English Scone Recipe (2024)

· Modified: by John Kanell

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This delicious English scone recipe can be made with one bowl and two hands in just a few minutes. They have a crisp outer layer, are soft and tender inside, and go perfectly with clotted cream and jam for afternoon tea!

English Scone Recipe (1)

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Not to be confused with a homemade biscuits recipe, English scones are traditionally served with tea and are best when slathered in clotted cream and touched with jam. Unsurprisingly, it’s important to not overwork the dough and never roll it too thin. Like a biscuit they should fluff up and rise during baking and to do that they need to start off thick. I did not adorn my scones with and dried fruit or nuts but if you are so inclined just mix them in at the very end.

I think a scone should be served having just cooled from baking, tender and delicate inside but have a nice crispy crunch outside. Most of all they’re the perfect vehicle for clotted from and jam! If you prefer the American version, the see my classic American scones recipe.

How to make English scones

English Scone Recipe (2)

  1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Sift the flour, salt, sugar, baking soda and cream of tar tar together into a food processor.
  2. Cut the cold butter up into tablespoon sized pieces and grate it into the dry mixture. Toss the butter and flour as you go along to prevent it from clumping. Pulse it until you create a finer sandy texture.
  3. Mix the egg and milk together and reserve two tablespoons in a small bowl to use for the egg wash. Pour the rest of the milk mixture into the food processor and mix until combined.
  4. Place the dough on a floured surface and roll it out to be about 3/4 an inch or more thick. (No one wants a flat scone!).
  5. Use whatever shaped cutter you would like to cut out the scones, then transfer them to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
  6. When your scones are all on the baking sheet, brush the tops with the reserved egg wash. Place them in the oven at 375 degrees to bake for about 20 minutes or until golden. Enjoy!

English Scone Recipe (3)

Before the twins we would travel to Europe every Christmas and would always make sure part of the trip veered to England. All of this is to say I love a nice tea with some sandwiches and of course fresh scones! Well travel isn’t happening this year but I can bring that memory home with just a few minutes baking.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make them the day before?

  • You will want to keep scones as fresh as possible. You can prep the night before by making the dough and even shaping it out, then leaving it in the fridge overnight (wrapped, of course).
  • You can cut the scones and freeze them. When you’re ready to bake some just remove from fridge, apply the egg wash and bake for about 5 extra minutes.
  • Scones can me made a day ahead and kept in an airtight container but fresh out of the oven is best.

Do scones have eggs?

Although, there are some recipes without egg; usually British scones do contain eggs. Egg is a binding agent so it really helps with the crumb and consistency of the scone.

How is scone pronounced?

I suppose the real question is; is there a CORRECT way to pronounce “scone?” The word has said to be pronounced in multiple ways such as having it rhyme with “bone” or “gone.” Of course those who live in Ireland pronounce it as “scoon.” What do you think? Let me know in the comments! 🙂

Are scones hard?

A nice scone should be tender and flakey inside with a crisp outer layer. They should never be toughScones are on the harder side, although it should still be moist on the inside. If your scone is dry, it’s over-done.

If you love this recipe try these out!

  • Cheddar Biscuits
  • Strawberry Jam
  • English Tea Sandwiches
  • Bread Pudding
  • Macaron Recipe

English Scone Recipe (9)

If you’ve tried these English scones then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!

English Scone Recipe (10)

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4.91 from 66 votes

English Scone Recipe

These light and fluffy scones are the perfect accompaniment to tea and simply too delicious not to make!

Course Breakfast, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine British

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 12 scones

Calories 249kcal

Author John Kanell

Video

Ingredients

  • 4 cups all-purpose flour 480g
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder 12g, rounded
  • 1 tsp kosher salt 6g
  • 1 pinch cream of tartar
  • 1/4 cup sugar 50g
  • 2 large eggs beaten
  • 3/4 cups whole milk 180mL
  • 1/2 cup cream 120mL
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter 110g, cold

Instructions

  • Preheat oven 375F

  • Sift the flour, salt, sugar, baking powder, and cream of tartar together into a large bowl.

    English Scone Recipe (11)

  • Grate the cold butter into the dry mixture. Toss the butter and flour as you go along to prevent clumping.

    English Scone Recipe (12)

  • Crumble the butter and flour together until you create a finer sandy texture. You can just pulse in a food processor if desired.

    English Scone Recipe (13)

  • Mix the egg, cream, and milk together and reserve two tablespoons in a small bowl (this will be used for the egg wash).

  • Create a well in the middle and pour in the milk mixture and mix until combined. This will be a sticky mixture so I always try to keep one hand in the bowl and one hand free and clean.

