Oatmeal Lavender Scones

Another great use for the lavender my uncle sent us for Christmas--these turned out really well except that the bottoms browned too fast due to our cookie sheets, which are pretty cheap/thin. But, no worries, we just flipped them over and although they didn't get as much of a rise, they still turned out great--salty, buttery, good lavender flavor, great with jam or alone.

Oatmeal Lavender Scones (adapted from Dorie Greenspan’s Baking from My Home to Yours “Oatmeal Nutmeg Scones”)

1 large egg
1/2 c cold buttermilk
1 2/3 c self-rising flour
1 1/3 c old-fashioned oats
1/3 c sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 stick plus 2 T cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 to 1 tsp lavender flowers
Lavender salt, to sprinkle on top (or substitute lavender flowers mixed with sea salt)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment or tin foil.

2. Stir egg and buttermilk together.

3. Whisk together flour, oats, sugar, and baking soda in a large bowl. Drop in the butter and cut in with a pastry cutter or fingers.

4. Rub the lavender flowers between your fingers into the bowl of dry ingredients, and mix together.

5. Pour in the egg-buttermilk mixture and stir with a fork until the dough comes together—should be wet and sticky.

6. Still in the bowl, gently knead the dough by hand 8-10 times. Either on a floured work surface or still in the bowl, divide the dough in half and shape into 2 flat discs. Cut each into 6 wedges and place on the baking sheet. Sprinkle each scone with lavender salt or a mixture of lavender flowers and sea salt.

7. Bake 20-22 minutes until tops are golden and firm. Or, if you happen to have flimsy pans like ours, flip them over once the bottoms start to get dark—the scones won’t be quite as risen or pretty, but they’ll be much more delicious if the bottoms aren’t burned and the insides are fully cooked.

8. Enjoy plain or with jam.