minutes for a fresh scone.

If you are freezing them after baking make sure to cool completely. Do not glaze them. After they cool wrap them in plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. You can reheat them from frozen in the oven or microwave and then glaze.

More Sweet Scone Recipes:

I was excited that I could smell both the grapefruit and the cardamom when the scones were baking. That gave me hope that both flavors would come through.

I tried the scones with and without the glaze and they are delicious both ways. However, you definitely get more grapefruit flavor with the glaze on top.

I like that these are sweet but have a bit of tang to them from the grapefruit. They also have the minty, almost peppery flavor from the cardamom which gives the scones an exotic taste.

These scones are great alone or with butter. You can also serve them with a citrus marmalade or a citrus curd. Any way you serve them you’re going to love them!

If you’ve tried my Cardamom Grapefruit Scones or any other recipe on Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks please take a minute to rate the recipe and leave a comment letting me know how you liked it. I love hearing from you! You can FOLLOW ME on: