Ah, scones. Those elusive, yet simple, pastries. You don’t want them too dry, nor too dense, nor too chewy, but they must be a bit of each. Yet, if you make classic British scones at home, you’ll see how very un-intimidating they are. They’re also very quick; from gathering the ingredients to pulling them out of the oven, it should only take you about 30 minutes.
I was lucky enough to get this recipe from a good friend’s mother who is from Yorkshire. She was positively horrified at her Italian husband’s suggestion of cranberry scones with orange zest, as a traditional British scone is the pastry and the pastry only, so that is how I have written this recipe. However, if you happen to find yourself mixing blueberries into the batter, or sprinkling them with coarse sugar just before they go into the oven, I won’t rat you out.
Tips for Making Classic British Scones
I have made one American adaptation to this recipe. The British method of cutting scones requires a circular cutter. However, I find cutting them into wedges makes them easier to handle, and wastes no dough.
Unlike other baking, you this recipe can handle some imprecision. If the dough is really wet and sticky when you handle it, add more flour until you can knead it without it sticking to your hands. If it won’t come together fully, dribble in more milk until it comes together.
Serving Suggestions
Like bread, these scones are totally plain. Though they have that lovely, crumbly texture, they do well as a delivery vehicle for delicious fresh jam, honey, butter, or clotted cream. Personally, I combine fresh strawberry jam with fresh butter, but however you can eat toast, you can eat these scones.
Classic British Scones Recipe
Classic British Scones
Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- Flour sifter
- whisk
- Wooden spoon
- Food processor (optional)
- Pastry brush
- Large knife or pizza cutter
- baking sheet
- Rolling mat (optional)
- Baking mat (optional)
Ingredients
- 2 ½ c flour
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cream of tartar
- 3 oz butter cold
- 1 tbsp Tbs honey heaped
- ½ cup whole milk plus a bit more for brushing
- Fruit or flavor of choice optional
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 450℉. Grease and flour a baking sheet, or place a baking mat on it.
- With a flour sifter or fine mesh sieve, sift the flour, salt, baking soda and cream of tartar into a mixing bowl, then give them a whisk to make sure they’re fully incorporated.
- Cut the butter into small cubes. Rub the butter through your (very clean!) fingers into the flour until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
- If adding, put in your blueberries, chocolate chips, orange zest, etc.
- Make a well in the center of the mixing bowl, and pour in the honey and milk. Stir with a wooden spoon until the dough is just incorporated enough to handle (do not overmix).
- Turn out the dough onto a floured surface, and knead lightly until the cracks in the dough are gone and it comes together evenly.
- Shape into a ball, and then roll the dough out into a circle with a rolling pin. You’ll want it to be about 1/2” thick.
- Using a pizza cutter or large knife, cut the dough into wedges about the size you want (12 for smaller scones, 8 for larger scones).
- Transfer the wedges to the baking sheet. Using a pastry brush, brush a bit of milk or cream onto the top of each scone. Bake for 7-10 minutes, or until the scones have risen and browned (about 5 minutes in a convection oven).
- Eat them IMMEDIATELY with butter, jam, honey, or clotted cream. As the source of this recipe says, “There is nothing in the world more dreary than day-old scones.”
Nutrition
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