Sweet Potato Sage Scones

Roasted sweet potatoes and fresh sage gives these Sweet Potato Sage Scones a sweet and savory flavor profile – great for breakfast or brunch!

When fall arrives, it seems that pumpkin reigns as king of pastries, pies and cakes. I love pumpkin too. But my favorite orange-hued veggie to bake with happens to be sweet potato. Compared to pumpkin purée, starchy sweet potato is naturally sweeter and denser. Which makes it a wonderful addition to quick breads – like these scones!

Begin this recipe with the expected pantry staples, plus some chopped sage and roasted sweet potato that has been chilled. If you’re short on time, you can replace the roasted sweet potato with canned, mashed sweet potato (yams), but the orangey hue of the scones will be diminished. (Though no less tasty!) I recommend adding a few drops of orange food color to mix for a more pronounced orangey color. But that’s optional. And totally up to you!

Cold Butter is Better!

Use very cold butter diced into 1/2-inch cubes. Work the butter into the flour gently using a ​pastry blender​. Using real butter in this recipe is important for many reasons. Like other fats, it “shortens” the flour, or slows the gluten from developing and makes the dough tender, but since butter is typically around 20% whey, it offers more liquid than other fats (such as shortening) and the end result is a moist, flavorful pastry.

For flakier scones, the  finished mixture should be unevenly crumbly, with some of the butter remaining in larger pieces.

Make the Dough

All sweet potato-lovers know that chopped sage is a wonderful aromatic with this veggie, although the pairing is used most in savory dishes. However, these scones are proof that it works in sweet applications, too! Mix together dry ingredients, along with chopped fresh sage. 1-3 tablespoons, to taste.

Then stir together sweet potato, buttermilk, cream, and a few drops of orange food color, if using.

Add the sweet potato and cream mixture to the flour. Then briefl stir. Your dough should look much like this – very ragged and shaggy.

The dough will pack well into a circle under your palms. Brush the dough with milk or cream before baking to give the pastries extra richness and crunchy edges.

Cut the disk into 8 wedges using a large chef’s knife, and place them well-spaced on a baking sheet. You can also use a scone pan – which I now prefer to create perfect scones every time.

I think these Sweet Potato Sage Scones are most beautiful when presented with a single fresh sage leaf on each scone, or sprinkled with a few edible orange petals (such as organic calendula and mums). You could also quickly fry the sage leaves in oil until crisp, which makes for a crunchier, nuttier bite.

This recipe was developed in partnership with The American Butter Institute for their website Go Bold With Butter! 

Sweet Potato Sage Scones

Heather Baird

If you're looking for a cozy fall treat, these Sweet Potato Sage Scones are the perfect balance of sweet and savory. Made with roasted sweet potato (or canned yams if you're short on time), they come together quickly for a tender, flavorful bake. The scones are brushed with cream and sprinkled with coarse sugar, giving them a crunchy top that contrasts beautifully with their soft interior. The subtle herbaceous note of sage adds just the right twist, making these scones a delicious way to embrace the flavors of the season.

For traditional pie slice-shaped scones, pat the dough into a circle and slice it into wedges before baking. If you prefer perfectly uniform scones, a scone pan will give you even shapes every time.

5 from 3 votes

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Prep Time 2 hours hrs 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Total Time 2 hours hrs 50 minutes mins

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Servings 8 scones

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour plus more for dusting
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons 6 oz. cold butter, cubed
• 1/2 cup mashed roasted sweet potato chilled
• orange food color optional
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk
• 2 tablespoons plus 1 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1/4 cup coarse crystal sugar
• 8 loose whole sage leaves for garnish

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 400F.
• Sift together flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and nutmeg in a medium bowl. Cut cubed butter into the flour mixture with a fork or pastry blender until it is crumbly and coarse, and then stir in chopped fresh sage.
• In separate bowl, mix mashed sweet potato, buttermilk and 2 tablespoons of the heavy cream. Stir in drops of orange food color, if using. (This is optional, but gives the finished scone a 'sweet potato' color.) Make a well in the center of the flour mixture, and add sweet potato mixture. Quickly stir mixture together until a ragged dough forms.
• Sprinkle a clean counter top or work surface with flour. Turn the dough out onto the prepared work surface and knead briefly. Shape the dough into a 7-8 inch round and cut into 8 wedges.
• Transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet, making sure wedges are separated by at least an inch. Brush the remaining 1 tablespoons of cream evenly onto the wedges. Sprinkle tops of wedges with coarse crystal sugar. Bake on middle rack until bottoms are golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool on baking sheet until ready to serve. Garnish with individual sage leaves if desired.

Notes

• Ingredient Shortcuts: If you’re pressed for time, canned yams can easily substitute roasted sweet potatoes. Just drain and mash them, then proceed with the recipe.
• Make Ahead: You can shape and freeze the unbaked scones for up to a month. When ready to bake, no need to thaw—just add a few extra minutes to the baking time.
• Keep at Room Temperature: Store leftover scones in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
• Or, Refrigerate: To keep them fresh for longer, refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
• Freezing: For extended storage, wrap individual scones tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat in a 350°F (175°C) oven until warm before serving.

Keyword fall, fresh sage, roasted sweet potato cheesecake, sage, scones, sweet potato puree, sweet potato scones

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