This Scone Recipe makes the BEST tender, flaky, and buttery scones in just 30 minutes. Recipe includes instructions for enjoying plain or adding your favorite mix-ins. Don’t forget to watch the how-to video!
A Super Simple & Satisfying Scone Recipe
This quick and easy scone recipe makes flavorful, beautifully textured scones without any of the fuss. If you’ve been too intimidated to make this wedge shaped treat, you won’t be after making these.
Here’s why you’ll love this scone recipe:
- No pastry blender! Instead we’ll use a food processor, which does all of the heavy lifting without overworking the dough. I do provide instructions for how to make your scones without a food processor, if you don’t have one!
- Just like in my easy biscuit recipe, a little laminating yields nice, flaky layers.
- It’s customizable! Frozen fruit (or fresh fruit, it’s just a bit messier), chocolate chips, dried fruit, nuts, or your favorite zest are all great options.
- No eggs! I found that using eggs makes scones less flaky and less melt-in-your-mouth.
- They’re delicious by themselves, or even better with honey butter, jam or whipped cream.
- It’s the perfect base for lots of different flavor variations such as my lemon poppy seed scones, chocolate scones, raspberry scones, and more!
What You Need
One of the best things about this scone recipe is that is uses ingredients that you probably already have on hand. Let’s touch on a few key players:
- Flour. Do NOT use self-rising flour or your scones will become much too tall and tip over.
- Butter. This is possibly the most important ingredient in my scone recipe. If you can get your hands on it, I recommend a high quality European butter, which has a higher fat content and makes for delectable, tender results.
- Vanilla. Just a splash of vanilla extract adds a lovely depth of flavor.
- Heavy cream. This helps bind everything together, much like an egg would, but the results are much more melt-in-your-mouth.
SAM’S TIP: Keep your butter as cold as possible! I like to freeze mine for at least 15-30 minutes before I begin making scones. Cold butter pieces distributed throughout the dough makes for tender, flaky, buttery layers. If the butter gets too warm at any point, your scones are prone to becoming flat and dense.
How to Make the Best Scone Recipe
- Combine the dry ingredients in your food processor, then add the butter pieces and pulse.
- Add the cream and vanilla to the food processor and pulse until the everything clumps together.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface, add any add-ins, then begin laminating.
- Form your dough into a disc and cut it into wedges.
- Place your scones on your baking sheet, brush them with cream, and sprinkle with sugar.
- Bake until light golden brown, then let the scones cool on the baking sheet before enjoying.
SAM’S TIP: Always press straight down when cutting your scones–never saw into scone dough! A straight cut helps the scones rise straight and properly; sawing will yield scones that tip over and have less defined edges.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you may use a grater or a pastry cutter to cut the butter into the flour instead, but the dough will be very dry and require more effort to come together. I discuss this in more detail above and provide instructions in the recipe below.
Yes! To do this, prepare your dough as instructed, then wrap each scone in cling wrap and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
If baking from the refrigerator, you can follow the scone recipe as written. If baking from frozen, the scones may need a few extra minutes in the oven. I always wait until just before baking before brushing them with cream and sprinkling with sugar.
Yes! To freeze baked scones, let them cool completely after baking. Once they’ve cooled, transfer them to an airtight container (I like to loosely wrap each scone in wax paper or parchment paper so they don’t stick together) and enjoy within 3 months.
To defrost your scones, you can microwave them from frozen. The time required will vary depending on the power of your microwave.
Enjoy!
Let’s bake together! I’ll be walking you through all the steps in my written recipe and video below! If you try this recipe, be sure to tag me on Instagram, and you can also find me on YouTube and Facebook
The BEST Scone Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (250g)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar (50g)
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup very cold unsalted butter I like to place my butter in the freezer 15 minutes before beginning to ensure it is cold (113g)
- ½ cup heavy cream (120ml)
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup your favorite add-ins optional: frozen berries, chocolate chips, nuts, etc.
- Additional heavy cream for brushing over scones optional
- Additional sugar for sprinkling over scones optional
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375F (190C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in the basin of a food processor and pulse to combine.
- Cut butter into Tablespoon-sized pieces and scatter over flour mixture, pulse until butter is cut up into the flour mixture and butter pieces are no longer visible.
- Combine the heavy cream and vanilla extract in a measuring cup and pour heavy cream over your flour mixture.
- Pulse until dough begins to clump together.
- Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and (handling lightly, as you don’t want to over-work this dough) add any add-ins at this point, gently working them into the dough. Fold the dough in half over itself and use your hands to gently flatten layers together. Rotate the dough 90 degrees and fold in half again, repeating this step 5 times and taking care to not overwork the dough.
