When you come into possession of a collection of ripe, juicy Georgia peaches right at the peak of season, those peaches will start to find their way into every nook and cranny of your kitchen. And your life. These Peach Scones with Thyme and Black Pepper are a gorgeously balanced take on a semi-sweet, semi-savory treat for just about any time of day.
I highly suggest a good slather of butter on each bite.
If you've never made scones before, don't fret! People think that scones are intimidating, but if you think of them as slightly-sweetened biscuits, suddenly ... not so scary!
And for these peach scones we'll make it even easier by dropping them like biscuits, instead of getting fussy about shaping them into those precious little scone shapes.
Instead, let's focus on the flavor combination, and let our big cookie scoop do the rest of the work.
The idea for peach scones popped into my head because I had this crazy idea about mixing the peaches up with a savory herby element and scones make a perfect place for such combinations to hide. You see, when you bite into a muffin, you expect it to be on the sweet side. But a scone, with all its craggy edges can be so much more than just something sweet.
Peach pairs incredibly well with many herbs including basil and mint, but I wanted a hard herb that would hold up a bit better in baking. So before tucking the peaches into the scone dough, I tossed them with a handful of thyme leaves.
How to Make Peach Scones with Thyme and Black Pepper:
1. Stir the peaches and thyme leaves together to let the flavors combine for a couple minutes.
2. Mix up the dry ingredients. Toss in a little black pepper for a small unexpected kick.
3. Whisk together the wet ingredients and add them to the dry. Stir it all up. The dough will seem fairly dry at this point, but keep stirring until it's mostly together.
4. Gently add in the peaches and thyme and stir well. At this point, the dough will become wet and sticky. Careful not to over-mix, just get those peaches incorporated well.
5. Scoop them out onto a baking sheet and sprinkle with some sugar.
6. Bake 'em up until the bottoms are browned and the tops are just starting to become golden brown.
7. Slather them with butter and enjoy!
How Long with Peach Scones Last?
These Peach Scones should be stored in an air-tight container. They will last at room-temperature for up to 3 days and in the fridge for up to a week. After that, they do freeze well! Either way, I suggest heating them up in the toaster oven slightly to warm them before eating.
Peach Scones with Thyme and Black Pepper
Ingredients
- 1 cup diced peach
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves stems removed
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup white whole wheat flour
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Pinch of ground nutmeg
- Pinch of black pepper
- 6 tablespoons cold butter cut into pieces
- 2 large eggs
- 1/3 cup plain greek yogurt
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon almond extract
- coarse white sparkling sugar optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a baking sheet.
- In a small bowl, combine the chopped peaches and the fresh thyme leaves. Stir lightly and set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix together the white and whole wheat flours, sugar, baking powder, salt, nutmeg and black pepper. Add in the butter, using a fork or a pastry blender.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, yogurt or sour cream, and the extracts. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Add the peaches, stirring just until everything is combined. The dough will be wet and sticky.
- Drop the dough by the 1/4-cupful onto the sheet pan. Using a muffin scoop is really helpful here. Sprinkle the scones with coarse sugar, if desired.
- Bake the scones for 20 to 25 minutes, until they're a light golden brown. Remove them from the oven, and let them cool on the pan for a few minutes before transferring to a rack to cool completely.
- Serve warm, or at room temperature. Store at room temperature, in an airtight container for several days.
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