    English Scone Recipe (14)

  • Place the dough on a floured surface and roll out to about 3/4 an inch or more thick. (no one wants a flat scone!). Use whatever shaped cutter you'd like and transfer the scones to a parchment-lined baking sheet.

    English Scone Recipe (15)

  • Brush tops with the reserved egg wash and place in oven to bake for about 20 minutes or until golden.

    English Scone Recipe (16)

Nutrition

Serving: 91g | Calories: 249kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2.5g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 44.4mg | Sodium: 225.8mg | Potassium: 94mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 295IU | Vitamin C: 0.8mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 2mg

*Nutrition Disclaimer

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English Scone Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between American scones and British scones? ›

American scones use much more butter than British scones, and they usually have quite a bit more sugar. The extra butter is what makes them so much denser. This is not really a good or bad thing, as British scones pile on plenty of sugar (in the form of preserves/jam) and butter or clotted cream as toppings.

What to avoid when making scones? ›

5 Mistakes to Avoid When Baking Scones
  1. Using anything but cold ingredients. The secret to the flakiest scones is to start with cold ingredients — cold butter, cold eggs, and cold cream. ...
  2. Only using all-purpose flour. ...
  3. Overmixing the dough. ...
  4. Not chilling the dough before baking. ...
  5. Baking them ahead of time.
May 1, 2019

What is the best flour for scones? ›

Flours: the perfectly fluffy texture of these consistently reliable scones is owed to 3 cups of self-raising flour (and a little plain flour for dusting!). Chilled butter: if you want to achieve beautiful, flaky and fluffy scones that rise well, cold butter is key!

Is it better to make scones with butter or oil? ›

For example, if you substitute oil for butter or margarine, you can significantly reduce the amount of saturated fat in your baked goods. This streamlined recipe for Light Scones uses just 3 tablespoons of canola oil, which contains a fraction of the saturated fat found in butter or margarine.

Is buttermilk or cream better for scones? ›

Heavy Cream or Buttermilk: For the best tasting pastries, stick with a thick liquid such as heavy cream or buttermilk. I usually use heavy cream, but if you want a slightly tangy flavor, use buttermilk.

What do British people call actual scones? ›

A Biscuit (U.K.) is a Cookie (U.S.) A Biscuit (U.S.) Is a Scone (U.K.) An English Muffin (U.S.) is a Muffin (U.K.) Pudding (U.K.) is Not Pudding (U.S.)

What do British people call scones? ›

Scones and biscuits are different things in the USA. We call scones “scones”, just like the British do.

What is the difference between Scottish and English scones? ›

British scones are usually lightly sweetned and contain fruit like currants or berries. Scottish scones are often closer to a biscuit and are made with buttermilk, though some Scottish grandmothers will swear you should only use sour milk.

How do you make scones rise higher? ›

To ensure taller scones, start with a thicker dough disc and place the scones on a tray with sides, allowing them to slightly touch one another. This arrangement encourages the scones to push against the pan and each other, promoting height.

Should you chill scone dough before baking? ›

Keep scones cold before putting them in the oven: For best results, chill the mixture in the fridge before baking, this will help to stiffen up the butter again, which will stop your scones from slumping as soon as they hit the oven's heat.

How long should you rest scones before baking? ›

Recipes for scones sometimes provide a make-ahead option that involves refrigerating the dough overnight so it can simply be shaped and then popped into the oven the next day. But now we've found that resting the dough overnight has another benefit: It makes for more symmetrical and attractive pastries.

Is it better to sift flour for scones? ›

Sifting flour is usually a good idea, says Penny Stankiewicz, chef-instructor at the Institute of Culinary Education. “It lightens the flour and aerates it, making it easier to mix into any emulsion.

Should you sift flour for scones? ›

3. Don't forget to sift! Be sure to double or even triple sift your flour, as it takes away the clumps in the flour allowing for more air pockets in the scone dough - the result being a fluffier and more crumbly scone.

Why do you rub butter into flour for scones? ›

Why? When cold butter is rubbed into the flour, it creates flaky pockets of flavour (which soft, room temperature butter can't do). Once the cold butter and liquid (e.g milk) hits the oven, the water in the butter and cold liquid begins evaporating.

Why are my scones not light and fluffy? ›

Overworking the dough: when you overwork your dough, your scones can come out tough and chewy, rather than that desired light, crumbly texture. The trick is to use light pressure and only the work the dough until it just comes together.

Why do my scones spread out and not rise? ›

The most likely reason I can think of is that you omitted the leavening, or what you used was flat. Another reason might be that your dough was too warm when you baked it, so it spread more while baking. Of course, scones are not yeast products, so they shouldn't rise as much as bread would.

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