So my dad is a really interesting guy. And I don’t mean that in semi-snide jerkfaced way, I mean that he is a really interesting guy. Anyone who knows him (does anyone know my dad? Besides Sara and my one sister who reads the blog?) knows that he is an interesting guy. He is the world’s most cautious man (we were not allowed to have a trampoline, which may have scarred me for life), someone who perpetually drives 15 miles under the speed limit (at least), no matter what it is, but he participates in all sorts of dangerous or potentially dangerous activities like motorcycling and skiing and backpacking and white water rafting. In addition, he has a couple of terrible puns that he re-uses at every opportunity (“I never Metamucil I didn’t like!” or one involving horticulture, which was Sara’s field of study so he brings it up a lot, but it’s kind of PG-13. So you might have to use your imagination.) Are you getting a feel for him?
One thing about my dad is that he’s not a particularly social guy. He doesn’t do small-talk (not even with his kids–in fact, the running joke is that two minutes into any conversation, he’ll say, “I’ve got Alan Stephens [his colleague] on the other line, I’ve gotta go.”) and he was not friendly to boys I dated in high school, which was horrifically embarrassing at the time.
But.
When he throws a party, he goes all out. Even if it’s for strangers.
For as long as I can remember, every 4th of July while I was growing up, we had a neighborhood breakfast in the park and my dad cooked scones. That was his thing. This whole party was thing, which was quite a feat for a semi-grumpy pun-maker who hates holidays.
Now. Some of you may be wondering how in the world he made scones for the whole neighborhood in the park because scones are crumbly, slightly-sweet biscuits baked in an oven.
Well. In Utah (and apparently a few other select geographical regions based very loosely on some fairly inaccurate Instagram science), scones are pieces of fried bread dough served with whatever you want, but really, butter, honey (or honey butter), or raspberry jam. Or if you’re me, you spread on some honey butter and then you smoosh a small handful of raspberries down into the honey butter and it’s more delicious than just about anything you can imagine.
So basically, Utah scones are beignets. Sopapillas. Fry bread. Doughnuts. Whatever.
When I discovered these were not the scones other people were familiar with, I was embarrassed and disillusioned. Life got hard. In a my-parents-lied-to-me-about-baked-goods kind of way.
So you can really use any dough that’s been enriched with some kind of fat (butter…oil…egg yolks). We actually have a recipe for sopapillas in our first book (I think…I don’t actually have my books with my this second) and we already have a recipe for beignets here. And you could use either one of those doughs, among the zillions (not really) of other yeast doughs we have on the blog. But I wanted to experiment with something (I’m tweaking my World’s Best Dinner Roll recipe) and it was a huge success. Not that you can go wrong with fried dough slathered in honey and butter, right?
To get started, dissolve the yeast and 1 tablespoon sugar in warm water.
Let stand about 10 minutes or until very bubbly and frothy.
In the bowl of a stand or heavy-duty mixture, mix 2 cups of buttermilk, some sugar, melted butter, vegetable oil,
and salt
until completely dissolved. Add baking powder and 3 cups of flour to the milk mixture and beat on low for 30 seconds, scraping sides of bowl constantly.
Add yeast mixture and beat on high for 3 minutes.
Add the eggs and mix until completely combined. then stir in as much remaining flour as needed to make a soft dough. This dough should be very soft–it will be coming away from the sides of the bowl, but it will still stick to your finger when you touch it. Place the bowl in a warm place and cover with a clean towel; allow to rise 1 hour or is doubled in bulk.
When the dough has risen, lightly sprinkle a large, clean work surface with flour.
Punch down the dough and then roll it to about 1/4″ thick. Using a sharp knife or a pizza wheel, cut the dough into equal rectangles.
Separate the dough pieces so they have enough room to rise. Cover with a clean cloth.
In a large, heavy pan (I use a 7.5 quart Le Creuset), heat about 2-3 inches of peanut or other high smoke point oil over medium heat until it reaches 350-360 degrees (use a candy thermometer). When hot, add a few dough pieces and cook until golden brown on one side, then flip and cook the other side. When puffy and golden, remove from oil and drain on a paper towel. Repeat with remaining dough pieces.
Serve immediately smeared with honey butter
with a handful of raspberries pressed into the honey butter.
Makes about 24 scones.
Utah Scones
Recipe by Our Best Bites
Ingredients:
2 packages active dry yeast (4 1/2 teaspoons)–I use bread machine yeast
2/3 cup warm (105-115 degree) water
2 c. buttermilk (whole buttermilk, if you can find it)
½ cup + 1 tablespoon sugar, divided
3 tablespoons butter, melted
3 tablespoons vegetable oil (I use peanut oil)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 heaping teaspoon baking powder
8-9 cups all-purpose flour
3 eggs
Peanut oil for frying (other high smoke point oils also work great)
Honey Butter
Fresh Raspberries
Instructions:
Dissolve the yeast and 1 tablespoon sugar in warm water. Let stand about 10 minutes or until very bubbly and frothy.
