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 coolย 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!
Letโs bake together! Iโll 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 (250 g) all-purpose flour
- ยผ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ยผ teaspoon salt
- ยฝ cup (113 g) very cold unsalted butter I like to place my butter in the freezer 15 minutes before beginning to ensure it is cold
- ยฝ cup (120 ml) heavy cream
- ยผ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ยฝ 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.2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour, ยผ cup (50 g) granulated sugar, 2 teaspoon baking powder, ยผ teaspoon salt
- 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.ยฝ cup (113 g) very cold unsalted butter
- Combine the heavy cream and vanilla extract in a measuring cup and pour heavy cream over your flour mixture.ยฝ cup (120 ml) heavy cream, ยผ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 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.ยฝ cup your favorite add-ins
- 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.Additional heavy cream for brushing over scones, Additional sugar for sprinkling over scones
- 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
ยนFood 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.ยStoring
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 Sconesย
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 ยผ cup (160g) powdered sugar, 1 ยฝ Tablespoons (20ml) lemon juice, 1 ยฝ teaspoons of water, and ยผ teaspoon of vanilla extract. ย ยNutrition
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.
Krissy
An absolutely dreamy recipe! Thank you so much!
Is there a trick to some of the scones standing and some of the scones falling to the side?
Love, Krissy
Sugar Spun Run
Hello, Krissy! I am so glad that you enjoyed the scones but sorry that some fell to one side. What causes this is “twisting” the dough when you are cutting them. When you cut the dough you want to be sure to press straight down to prevent the scone from being lopsided when baked. I hope that this helps! ๐
Vanessa
I’m interested in making savory scones. How would you adjust this recipe? Would you simply just leave out the sugar and vanilla?
Sam
Hi Vanessa! I would leave out the vanilla and reduce the sugar or omit entirely. My sister makes a “cheddar bay” type scone where she leaves in some of the sugar from this recipe and they are so good, but it depends on the end flavor you are looking for ๐
Kathy
I do not have a processor, so made these by hand. You’re right, it was a bit difficult to come together. I grated my very cold butter, used half and half and managed to get the dough into a nice disc without too much working. I baked 17 minutes and probably should have baked one more minute. I let them cool on the sheet and they were wonderful! I added the scant 1/2 C dried fruit, currants and finely chopped Turkish apricots. My husband and I loved them, eating them all in 2 days–breakfast, after lunch, evening treat. Really good. Will make again!
Sugar Spun Run
Thank you so much, Kathy! I am glad that you and your husband enjoyed them! They never last long in my house either! Thanks for commenting. ๐
Angela
This recipe sounds wonderful and I am going to try it but I have a question.
Would it be possible to freeze them before baking?
Thank you!
Sam
Yes that would be fine! They will probably just need an extra minute or so in the oven when you go to bake them. I hope you love the scones, Angela! ๐
trish
Great recipe. Served them to my gal pals and they thought I bought them. Lol ( I never bake !).
Flaky, soft and delicious.
Sugar Spun Run
That is amazing, Trish! I am so glad that everyone enjoyed the scones. ๐
Michelle Foster
Easy and super quick! My families favorite add on to morning coffee!
Sugar Spun Run
A scone paired with a warm cup of coffee really is a perfect combo. I am so happy that you loved the scone recipe, Michelle! Thank you for your comment. I hope that you try more of my recipes. ๐
Gale
October 2019
Iโm gonna give these a try. They will be the first scones ive made or even tasted for that matter. So Iโll have nothing to compare them to.
I saw some at a bakery that were cranberry/orange, how would you recommend I incorporate these items into your recipe?
Thanks, Gale.
SW Florida
Doug
I made these scones, adding an egg . I also like walnuts and cranberries. I soaked the berries in hot water for 15 min to plump up. I used my food processor following the recipe and they were my BEST SCONE ever…Really good !!! Con rico
Sugar Spun Run
Thank you so much, Doug! I am so glad that you enjoyed the scones and I love the add-ins. ๐
patricia goulette
Omgosh. I’ve been baking for 55 years and these are the best scones I ever made. Thank you for a wonderful recepie
Sugar Spun Run
Thank you so much, Patricia! I am glad that you enjoyed the scones! ๐
Amy
hi! is there a reason why this recipe doesnโt have an egg?
Sugar Spun Run
Hello, Amy! I find that the recipe does not need one. Some recipes call for egg, but I find making it without an egg yields a scone with a lighter texture and softer crumb. I hope that you enjoy the scones. ๐
Tim Greenwood
I totally agree!
Douglas Duncan
I’ve been making scones for several years, and these were my BEST EVER !!! Even my wife who normally doesn’t care for em, loved them… Thanks
Douglas Duncan
PS. I added an egg, cranberries and walnuts.. yum
Sugar Spun Run
Thank you so much, Douglas! I am so happy that you enjoyed the scones. I am even happier that they were wife approved. ๐
UK Jo
I always thought scones would be so difficult!
This was a super easy recipe to follow, and didn’t take any whacky ingredients.
I had mine done, out the oven and the dishes done within 30 mins.
I did substitute the heavy cream for full fat milk as I couldn’t be bothered calling to local shop just for cream.
They came out really well.
Second batch I’ve done today have also had that sub but I’ve added in some sultanas that I had presoaked and drained in orange juice.
Many thanks for this recipe. I’m hoping to make a chai latte inspired one next
Sugar Spun Run
Thank you so much! I am so glad that enjoyed the scones. I can’t wait to hear what you bake next. Enjoy! ๐
Sheila Becker
Iโm anxious to make these scones. Can I use almond/coconut milk instead of heavy cream. The consistency is similar, Thanks.
Sugar Spun Run
Hello, Sheila! Unfortunately, I do not recommend it for this recipe. ๐
Kara
Omg love
Sugar Spun Run
Kara, I am so happy to hear that you love my scone recipe. Thanks so much! Enjoy! ๐
Janet
These are delicious. The first couple of times I followed the recipe to a t. Then next couple of times I had to add more cream. What did I do wrong.
Sugar Spun Run
Hello, Janet. My guess is that the flour may have been packed into the measuring cup. Often when scooping flour into the cup it naturally packs, resulting in more flour than needed. Next time, I recommend pouring the flour directly into the measuring cup. I am sorry that it hasn’t been consistent. Let me know the next time you make them if this solves the issue. ๐