Easy British Scone Recipes

BASIC BRITISH SCONES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Sift the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt into a bowl.
• Rub in the butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar and enough milk to mix to a soft dough.
• Turn onto a floured surface, knead lightly and roll out to a 3/4-inch thickness. Cut into 2-inch rounds and place on the prepared baking sheet. Brush with milk to glaze.
• Bake at 425 degrees F (220 degrees C) for 10 minutes then cool on a wire rack. Serve with butter or clotted cream and jam.

HOW TO MAKE PERFECT SCONES

Steps:

• Whisk flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder together in a large bowl. Grate the frozen butter using a box grater. Add it to the flour mixture and combine with a pastry cutter, two forks, or your fingers until the mixture comes together in pea-sized crumbs. See video above for a closer look at the texture. Place in the refrigerator or freezer as you mix the wet ingredients together.
• Whisk 1/2 cup heavy cream, the egg, and vanilla extract together in a small bowl. Drizzle over the flour mixture, add the add-ins, then mix together until everything appears moistened.
• Pour onto the counter and, with floured hands, work dough into a ball as best you can. Dough will be sticky. If it's too sticky, add a little more flour. If it seems too dry, add 1-2 more Tablespoons heavy cream. Press into an 8-inch disc and, with a sharp knife or bench scraper, cut into 8 wedges. For smaller scones, press dough into two 5-inch discs and cut each into 8 wedges. To make 10-12 drop scones: Keep mixing dough in the bowl until it comes together. Drop scones, about 1/4 cup of dough each, 3 inches apart on a lined baking sheet. To make mini (petite) scones, see recipe note.
• Brush scones with remaining heavy cream and for extra crunch, sprinkle with coarse sugar. (You can do this before or after refrigerating in the next step.)
• Place scones on a plate or lined baking sheet (if your fridge has space!) and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400°F (204°C).
• Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat(s). If making mini or drop scones, use 2 baking sheets. After refrigerating, arrange scones 2-3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet(s).
• Bake for 18-26 minutes or until golden brown around the edges and lightly browned on top. Larger scones take closer to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool for a few minutes. Feel free to top with any of the toppings listed in the recipe Note below.
• Leftover scones keep well at room temperature for 2 days or in the refrigerator for 5 days.

ENGLISH SCONES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar and baking powder. Cut in butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Stir in raisins. Beat milk and egg; add to dry ingredients, stirring lightly. , Turn onto a lightly floured surface; roll to 1-in. thickness. Cut with a 2-1/2-in. biscuit cutter. Bake at 425° until golden brown, 10-15 minutes. Serve warm.

CLASSIC SCONES WITH JAM & CLOTTED CREAM

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Tip the self-raising flour into a large bowl with ¼ tsp salt and the baking powder, then mix.
• Add the butter, then rub in with your fingers until the mix looks like fine crumbs. Stir in the caster sugar.
• Put the milk into a jug and heat in the microwave for about 30 secs until warm, but not hot. Add the vanilla extract and a squeeze of lemon juice, then set aside for a moment.
• Put a baking tray in the oven. Make a well in the dry mix, then add the liquid and combine it quickly with a cutlery knife - it will seem pretty wet at first.
• Scatter some flour onto the work surface and tip the dough out. Dredge the dough and your hands with a little more flour, then fold the dough over 2-3 times until it's a little smoother. Pat into a round about 4cm deep. Take a 5cm cutter (smooth-edged cutters tend to cut more cleanly, giving a better rise) and dip it into some flour. Plunge into the dough, then repeat until you have four scones. You may need to press what's left of the dough back into a round to cut out another four.
• Brush the tops with a beaten egg, then carefully arrange on the hot baking tray. Bake for 10 mins until risen and golden on the top. Eat just warm or cold on the day of baking, generously topped with jam and clotted cream. If freezing, freeze once cool. Defrost, then put in a low oven (about 160C/140C fan/gas 3) for a few minutes to refresh.

