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Scones are traditional pastries that are simple and easy to make, and delicious to eat. They are a component of cream tea, an English afternoon tradition in which they are served with tea, clotted cream, and jam—but you can enjoy your homemade scones wherever and whenever you want! You can also share them with friends or family!
Ingredients
- 2 cups (250 grams) all-purpose/plain flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda (bicarbonate of soda)
- 3 tablespoons – 1/3 cup (65 grams) sugar
- 1 stick (113 grams) cold butter
- ½ cup (120 milliliters) cream or half-and-half
- Pinch of salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
Glaze
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup (60 milliliters) of cream, half-and-half, or milk
Steps
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Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Make sure that there is nothing inside your oven and that the baking rack is positioned in the center. -
Mix all of the dry ingredients in a bowl. Pour the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt into a large bowl and stir with a fork or whisk until everything is well-blended.Advertisement -
Cut the butter into small cubes and add it to the flour mixture. Cutting the butter will make it more manageable and easier to mix.
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Mix the butter and flour mix until it resembles a coarse, crumbly meal. You can use a pastry blade or your hands. The crumbles should be roughly the size of peas. Do not over-work the dough, however; this will result in tough, overly-dense scones.
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Pour the cream or half-and-half into the dough a little bit at a time and mix it. Start with a few tablespoons of the liquid, and keep adding and stirring until the dough starts to come away from the sides of the bowl and clump up. You may end up using a little less/more than ½ cup (120 milliliters) of your liquid.
- To give your scones a little more flavor, consider adding 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract to the cream or half-and-half. [2] X Research source
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Cover the dough with plastic wrap and put it into the refrigerator. Leave it there for 15 to 20 minutes. This will give the butter enough time to cool back down, making the dough easier to handle later on. -
Prepare your egg wash. Mix one egg with ¼ cup (60 milliliters) of cream, half-and-half, or milk. Beat the mixture with a fork or whisk until the yolk is all broken up and there are no streaks. You will be spreading this on your scones later on.
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Cut the dough in half and put one of the halves back into the fridge. You are cutting the dough in half so that you don't end up over-rolling the dough, which could lead to a tough pastry. Putting the dough back into the fridge will prevent it from becoming too soft too soon. Be sure that you cover the dough going back into the fridge with some plastic wrap.
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Transfer the dough onto a lightly-floured surface and roll it out. Make it somewhere between ¾ to 1 inch (2 to 2.5 centimeters) thick, but not thinner or it will not rise enough. Keep in mind, however, that the thicker your dough is, the longer it will need to bake. You can create a line in the centre of your scones to cut through when they are baked and ready to fill with cream or butter by rolling out to half the thickness you require then folding your scone mix in half. Cut through both layers to form the individual scones.
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Cut the scones using a knife or cookie cutter. There are several ways you can do this. Here are some ideas:
- Make traditional scones by cutting the dough into a 9-inch (23-centimeter) circle, and then slicing it into eight wedges like a pizza or pie. [3] X Research source
- Make round scones by cutting circles out of the dough using a drinking glass or a circle-shaped cookie cutter.
- Using a sharp knife, cut the scones into squares.
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Transfer the scones onto a baking sheet. To prevent sticking, consider covering your baking sheet with some parchment paper. If you have more baking sheets and enough room in your oven, you can roll and cut the other half of the dough; otherwise, you will have to wait until the first batch is done baking.
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Brush the scones with the egg wash. Dip a brush into the egg wash, and lightly run the bristles over the tops of the scones. This will give the scones a shiny texture after you bake them.
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Transfer the scones into the oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes. The scones are done once they turn golden brown. -
Cool the scones on a wire rack. Carefully lift the scones off the baking sheet using a spatula and transfer them to a wire rack. Wait about five minutes for them to cool. -
Serve the scones. You can serve them plain or you can decorate them by drizzling some sugar glaze over them. You can also serve plain scones with some clotted cream or jam.
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Cover your scones with a vanilla glaze. You will need 1 cup (125 grams) of powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon of milk, and ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract. Mix with a fork until everything is smooth., adding up to 2 tsp. additional milk for desired consistency.
- If the glaze is too thick, you may add up to 2 teaspoons of milk.
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Cover your scones with a lemon glaze. Mix together ¼ cup (60 milliliters) of lemon juice, 2 cups (250 grams) of powdered sugar, and 1 to 2 tablespoons of water. Pour this over your scones after you have baked them and let them cool. [4] X Research source -
Add cranberries and orange zest to your scones. Begin making some scones using the original recipe . Add 1 teaspoon of grated orange skin to the flour mixture and mix. After you have added the butter, stir in ½ cup (60 grams) of chopped, dried cranberries. Mix well, then roll, cut, and bake. [5] X Research source- To make lemon-blueberry scones, use lemon zest instead of orange zest, and dried blueberries instead of cranberries.
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Add some canned pumpkins to make scones fit for Fall. Use the basic recipe for the scones, but use brown sugar instead of white, and buttermilk instead of cream. Add ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon and ½ teaspoon of ground ginger to the flour mixture. Mix ½ cup (120 milliliters) of canned pumpkin and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract into the buttermilk before adding it to the flour and butter mixture. [6] X Research source- For heartier scones, add 1/3 cup (50 grams) of raisins and/or ¼ cup (30 grams) of chopped pecans or walnuts.
