Apricot Easter Egg Scones

For the most part, this year’s Easter recipes have been about the wow factor and flavor but most importantly, time savers. I wanted to present recipes that looked and tasted great but didn’t require tons of prep. As much as most of us love it, holiday entertaining can be stressful enough. Fussy recipes have their place but can add a lot of tension to what is supposed to be a celebration.

If these scones look familiar, it’s because using an apricot half to simulate an egg yolk became a bit of a theme this time of year. In addition to traditional German “Fried Egg” cake. I also showcased these Apricot Flower Tartlets as well as these Oval Raisin Breads Topped with Lemon Cream and Apricot. 

The scones were created with a vanilla-scented dough. If you want a stronger vanilla flavor, I recommend adding a teaspoon of vanilla beans or vanilla bean paste to the dough in addition to the 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract in the recipe.

Apricot Easter Egg Scones

Prep time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 12 apricot halves
• 5 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup white granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup (1 stick unsalted butter)
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 1+1/2 cups sour cream

Directions:

• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• If you are using fresh apricots, peel them, slice each apricot in half. Remove and discard the pit.
• If you are using canned apricot halves, place a layer of paper towels on the counter.
• Drain the apricots and reserve the juice for later use, if desired.
• Place the apricots on the layer of paper towels and gently pat them dry.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar.
• In a separate small bowl, beat the eggs slightly with a fork or small whisk. Mix in the vanilla.
• Add the sour cream and butter and stir until completely combined.
• Add the wet ingredients to the combined dry ingredients and use a wooden spoon or your hands to combine until a smooth dough is formed.
• Pat the dough out on a lightly floured work space.
• Use an egg shaped cutter to cut out egg shapes and transfer them to the baking sheet. I used and ??” cutter.
• Use a tablespoon to make a well in the wider bottom third of each scone.
• Gently arrange an apricot half, cut side down in each well.
• Place the scones in the oven on the middle rack and bake for 12-15 minutes, just until the bottom are starting to turn golden.
• Remove from oven and transfer the scones to a cooling rack to cool completely before serving.