Afternoon tea scones are a quintessential part of British culture. Of course, with the upcoming royal wedding, tea and scones will be a requirement whilst watching! Learn how to make the best scones using my tried and tested scone recipe, and how to serve them with a lovely cup of proper British tea.
Originally published May 1, 2012
Unfortunately, I have a lot to say about scones.
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First of all, I grew up with scones, and I LOVE scones! (If you don’t want to hear what I have to say about scones, simply scroll to the bottom for the printable recipe. However, I will tell you, you’ll miss all of my tips.)
Scotland’s bakeries and tearooms have to be among the best in the world. The sweets and savory treats being created in these places, are often beyond description, so my standards are high. I’m also going back to the UK enough to keep getting the “real thing” which keeps my standards high!
The Afternoon Tea Experience
We were just in the UK last July, and were lucky enough to have so many wonderful scones! Afternoon tea scones can be served very casually.
My wonderful Aunt Rosa made us her homemade afternoon tea scones the day we left to go to Scotland. Then, we found the loveliest little tearoom called the Sweetapples Teashop, in Marshfield, England.
I was so excited to have tea and scones at Cafe Loco in Oxford, an Alice in Wonderland themed tea room in a 500 year old building!
While in London, I bought a scone from Harrod’s for only 65p (about $1) for my daughter, which she ate the next morning and it was still incredible the next day! Yes, I’m asking myself the same question you probably are: why did I only buy one?!
However, afternoon tea scones can also be served quite a bit more formally, as they do at Down Hall in Essex.
As you can see, good afternoon tea scones come in all shapes and sizes.
Traditionally, they are plain or have raisins, or currants. They must be light and well-risen to be considered really good scones.
Many times when my mother and I attempted to bake something British here in the US, it wouldn’t turn out the same. Of course, the flour is different, so are the milk and eggs and all the other ingredients, so it’s not surprising. However, we’ve always kept trying to replicate certain things we loved from when we lived in Scotland.
Scones are one of the bakery items we baked a lot. I must have tried a dozen or more different recipes until I created this one myself. Now, it’s the only scone recipe I use.
In my quest to find the best scone recipe, I learned many things which result in lighter, and more perfect scones.
How to Make the Best Scones
(Tips for Best Scones)
- (My) GOLDEN RULE OF COOKING-Use QUALITY ingredients!
- Use real butter, no substitutes
- Buttermilk helps the scones to rise more than plain milk (no buttermilk? use milk + lemon juice)
- Do not overwork the dough, or the scones won’t be light
- Use very sharp cutters to cut out the scones, this also helps them to rise
- Place them relatively close on the tray as they will rise more than if they are far apart
And no, American biscuits and scones are not the same thing. They look similar, but that’s all. They are made differently using different ingredients.
How to Freeze Scones
I love to make a double batch of these and bake half, then freeze the other half (unbaked.) It’s very easy if you place them on a well-floured tray and put them in the freezer, uncovered. Leave them for about two hours, until frozen, then remove them from the tray and place in a freezer bag, and return to the freezer.
This way you can bake one, two or as many as you want, whenever you want warm, freshly baked afternoon tea scones, with no mess to clean up!
You can also bake the scones and freeze them as soon as they have cooled completely. However, the first method is my favorite way to freeze them as you will end up always eating a freshly baked scone.
Afternoon tea scones are perfect for Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, birthdays (including having a tea party for children), and of course, afternoon tea!
In case you didn’t know, there are lots of different types of scones. I don’t mean currant scones, or orange cranberry scones. You could make girdle scones, or potato scones or soda scones, for example.
Printable recipe is at the bottom of the post.
Afternoon Tea Scones
Prep time: 15 mins Baking time: 16 min
Makes about 8 medium sized scones
NOTE: for best results I highly recommend using a scale for precise measurements
Ingredients
- 2 cups (284 g) good quality plain flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 2 tbsp sugar
- a pinch of salt
- 1/3 cup (70 g) salted butter (cold)
- one egg, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (118 ml) + 1 tbsp buttermilk
- (1/4 cup (40 g) raisins or currants, optional)
- cream and jam, to serve
Special equipment: sharp cutters like these or these
Make the Dough
Heat oven to 400ºF (205ºC)
In a bowl, place the dry ingredients. Mix lightly to combine.
In a measuring jug, put the buttermilk (including the 1 tbsp.) Beat the egg in a small bowl, then pour into the buttermilk and mix well.
Place the butter in the center of the dry ingredients and cut with a knife into about 16 pieces. Next, take another knife, pastry blender or your hands and cut/mix the butter into the flour until it resembles coarse crumbs.
Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the egg and buttermilk, *reserving one tablespoon of liquid in the jug.
* Edited Jan. 2018 – I found this step in another blogger’s scone recipe recently and was shocked. She took credit for this part of “her” recipe and gave no credit to me. I had made up this step after years of making these scones, and have NEVER seen this method anywhere else. She also says to use room temperature butter and knead the dough! UGH, she’s got a huge following and is misinforming so many people. 😢
Mix gently with a wooden spoon until a dough forms, just about 10 seconds. If you are adding dried fruit or any additions, add it now.
Roll and cut the dough.
Place dough onto a clean, well-floured surface. Gently, form into a ball, then pat out, or roll. Fold the dough over once, then roll or flatten to approximately 3/4″ in thickness. Do not knead the dough or it will make the scones tough.
With sharp cutters, cut out scones. Use whatever size you prefer; larger or smaller.
Prepare to Bake
Place on silicone baking mat or parchment lined baking tray. Gently knead scraps together and repeat until dough is finished, (make a “runt” with the remaining little bit of dough). Don’t worry about cracks and imperfections in your scones.