- Form the dough into a smooth disk about 1″ thick by 6″ round.
- Cut the disk into 8 wedges, pressing the knife straight down with each cut.
- Transfer wedges to prepared baking sheet and place about 2″ apart. Brush lightly with heavy cream and sprinkle with sugar.
- Bake on 375F (190C) for 14-16 minutes or until edges are just beginning to turn golden brown. Don’t over-bake your scones or they will be dry and tough.
- Allow scones to cool on baking sheet before serving and enjoying.
Notes
¹Food Processor
If you don’t have a food processor you can make the scones by whisking together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut the butter into the dry ingredients with either a pastry cutter, box grater, or pair of knives. Whisk together heavy cream and vanilla and pour over and stir until well-combined. The dough will be very dry but will come together with some effort. If absolutely necessary you can add a bit more cream, a splash at a time.Storing
Scones are best enjoyed fresh, but you can store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. See the FAQ section in the post for instructions on freezing scones (before or after baking).How to Make Lemon Scones
Add 1 Tbsp of fresh lemon zest into the scone batter with the butter Once scones have cooled, dip in a simple glaze made of 1 ¼ cup (160g) powdered sugar, 1 ½ Tablespoons (20ml) lemon juice, 1 ½ teaspoons of water, and ¼ teaspoon of vanilla extract.Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
Carol Ballew
Delicious!!! Super easy!!
Shelly
I am so thankful I came across your blog and this recipe! I have made these scones multiple times and they always turn out beautiful. Thank you so much! Love the lemon zest in them.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so happy you love the scones Shelly! Thanks so much for coming back to leave a review ❤
Bonnie
The title of this scone recipe does not do it justice. I have done many,many recipes. That has the title the best. Our LORD CHRIST JESUS BLESS me to have been a Baker Chef (retired now)
Great Scone recipe.
Margo
Came out great……could you use a dough hook on the mixer after cutting in the butter to finish mixing
Sam
So glad you enjoyed, Margo! While I generally don’t like to advise it as you run the risk of overworking the dough, this is how my mom does it when she makes scones (or she even uses the paddle attachment). So yes it will work!
Stacey
You were right…BEST SCONE RECIPE…EVER! These came out amazing first time, like the best of cake + biscuit. Soft but substantial, and SO GOOD anytime. THANK YOU for sharing it! <3
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so happy you agree, Stacey! Thanks so much for coming back to leave a review 😊 Enjoy!!
Dianne Kraemer
I’m confused. 250 gr does not equal 2 cups. Which is correct? Thanks.
Sam
Hi Dianne! 2 cups of flour is 250grams. That is the standard I use here on my website and what I recommend for best results (you can read more about how I measure flour here). I hope that helps!
Dianne Kraemer
WHITE FLOUR – GRAMS TO CUPS
Grams Cups
250g 1½ cups + 1 tbsp
I measured in grams and it was nowhere near two cups.
Sam
Hi again Dianne! See my post on how to measure flour properly, I think that will help clear things up. 250 grams is the correct amount to use, and when measured properly this should be 2 cups.
kellie
If I freeze them would you bake first and then freeze or freeze before baking and just bake when I take them out of the freezer?
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Kellie! We think either method would work fine, but if you prefer fresh baked scones, we’d recommend freezing before baking 🙂
Christina
Would I be able to substitute buttermilk for heavy cream?
Sam
Hi Christina! I think it will probably work. I haven’t tried it but the amount you add may need to be modified, again, without trying it I can’t say for sure. Let me know how it turns out. 🙂
Susie
I have searched high and low and have had many fails with scone recipes. This is absolutely the best scone recipe I have ever made. My husbands comment “best scone I have ever tasted”. They cannot get any better than this!!!
Sam
I am so glad everyone enjoyed them so much, Susie! 🙂
Jody
Going to make this tomorrow with a drizzle of almond extract, sliced almonds and lemon zest, then sprinkle coarse sugar on top. I was thinking of using kefir in place of the cream, which is similar to buttermilk I’d say. Do you think it would be fine to do that or is the texture of kefir too thick?
Also, after spending a good hour looking at different scone recipes I realized some use eggs while others don’t. What is the difference between using eggs or no eggs? I’ve read pros and cons on both. Thanks.
Sam
Hi Jody! I’m not sure on how the kefir will work because I have never tried it. I’ve tried it both with and without. I find that not using eggs gives me a better texture. They are lighter, fluffier, and more buttery. 🙂
Nan
This is my absolute go to recipe and it is very consistently excellent. My favorite fruit scones combination is blueberry and apricot. For savory l love fig, blue cheese and walnut. Perfection!!