BEST BRITISH SCONES WITH CURRENTS

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 500F/260C.
• Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl. Use a whisk to mix everything together.
• Cut cold butter in several pieces and add to the dry ingredients. Use your fingers to work the butter into the flour mixture until it looks like small crumbs.
• Add currants (or whatever you want to mix in) and mix with a spoon or spatula until well combined.
• In a small mixing bowl, whisk together milk and eggs. Add to flour a little at a time. Careful! You might not need the entire amount so don't dump it all in at once. Stir with a spoon or spatula until dough forms a ball.
• Knead dough several times on well-floured surface with well-floured hands until the surface of the dough is smooth and doesn't have any cracks.
• Press dough to 1 inch [25mm] thickness. Cut out scones using a round biscuit or scone cutter or a small jam jar or glass. You should get anywhere from 7 to 12 scones, depending on the size of your cutter.
• Transfer scones to a lined baking pan. Gather remaining dough into a ball, knead it together once or twice smooth, and again roll it out to 1 inch [25mm] thickness. Cut out the rest of your scones and transfer them to your baking sheet.
• Brush the top of the scones using what's left of the milk and egg mixture or whisk one additional egg with 1 tsp milk, cream or water in a small bowl. Brush on the tops of the scones.
• Turn oven down to 425 F/215C. Bake smaller scones for 10-12 minutes and large scones for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.
• Cool on a wire rack.
• Serve warm or at room temperature with butter, clotted cream, whipped cream, lemon curd or jam. Enjoy!
• Scones are best eaten the day they're made but I've found they're ok the next day, too.

BRITISH SCONES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Whisk the eggs, 1/3 cup cream and vanilla; stir into crumb mixture just until moistened. Turn onto a floured surface; gently knead 6-8 times., Pat dough into a 6-in. circle. Cut into eight wedges. Separate wedges and place 1 in. apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Brush tops with remaining cream. , Bake at 400° for 12-14 minutes or until browned. Remove to a wire rack. Serve warm.

GRANDMA'S SCONE RECIPE

Steps:

• Turn the oven to approximately 180C Fan/200C normal (350/390F)
• Sift flour and baking powder into a bowl
• Slice butter thinly or grate into the bowl
• Rub the butter into the flour with your fingers
• Add milk gradually and use a fork to bring the mixture together
• Tip onto a floured mat or benchtop
• Use your fingertips to bring together more and the flatten out
• Cut into even triangles or squares, or use a cookie cutter
• You can brush with milk or egg on the top if you like but not necessary
• Bake in the middle of the oven for approximately 10-15 minutes, depending on the heat of your oven. I usually do mine for around 12 minutes. Check the bottom of one is slightly browned which will tell you they're ready.
• Put on a wire rack to cool
• Store in an airtight container or wrap in a tea towel to keep them soft

AUTHENTIC BRITISH SCONES

Steps:

• Preheat your oven to 425F.
• In a medium bowl, place the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and butter. Rub the mixture together with your fingers to break up the butter, until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
• Add the milk slowly, mixing as you add, using enough of the milk to get your dough to come together with no lumps remaining. (Your dough should be quite sticky. If a good consistency is not achieved with the listed amount of milk, continue adding until your dough reaches a good consistency.)
• Spoon the dough out until a well-floured surface. Generously dust the top of the dough and knead the dough 2-3 times to coat it with flour and smooth the surface. Press the dough into a round that is roughly 1 inch thick.
• Using a well-floured cookie cutter, cut the dough into 2 inch circles. (Be sure to press the cookie cutter straight down and up. Twisting the cookie cutter will impact the amount of rise you get on your scones.)
• Place the rounds onto a greased and floured baking sheet. Brush them gently with the egg yolk and milk mixture.
• Bake the scones for 12-15 minutes, until golden and firm.
• Remove the baked scones from the oven and let them cool for 30 minutes (if you can resist). If you like softer scones, cover them with a clean tea towel as they cool.

CLASSIC PASTRY SCONES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• In a mixing bowl whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
• Grate the frozen butter and add to dry mixture. Use a fork or pastry blender to cut in the butter.
• In a separate bowl whisk together yogurt, cream, egg, and vanilla until well blended.
• Add to the dry mixture along with craisins (or other add-ins) and use a rubber spatula to fold the ingredients in until it starts to come together in large clumps.
• Gently knead mixture by hand (in the mixing bowl) just a few times until it comes together in a ball. Try not to handle the dough too much.
• Dust a clean surface with a little flour and drop dough on top. Gently pat and shape into an 8-inch circle. Cut into 8 wedges then transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet.
• Bake in preheated oven until golden, about 16 - 18 minutes.
• Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before drizzling the glaze on top. These are best served the day they are prepared.

EASY BRITISH SCONE RECIPE

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Heat the oven to 400 F/205 C/Gas 6. Grease and flour a heavy baking sheet.
• Sieve the flour into a roomy mixing bowl then add the butter, baking powder, salt, and sugar, if using.
• Quickly rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
• Make a well in the center and using a dinner knife, stir in the beaten eggs and enough milk to make a soft, lightly sticky but pliable dough.
• Turn the mixture onto a floured board and knead very lightly until just smooth then lightly roll out to 3/4-inch thick.
• Cut rounds with a 3-inch cutter. Place on the baking tray and brush with the beaten egg and milk mixture.
• Bake near the top of the hot oven for 15 minutes or until golden brown and well risen.
• Cool on a wire rack before eating. Serve with butter, or jam and cream.