Using a pastry brush, brush the tops of the scones with the remaining egg/buttermilk mixture.
Bake the Scones
Place in middle of preheated oven for about 9 minutes, then turn tray and continue to bake for another 9 minutes or until the afternoon tea scones look golden brown on top.
Meanwhile, cleanup is super easy if you have one of these little pastry scrapers!
Remove from oven, and tray, then place in a towel lined basket, or cooling rack if you wish to serve them on a plate.
How to Serve Afternoon Tea Scones
There are several ways to serve scones, but the most traditional is with raspberry jam and clotted cream or Double Devon Cream; and since the latter two are hard to come by in the US, freshly whipped cream (no sugar added). Please do me a huge favor and do not ever serve these with any non-dairy whipped topping!
If using fresh whipping cream, whip until thick (an organic cream with no added ingredients will taste best).
Use homemade or good quality jam, such as this one from Scotland. Strawberry jam is perfectly acceptable, as is raspberry jam, or blackcurrant, etc.
Next, make a pot of tea.
Before I write this next step, I must say that England has one of the most heated debates regarding whether one should put jam first, then cream or vice versa, when eating a scone.
The Jam First or Cream First Debate.
If you want to read the arguments for and against each position, you are more than welcome. To me, it depends on the type of cream one is using. A thick clotted cream can easily go on first, but if you’re using whipped cream, then that just has to go on top of the jam, otherwise, there will be a big mess!
How to Pronounce the Word “Scone”. It depends!
There is another debate regarding scones, which is over the pronunciation of the actual word. Coming from Scotland, I pronounce “scone” as if it rhymes with “gone.” Parts of England also pronounce it this way, but then other parts say, “skown” (rhyming with own). The whole debate is actually quite interesting.
Tea’s ready!
Milk only; never put cream in tea.
And we are ready to serve the afternoon tea scones. Oh my, afternoon tea is just so civilized, and delicious!
If you’re being more formal, just take a little jam and cream (from your plate, never directly from the serving bowls) and put it on a part of a scone. Take a bite and repeat.
Enjoy!
And here’s how to make a “proper” cup of British tea!
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Afternoon Tea Scones
Ingredients
- 2 cups (284 g) flour (good quality plain flour)
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 2 tbsp sugar
- a pinch of salt
- 1/3 cup (70 g) salted butter (cold)
- one egg, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (118 ml) + 1 tbsp buttermilk
- (1/4 cup (40 g) raisins or currants, optional)
- Cream and jam to serve
Instructions
- Heat oven to 400ºF (205ºC)
- In a bowl, place the dry ingredients. Mix lightly to combine.
- In a measuring jug, put the buttermilk (including the 1 tbsp.) Beat the egg in a small bowl, then pour into the buttermilk. Stir to combine.
- Place the butter in the center of the dry ingredients and cut with a knife into about 16 pieces. Next, take another knife, or pastry blender and cut/mix the butter into the flour until resembles coarse crumbs, finishing off the pastry using your hands once the pieces have become quite small.
- Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the egg and buttermilk, (reserving one tablespoon of liquid in the jug).
- Mix gently with a wooden spoon until a dough forms, just about 10 seconds, then place dough onto a clean, well-floured surface. Form into a ball, then pat out, or roll to approximately 3/4″ in thickness. Do not knead the dough or it will make the scones tough. With sharp cutters, cut out scones and place on silicone baking mat or parchment lined baking tray. Gently knead scraps together and repeat until dough is finished, (make a “runt” with the remaining little bit of dough). Using a pastry brush, brush the tops of the scones with the remaining egg/buttermilk mixture.
- Place in middle of preheated oven for about 9 minutes, then turn tray 180º and continue to bake for another 9 minutes or until scones look golden brown on top.
- Remove from oven, and place in a towel lined basket, or on a cooling rack if you wish to serve them on a plate. Serve with butter, or real cream and jam.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving:Calories: 442 Total Fat: 13g Saturated Fat: 8g Trans Fat: 0g Unsaturated Fat: 4g Cholesterol: 64mg Sodium: 290mg Carbohydrates: 77g Fiber: 4g Sugar: 38g Protein: 7g
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Hi Christina, first of all, thank you for putting weights in for the ingredients. I’m often searching for something different to bake and get disappointed when ingredients are marked as cups.
I’m baking these scones this afternoon. Jennie in the UK.
Hi Jennie, if I had a choice, I would never have cups in baking recipes. They are so inaccurate for baking and then people leave me bad reviews when the recipe doesn’t turn out correctly. You’ll love these scones, I’m sure! Enjoy and thanks for your note! CC
Hi just going away to try these scones and just wondered if that was strong bread flour you use as you dont get king arthur here as i am in scotland and not sure of your measurements as its always grams i use any chance u tell me what it is in grams much appreciated they look so good thanks
Hi Karen, just use plain flour. I’ve changed the ounces to grams as that’s been something I’ve been meaning to do across the board on my recipes. Enjoy them! I’m envious that you will have them with delicious Scottish cream!! :) CC
Could I use milk kefir in place of butter milk?
I’ve never tried that, Alessa, but I’m guessing you could. Let me know if you give it a go. CC
I just made these and they turned out really nice, well maybe not as nice as the photo but they taste great. I added sultanas and these taste better than the ones I usually make from the Be-Ro book. Thanks for the recipe Christina.
Oh that’s good to hear, Margaret! Glad you liked them :)
I made these today, they were amazing. They will be a weekly addition in our home.
