If you’re fortunate enough to have a saskatoon berry bush nearby—or a stash of berries in the freezer—you can celebrate their fleeting season with delightful baked treats like these light, flaky, tender saskatoon scones. Put the kettle on! (Skip to recipe)
Saskatoon berry picking season is here. Expect stained fingers and purple lips—a small price for the reward of fresh berries.
Our bushes are heavy with ripe, juicy fruit.
For me, berry picking is a kind of therapy—an escape into the present. Pulling down a leafy branch and slowly plucking dusky purple orbs calms the mind. The rhythm of picking absorbs attention: this bush, this cluster, this moment. Hours can pass before I notice a crick in my neck or a cramp in my arm. Fingers turn deep purple and pockets (and mouths) often hold samples on the way to the bucket.
As a child, saskatoon picking felt like a treat. It was a break from farm chores: pails, a picnic, the old truck, and the search for the plumpest berries. Mom always knew the best spots.
But so did the bears.
We watched for bear droppings studded with seeds and flattened grass where bears had wallowed between berry feasts. We made plenty of noise to keep them away. Thankfully, the closest encounters were distant bears lumbering off or a quick run across the road as we left.
Now we have saskatoon bushes in our yard, so bears are less of a worry. Some of the thrill is gone, but the pleasure of harvesting remains.
This weekend we picked with friends and made good progress harvesting the season’s bounty.
Friends Loreto and Nicoletta from the blog SugarLoveSpices joined the picking, along with our canine and feline helpers.
The sun shone and the berries beckoned.
These purple gems become jams, jellies, smoothies, pies, juice, and ice cream—and they’re wonderful tucked into scones.
Whip up a Batch of Gluten Free Saskatoon Scones
Kitchen Frau Notes: Both fresh and frozen saskatoons work well here. I often prefer frozen berries because they stay firm and are less likely to burst while being mixed into the dough—though a few purple streaks give a rustic look. The optional egg-and-sugar glaze helps gluten-free baked goods brown; these photos show scones that are a touch darker because I got distracted while saskatooning and left them in the oven a bit longer—still delicious.
Gluten Free Saskatoon Scones
Gluten Free Saskatoon Scones- 100 grams brown rice flour (¾ cup)
- 100 grams millet or sorghum flour (¾ cup)
- 150 grams sweet rice flour (1 cup)
- 150 grams potato starch (¾ cup + 2 tablespoons)
- 2 teaspoons guar gum or xanthan gum
- 2 tablespoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup sugar
- ¾ cup cold salted butter or dairy-free margarine
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup canned premium full-fat coconut milk
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups frozen saskatoons
- extra sweet rice flour for rolling out the dough
- Optional: beaten egg and granulated or sanding sugar for topping
Prepare a cookie sheet by lining it with parchment or greasing it well. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Mix all dry ingredients in a large bowl. Cut in the butter or margarine with a pastry blender or two knives until pieces are about the size of marbles.
In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, then beat in the coconut milk and vanilla. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture resembles large crumbles; some visible lumps of butter should remain.
Gently fold in the frozen saskatoons, taking care not to crush them. The dough will be crumbly.
Generously dust your countertop with sweet rice flour. Dump half the crumbly mixture onto the floured surface and, with slightly wet hands, press it together into a rough ball. Flatten and shape the ball into a disk about 7 inches (18 cm) wide, pressing in any loose berries as needed. Re-wet your hands if the dough sticks.
Cut the disk into 8 wedges. Use a thin spatula to lift the wedges onto the prepared baking sheet, pressing in any loose berries as you transfer them. Repeat with the remaining dough.
If desired, brush the tops with beaten egg and sprinkle with granulated or sanding sugar for sparkle and color.
Bake 25–30 minutes, until edges are golden. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Makes about 16 scones.
Guten Appetit!
Other saskatoon recipes to try:
- Old-Fashioned Saskatoon Pie
- Saskatoon Juice (and how to easily clean your saskatoon berries)
- Saskatoon Roll or Saskatoon Cobbler (and how to freeze your saskatoon berries)
- Canned Saskatoons and Saskatoon-Peach Preserve
- Saskatoon Jelly
- Prairie Mess (Eton Mess with Saskatoons and Rhubarb)
- Saskatoon Pickle/Chutney/Relish
- Saskatoon Muffins
- Saskatoon Slump
- Saskatoon Ice Cream made with homemade saskatoon jelly
- Pork Chops with Saskatoon and Green Apple Chutney
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