Fruit Scones
Tall, light scones studded with sultanas, ready in about 30 minutes. Split them warm and serve with butter, or with jam and clotted cream for a cream tea.
AI assistance: the introduction, ingredient list, method, tips and FAQ on this page were drafted with an AI writing tool, working from long-established traditional methods. Named editor who reviewed it: owner to supply How we work
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 14 min
- Total
- 30 min
- Makes
- about 8 scones
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Course
- Scone
- Cuisine
- British
Fruit scones are our classic scones with a handful of sultanas folded through. The dough is the same: cold butter, a light hand, and a cutter pressed straight down so the scones rise tall and even.
The one change is when the fruit goes in. Stir it into the rubbed-in flour before the milk, so it spreads evenly without extra kneading.
Ingredients
Cups use the King Arthur Baking ingredient weight chart. Weighing is more accurate.
- 350 g self-raising flour (US: self-rising flour), plus extra for dusting
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 85 g cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 3 tbsp caster sugar (US: superfine sugar)
- 100 g sultanas (US: golden raisins), or raisins or currants
- 175 ml whole milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- squeeze of lemon juice
- 1 egg, beaten, to glaze
To serve
- butter, or jam and clotted cream
Equipment
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- Digital kitchen scalesHow to chooseShop on Amazon(affiliate link, opens in a new tab)
- Large mixing bowlHow to chooseShop on Amazon(affiliate link, opens in a new tab)
- 6 cm round cutterHow to chooseShop on Amazon(affiliate link, opens in a new tab)
- Baking trayHow to chooseShop on Amazon(affiliate link, opens in a new tab)
Method
- 1
Heat the oven to 220°C / 200°C fan / gas 7 / 425°F and put a baking tray inside to heat up.
- 2
Mix the flour, salt and baking powder in a large bowl. Rub in the butter with your fingertips (or a pastry blender) until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar and sultanas.
- 3
Warm the milk until just lukewarm, then add the vanilla and lemon juice. It will thicken slightly, which is fine.
- 4
Make a well in the flour and pour in the milk. Mix quickly with a cutlery knife until it just comes together into a soft, slightly sticky dough.
- 5
Tip onto a floured surface and fold the dough over two or three times, no more. Pat it out to about 4 cm thick.
- 6
Dip a 6 cm cutter in flour and stamp straight down without twisting. Gently re-press the trimmings to cut more scones. Push any sultanas on the surface back into the dough, as exposed fruit can burn.
- 7
Brush the tops with beaten egg, lift onto the hot tray and bake for 10–14 minutes until well risen and golden. The bases should sound hollow when tapped.
- 8
Cool on a wire rack and eat the same day, warm or at room temperature.
Tips
Plumper fruit: soak the sultanas in hot tea for 20 minutes, then drain and pat them dry before adding.
Jam or cream first? In Devon, cream then jam; in Cornwall, jam then cream. For a cream tea, serve with a pot of tea and plenty of napkins.
For a savoury scone, try a cheese version, or see Scottish tattie scones and drop scones.
Storage and leftovers
Best eaten the day they are baked. Keep in an airtight tin for up to 2 days and warm briefly in the oven to refresh, or freeze once cool.
If it goes wrong
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Scones spread instead of rising | Dough too wet, or butter too warm | Use cold butter and add the last of the milk gradually |
| Burnt fruit on top | Sultanas sitting on the surface | Push surface fruit into the dough before glazing |
| Dense and tough | Over-kneaded dough | Fold two or three times only; stop as soon as it holds together |
Frequently asked questions
Can I use plain flour for fruit scones?
This recipe is written for self-raising flour. Self-raising flour already contains raising agent, so plain flour alone will give flat, heavy scones.
Should fruit scones be served with butter or cream?
Either. Fruit scones are often eaten simply split and buttered, but they make a good cream tea with jam and clotted cream too.
Can I freeze fruit scones?
Yes. Freeze the cut, unbaked scones on a tray, then bag them and bake from frozen, adding 2–3 minutes. Baked scones also freeze well once cool.
Guides for this recipe
Some of these guides contain shop links, which are affiliate links (disclosure).
Buying guide
Pastry Blenders: Rubbing In Butter for Scones and Pastry
How-to
Essential Equipment for British Baking
Buying guide
Mixing Bowls: Glass, Steel or Ceramic?
Buying guide
Kitchen Scales for Baking: What to Look For
Buying guide
Scone Cutters: Plain or Fluted?
Buying guide
Baking Trays and Bun Tins: What You Need
Kitchen design
How Much Food for Christmas Dinner? Quantities Per Person
Kitchen design
How Many Calories Are in an Afternoon Tea?
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Card photos: A pastry blender with curved steel wires and a wooden handle, Evan-Amos via Wikimedia Commons, Public domain; Small cakes cooling on a wire rack, James Petts from London, England via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0, cropped; Stacked cream-coloured ceramic mixing bowls, RLiverpool2021 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped; A traditional mechanical kitchen scale, Berthold Werner via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0, cropped; Round-cut scones on a baking tray going into the oven, James Petts from London, England via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0, cropped; Mince pies baked in a bun tray, Jeremy Keith via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0, cropped; A long table laid for Christmas dinner with crackers, glasses and starters, Ruth Hartnup from Vancouver, Canada via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0, cropped; A three-tiered afternoon tea stand with sandwiches, a croissant, pastries and fruit, Funknendai via Wikimedia Commons, CC0; Scones split and topped with clotted cream and strawberry jam, Andy Li via Wikimedia Commons, CC0; Crustless cucumber sandwiches made with brown bread, James Petts from London, England via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0, cropped; A loaf of bara brith on a festive table, James Petts from London, England via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0, cropped. All credits: image credits.