Woo hoo! Love to hear that, Julie! Thanks so much for letting me know. I truly appreciate you taking the time to do so! CC
Hi! Loved your recipe! Just what I was looking for. Question though, what’s your process of baking from the freezer? Do you let it thaw out first? Or give it a longer bake? Or let it warm up with the oven and then bake?
Thank you!
Great! Glad you liked them, Hillary. Actually, they almost take the same amount of time to bake from frozen, just a bit longer. You can also defrost them. They’re not fickle! :) Enjoy!
Hello Christina, came across this while looking for the hairy bikers who you probably know about. my old mum and hers always put a few glazed cherries in the scones. .have you tried cheddar and black pepper in your scones great with chutney yes weird lot us English I know. Cheers Christina I will return thanks again.
Yes, of course, I know the Hairy Bikers! I actually have never made savoury scones, but cheese scones are definitely on my baking list! Thanks, Micky! Enjoy my recipes!
My husband and I just returned from England, and I’ve been yearning for some authentic scones ever since our return home. I found your recipe and have made them twice already – everyone loves them! And I finally have a go-to authentic recipe. :) Thank you so much!
Fabulous to hear, Kate! So glad you brought home one of Britain’s best traditions and carrying it on in your home! Thank you for letting me know you love the scones :) CC
Hi. I found this via Pinterest and couldn’t have been happier. My daughter ( a scone lover) says this is the best one I’ve made. They’re light and rose beautifully. Did collapse a little when stored.
The one negative was that we commented on a baking powder taste to it. Could it just be the brand I’m using (We live in Bombay). Would it be ok to reduce to 1 tsp?
Oh dear, it should not taste of baking powder, so yes, maybe yours is much stronger. Reduce to 1 tsp and see if that’s better, Anita. Glad you liked them otherwise! :)
Absolutely perfect! Loved reading, the recipe, everything down to the pronunciation! I’ve been a”sc-gone” girl for 50 years! Jam first, then cream. I loved everything about the story and your recipe is divine. I’m ready to bake and for a couple of these beautiful scones with a large cuppa!
Oh thank you so much, Elizabeth! That’s so kind of you! I’m happy you enjoyed my long-winded post! ;) Enjoy the scones; I’d love to join you if I could! CC
Can you help with how I can tell if the scones are baked throughout? I know you said 18 minutes in total, but everyone’s oven is different. To be on the safe side, I always check by cutting one in half, in case they’re under baked and gummy.
Lastly, I only have plain 0% Greek yogurt and vinegar, but no fresh lemons to make buttermilk.
Thanks
Hi Ann, you’re correct about the oven situation being different for everyone. First of all, they should be a little golden brown on top. Second, one big trick I’ve learned is to use my nose! When you start to smell the scones (or cake or whatever you’re baking) then it’s getting close to being ready. Third, I’d check the bottom to see that they are brown also, however, after 18 minutes, if your scones are raw and gummy inside, I think you need to invest in a oven thermometer or get your oven checked as that’s simply a long time to have them be raw. And lastly, your method of cutting one open is most assuredly the best way (use the runt). :)
You don’t have any milk at all? I think the greek yogurt in place of the milk will change the consistency of the dough and ultimately the outcome of the scones. Maybe try to water down the yogurt and a dash of vinegar, but I can’t tell you how they’ll turn out this way. Good luck!
I feel like I’m blind but I don’t see where you have posted what temperature to set the oven, it just says “in a preheated oven”
Hi Shelley, no, you’re not blind! The temperature is listed on the recipe in the main part of the post, but somehow it didn’t get transferred to the printable recipe! So sorry. I’ve fixed it now. Enjoy the scones! Christina
Oh good! Thank you so much! I am looking forward to trying these.
You’ll love them, Shelley! Let me know how they turn out!
Thank you for this lovely recipe and post. Ever since my first cream tea on a visit to England 30 years ago, I have tried to replicate a perfect scone and clotted cream to match my memory. I remember that all of the dairy products were incredible, which is a big part of the deliciousness of cream tea: beautiful butter in the scone, a dash of high quality milk in the tea and luscious clotted cream on the scone. During my early experiments, it was hard to find really good butter or milk and impossible to find clotted cream. Thankfully these products are now more readily available in California AND I found YOUR recipe. Your scones are perfect and I love your suggestion to set aside a spoon of the egg/milk to glaze the scones, because it gave a lovely sheen to the finished scone. Every other scone has been too sweet or too rich or not light enough. These were perfect. I paired them with a perfect cup of tea, som Devon cream (care of Amazon) and homemade plum jam from my mum! Next I plan to make clotted cream at home from some local cream from grass fed cows because it’s so expensive by mail and often doesn’t arrive in fresh pristine condition. This recipe goes into the permanent file!!
Your comment has made my day, Christine! Love to be able to help others with recipes they long for (because I know exactly what that feels like)! So happy you found it and sounds like you’ve got the perfect accompaniments with your mum’s jam and Devon cream! Wish I could join you! Thank you so much, and hope you enjoy more of my recipes. CC
Hi Christina,
Thanks for sharing this recipe!! It is wonderful!
I love the subtle salty taste with pinch of salt added! They are soft, buttery and flaky as well.
*On a side note, I have also substituted 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour for low protein flour and added 1 tsp of vanilla essence.
Happy to hear it, Ee! They are lovely scones, enjoy!
Hello Christina, I have never commented on a recipe from a website before but I thought this recipe deserved a quick note of recognition. I’ve made your scones about a dozen times now, they are an absolute family favorite and my go-to when hosting a tea. I’m from the US and lived in Australia for a few years where their scones seem very similar to these and I couldn’t get enough of them. So when we moved back I went in search of a solid scone recipe and found yours. Thank you for posting this amazing recipe and with such detailed pictures.
