Pineapple Macadamia Scone Recipe

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.

If using dried pineapple packed in syrup, drain in a fine-mesh strainer and pat dry with paper towels. If using fresh, finely chop and squeeze out excess juice so pieces are damp but not wet. Chop macadamia nuts and toast them in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring, 3–4 minutes until fragrant; cool completely.

Cut cold butter into small cubes and keep refrigerated until ready to use. Whisk together egg, buttermilk, and vanilla in a small bowl and chill briefly if very warm in the kitchen.

Combine dry ingredients

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly distributed.

Cut in butter

Add the cold cubed butter to the dry ingredients. Using a pastry cutter, two forks, or your fingertips, work the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining (about the size of small peas). This creates flaky layers in the scones.

Fold in mix-ins

Toss the drained pineapple pieces and the toasted, cooled chopped macadamias with a tablespoon of flour (from the measured flour) to prevent sinking. Gently fold these into the flour-butter mixture until evenly distributed, taking care not to overwork the dough.

Add wet ingredients

Make a well in the center of the dry mixture and pour in the buttermilk-egg-vanilla mixture. Use a rubber spatula or a wooden spoon to fold just until the dough comes together — it will be slightly shaggy and sticky. If the dough seems very dry, add 1 to 2 tablespoons additional buttermilk; if too wet, sprinkle in up to 1 tablespoon extra flour. Do not overmix.

Shape the scones

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Gently pat it into a round disk about 8 inches (20 cm) in diameter and roughly 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick. Use a bench scraper or a sharp knife to cut the disk into 8 equal wedges. Alternatively, for round scones, pat dough to 1 inch thickness and cut with a 2.5–3 inch round cutter.

Arrange the scone wedges or rounds on the prepared baking sheet, spacing about 1 inch apart. Brush the tops lightly with a bit of additional buttermilk or an extra beaten egg for a golden finish. Sprinkle the tops with coarse (turbinado) sugar for crunch.

Bake in the preheated 400°F (200°C) oven for 16–20 minutes, until the tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Rotate the pan halfway through baking for even color if your oven has hot spots.

Remove from the oven and let scones cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool another 10–15 minutes. They are best served slightly warm.

Whisk together the powdered sugar, pineapple juice (or milk), and vanilla until smooth. The glaze should be thick but pourable; adjust consistency by adding more powdered sugar to thicken or a few drops of juice/milk to thin.

Once scones are warm (not piping hot), drizzle glaze over the tops using a spoon or fork, or dip the tops in glaze. Allow glaze to set for 10–15 minutes before serving.