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Lighty slather these English Scones with clotted cream and jam for an absolutely delicious morning tea. Made using only standard pantry and fridge staples these scones can be made in minutes and are easy to prepare.
What is a Scone?
Though I’m southern where biscuits are a standard staple, I do love scones even more so than the flakey and pillowy soft delicacies down south. They’re extremely similar to southern biscuits, in that they have almost the same ingredients, but English scones rise much higher and have more of a crumbly outside.
There’s also just a hint of sweetness. Not to be confused with the American scones, which have tons of mix-ins like these Cranberry Orange Scones and are also often covered in a glaze. Any British scones recipe produces an almost plain flavor snack, that’s accompanied by jam and clotted cream.
They’re generally served during the late morning tea known as “cream tea” or alongside your afternoon tea. Perhaps somewhere in my ancestry, there are deep English roots, but if you’re like me then you might just prefer them as well.
Difference Between Scones and Biscuits
For the sake of this recipe, I’m referring to traditional English scones, not American scones, which have an entirely different texture than both biscuits and their British counterparts. No, English scones are quite similar to the southern biscuit, but there are small differences.
The main difference is their texture. Biscuits are usually very flakey and soft with a hardened exterior. You can enjoy them in the morning or better yet as a breakfast sandwich, but they’re almost always savory.
Scones, however, don’t have as much butter in them and produce a crumbly texture that’s dense. They are also a bit drier than a biscuit. They’re simple and served with jam and clotted cream, which can be slathered on to your liking.
Ingredients Needed
- Flour – you will need all-purpose flour for this recipe. When you’re measuring it out spoon the flour into the measuring cup and then level it off using the back of a knife or a straight edge.
- Baking Powder – it’s key to use fresh baking powder that’s no more than 6 months old so your scones will properly rise.
- Unsalted Butter – since there is already salt added to the dough you will need unsalted butter and it needs to be very cold.
- Milk – I prefer to use whole milk, but you can also use buttermilk which will add richness to the taste.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Before getting started: Prep a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and preheating the oven to 425º F.
- Whisk the dry ingredients together. Place the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar into a large mixing bowl and whisk them together until well combined.
- Cut in the butter. Using a pastry cutter or the back of a fork cut the cubed butter into the flour mixture until breadcrumb-like consistency forms (it will still be very dry).
- Prepare the egg wash and binder. In a small bowl or measuring cup whisk the milk and egg together. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the mixture for an egg wash later and pour the remainder into the bowl. Mix it into the flour mixture using a spatula until a rough shaggy dough forms.
- Knead the dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and begin to knead the dough by folding it over (about 10 times) and pressing into it until it forms a smooth ball.
- Cut out the scones. Flatten the dough to about 1-inch in thickness and use a 2 1/2-inch sized biscuit cutter to cut out rounds (don’t twist the cutter just press it straight into the dough). Place the rounds onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake. Brush the tops of the scones lightly with the egg wash and then bake them for 10 to 12 minutes until the tops turn golden brown.
Freezing Instructions
- How to Freeze Baked Scones – Flash freeze the scones for 45 minutes first by placing them in the freezer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Remove them and put them in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 2 months. Allow them to thaw at room temperature.
- How to Freeze Unbaked Scones – Carefully place the dough rounds onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze them for 1 to 2 hours and move them to a freezer-safe bag or container. You can bake the scones from frozen.
Recipe Notes and Tips
- Don’t scoop the flour into the measuring cup. When you’re measuring out the flour, use the spoon and level method. Spoon the flour into your measuring cup and then use the back of a knife or other straight edge to level off any excess flour. This way you won’t end up with too much flour.
- Use fresh baking powder. One thing that makes English scones unique is how high they rise and to achieve this technique you need a fresh baking powder that’s no more than 6 months old.
- To make sure your butter is extra cold place it in the freezer for 10 minutes (while you’re setting up the rest of the recipe) and before you’re ready to cut it into the flour mixture.
- Don’t overmix the dough when kneading it. When you knead the dough it produces gluten, which can lead to a super tough scone if overworked. Fold the dough about 10 times and it should come together perfectly.
- To store place the scones in an air-tight container for up to 4 days. They do not need to be refrigerated.
FAQS
Scones can be enjoyed with just about any topping, but most commonly they’re sliced in half and jam and clotted cream are spread on.
While it does come down to preference, it’s also determined by where you live. The “Cornish Way” is to spread the jam first and top it with clotted cream. This was also the Queen’s preference. The “Devon Way” is to slather on the clotted cream first and then place a dollop of jam over it.
Related Recipes
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English Scones Recipe
Equipment
- Baking Sheet
- Parhment Paper
- Pastry Brush
- 2½-inch Biscuit Cutter
Ingredients
- 2 cups Flour spooned and leveled
- 4 teaspoons Baking Powder
- 1/2 teaspoons Salt
- 2 tablespoons Sugar
- 5 tablespoons Unsalted Butter cubed and chilled
- 1/2 cup Milk
- 1 large Egg
Instructions
- Prep a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and preheating the oven to 425º F.
- Place the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar into a large mixing bowl and whisk them together until well combined.
- Using a pastry cutter or the back of a fork cut the cubed butter into the flour mixture until breadcrumb-like consistency forms (it will still be very dry).
- In a small bowl or measuring cup whisk the milk and egg together. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the mixture for an egg wash later and pour the remainder into the bowl. Mix it into the flour mixture using a spatula until a rough shaggy dough forms.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and begin to knead the dough by folding it over (about 10 times) and pressing into it until it forms a smooth ball.
- Flatten the dough to about 1-inch in thickness and use a 2 1/2-inch sized biscuit cutter to cut out rounds (don't twist the cutter just press it straight into the dough). Place the rounds onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Brush the tops of the scones lightly with the egg wash and then bake them for 10 to 12 minutes until the tops turn golden brown.
Notes
- Don’t scoop the flour into the measuring cup. When you’re measuring out the flour, use the spoon and level method. Spoon the flour into your measuring cup and then use the back of a knife or other straight edge to level off any excess flour. This way you won’t end up with too much flour.
- Use fresh baking powder. One thing that makes English scones unique is how high they rise and to achieve this technique you need a fresh baking powder that’s no more than 6 months old.
- To make sure your butter is extra cold place it in the freezer for 10 minutes (while you’re setting up the rest of the recipe) and before you’re ready to cut it into the flour mixture.
- Don’t overmix the dough when kneading it. When you knead the dough it produces gluten, which can lead to a super tough scone if overworked. Fold the dough about 10 times and it should come together perfectly.
- To store place the scones in an air-tight container for up to 4 days. They do not need to be refrigerated.
Freezing Instructions
- How to Freeze Baked Scones – Flash freeze the scones for 45 minutes first by placing them in the freezer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Remove them and put them in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 2 months. Allow them to thaw at room temperature.
- How to Freeze Unbaked Scones – Carefully place the dough rounds onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze them for 1 to 2 hours and move them to a freezer-safe bag or container. You can bake the scones from frozen.