Quick question, have you ever used almond milk for the buttermilk? Half of my family has a dairy allergy and I know they would love to try these delicious scones.
Oh you are so sweet, Michelle! Thank you so much for taking time to write this comment, I really appreciate it! So glad you and your family enjoy them.
To answer your question about the almond milk, I have not tried it because my daughter is allergic to tree nuts. Although she’s not allergic to almonds (they are not tree nuts) I’m afraid of contamination with other nuts, so we just avoid them. I would say give it a go one time. I think they would turn out as there is still the egg and baking powder to help them rise, but the buttermilk just helps them to rise even more. Let me know if you try and thanks again!! Happy scone making! CC
Just a little comment…. I have my Great Grandmother’s handwritten scone recipe (Scottish) dated 1909. She notes to reserve two tbsp of liquid to glaze the scones before baking. Another blogger didn’t plagiarize you. It was being done more than 99 years ago.
I didn’t mean to insinuate that I am the first person to EVER do this. I have never seen it in any scone recipe that I’ve personally seen and I’ve seen a lot. I can almost guarantee this woman did copy this from my site because it’s not just this that she’s copied. :(
Love your site !!! Want to pass along a tip I read concerning using cutters for biscuits. It said ” when cutting out your dough, just cut straight down & then up”. By NOT twisting the cutter in this process, it will make the biscuit rise higher. Apparently not sealing the cut edge. Have you heard of this? Would appreciate your comment. Thanks, Nancy
Yes! It’s true, Nancy and I guess I never thought to put that in, but I can edit my recipe to add this. The dough is easy enough to cut just going down, but I suppose if people don’t know they might twist in the process. Thanks for your comment! :)
My husband is from the UK and we met in the US when I discovered your website. It has been a blessing with all your recipes making it easy for me to make some of his favorites like Scottish eggs etc. We have recently moved to the UK and are currently buying a house up in Scotland near the Dundee area so I have referred to your recipes a lot. My mother-in-law is very jealous and tries to tell me you don’t know what you are talking about because you live in the US now despite telling her of your acknowledgements etc so I continue to cook using a lot of your recipes and tell her nope its not from “Christina” until afterwards when she says how delicious they are. Thank you so much for helping me to bring some Scottish cooking among my family again we ALL love your recipes and you make it so easy and fun to make!!!
Wendy, I can’t thank you enough for your note! You’ve made my day (and I’m in Como, so that’s saying something)! Love that you love my recipes despite your MIL 😂 Thank you!
I keep forgetting to tell you I made these for the wedding last month. I got up at the crack of dawn…literally. I even made clotted cream to go with them. They were a huge hit, I just wish my waistline would let me do that every week!
Me too!! So unfair, right? :(
Hi Christina
I chanced upon your blog and saw the amazing scones and thought I am going to try to bake these for the first time as I have buttermilk at home . Can I use self raising flour and omit the baking powder instead ? Thanks !!!
That should totally work, Carole! Let me know how it goes!
Hi Christina,
Thank you so much for this recipe! I have been trying to make these in the US for years, and have always ended up with hockey pucks! Yuck! But today I baked these and they were glorious! With much gratitude from a South African in the US. xx
Yippee! Love to get these messages, Janine! So happy to hear it because I know what it feels like to finally be able to make something you’ve always failed at. It’s almost always a bad recipe and not your fault when this happens. Hope you find more recipes to enjoy on my site. Thanks so much for the lovely review. :) CC
Hey! scones taste really good, I made them a couple of times. Though they didn’t look as good as yours still they were pretty good in taste. Thanks, for sharing the recipe!!
Fantastic, Martha! The taste is the more important thing; happy to share! You’re very welcome!
Christina, I made your recipe instead of my old one for the wedding. We liked the lightness inside. I will make them again, thanks!
Marvelous, Nancy! Thank you so much! I’m glad you enjoyed them and that they’ll be a recipe you’ll use in future! :)
Excellent scones – not too sweet , rose well , and were devoured before a photo could be taken -I didn’t have buttermilk , so used your trick of lemon in the milk. I also liked your glazing idea – thank you Christina ( not sure why it
wont let me rate it 5⭐️ Because it deserves it )
I’m sorry, Myrto, you’re not the first person to tell me that you couldn’t give a 5 star rating :( I’ll add 5 stars so that it will at least average out to 4.5.
SO glad you loved the scones! Thank you so much for your lovely review! :)
Hi Christina,
Can I make all the dough the night before and leave to bake in the am
Hi Kathy, I don’t know that I would do that. The better option would be to make them and freeze them, then brush them with the egg wash and bake them. I know that this method works well. Enjoy!
These scones/biscuits are delicious, aren’t they? I’m just as likely to spread them with honey or jam as top them with a chunk of sharp old cheddar and a piece of ham. And they freeze well and thaw quickly in the microwave if there are leftovers.
Actually, scones and biscuits are different. You probably wouldn’t want to have anything savory with these as there is sugar in them and they are meant to be eaten with either butter, or something a bit more sweet like jam and cream. :)
How on earth did I miss this recipe before? In comparing your recipe with my Nana’s, they are almost identical. My Nana – bless her heart – added a little extra sugar and butter to hers. Not much – just a little…
There is nothing better to me than a homemade scone ( oh, she also used currents) with Devon cream and homemade strawberry jam. Heaven!
Yes, these aren’t very sweet at all. That’s so lovely that your Nana’s recipe was so similar! I do like raisins, currants or sultanas in mine, but rarely add them!
