Not to be confused with a homemade biscuits recipe, English scones are traditionally served with tea and are best when slathered in clotted cream and touched with jam. Unsurprisingly, it’s important to not overwork the dough and never roll it too thin. Like a biscuit they should fluff up and rise during baking and to do that they need to start off thick. I did not adorn my scones with and dried fruit or nuts but if you are so inclined just mix them in at the very end.
I think a scone should be served having just cooled from baking, tender and delicate inside but have a nice crispy crunch outside. Most of all they’re the perfect vehicle for clotted from and jam! If you prefer the American version, the see my classic American scones recipe.
How to make English scones
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Sift the flour, salt, sugar, baking soda and cream of tar tar together into a food processor.
- Cut the cold butter up into tablespoon sized pieces and grate it into the dry mixture. Toss the butter and flour as you go along to prevent it from clumping. Pulse it until you create a finer sandy texture.
- Mix the egg and milk together and reserve two tablespoons in a small bowl to use for the egg wash. Pour the rest of the milk mixture into the food processor and mix until combined.
- Place the dough on a floured surface and roll it out to be about 3/4 an inch or more thick. (No one wants a flat scone!).
- Use whatever shaped cutter you would like to cut out the scones, then transfer them to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- When your scones are all on the baking sheet, brush the tops with the reserved egg wash. Place them in the oven at 375 degrees to bake for about 20 minutes or until golden. Enjoy!
Before the twins we would travel to Europe every Christmas and would always make sure part of the trip veered to England. All of this is to say I love a nice tea with some sandwiches and of course fresh scones! Well travel isn’t happening this year but I can bring that memory home with just a few minutes baking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make them the day before?
- You will want to keep scones as fresh as possible. You can prep the night before by making the dough and even shaping it out, then leaving it in the fridge overnight (wrapped, of course).
- You can cut the scones and freeze them. When you’re ready to bake some just remove from fridge, apply the egg wash and bake for about 5 extra minutes.
- Scones can me made a day ahead and kept in an airtight container but fresh out of the oven is best.
Do scones have eggs?
Although, there are some recipes without egg; usually British scones do contain eggs. Egg is a binding agent so it really helps with the crumb and consistency of the scone.
How is scone pronounced?
I suppose the real question is; is there a CORRECT way to pronounce “scone?” The word has said to be pronounced in multiple ways such as having it rhyme with “bone” or “gone.” Of course those who live in Ireland pronounce it as “scoon.” What do you think? Let me know in the comments! 🙂
Are scones hard?
A nice scone should be tender and flakey inside with a crisp outer layer. They should never be toughScones are on the harder side, although it should still be moist on the inside. If your scone is dry, it’s over-done.
If you love this recipe try these out!
If you’ve tried these English scones then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
English Scone Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 4 cups all-purpose flour 480g
- 2 teaspoons baking powder 12g, rounded
- 1 tsp kosher salt 6g
- 1 pinch cream of tartar
- 1/4 cup sugar 50g
- 2 large eggs beaten
- 3/4 cups whole milk 180mL
- 1/2 cup cream 120mL
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter 110g, cold
Instructions
- Preheat oven 375F
- Sift the flour, salt, sugar, baking powder, and cream of tartar together into a large bowl.
- Grate the cold butter into the dry mixture. Toss the butter and flour as you go along to prevent clumping.
- Crumble the butter and flour together until you create a finer sandy texture. You can just pulse in a food processor if desired.
- Mix the egg, cream, and milk together and reserve two tablespoons in a small bowl (this will be used for the egg wash).
- Create a well in the middle and pour in the milk mixture and mix until combined. This will be a sticky mixture so I always try to keep one hand in the bowl and one hand free and clean.
- Place the dough on a floured surface and roll out to about 3/4 an inch or more thick. (no one wants a flat scone!). Use whatever shaped cutter you'd like and transfer the scones to a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Brush tops with the reserved egg wash and place in oven to bake for about 20 minutes or until golden.
Nutrition
Samantha Lares says
Dear John,
I was very skeptical to make this since I haven’t found cream of tartar anywhere. I have had hit after hit with your recipes, so I decided to give it a try it, .well they turned out amazing! We lived in Scotland for 5 years, and I loved Scones, but since coming to the USA 6 years ago I have been able to find anything like the British scones until I decided to make them myself following your recipe! As I write this, I’m enjoying a rainy day in the backyard, drinking tea and scones ❤️
John Kanell says
That’s so lovely and sconces in the UK really are special so that is quite a compliment!
Rita says
Best scone recipe to bake…so tender and delicious! I love tea and scones.
Bevin Roice Roice Gleeson says
I think you are confused, we do not say scoone in Ireland. the way we say it rhymes with bone.
jkanell says
I stand corrected! I just got bake from my first trip there and it was so lovely!