Buttermilk Scone Mix

Buttermilk Scone Mix is the kind of freezer staple that saves breakfast without much drama. You make one big batch, keep it frozen, then pull out just 3 cups at a time for tender, lightly sweet scones with very little fuss.

The cold butter is doing the heavy lifting here, so don’t baby it into perfection. A rough, pebbly mix gives you better layers and a more tender crumb, and handling the dough lightly keeps the finished scones from turning into little hockey pucks. For food safety, keep this butter-based mix frozen until you’re ready to use it, and baked leftovers should be chilled within 2 hours and used within 3 to 4 days according to USDA leftover storage guidance.

Ingredients for Buttermilk Scone Mix

This mix keeps the ingredient list simple: flour for structure, sugar for a lightly sweet dough, buttermilk powder for tang and tenderness, baking powder plus baking soda for lift, salt to balance everything, and plenty of very cold butter for that flaky texture you actually want in a scone.

• 9 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup buttermilk powder
• 2 1/4 cups sugar
• 1 3/4 teaspoons salt
• 3 tablespoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 3 cups unsalted butter, very cold and cut into chunks

To bake one batch of scones from the mix, you’ll also need:

• 3 cups scone mix
• 1 egg
• 1/3 to 1/2 cup water, or orange juice, lemonade, ginger ale, or seltzer
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 beaten egg white
• Coarse sugar

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How to Make the Mix

You’re making a freezer mix here, not a dainty pastry project. Work quickly, keep the butter cold, and stop once the mixture looks uneven and crumbly.

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, buttermilk powder, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda until the dry ingredients are evenly combined.
2. Cut the very cold butter into the dry ingredients by hand, with a pastry blender, or in a food processor in batches until the mixture looks grainy and uneven. A few larger butter pieces are fine.
3. Transfer the finished mix to freezer-safe containers or bags.
4. Freeze until you’re ready to bake a batch of scones.

If you like homemade baking mixes, you’ll probably also want to stash Baking Powder Biscuit Mix in the freezer right beside this one. Same idea, same sanity-saving payoff.

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How to Bake the Scones

One batch uses 3 cups of the mix and makes about 11 scones if you cut the round into wedges. The dough should come together softly without turning sticky or wet.

1. Preheat the oven to 425 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Place 3 cups of scone mix in a bowl and make a well in the center.
3. In a small bowl, stir together the egg, 1/3 to 1/2 cup water or other liquid, and vanilla.
4. Gently blend the wet ingredients into the mix with a fork until a soft mass forms.
5. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for about 15 seconds.
6. Pat the dough into an 8-inch round and cut it into wedges.
7. Brush the tops with beaten egg white and sprinkle with coarse sugar.
8. Bake on the upper third oven rack for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 400 F.
9. Continue baking 15 to 18 minutes more, until the scones are nicely golden.

Want more ways to use buttermilk flavor in baking? Make Your Own Buttermilk Powder is handy when the tub runs low and you still want a batch on the table.

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Tips for Better Scones

Keep the butter cold. That’s what creates flaky pockets instead of a dense, greasy texture.

Don’t overmix after adding the liquid. Stir just until the dough holds together, then stop. A little roughness is normal and a lot safer than overworked dough.

Use only enough liquid to form a soft dough. Start with the lower amount and add more only if the mixture stays too dry to hold together.

Knead briefly. Fifteen seconds is enough to bring the dough together without making it tough. Scones are forgiving, but not that forgiving.

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Easy Variations

This is a plain base mix, which is exactly why it’s useful. You can change the liquid or add a simple flavor twist without rebuilding the whole recipe.

• Citrus scones: Use orange juice instead of water for a brighter, sweeter finish.
• Sparkling scones: Try ginger ale or seltzer for a lighter dough and a little extra lift.
• Lemon-vanilla version: Use lemonade as the liquid and keep the vanilla for a bakery-style flavor.
• Fruit add-ins: Fold a small handful of dried fruit into the dough after mixing if you want more texture and sweetness.

If fruity scones are your thing, Simple Blueberry Lemon Scones is another good one to keep in rotation.

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Storage and Shelf Life

For the unbaked mix: Because the mix contains butter, store it in airtight freezer containers or heavy freezer bags. A practical quality window is about 3 months frozen for best flavor and performance. Longer storage may still be safe if continuously frozen, but the leavening and butter quality can fade.