That is certainly one double whammy bumper post on how to make scones like in the UK, Christina. Agree totally on your tips – especially the good quality ingredients and weighing them. It’s funny – they’re popular in some tearooms around Paris – but one of them had put so much bicarbonate of soda in them, that I went home with a kind of film on my teeth – almost as if I’d brushed my teeth with scones! I should point them in your direction here – as I only really make cheese scones. Love all the topping possibilities, too.
Thanks, Jill! Oh dear, that’s terrible when anything has too much baking soda in it! I still have to make your cheese scones!
The scones looks delicious! I wish we had something like afternoon tea in this country. It’s such a lovely tradition.
Agreed, but I just do it myself or go for afternoon tea once in a while. You can always find them in big cities, at least.
[…] If you would like to make the more well-known baked scones, here’s a great recipe. […]
Hi Christina, I have a recipe to make your own clotted cream and it is really good.
One pint of fresh heavy cream.
Pour the cream into a glass dish so that you have one inch of cream in your dish..Preheat oven to 180º put into oven and cook it for 10hrs till you see a golden colour on the top.Let it cool down 15-20 mins then scoop into a jar and store in the fridge.You can double amount to make more if you like.Its lovely and fresh,I will be making some to go with your scone recipe for mothers day😊
Hi all Im in the UK what is the substitute flour please
Sorry Sue, I missed your comment! Just use plain flour in the UK. CC
Hi Beverley, I’m just seeing this comment now! So sorry! Yes, clotted cream is actually very easy to make! I have been planning to share how to make it, but so many other recipes and travel posts to share, too!
I have a question, can I make the dough the day before I bake them? Would you roll out and cut or would you wait until you are ready to bake?
I have never left them for a day, but if you are going to try it I would advise putting the dough in the fridge, letting it come to room temp, then roll and cut. Let me know how it goes, CC
Just made these with sultanas in, delicious!
Oh thank you for the review, Kate! I was getting ready to leave for Auckland and missed this comment (I see by the date). I need to make some with sultanas, too! I miss them.
Hmmm. So delicious – I’ve made these a few times now and by far the best scone recipe by far!
Thank you so much, Helen! What a compliment! :) Happy new year!
Just found this on Pinterest and am going to make them right now! I’ll be back with results shortly. I can hardly wait…and I just bought fresh cream too! Ooh!
HI Cristina don,t know what I am doing wrong but cannot get them to rise like yours, do you think it is the BP? They are good tasting and light just don.t get the height Made them quite a few time but no luck.
Agnes
Hi Agnes, maybe you’re rolling them out too thin? Don’t overwork the dough, make sure you have fresh ingredients (especially the rising agent) and try making them double the thickness and let me know what happens. Good luck, wish I could help you in person!
I just had the same problem. The scones did not rise. How many should this recipe make?
As noted in the recipe, Chris, it makes about 8 medium sized scones. If you follow the directions exactly and use fresh baking powder and don’t over mix the dough, you shouldn’t have a problem. Without seeing what you’re doing, it’s hard to tell where you went awry :(
I did use fresh ingredients. I think I patted dough down too much and should have used a smaller cookie cutter. What size cutter do you use for these? They tasted good!!
I used a 2.5″ cutter. Yes, I bet you did pat them down too much and I can’t stress the not over mixing, enough. I sometimes use a 2″ cutter if I want to make more bite sized scones. Hope you give them another try, it’s really a great recipe :)
If choosing to use currants or other dried fruit, at which stage if the mixing do you add them?
Hi KC! Sorry, I’ll add this to the recipe. Once the flour goes in, you can add the fruit as you don’t want to over mix the dough. Enjoy!
Hi !! help … when i did this the bottoms where floury and hard .. what could i of done wrong?
I had to keep in longer about 2 mins because it wasnt rising or golden .. it started to rise and turn gold but the bottoms are not good
Hi Madelyne, I have absolutely no idea why the bottoms were floury and hard. Did you bake them near the lower part of the oven? If you follow the directions exactly as written, they should turn out perfectly.
I lived in the U.K. For a few years and fell in love with scones. Currently deployed we have a British nurse who is turning 40 years young tomorrow….I wanted to make her something special and sought out a scone recipe since my boyfriend sent me some clotted cream. Just made them and baked a test batch…and it was a hit…I had to let her try it out. Unfortunately we only had powdered eggs and buttermilk to work with but they still turned out pretty good! Can’t wait to get home and try it again with fresh eggs and buttermilk!
How lovely, Nicole!! I’m sure you made her day! Thanks for letting me know and THANK YOU even more for your service!!
I seem to be the only one having a problem making these. I’ve tried twice and they don’t rise. First of all what is the measurement for flour. Is it 2 cups which is 16 oz? I tried 10 oz – I cup of 8 oz plus 1/4 cup/2oz. That was too wet. So I had to add flour. I bought new baking powder in case that was the problem. Am I just not making them thick enough or big enough? They are tasty just not rising nicely.
So sorry you’re having a hard time, Anne. No, 2 cups of flour is definitely not 16 oz. You’re getting mixed up with weight and volume which is the source of the bad results: you’re not using the correct amount of flour. I put 2 cups of flour for US readers who only have cups as a measuring tool, and the 10 oz for those with scales. I HIGHLY, HIGHLY recommend using a scale for baking because you’ll never have these issues. It is very precise, and just so much better than using cups to measure. They are so inexpensive, too (http://amzn.to/2nFH3T2 -affiliate link).
