Soft, fluffy and ready in 30 minutes, scones are one of the easiest and most satisfying things you can bake. Light, buttery and delicious, these classic scones come together with just a handful of everyday ingredients – making them the ultimate go-to for a lazy weekend morning, an afternoon tea spread or a last-minute treat. Blueberry white chocolate scones should be next on your list!
More Easy Bakery Snacks Ready in 30 Minutes
- Peaches & Cream Muffins
- Giant ANZAC Biscuits
- Blueberry Lemon muffins
- Double Chocolate Muffins
- Peanut Choc Chip Cookies
- Raspberry & White Chocolate Muffins
- Banana Muffins
Ingredients for Traditional Scones
- Plain flour
- Icing sugar
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Unsalted butter, cold
- Milk
I use milk to brush the top of my scones. It adds a golden touch, only uses a dash and there’s no need to crack an egg. Perfect for waste-free cooking!
The only important ingredients missing from the list are jam and cream… so make sure you add them to your shopping list.
How to Make Scones
Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 200°C fan-forced (220°C conventional). Line a slice tray with baking paper.
Combine dry ingredients: Whisk together the flour, icing sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl – ensure there are no lumps.
Rub in the butter: Add the cold, chopped butter to the flour mixture. Using your fingertips, rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Work quickly to keep the butter cold.
Add the milk: Make a well in the centre and pour in milk. Using a butter knife or flat-bladed spatula, cut through the mixture to bring it together into a soft, shaggy dough. Stop as soon as it comes together – do not overwork it.
Shape the dough: Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently pat (don’t roll) to about 2-2.5cm thick. Using a floured 4-5cm round cutter, press straight down and lift – don’t twist. Pull the scraps together and cut until you have used up all the dough. It should make around 12 scones.
Glaze and bake: Place them on the prepared tray, close together so they support each other as they rise. Brush the tops lightly with extra milk. Bake for 15 minutes, or until risen and lightly golden on top.
Rest and serve: Transfer to a wire rack and rest for a couple of minutes before serving.
Jam First or Cream First?
Scones are best eaten warm, ideally within minutes of leaving the oven in my opinion. Split them gently with your hands and load with strawberry jam and a generous spoonful of soft whipped cream.
The Devonian tradition says cream first, then jam. Cornwall insists on jam first, cream second. Honestly? I am definitely in the Cornwall camp. But make sure you try both ways for yourself to decide and if you’re indecisive that just means you’ll have to try another… just to be sure.
Tips for Perfect Fluffy Scones Every Time
Keep everything cold. Cold butter, cold milk, cool hands. Warmth melts the butter before it hits the oven, which kills the flakiness. Work quickly and don’t overhandle.
Use a light touch. Overworking the dough develops gluten and makes scones tough. Mix until it just comes together, a slightly ‘shaggy’ dough is fine.
Milk wash matters. Brush the top with a little milk to help get an even, golden brown.
Bake hot and fast. A high oven is essential. Scones need that burst of heat to rise quickly before they set.
FAQs About the Best Scones
Why are my scones not rising?
Make sure you baking powder is still fresh and measured correctly. Twisting the cutter also seals the edges of the dough and stops scones rising evenly, so always press straight down and lift straight up. Overworking the dough kills rise too, by developing too much gluten. Mix just until the dough comes together, even if it looks a little rough.
Why are my scones tough or dense?
Almost always caused by overmixing. Once the liquid goes in, work the dough as little as possible – use a knife or spatula to cut the mixture together rather than kneading. A slightly sticky, shaggy dough is exactly what you want. Also check that your butter was cold: warm butter absorbs into the flour rather than staying in small pockets, which is what creates a light, layered texture.
Can I add fruit, cheese, or other mix-ins?
Absolutely. Fold extras in gently after rubbing in the butter but before adding the milk, so they distribute evenly without overworking the dough. Blueberry white chocolate are a delicious. Date scones are a classic. You can also make savoury scones like grated cheddar (reduce the sugar to ¼ of the listed quantity). Keep mix-ins to roughly half a cup so they don’t overwhelm the dough structure.
Why do you bake scones close together?
They rise better. When scones are placed touching on the tray, their sides support each other as the dough expands, directing all the rise upward rather than letting it spread outward. Scones baked with lots of space around them tend to spread wider and rise less tall.
How do I store leftover scones?
Scones are best eaten on the day they’re baked. If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days – the fridge dries them out faster. To revive them, place in the microwave for a few seconds or a 160°C oven for 5 minutes and they’ll taste almost fresh. For longer storage, freeze baked scones in a sealed bag for up to one month. Thaw at room temperature and warm in the oven before serving.
Feedback and More: Select a star rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ or leave a comment below to let me know what you thought of the easy scones recipe. Cheers, Elby!
If you enjoyed this recipe, you might like some of my other scones and muffins. For more tasty ideas and new recipes from The Tasteful Pantry, join me on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest.
Classic Scones
*Note: Adjusting servings will not adjust the ‘light grey’ quantities
Ingredients
- 480 grams flour - plain,
- 2 tbsp icing sugar
- 3 ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 60 grams unsalted butter - cold
- 430 ml milk - plus extra for brushing
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 220°C conventional | 200°C fan-forced and line a slice tin with baking paper.
- Whisk the plain flour, icing sugar, baking powder, salt in a large bowl until evenly combined.
- Rub in the cold butter using just your fingertips, until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Work quickly to keep the butter cold.
- Make a well in the centre and pour in the milk. Using a butter knife or flat-bladed spatula, cut through the mixture to bring it together into a soft, shaggy dough. Stop as it comes together – try not to overwork the dough.
- Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently form (don’t roll) into a round about 2.5cm thick. Using a floured 4-5cm round cutter or glass, press straight down and lift out to release the scone. Re-shape the scraps and continue cutting until you used all the dough.
- Place the cut scones into the prepared tray – they should be just touching to help with the rise. Brush the tops lightly with the extra milk.
- Bake for 15 minutes, or until risen and lightly golden on top – they will sound hollow when tapped. Transfer to a wire rack and rest for 5 minutes before serving. Make sure you eat them warm and laden with jam and cream.
Notes
Nutrition
*Nutrition and calorie figures are estimates only.
