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English Scones

Golden, tender English scones with a perfect balance between biscuit and cake. Made with simple pantry staples, these scones have a crisp exterior and soft, slightly crumbly interior that's ready to be topped with clotted cream and jam.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 27 minutes
Servings: 8 scones
Course: Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert
Cuisine: British
Calories: 245
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Main
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour plus extra for dusting
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter very cold and cut into small cubes
  • 2/3 cup heavy cream plus 1 tablespoon for brushing
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract optional

Equipment

  • Large mixing bowl
  • Pastry cutter or two knives
  • 2.5-inch round biscuit cutter or drinking glass
  • Baking sheet
  • Parchment paper or silicone baking mat
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Small bowl for egg wash
  • Pastry brush
  • Wire cooling rack

Method
 

  1. Preheat your oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in your large mixing bowl until everything is evenly distributed.
  3. Add the cold butter cubes to the flour mixture and use your pastry cutter (or two knives in a crisscross motion) to work the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining.
  4. Whisk together the heavy cream, egg, and vanilla extract in a small bowl until smooth.
  5. Pour the wet ingredients into the flour mixture and stir gently with a fork just until the dough starts to come together. Stop mixing when you still see a few dry streaks, then use your hands to gently press the dough into a cohesive ball.
  6. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently pat it into a circle about 3/4 inch thick.
  7. Use your biscuit cutter to stamp out scones, pressing straight down without twisting. Gather the scraps, gently press them together once, and cut out additional scones until you've used all the dough.
  8. Place the scones on your prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Brush the tops lightly with the remaining tablespoon of cream and bake for 12 to 14 minutes until the tops are golden brown and the scones have risen beautifully.
  9. Transfer the scones to a wire rack and let them cool for about 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

Freeze your butter for 15 minutes before cutting it into the flour. The colder your butter stays, the flakier your scones will be. Handle the dough as little as possible once the wet ingredients go in. Don't twist the biscuit cutter when cutting scones. Scones are best served warm with clotted cream and strawberry jam. Store cooled scones in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Scones freeze beautifully either baked or unbaked for up to 3 months.