Classic British Scones
Tall, light scones for afternoon tea or a cream tea, ready in about 30 minutes.
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
- 12 min
- Total
- 30 min
- Makes
- about 8 scones
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Course
- Scone
- Cuisine
- British
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
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)
- 175 ml whole milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- squeeze of lemon juice
- 1 egg, beaten, to glaze
To serve
- strawberry jam
- clotted cream
Equipment
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- Digital kitchen scalesHow 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 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.
How are British scones different from American scones?
British scones are smaller, softer and only lightly sweet. They are usually round, split in half and served with jam and clotted cream or butter. American scones tend to be sweeter and richer, often cut into wedges, with mix-ins or a glaze.
Guides for this recipe
Some of these guides contain shop links, which are affiliate links (disclosure).
Buying guide
How to Choose a Teapot for Afternoon Tea
Buying guide
How to Choose a Cake Stand for Afternoon Tea
How-to
How to Set an Afternoon Tea Table
How-to
How to Host Afternoon Tea at Home
How-to
Afternoon Tea Menu Ideas
How-to
Essential Equipment for British Baking
Explainer
British Baking Terms Explained
Buying guide
Mixing Bowls: Glass, Steel or Ceramic?
Buying guide
Kitchen Scales for Baking: What to Look For
Buying guide
Measuring Jugs and Spoons: A UK Guide
Buying guide
Cooling Racks: Why Every Baker Needs One
Buying guide
Scone Cutters: Plain or Fluted?
Buying guide
Dough Scrapers: The Cheapest Tool Bakers Love
Buying guide
Pastry Brushes: Natural Bristle or Silicone?
Buying guide
Baking Trays and Bun Tins: What You Need
Buying guide
Teacups and Saucers: How to Choose
Buying guide
Tea Cosies: How to Choose One That Fits
Buying guide
Butter Dishes and Butter Bells: Soft Butter Without the Mess
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Card photos: A traditional Brown Betty teapot, AlphaLemur via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0, cropped; A tiered cake stand with afternoon tea sandwiches, scones and cakes, RT6HPU via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped; A round table laid for afternoon tea with a tiered stand, teapot, cups and saucers, RT6HPU via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped; Scones with jam and cream, a cup of tea and a china teapot, AlphaLemur via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped; A cream tea with scones, jam and clotted cream, Andy Li via Wikimedia Commons, CC0; Small cakes cooling on a wire rack, James Petts from London, England via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0, cropped; Baking ingredients: eggs, lemons, butter and sugar, Marc-Lautenbacher via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, 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; A plastic measuring jug marked in millilitres, No machine-readable author provided. Batty~commonswiki assumed (based on copyright claims). via Wikimedia Commons, Public domain; A wire cooling rack, Donovan Govan. 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; An antique iron dough scraper, Unknown via Wikimedia Commons, CC0; A natural-bristle pastry brush, Karon Elliott Edleson from La Quinta, CA, USA 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 decorated porcelain teacup and saucer, Unknown via Wikimedia Commons, CC0; A teapot wearing a knitted tea cosy shaped like a sheep, Dirk Ingo Franke via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0, cropped; A white lidded butter dish with a block of butter, The Digital Pimp via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0, cropped; 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; A stack of Scotch pancakes with syrup, Ruth Hartnup from Vancouver, Canada via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0, cropped. All credits: image credits.