If you don’t want to use a scale, then use TWO CUPS of flour, not 1 1/4, don’t over mix the dough, and you should have much better results. Again, I can’t recommend a scale enough. Let me know how the next ones turn out. It’s a solid recipe ;)
I made these for my daughter and grandughters for tea. We usually go to our favorite tea house, which my daughter and I did. My granddaughters were in school and we were scheduled to be away for a soccer game this weekend, when the game was postponed I decided to do tea for them. These scones were delicious! We had tea sandwiches, scones, lemon coconut bread and Earl Grey tea. They loved it! Thanks for sharing your recipe and great directions.
That’s lovely, Laura! What a great family treat and I’m so happy that I could help make it happen! I hope you’ll find more of my recipes to enjoy (lots more teatime treats)! Thanks so much for letting me know! :)
Can’t wait to try these. They don’t seem too sweet to eat on their own. Thanks for the fabulous step by step pictures.
No, they’re not very sweet at all, Luisa. Add jam for sweetness, or butter for yummy flavor! Enjoy and you are welcome! :)
Hi Christina! May I know for the flour – is it all-purpose-flour?
Yes!! Enjoy the scones, Fiqah!
OMG fantastic scones! Please explain how BOB got so lucky to marry you! Great Carbonara recipe too Christina!
Haha! I have no idea, Gary! ;)
[…] went through a lot of sweet scones recipes before deciding to stick with the basic. I used this recipe for the scones and this recipe for mock Devonshire cream. I went a little overboard with how many I made… I […]
[…] tea + scones for St. Andrew’s Day (November […]
Hi! Wondering when baking from frozen, how long shall I bake for?
Hi Robyn, they actually take about the same amount of time! Maybe a few extra minutes. SO easy! :)
Hello,
For the cream you just whip whipped cream?
That’s it? Any recommendation about it?
Txs
Sara
YES! In the UK, there is no such thing as Cool Whip, so real cream is whipped until it becomes stiff. Don’t keep whipping after it stands in peaks or you will end up with butter! :) If you like it sweeter, add a tiny bit of sugar before you start (less than a teaspoon), but if you want to stay authentic, no sugar. Enjoy, Sara!
Can’t thank you enough for this recipe. I was looking for a simple and yummy scone recipe and this is it. I found it a few months ago and I’ve made them several times. They are wonderful. I must admit the first couple of batches were somewhat of a minor disaster, as far as visual appeal went. They tasted great, but were a funny looking lot. I’ve since learned to make them the same way I make my regular buttermilk biscuits. Now, they look as good a they taste. Thanks again!
Thank you so much for coming back to let me know, Lynn! That means more than you know to me! Glad to hear they’re looking as lovely as they taste, too! Hope you check out some of my other recipes, too! Thanks again! CC
HI can the scones be made a day or two before?
Hi Sapna, they won’t taste as nice as they do the first day. What you can do is make them, cut them and then freeze them raw. The day you want to bake them, take them out, brush with the egg and then bake them as usual.
Hi Christina I love your beautiful site and the recipes you put up, My husband is German and Scottish so he enjoys the recipes I make from your sight. Unfortunately I was diagnosed with celiac several years ago so I am limited what I can make for myself. I use Bob’s Red Mill 1to1 baking flour. It works pretty well most of the time, Your afternoon tea biscuits look delicious, would you have any suggestions if I tried to make them Gluten Free? Believe me I know they won’t be the same as yours but maybe I could just get a little bit of an idea how good they are, Thank-you !!
Oh thank you so much, Lanie! I really appreciate your kind words, but I am so sorry that you are celiac now :( I have friends who are also on GF diets and I can only imagine how difficult it must be!
I’ve had good luck with Trader Joe’s GF baking mix, but have never tried the scones with it. I really don’t know much about what changes need to take place, but my friend Sheena (also from Scotland) has a GF site called Noshtastic. You might want to check it out. You can also search on my site under SPECIAL DIETS (drop down menu from RECIPES) I have an amazing pound cake recipe, have you tried it? It’s incredible! https://christinascucina.com/2016/03/the-best-gluten-free-lemon-or-orange-pound-cake-ever.html
I’ve made many scones, and look forward to these which seem much less “americanized”. It seems there is a recipe for every kind or variety of sweet or savory scones you could imagine! These will be perfect for home made jam and mock Devonshire cream I make and serve at my teas (and never cool whip). I skimmed through the comments, and hope I am not duplicating a comment. The first ingredient confused me. “2 cups (10 oz) flour” – do you mean 10 oz total, or 2 cups that are 10 oz each? Thank you for the clarifcation. I too love to bake half a batch and freeze the other half. They are so nice to find in the freezer for a last minute guest!
Hi Susan, 10 oz total. If you can use a scale, that’s what I’d recommend as using cups is just not nearly as precise (which equals roughly 2 cups). These are definitely a British scone and I think you’ll be very please with the results! Let me know how they turn out! Enjoy! CC
Dear Chistina,
Thank you so much for this recipe. I share your love for scones and sadly live in Germany, where they can not be found. So I decided to try out a recipe and yours is the first one I found on Pinterest. I am going to make my first batch of scones for Father’s Day, as my daddy absolutely adores them too.
Thanks again
Love from Germany
Thank you for the lovely message, Emily! Ironically, I am writing about Germany right now! I just went on a Rhine River cruise and am writing about my 3rd day.
Please let me know how the scones turn out for you-I’m sure your father will be so happy!
Thanks again! Christina
I just returned from second trip to Ireland and this round, fell in love with scones! I have no clue how I missed them first round but holy cow I was missing out. In Galway, there is a fabulous tiny tea house called Cupean Tae and is, hands down, my most favorite place on earth now. The cream and jam they provide is delectable. Since returning, my dear friend and I have been craving scones so I began scouring Pinterest for a recipe. Yours is the first I attempted and I followed it to a T. The scones came out beautifully and so heavenly. I spread a little homemade pomegranate jelly on the scone and felt all the stress leave my body. Thank you so much for this recipe!
