Classic English Scones

Daniela from Tea Cachai invited me to a virtual tea party and when asked what I would bring my first thought was obviously scones! You can’t have afternoon tea without some delicious scones. In fact, I think the traditional scones served says a lot about the entire afternoon tea experience. I’ve been perfecting my Classic English Scones recipe for a while now. These are different from the large, super sweet and glazed scones you can find in North American cafes. I absolutely love scones of all flavours, however, sometimes this classic recipe topped with Devonshire cream and preserves is all that I need. At the end of this post you’ll find more recipes from other bloggers attending this virtual tea party. All of the recipes combine for a perfect afternoon tea party menu!

There are a few variations when it comes to making scones. However, the one thing I had in mind when recipe testing for these Classic English Scones was that I wanted to find a way to make them with ingredients I had lying around the house.

For instance, some English scone recipes call for buttermilk or cream. Although buttermilk scones are absolutely delicious, buttermilk is not something I regularly have on hand so I wouldn’t be able to make my Classic English Scones often without heading to the store.

There are also cases where a scone recipe may have minimum ingredients because it requires self-rising flour. All-purpose flour is what I use the most and is featured in this recipe.

The Perfect English Scone Recipe

In addition to the above, my ideal recipe would create a crisp, golden outside layer with a soft and light inside.

Traditionally scones are broken in half by hand (not by knife), so I wanted to make sure I baked these classic scones so that they were easy to tear in two.

Scones really are the best when they are enjoyed fresh out of the oven. That’s why this recipe only makes about 8-12. Of course, you can double it if you have more guests.

Through lots of recipe testings, I had a ton of scones left over for a couple of days. This recipe seemed to have held the best, where the other scones started to get soft on the outside and too hard inside. The opposite of how a traditional scone should be!

Of course, if you keep these scones for longer than a day or two, be sure to pop them in the oven to warm them up again before serving. It makes a big difference!

With that in mind, again, it really was my goal to make these scones as simple as possible so it never seemed like a difficult recipe to whip up in the morning for a fresh tea time treat.

*RELATED READ: Is a scone a biscuit?

How to Cut Scone Dough

That being said, the one thing you’ll want to invest in is a scone cutter!

In the early stages of my testing I didn’t have one and would just try to cut circular scones out with a knife or a drinking glass. That takes more time but I also found that squashes the air inside the dough.

Instead, you want to dip your scone cutter in flour, cut into the dough and lift!

Don’t twist and turn the cutter into the dough as it may ruin the edges of the scone and they may not rise as well as they should. You should see some nice, small air bubbles.

I have this cutter set. I often use the middle sized one (2.5″) for this recipe. I’ll use the smaller sized one (2″) to make mini scones.

Other Traditional Scone Making Tips

– Use cold butter! You can use either a pastry cutter or your (clean) hands to cut and toss the butter into the mixture. I like to just use my hands. If you also use your hands, just use the tips of your fingers and don’t overwork it or you’ll warm up the butter too much.

– You do not need a mixer or food processor! I honestly believe this recipe is best when using just your clean hands, no fancy equipment.

– Handle the dough carefully though! Don’t knead or roll it. Just lightly pat the dough down before cutting out pieces.

– I get about 9 scones with this recipe using a 2.5 inch diameter cutter. The amount of scones you get will depend on the size of your cutter and thickness of the dough. Often my 9th scone will be smaller than the others because it’s usually made with the pieces leftover from cutting. Use up every bit of your dough!

– For a nice, golden and crisp scone, brush the top with an egg/milk mixture! Don’t forget that step in the recipe below. However, be careful not to have the mixture drip down the sides, filling the air bubbles in the scones.

– If you lightly tap the bottom of your scone after baking, it should sound hollow! That means it’s successfully light and airy inside.

What jam goes well with these scones?

Strawberry and raspberry (try this tea infused one!) seem to be the most common but I’ve enjoyed these scones with blueberry jam and carrot cake jam as well.

Spread on whatever jam your little heart desires! Don’t forget lemon curd, butter or Devonshire cream, too. 🙂

How to Make Classic English Scones

Classic English Scones

The most perfect treat for afternoon tea are classic English scones! These scones are soft, light and best enjoyed warm with cream and jam.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Servings 8

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Ingredients

  

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• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 3 tablespoons white sugar plus extra for top of scones later
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 6 tablespoons cold butter
• 2/3 cup milk I use 2 percent
• 1 egg

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• In a mixing bowl, sift flour, baking powder, salt and sugar.
• Add cold butter and use your finger tips to cut it into the mixture until it resembles breadcrumbs. Toss it around a couple times with your hands to make it light and airy. Don't overdue it.
• In a measuring cup, add milk and egg. Whisk until combined, reserve 2 tablespoons to brush on the scones later and add remainder to the dry ingredients.
• With a spatula, fold everything together until dough begins to form. Place the dough onto a well-floured surface. Flour your hands really well and gently form a smooth ball. Do not knead. Pat down (again, gently) on the dough until the surface is even and it is about 1.5 inch thick. Sprinkle the top with flour if your dough is sticky.
• Dip your scone cutter into flour and cut into the dough in one swift motion. Do not twist the cutter. Place scones onto the lined baking sheet. They should remove from the cutter easily if floured properly.
• Brush the reserved egg/milk mixture on top of each scone with a pastry brush. Be sure to only brush the top of the scones. Try not to let the mixture drip on the sides.
• Sprinkle the top with white sugar and place in the oven to bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from tray and place on a wire rack.
• Serve hot with cream, jam and tea!

Notes

You can add dried fruit to this recipe if you wish. I prefer my Classic English Scones plain.

This recipe makes 8-12 scones. The amount depends on the size of the cutter you use and how thick you pat down the dough.

Course Tea Recipe

Cuisine Scones

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More Tea Party Recipes

We have our classic English scones and now we need our savoury and sweets!

Check out the other posts by my fellow bloggers and tea party guests. You’re sure to find some great recipes to make for your next tea party:

Chicken & Roasted Red Pepper and Lapsang Walnut Vegan Cream Cheese Tea Sandwiches made by Daniela of Tea Cachai

Mini Pecan Pie Bites made by Caroline of Pinch Me I’m Eating

Mini Apple Cider Donuts made by Nazanin of Tea Thoughts

Sugar Cookies with Earl Grey Tea Icing by me!

If you were heading to a tea party, what recipe would you bring to the table? Share in the comments below!