For baked scones: Store cooled scones in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days for best texture, or refrigerate for an estimated 3 to 4 days. If you want to keep them longer, freeze the baked scones for up to 2 months and reheat until warmed through.

Make-ahead option: You can mix and shape a batch of dough, freeze the wedges on a tray, then transfer them to a freezer bag and bake from frozen. Add a few extra minutes to the bake time.

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Serving Suggestions

These scones are best served slightly warm with butter, jam, lemon curd, or a simple drizzle of glaze. They also work nicely with fresh berries and coffee if you’re aiming for a quiet breakfast that looks far more organized than it really was.

For brunch, pair them with fruit salad, scrambled eggs, or a yogurt parfait. Since the base dough is lightly sweet, it plays well with both bright fruit spreads and richer toppings.

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💸 Budget101® Price Breakdown: Buttermilk Scone Mix

🛒 Walmart Grocery List

• Unbleached All-Purpose Flour, 5 lb
• Buttermilk Powder, 12 oz
• Granulated Sugar, 4 lb
• Plain Salt, 26 oz
• Baking Powder, 8.1 oz
• Baking Soda, 16 oz
• Unsalted Butter, 16 oz
• Scone Mix, 15 oz
• Large White Eggs, 12 count
• Orange Juice, 52 fl oz
• Pure Vanilla Extract, 2 fl oz
• Large White Eggs, 12 count
• Coarse Sugar, 4 oz

Not sure exactly what this batch costs you per serving? Here’s how to break down the real cost of any recipe so you know before you shop.

Frequently Asked Questions about Buttermilk Scone Mix

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Buttermilk Scone Mix

Article or recipe authorAuthor: Melissa 'Liss' Burnell

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preparation timePrep 25 minutes mins

cook timeCook 28 minutes mins

total timeTotal 53 minutes mins

This freezer-friendly buttermilk scone mix makes tender, lightly sweet homemade scones with very little last-minute work. One full batch of mix makes about 5 batches of scones, for an estimated total batch cost of $17.81, or about $0.32 per scone based on an estimated 55 scones.

ServingsServings 55 scones

CourseCourse bread, Breakfast, Snack

CuisineCuisine American

Budget101 Price BreakdownApprox Cost: $17.81

Ingredients

1/21x2x

• ▢ 9 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• ▢ ¾ cup buttermilk powder
• ▢ 2 ¼ cups sugar
• ▢ 1 ¾ teaspoons salt
• ▢ 3 tablespoons baking powder
• ▢ 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
• ▢ 3 cups unsalted butter very cold, cut into chunks

For one batch of scones

• ▢ 3 cups scone mix
• ▢ 1 egg
• ▢ ⅓ to ½ cup water orange juice, lemonade, ginger ale, or seltzer
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ▢ 1 beaten egg white
• ▢ Coarse sugar

Equipment

Large Mixing Bowl

Whisk

Pastry blender or food processor

Freezer-safe containers or bags

Baking Sheet

parchment paper

Instructions

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1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, buttermilk powder, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda very well.
2. Cut the very cold butter into the dry ingredients by hand, with a pastry blender, or in a food processor in batches until the mixture is grainy and uneven, with some larger butter pieces remaining.
3. Transfer the mix to freezer-safe containers or bags and freeze.
4. To bake one batch, preheat the oven to 425 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
5. Place 3 cups scone mix in a bowl and make a well in the center.
6. Stir together the egg, 1/3 to 1/2 cup liquid, and vanilla, then gently blend it into the mix with a fork to make a soft mass.
7. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead about 15 seconds.
8. Pat the dough into an 8-inch round and cut into wedges.
9. Brush with beaten egg white and sprinkle with coarse sugar.
10. Bake on the upper third oven rack for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 400 F.
11. Continue baking 15 to 18 minutes more, until nicely golden.

Recipe Size Alteration

💡 If you altered the ingredients above by doubling or tripling the recipe, you may also need to change the pan/dish size and adjust the cook time.

Notes

Estimated yield is about 55 scones total, based on approximately 15 cups of finished mix and 5 batches at 11 scones each.
Prep time is an estimate for mixing the full freezer batch and shaping one baked batch.
Bake time reflects 10 minutes at 425 F plus up to 18 minutes at 400 F for one batch.
Store the frozen butter-based mix in airtight containers in the freezer for an estimated 3 months for best quality.
Store baked scones at room temperature up to 2 days or refrigerate 3 to 4 days.

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