Food

Finally, Scones That Don't Suck | Bake Time | NYT Cooking

NYT Cooking
NYT Cooking•May 1, 2026

Why It Matters

The tutorial demystifies a notoriously tricky pastry, driving engagement with NYT Cooking’s subscription model and encouraging home bakers to experiment, boosting brand loyalty.

Key Takeaways

  • •Susan Herbst’s scone recipe blends biscuit lightness with cake richness.
  • •Use cake flour and butter cubes for tender, flaky texture.
  • •Minimal mixing prevents over‑development and keeps scones moist.
  • •Chill dough 30 minutes; bake at 375°F for 25 minutes.
  • •Versatile base invites chocolate, fruit, or nut mix‑ins for brunch.

Summary

The New York Times Cooking video “Finally, Scones That Don’t Suck” brings host Vaughn, colleague Becky, and Becky’s mother Susan Herbst together to demonstrate a “best‑in‑the‑world” scone recipe just in time for Mother’s Day brunch.

The recipe relies on a blend of cake flour and all‑purpose flour, a modest amount of baking powder, and butter cut into both pea‑size and larger cubes. By cutting the butter into varied pieces and folding the wet cream‑egg mixture into a dry well without over‑mixing, the dough stays tender and develops a light, flaky crumb.

Vaughn describes the final product as “a cake and a biscuit got together,” and Susan emphasizes the importance of a brief 30‑minute chill and a 375 °F bake for about 25 minutes. The hosts also showcase the dough’s versatility, adding chocolate chips, berries, nuts, or other mix‑ins.

Beyond the recipe, the segment serves as a soft‑sell for the NYT Cooking newsletter and app, inviting viewers to submit photos for a chance at a giveaway. It reinforces the brand’s community‑driven approach while giving home bakers a reliable, adaptable scone formula.

Original Description

Get the FREE recipe: https://nyti.ms/4cIPZmt
Subscribe to our Bake Time newsletter: https://nyti.ms/4nQD2tF
Send your photos of this month’s bake to baketime@nytimes.com
Vaughn is back with another Monthly Bake, this time a recipe by his friend’s mom that will change the mind of any scone skeptic. The mother of Becky Hughes, who runs our social operation and writes for the “Where to Eat” newsletter at The New York Times, Susan Herbst is an avid baker who perfected this recipe after more than 30 years of tinkering.
By Susan’s own description, her scones are a cross between a pound cake and a biscuit: tender, slightly flaky, extremely moist and incredibly buttery. They’re pretty giant by design, sparkling on first glance from the coarse sugar and flaky salt on top. They have a crisp exterior that yields to a pillowy soft underbelly, one that’s just sweet enough and dotted with chocolate chips.
The recipe calls for chocolate chips, but feel free to customize with different mix-ins, such as blueberries, dried cranberries or toasted walnuts. These are best warm with a cup of hot coffee or tea. And, on Mother’s Day, they’re a perfect way to say to Mom, “I love you.”
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All the food that’s fit to eat (yes, it’s an official New York Times production).

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