Afternoon tea scones are a quintessential part of British culture. 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
As I was born in Scotland, scones were part of my life. I grew up with scones, and I LOVE scones! I want to start by saying, this is a proper recipe for British scones, if that’s what you’re looking for.
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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.
What are Scones?
Scones are a baked treat which is made from a dough (not a batter), lightly sweetened and served with butter, and/or jam and cream. Savory scones are also delightful when served with soup, such as cheese scones or parsnip scones. Afternoon tea scones originated in Scotland, but are now known the world over.
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, but are most usually round in shape in the UK.
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! Here’s how to make a perfect pot of British 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
Adapted from an old Scottish recipe Makes about 8 medium sized scones
FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW
NOTE: for best results I highly recommend using a scale for precise measurements
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.
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 with your hands to approximately 3/4″ in thickness. 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 the Afternoon Tea Scones
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. While 99% of the time, I put the jam first, 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! Also, Queen Elizabeth II says jam first, so who’s going to argue with the Queen!?
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, however, while I may be biased, scones were invented in Scotland, so I say our way is the correct pronunciation if there has to be one. The deciding factor may go to the Queen: she says “scone” as in “gone”! Yea!
Tea’s ready!
Milk only; never put cream in tea.
And we are ready to serve the afternoon tea scones.
Want to make it more than just tea and scones? Add some dainty finger sandwiches for a more filling afternoon tea.
For a full afternoon tea experience, add some small pastries such as strawberry tarts, and these passion fruit and lemon meringue tartlets, and maybe some individual desserts like these trifles.
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 the afternoon tea scones!
And here’s how to make a “proper” cup of British tea!
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Afternoon Tea Scones
This recipe produces a lovely, light scone, typical of those served at afternoon teas all across the UK.
Ingredients
- 2 cups (284 g) all-purpose (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. (If you are adding dried fruit or any additions, add it now.)
- Place dough onto a clean, well-floured surface. Form into a ball, then pat out 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.
Notes
Be sure to follow my tips for best results.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 213Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 29mgSodium: 157mgCarbohydrates: 23gFiber: 1gSugar: 20gProtein: 2g
Nutrition information is estimated.
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Christina- I made these scones today. Success. Thanks to your well thought out recipe. After many attempts and flops following various recipes, you raised the bar . What gives? Proof is in the taste, texture
(nice crust on the outside and soft moist inside), temperature. (others bake at 425 but 400 it is!)They are reminiscent of the scones we had in Devon UK , the moor land of scones and cream. I made clotted cream and used the remaining liquid for buttercream. It does rise more! And I appreciate you putting all your heart to sharing bonus tips. Lord bless you💕
Oh what a lovely review! Thank you so much for your kind words, Cha; I truly appreciate them! THANK YOU and so happy you enjoyed them! Happy baking!
Hi Christina,
You were not kidding in saying they are the best scones! These scones are truly the best. I lived in England and worked in fancy afternoon tea shops and hotels serving afternoon tea and these scones are better. Thanks for sharing the recipes.
How wonderful to hear this, Xena! I’m elated that you have compared them to proper scones in the UK and the pass the test for you! :) Thank you so much and I hope you find some other British recipes to enjoy! CC
Thank you for your detailed recipe. I made these today with the gram measurements and raisins and they turned out “perfect.” I followed the recipe as you wrote them, just cut them into smaller scones, and they still baked up in the same time. I am Canadian and enjoyed cream tea in Scotland recently, and was missing it. I had some fresh homemade Saskatoon jam (similar to blueberry, but better IMO) and was looking forward to fresh scones and whipped cream to enjoy it with! Will definitely make again!
Thanks so much for your comment, Karin! I’m so happy you liked the scones! I have never heard of Saskatoon jam, but will have to look out for it when I come to Canada! Thanks again and hope you enjoy them many more times! :) CC
Hi Christina,
I am so looking forward to trying this recipe out! I have a quick question for you about making ahead — I just want to make the dough one day ahead of time and bake fresh the next morning. Would this keep okay in the fridge rather than freezer? Would you recommend cutting the scones first, then refrigerating, or can the dough be refrigerated in a ball?
Thanks SO much!
Sam
Oh goodness, Samantha, I have no idea! I’ve never refrigerated the dough, so I don’t know what to tell you. My gut is to keep it in a ball and sealed to keep it from drying out and then let it come to room temperature before rolling. I honestly wouldn’t take a chance though, if it was me as they may not turn out as well. The dough is so quick to make, maybe reconsider making them either fresh or freezing the cut scones? Good luck!
I haven’t made them just yet, but they are on my ‘to bake’ list. I wanted to comment on your comment about a blogger “stealing” your idea of cutting the butter in the flour with 2 knifes. I have been doing that for ever, it wasn’t until I got to the US some 10 years ago that i learned of a pastry blender or rubbing the butter between your fingers.
That’s not what she copied, everyone does that and it’s not my idea whatsoever. However, I’ve never seen anyone have a recipe where they say to reserve a bit of the egg/milk to glaze the top. I started doing that after making the scones many times. It’s obvious to everyone that she used someone else’s recipe because she didn’t even know what a scone was, went to the UK, came back to the US and all of a sudden made scones out of the blue? Not right. She should give credit to wherever it was that she got the recipe.
Um, Mary Berry has included that bit about reserving some of the egg/milk mixture for glazing, in her recipes for decades. I first used a recipe with this method when I was about 12 ,and I am in my mid forties now. It was in the Scottish Milk Marketing Board recipe books from the 1970s , so she might not have copied you.
Okay, I didnt know that, so thank you, Ejay. Here’s the thing though, this American blogger had no clue what scones were until she went to the UK, so the chances that she has ever seen a Scottish Milk Marketing board cookbook from the 70s or a Mary Berry recipe is slim to none. Her recipe is a disaster anyway as so many of the comments say how they don’t turn out, so hopefully karma will do her in. She definitely copied SOMEONE. Thanks again, CC
Lovely recipe.
But I do have to say , my mother was brushing her scones with milk and egg in the sixties. I suppose you can own the part about ‘ reserve 1 tbsp’.
Or maybe I grew up thinking most people do this.
Keep well
I totally understand your perspective, but the person in question had no clue about scones, flew to England, flew home and all of a sudden had her own recipe for them without any credit to anyone or anything. Hmmm, must be an absolute genius to be able to accomplish that, don’t you agree?
Hi Christina,
I’m so happy I found your recipe. I just came back from my honeymoon in the UK and am terribly sad the US doesn’t do afternoon tea! I made the scones for my husband for his birthday and they tasted great. However, they seemed less fluffy than you’d. I used quality ingredients (organic), new baking powder, and measured the flour on a scale. I reread your post and thought maybe I put them too far apart on the baking sheet. Is there anything else I could have done wrong that would result in flatter scones? I’m wondering if my biscuit cutters weren’t sharp enough? I will definitely try again. They’re delicious!
Yay! That’s awesome, Elle. Maybe you worked the dough too much? If that was your first time, I think you’ll just get better with each time you make them. Let me know if that helps and yes, sharp cutters to make a difference, too! CC
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