In the bowl of a stand or heavy-duty mixture, mix the milk, sugar, melted butter, vegetable oil and salt until completely dissolved. Add baking powder and 3 cups of flour to the milk mixture and beat on low for 30 seconds, scraping sides of bowl constantly. Add yeast mixture and beat on high for 3 minutes.
Add the eggs and mix until completely combined. then stir in as much remaining flour as needed to make a soft dough. This dough should be very soft–it will be coming away from the sides of the bowl, but it will still stick to your finger when you touch it. Place the bowl in a warm place and cover with a clean towel; allow to rise 1 hour or is doubled in bulk.
When the dough has risen, lightly sprinkle a large, clean work surface with flour. Punch down the dough and then roll it to about 1/4″ thick. Using a sharp knife or a pizza wheel, cut the dough into equal rectangles. Separate the dough pieces so they have enough room to rise. Cover with a clean cloth.
In a large, heavy pan (I use a 7.5 quart Le Creuset), heat about 2-3 inches of peanut or other high smoke point oil over medium heat until it reaches 350-360 degrees (use a candy thermometer). When hot, add a few dough pieces and cook until golden brown on one side, then flip and cook the other side. Repeat with remaining dough pieces. Serve immediately smeared with honey butter with a handful of raspberries pressed into the honey butter. Makes about 24 scones.
Questions & Reviews
Both of my son-in-laws grew up in Utah. After they married my daughters and visited our home (in California) for the first time, I told them I was making my famous scones for breakfast. Years later, they both told me (on separate occasions) how excited they were to be having scones and then how disappointed they were to find out that my version of scones were the English version. Waa Waa. They now both adore my kind of scones but said they were really in shock that first time to find out that my scones were not their scones. Since then, I have tried Utah scones and enjoy them too. honey butter is a must). But I do think they resemble sopapillas more.
I love your blog and never comment but I have to this time. Not only does your dad sound so much like my dad but his aunt used to make us Utah scones. We loved to go to her house as kids both because she was kind and awesome and because she would make us piles of scones (and it was a *lot* of scones – my family had five kids). I was well past college before I learned that those fried squares of deliciousness were not what the rest of the world called scones.
I know your dad. Love your dad! You described him perfectly. Can’t wait to try the scones. I even have leftover buttermilk from the delicious German chocolate cake I made yesterday for my husband’s birthday.
I’m an east coast girl, and the first time I visited Utah and had a “scone” I was so utterly confused. Why in the world were they calling fry bread “scones”?? I was expecting a biscuit.
Your dad sounds EXACTLY like my father-in-law, which would be NOTHING like my own dad who is so funny and friendly and outgoing. The funny thing is my husband is just like MY dad and nothing like HIS dad.
But scones. If I learned to make them we could save some money. Once we went to Chuck a Rama (it goes without saying-for my grandma’s 80th birthday) and my kids were IN LOVE with the scones. So now my kids beg to go to Chuckarama so they can eat scones. And the drinks. And that is all.
as a born & raised Utahn, I also only thought our scones were real scones. it wasn’t until I was about 20 that I learned there are other scones out there!
Thanks for this recipe. I was looking for something to make for my annual 4th of July brunch; I think it will be these!
Love this. We just had a scones night with our youth in the ward and it was great. The dip we use is melted marshmallows and butter with a touch of honey. You have to eat it pretty quick before it hardens. Thanks for posting this.
How funny! These were the type of scones my mother made we when I was growing up. Every time she’d make bread, she’d save some of the dough and make us scones. I had NO idea there was any other kind of scone until I grew up. This is the first time I’ve ever heard that anyone else ever thought of fried bread as scones too. I don’t think its just a Utah thing. I grew up in Alaska and my mother had grown up all over the country due to the military. Although..she did like for a couple years in Utah in high school..maybe she picked it up then. I should ask her. For my kids..only this type of scone will do!
This made me laugh, because I grew up in Texas. I remember hearing people rave about the scones in Utah and I remember thinking, “I have to try one, they sound wonderful.” The first time I tried a “Utah scone” with honey in it, I remember saying to my native Utah husband, “Ummm, this this is actually called a sopapilla.” Let’s just say it was a bit of a let down, but made me laugh for days.
You’ve described about 80-90% of all Dads in America! he sounds like a gem!