A tender and sweet scone filled with dates and sprinkled with a coarse sugar topping.

First Published: January 15, 2011... Last Updated: November 4, 2019

These Date Scones are sweet biscuits filled with chopped Medjool dates, maple syrup, and dusted with coarse sugar crystals prior to baking. They are deliciously sweet and tender scones perfect for a morning brunch or afternoon tea.

Scones are the perfect recipe to serve guests for an afternoon tea or to offer up to your family as part of a weekend brunch. These Date Scones have a deep caramel-like flavor with sweet pieces of dates that melt in your mouth with every bite.

A Date Scone on a white plate with the rest of the scones in the background

Making recipes with Date - nature's candy

I am a big date fan, my most favorite candy being my Great Aunt Helga's Candied Dates recipe. So, when I started thinking about making a scone recently, my mind went to dates and wondering how they would turn out in a scone.

I had just purchased a large box of Medjool dates and decided to go ahead and give it a try. I am so glad I did! These scones were so delicious I didn't want to stop eating them!

Fully baked and scored date scones on parchment paper

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What you need to make Date Scones

Medjool Dates are a large, very sweet, delicious fresh fruit. They are harvested from the date palm and are not processed. Many people think they are a dried fruit due to their texture, however, that is not the case.

Maple Extract: I use the maple extract to enhance the dark sugar flavors of this scone.

Pure Maple Syrup: The flavors of maple and dates complement each other well, so rather than sugar, I used maple syrup as a sweetener.

Pastry Blender: Using a pastry blender to combine the flour and butter together is my preferred way to mix the fat with the flour mixture and is the best way to be sure you're not overmixing the dough.

Tips for the best Date Scone dough

Don't use a heavy hand when measuring the flour. Stir the flour in the storage container, then lightly spoon into the measuring cup and level it off without tapping.
Be sure you do not over mix or over knead the scone dough. Doing so will cause it to be tough.
Stir the chopped dates into the flour mixture after the butter has been worked in. The loose flour will coat the dates and prevent them from sticking together.
When scoring the scones (prior to baking), be sure to not cut all the way thru. Once the scones have been scored, they will be kept together and baked as is.

Dates tossed with the butter/flour mixture

Make this Date Scone Recipe your own

Swap out the maple syrup for brown sugar
Use vanilla extract in place of maple extract
Instead of sugar crystals, leave them plain, or make the maple icing drizzle from this Banana Walnut Muffin recipe to drizzle over the top.

More scone recipes you may want to try

These Date Scones are delicious and I highly recommend you make these. I also have a few other scone flavors that I recommend that you try.

Maple Scones are sweetened with only maple sugar and are a delicious moist scone that is perfect for a spring brunch.

Blueberry Scones are bursting with fresh blueberries and drizzled with a lemon icing.

Mini Caramel Coconut Chip Scones are delicious little bites of scones with the flavors of caramel, coconut, and chocolate.

Pumpkin Scones are a delicious fall scone recipe topped with a two-toned pumpkin spice glaze.

Easy Orange Cranberry Scones are perfect for the winter holiday season with the flavors of orange and cranberry bursting through this delicate dough.

📖 Recipe

Date Scones

Shelby Law Ruttan

A tender and sweet scone filled with dates and sprinkled with a coarse sugar topping.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 25

Total Time 40

Course Breakfast & Brunch

Cuisine American

Servings

Calories 241 kcal

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Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1-½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into chunks
½ cup chopped dates
½ cup half & half
3 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon heavy cream optional
Coarse sugar crystals optional

Instructions

Place the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Whisk to combine ingredients.
Add the butter pieces and using a pastry blender, work the butter into the dough until small pea-sized crumbs form.
Stir in the chopped dates and toss to coat with flour mixture.
Pour the half and half, maple syrup, and maple extract into the flour mixture. Stir until the mixture begins to form a dough. Turn out onto a countertop and gently fold in remaining dry ingredients until the dough starts to take some shape.
Flatten out into a circle on a pastry-lined baking sheet! Being careful to not overwork the dough.
Cut the scone dough into 8 pieces, being careful to not cut all the way through the dough.
Bake in a 350-degree oven for 25 minutes or until scones have lightly browned.
Remove from the oven and cool slightly and enjoy while still warm.

Nutrition

Calories: 241kcalCarbohydrates: 36gProtein: 4.1gFat: 9.1gSaturated Fat: 5.6gSodium: 565mgFiber: 1.7gSugar: 11g

Keyword Date Scones

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