English Scones

4.78 from 9 votes

This is an easy recipe for English scones that will bring you closer to the British way of enjoying a cup of tea in the afternoon.

Prep Time20

Cook Time22

Total Time42

Course: Sweet Breads, Muffins and Scones

Cuisine: English

Servings: scones

Calories: 189kcal

1 tablespoon butter softened(for brushing the baking sheet) OR just parchment paper to cover the baking sheet
2 cups all-purpose flour
⅓ cup granulated sugar or 4 tablespoons
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter cut into ¼inch bits
½ cup heavy whipping cream
1 large egg
1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup white or dark chocolate chips OR ¼ cup raisins/cranberries, orange zest from one orange
1 tablespoon heavy cream or milk for glazing the scones on top

Preheat the oven to 400F.
Using a pastry brush, coat a large baking sheet with the softened butter and set it aside, or cover the baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large chilled mixing bowl, sift the flour and baking powder. Add the sugar and salt.
Add the butter bits and using your fingers, rub the flour mixture and butter together until they look like flakes of course meal.
If you want to add chocolate chips or dried fruits, this is the moment to toss them in the flour mixture.
Use a whisk to beat the egg separately in a small bowl. Add the heavy whipping cream and the vanilla extract.
Pour the liquid over the flour mixture. With your hands, toss together until the dough can be gathered into a compact ball. Do not knead.
Lightly flour a surface and roll the dough out about a 1-inch thick circle.
Use a cookie cutter or the rim of a glass, cut the dough into 2-inch rounds.
Reroll and cut the scraps into similar rounds. Place the rounds about 1 inch apart on the baking sheet.
Bake for about 15 minutes or until lightly brown.
Serve it with Devonshire Cream and your favorite jam.

Mix dough by hand: The secret of making good scones is a quick, light hand when mixing and a hot oven. However, if you are in a hurry, you can use a food processor, at least for mixing the flour with the butter.

Re-rolling the scraps: Gather up the bits of dough and press them gently together, as over-handling will lead to tough scones.

Shape: Making the scones in a triangular shape, like a wedge, will avoid handling the dough too much.

Cold butter: working with cold butter rather than room temperature will give you a nice flakier texture to your final scones.

Amount of liquid: Always hold back on some of the liquid to allow you to judge when you've added enough. Ingredients, like flour, behave differently depending on many variables, and it is much easier to add more liquid than to try to rebalance with extra flour. You aim for a dough that holds together without crumbling, but that isn't overly sticky to handle.

Glaze the scones: A little beaten egg, milk, or heavy cream left over are great for glazing the scones before baking. You can mix it with some milk to make it go further.

Preheating the baking tray and baking in a fully preheated oven will help give your scones a nice crust and a good rise.