What a lovely comment to receive, Alexis!! Thank you so much for sharing your experience in Ireland and letting me know you found my scone recipe! I’m sad you didn’t know about scones for so long, however, now you can make up for lost time! Enjoy! Christina
Hi Christina
Lurpak spreadable was on offer so bought to make your fab scones which previously have never failed. However this time – DISASTER-
Never even reached the oven, just a sloppy mess – everything else was the same as normal I think – has anyone else experienced this and should I stick to good old fashioned butter in the future?
Loving your recipes.
Oh dear, yes, stick to butter, Ian! Here is what you used: Blended Spread 78% (52% milk fat & 26% vegetable oil).
You’ll see my advice over and over again, don’t substitue sub-par ingredients (Lurpak spreadable is not butter) so this is one of the things that can happen, disappointing, I know, but I bet you’ll use butter from now on! :)
I sure will. I did google it first and a famous cook said it was ok but from now on its BUTTER. NO SCONES FOR MY TEA TONIGHT LOL.
Perhaps Lurpak should state not suitable for baking??
Your way or no way now!!???
I’ve seen comments and advice from famous cooks that are just WRONG. I don’t understand it. Sorry you have no scones, but yes, BUTTER IS ALWAYS BETTER! ;)
Gorgeous scones Christina! Light, delicious. Perfect accompaniment to afternoon tea! Must try these with the clotted cream.
Thanks, Allie! I hope you do try them! :)
I have been looking for a simple no fuss scone recipe for years! (since I came back from England actually, and that was in 2008!) And yours is just perfect, I live in Mexico now and finding certain “specialty” ingredients is quite difficult. Thank you so much for sharing!
You’re very welcome, Marissa! It took me years of trying different recipes to finally settle on this one, although I do love the girdle scones too (try that recipe when you don’t want to turn on the oven.)
Thank you for letting me know, I appreciate it!
can you please tell me what size round cutter you are using? thank you
Yes, for the larger ones I use a 2 3/4″ cutter and for smaller one, 2 1/4″.
If unexpected guests turned up at our door in the afternoon my Mother would rush to the kitchen and “bash up a few scones” (her words). They were always delicious, often with just good butter and home-made strawberry or raspberry jam. I don’t ever remember her serving cream with them, but I found out about that when I married a guy whose Grandmother lived in Devon. Total deliciousness! Now, one of my favourite breakfasts is cheese scones, with some Kerrygold butter and a little bit of good ham. And scone ALWAYS rhymes with gone!
Your story about your mother making scones when guests turned up made me think of the time I was in the midst of making scones when my guests rang the doorbell. I must have been in the process of adding the dry ingredients and it wasn’t until we took our first bites that I realized I’d forgotten to add the sugar! Oh dear, they tasted terrible, but my guests were so gracious anyway.
Oh yes, cream from Devon is heavenly!! I tried a (bad) cheese scone for the first time in Scotland, but were told they are usually really good. I’ll have to try making them myself. Yes, I cannot bring myself to say scone any other way!! :)
At last a recipe when my scones don’t need to be used as stones. Thank you.
Did you already make them, Ian? Glad you found a recipe you liked. It took me a long time before I found this one. :)
[…] Afternoon Tea Scones. Recipe can be found at Christina’s Cucina […]
These look lovely, and I will definitely make them today, Sunday! If I don’t have buttermilk on hand, I mix some sour cream into milk and use that. (good quality sour cream, with very few additives, if any).
My mother always adds grated lemon peel to her scones. We had some divine scones in a lovely tea room in Niagara-on-the-Lake many years ago, and that’s what they put in their scones, and she has done it ever since. Really adds a nice touch to the scones.
BTW, scones are also good for breakfast or Sunday brunch. :o)
Absolutely, Christel! The name is a bit of a misnomer, right? Lemon peel is a really nice touch, I agree. There are so many ways to make scones, and must say, I don’t think I’ve ever had a flavor I didn’t like. :) Enjoy!
I never have buttermilk on hand either, so I use 1tbsp white vinegar per cup of milk. Let it sit for about 5 minutes to thicken up/sour the milk.
That’s what I do, Jennifer, except I like to use lemon juice instead of vinegar. You’ll love the scones!
I used natural yogurt Christel instead of buttermilk as I always have it in the fridge and they were perfect.
Will try Jennifer’s idea though but would it work with semi skimmed milk. I’m new to baking!!!
Wow! Good to know, Ian! Yogurt mixed with milk would have a more liquid consistency, but since you already tried just with the yogurt, maybe it’s not necessary. Glad you enjoyed them!
Another lovely recipe Christina. It is the perfect day here for some scones for afternoon tea as it is very wet and miserable outside. Now to decide what scones to make.
Thank you so much, Clare! I wish you could send some of that miserable weather to LA! We are in the worst drought ever! :( CC
Since I live in the UK I can quite confidently state that these scones look like some of the best I have ever seen! I’ve always been able to make lovely scones though but since I am following a gluten free diet, I am still experimenting and haven’t yet managed to make them as good as I did previously!
Scone does rhyme with gone, IMO it DOES NOT rhyme with bone AND it’s definitely jam first!
What can I say, Vicky? A comment that compliments my scones and agrees with me in every way? Haha! Seriously, thank you so much, I appreciate it very much! CC
Oh my! Don’t these look heavenly!? I just devoured your tea ime tips and now I shall devour your special scones as I must get these (quickly) into my tummy.