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Make scones fit for Fall using brown sugar and pecans. Start by making some basic scones , but use brown sugar instead of regular sugar. Add ½ cup (65 grams) of chopped, toasted pecans to the cream or half-and-half. Stir, then pour the cream into the flour mixture. -
Make some bacon, Cheddar, and chive scones. Begin by making some basic scones , but do not add any sugar. Instead, add ¼ cup (55 grams) of chopped, cooked bacon, ¾ cup (75 grams) of shredded Cheddar cheese, and 2 tablespoons of chopped, fresh chives to the cream or half-and-half. Add some flavor with a pinch of freshly-ground pepper. Pour the cream into the flour mixture and stir gently until everything is spread evenly throughout. -
Make some scones with ham and Swiss cheese. Start out with the original recipe , but skip the sugar. Instead, add ¾ cup (75 grams) of shredded Swiss cheese and ¾ cup (115 grams) of chopped, cooked ham to the cream or half-and-half. Pour the cream into the flour mixture and combine with a spoon until everything is mixed together.
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Expert Q&A
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QuestionWhat gluten-free flour can I use for making scones?Traci Morgan-Hoernke is a Gluten-Free Baking Specialist based in Milwaukee, WI. She is the owner of MOR Foods, LLC, a Bakery in Milwaukee dedicated to providing delicious Gluten-Free treats. She was inspired to start the bakery after spending years navigating her own son’s food allergies and subsequently built a business based on catering to those with food sensitivities.Personal preferences play a significant role because gluten-free flours have some taste in them. For instance, almond flour is a common choice in many recipes, but for those with nut allergies or diverticulitis, substitutions become necessary. Exploring options like white bean flour, black bean flour, or even Indian rolled rice known as "poha" provides alternatives that offer distinct characteristics and flavors. Some may dislike the strong flavor of amaranth, while others embrace it. Identifying the flavors and qualities of specific flours that resonate with your palate allows you to create a gluten-free substitute that suits your individual taste. If oat flour is a viable option for you, it can become a reliable choice in various recipes. Conversely, if certain flours are off-limits due to dietary restrictions, exploring alternative flours becomes essential. As you become more acquainted with the properties of specific flours, you'll develop trust in how they behave in different recipes. This understanding empowers you to confidently adapt and experiment in your gluten-free kitchen, creating delicious end products tailored to your preferences.
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QuestionAre there any alternatives to an egg wash?Traci Morgan-Hoernke is a Gluten-Free Baking Specialist based in Milwaukee, WI. She is the owner of MOR Foods, LLC, a Bakery in Milwaukee dedicated to providing delicious Gluten-Free treats. She was inspired to start the bakery after spending years navigating her own son’s food allergies and subsequently built a business based on catering to those with food sensitivities.Instead of an egg wash, you can opt for brushing liquid oil over your baked goods, like we do with our bread, to achieve that desirable golden hue. Another option is to create a mixture of tapioca starch and water, whipping it up and lightly brushing it over the surface. Additionally, some recommend using non-dairy milk, such as rice or almond milk, for a similar effect. It's important to note that while these alternatives add a sugar and fat component to achieve browning in the oven, they may not replicate the exact results of an egg wash.
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QuestionHow do I make a lemon and blueberry scone?Community AnswerYou can add some lemon juice and some blueberries to make your own variation.
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Tips
- Try not to over-work or over-handle the dough. The less you work with the dough, the softer your scones will be.Thanks
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Things You'll Need
- Mixing bowl
- Baking sheet
- Sharp knife or circle-shaped cookie cutter
Expert Interview
Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about baking, check out our in-depth interview with Traci Morgan-Hoernke .
References
- ↑ Joy of Baking, Chocolate Chip Scones
- ↑ Joy of Baking, Coffeehouse Scones
- ↑ Pretty. Simple. Sweet., Cream Scones
- ↑ Food Network, Strawberry and Rosemary Scones
- ↑ All Recipes, Simple Scones
- ↑ Joy of Baking, Pumpkin Scones
About This Article
Article Summary
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To make scones, first, preheat your oven to 400°F (205°C). Then, add 4 cups (500 g) of flour, ¼ cup (50 g) of granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons (29 g) of baking powder and 1 teaspoon (6 g) of salt to a large bowl. Blend in 3 sticks of butter with a pastry cutter until the butter is balled up into pea-sized pieces. In a separate bowl, add 4 eggs and 1 cup (240 mL) of heavy cream, and whisk together. Now, pour the eggs and cream into the bowl with the dry ingredients and stir the mixture together until you have a thick dough. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and use a rolling pin to flatten it until it's roughly ½ inch (1 1/4 cm) thick. Cut the dough into 4-inch (10-cm) squares, then cut the squares diagonally to make triangles. Place the triangles on a baking sheet and brush the tops of them with 2 tablespoons (30 mL) of milk or heavy cream. Finally, bake the scones on the middle rack in your oven for 20-25 minutes or until the top of each scone is browned and flakey. Glaze the top of your scones with honey, vanilla, milk, or powdered sugar for a sweeter treat. If you want to learn what to add to make your scones sweet or savory, keep reading the article!
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Reader Success Stories
- "Delicious, thanks. I changed the cream content to plain yoghurt, and added grated orange peel and goji berries for flavour. Yum! " ..." more
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"Great help. I made fantastic scones when it was coffee morning at my local area."
"This is great. I didn't know if it would come out well, but it just did it."
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