Classic British Scones
Tall, light scones for afternoon tea or a cream tea, ready in about 30 minutes.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 12 min
- Total
- 30 min
- Makes
- about 8 scones
- Difficulty
- Easy
A good scone is barely sweet, rises tall and splits cleanly in the middle. Three things matter most: cold butter, a light hand, and cutting straight down without twisting the cutter.
Ingredients
- 350gself-raising flour, plus extra for dusting
- ¼tspsalt
- 1tspbaking powder
- 85gcold unsalted butter, cubed
- 3tbspcaster sugar
- 175mlwhole milk
- 1tspvanilla extract
- squeeze of lemon juice
- 1egg, beaten, to glaze
To serve
- strawberry jam
- clotted cream
Equipment
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- Digital kitchen scalesHow to chooseShop on Amazon UK(affiliate link, opens in a new tab)
- 6 cm round cutterHow to chooseShop on Amazon UK(affiliate link, opens in a new tab)
- Baking trayHow to chooseShop on Amazon UK(affiliate link, opens in a new tab)
Method
- 1
Heat the oven to 220°C / 200°C fan / gas 7 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 until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs, then stir in the sugar.
- 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.
- 7
Brush the tops with beaten egg, lift onto the hot tray and bake for 10–12 minutes until risen and golden.
- 8
Cool on a wire rack and eat the same day, warm or at room temperature.
Tips
Jam or cream first? In Devon, cream then jam; in Cornwall, jam then cream. Both are correct in their own county.
Make ahead: freeze the cut, unbaked scones on a tray, then bag them. Bake from frozen, adding 2–3 minutes.
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 |
| Scones rose lopsided | Cutter twisted, sealing the edge | Press straight down and lift straight up |
| Dense and tough | Over-kneaded dough | Fold two or three times only; stop as soon as it holds together |
Frequently asked questions
Jam or cream first on a scone?
In Devon it is cream then jam; in Cornwall, jam then cream. Both are correct in their own county.
Why did my scones not rise?
Usually the dough was overworked, or the cutter was twisted. Handle the dough lightly and press the cutter straight down.
Can I freeze scones?
Yes. Freeze the cut, unbaked scones on a tray, then bag them and bake from frozen, adding 2–3 minutes.
Guides for this recipe
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