Yay Leslie! Good for you! :)
[…] 3. AFTERNOON TEA SCONES […]
I love your Blog. hmm, I’ve been reading it for so long this morning, I’m not sure how I linked to it, Savory Simple I believe.. I’m going to make your apple crumble today, looks delish! Next will be the Afternoon Scones. my mom is a great believer in tea and bread, picked up from her Scottish friends that not one bit of talent or desire to bake. I used to give them homemade British or Italian foods that, if simple enough, would always enjoy! Thank you for your lovely ideas and recipes!
Thank you SO much for your lovely comments, Roberta! I am so happy you found my blog. Please come back and let me know how the Apple Crumble turns out; I’m afraid after you make it once, you’ll probably want to make it all the time! Enjoy the scones, and hope you visit often! :) CC
I’m making this right now, using powdered buttermilk. Smells great in the oven!
Wonderful! Let me know how they turn out as I’ve never tried using powdered buttermilk before! :) CC
I am just desperate to make these scones I remember all the good bakeries in Glasgow Scotland, It is funny they did not have any problems making all these goodies as they sold at the end of the day not any leftovers the next day. To get back to my problem it is bitter cold where I am in Canada so cannot get out for the buttermilk Is there anything else I could use I have sour cream but when I think about it don’t think that would work maybe have to wait until the weather clears up.
Hi there, yes, there is a substitution for the buttermilk! For one cup of buttermilk, stir in a tablespoon of lemon juice and let stand for a few minutes. Now, if you don’t have lemons, just use regular milk, they will turn out and still taste really good, but just won’t rise as high as they would with buttermilk. Good luck and hope it warms up soon! ;) CC
Hi
Thank you for sharing your tips and recipe. I have a question, I tried the recipe two times, but the result was not satisfactory. :(
The problem was they don’t rise as much as yours and they remained uncooked inside in some parts!
Also, my oven does not have 400 c , the highest is 250 c, and so I let them in for around 15 mins each turn.
(I am a rather good cook and I love your recipe, but just don’t know why this doesn’t work!! any idea?)
Hi Mary,
I’m so sorry you are not having good luck! The oven temps are in Fahrenheit (I just added the Celsius temps for you) so that could be the problem, especially if they are still raw inside; I don’t think they are rising because they’re not finished cooking. Also, if they’ve been in the oven for half an hour and they are still raw inside, there’s definitely a problem with the oven temperature.
Do you have an oven thermometer? I would invest in one (they’re very inexpensive) that way you know EXACTLY what temperature you are dealing with, because your oven calibration could be off too. I would set the oven to 200 degrees C, for example, then after having it come to temperature, check it against the thermometer, and see if it’s actually 200 degrees C.
Good luck and let me know what you find out! CC
Will do! Trying to figure out what to make this morning while my son is at PreSchool. Rainy day here in Minnesota! Keep up the good work! Helen, Minneapolis, MN
Shockingly, it’s just rained here in LA too! Did you see my Leek & Potato Soup post I just added this morning? Perfect for rainy days. Enjoy your day, Helen, whatever you decide to make :)
I also found you from the Downton Abbey page. I made your scone recipe today and they were really good! I am also from the UK (England) and have tried so many recipes since living here! Will definitely make your recipe again! Thank you!
Oh, thank you for telling me that! You made my day (especially since you’re an ex-pat!) Yes, it was unbelievable how many recipes I tried before getting fabulous results on this one. Try keeping some unbaked in the freezer; it’s such a nice treat to have freshly baked scones (and no fuss or mess) with a nice cup of tea, whenever you get the urge! Hope you follow my blog (I’m on FB and just started on Twitter too.) Thanks again!! CC
These look so good!! How do you cook the frozen ones? Do you let them thaw for a while first, or cook them straight out of the freezer? Thanks! :)
By the way, I found your page from the Downton Abbey Recipes pinterest page.
Hi Stephanie! Don’t you just love Downton!!? Regarding the frozen scones, no need to defrost them fully. I usually just leave them out for about 10 minutes or so while the oven is heating and they bake just fine. If you did defrost them completely, that wouldn’t be a problem either. Thanks so much for checking out my scone recipe and I hope you’ll sign up for email updates or keep up with me on FB or Twitter :)
Yes, Downton is wonderful!! Thanks for the tip about the frozen scones. I look forward to trying the recipe once I buy some buttermilk. LOL. And I’ll find you on fb! :)
Sounds great, Stephanie! You’ll have to let me know how your scones turn out, too! CC
I was finally able to make them (I kept running out of various ingredients). They were incredible!! I don’t have a circle cutter right now, so I cut them in the triangle shape, and that worked fine. These are so delicious! I took them to a brunch and they were a huge hit. Thanks so much! :o)
Wonderful! I’m so glad you liked them! The problem is that they get addictive! I pulled some out of the freezer and we had them for breakfast on Thanksgiving :) So delicious! Thanks for the note, Stephanie, I appreciate it. Btw, did you hear Downton Abbey is going to be filming a Season 4? :) CC
Good job cucina cugina!
Thanks, dear! Your photo keeps popping up in these posts! :)
Hi, I found you from the FB page for FBLA. I wasn’t at the last meeting, but hope to meet you soon. Lovely post and pics! I make small scones and keep them in the freezer, also, for quick breakfast treats. I also love all things Italian and I’m having fun getting to know your wonderful blog. Brava!
Hi Cathy! Grazie!! I really appreciate your comments and I look forward to meeting you at the next FBLA event too! Hope you continue to enjoy my posts! CC :)
Thanks, Hannah! Enjoy! CC
Wow! Looks great, can’t wait to try this!