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Baking · British

Classic Scones

Tall, light and on the table in about half an hour. Jam and cream on top are compulsory.

Hands-on
15 min
Hands-off
15 min
Total
30 min
Makes
8 scones (5 cm / 2 in)
Serves
8

About 30 minutes: 15 hands-on and 15 in the oven. The oven and tray heat up while you make the dough.

Oven 220 °C · 200 °C fan (425 °F)

  • easy
  • vegetarian
  • afternoon-tea
  • british-classic
  • quick
  • baking-basics
  • freezer-friendly

Verified against at least two trusted test kitchens or food-safety guides · Last checked · What this means

Illustration of Classic Scones
Amount
Units
Oven

Ingredients

You need: sieve · large mixing bowl · round-bladed table knife · 5 cm (2 in) plain round cutter (not fluted) · non-stick baking tray · pastry brush · wire rack · oven mitts

Contains: wheat · milk · egg

Method

  1. Heat the oven and the tray

    Heat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan, gas 7, 425°F). Once it's hot, slide in a non-stick baking tray to heat up too.

    Ready when: The oven is fully up to temperature and the tray has been heating inside it for a few minutes.

  2. Rub in the butter

    Sieve 350 g (3 cups) self-raising flour and 1 tsp baking powder into a large bowl. Rub in 90 g (6 1/2 tbsp) cold cubed butter with your fingertips, then stir in 40 g (3 tbsp) caster sugar and a pinch of salt.

  3. Add the milk

    Make a well in the middle, pour in 175 ml (3/4 cup) milk and stir with a round-bladed knife just until a soft dough forms. It looks quite wet at first; don't overmix.

    Otto tried this firstOtto kneads the dough like bread 'to make it strong'. Overworked scones come out tough. Mix only until it holds together.

  4. Shape and cut

    Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and press it out to 4 cm (1 1/2 in) thick. Dip the 5 cm (2 in) cutter in flour and cut out 4 scones. Gently press the scraps together and cut 4 more.

  5. Onto the hot tray and glaze

    With oven mitts, take out the hot tray. Turn each scone upside down onto it, close together for a taller rise and softer sides (or spaced apart for crisper sides). Lightly brush the tops with the beaten egg or 2 tbsp milk.

    Ready when: The tray is still hot when the scones go on, and the tops are lightly and evenly glazed.

  6. Bake

    Bake for about 15 minutes.

    Ready when: Risen and golden. Pull one away from the others: the side should look baked all the way through, not wet or doughy.

  7. Cool and serve

    Move the scones to a wire rack. Serve warm or cold with jam and clotted cream (in whichever order you like) or with butter.

Swaps

  • Instead of egg glaze: 2 tbsp milk Brush it on the tops only.
  • Instead of cold milk: the same 175 ml milk warmed for about 30 seconds in the microwave, with 1 tsp vanilla extract and a squeeze of lemon juice stirred in Only slightly warm, never hot.
  • Instead of jam and clotted cream: butter

Make ahead, store & reheat

Make ahead
Freeze the cut, unbaked scones in a freezer bag for up to a month. Bake them straight from frozen (no need to thaw) at 180°C (160°C fan, gas 4, 350°F) for about 25 minutes, until golden and baked through.
Storage
Best the day they're baked. Once completely cool, wrap leftovers or keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for a few days.
Reheat
Warm on a baking sheet, loosely covered with foil, in a 180°C (160°C fan, 350°F) oven for about 10 minutes.

If something goes wrong

  • Tough or crumbly scones Why: Dough overmixed or scones overbaked
    Mix by hand only until the dough comes together, handle it gently and take the scones out as soon as they pass the pull-apart test.
  • Scones rise unevenly or lean Why: Fluted cutter, or edges squashed while cutting
    Use a plain cutter dipped in flour and turn the scones upside down on the tray.
  • Doughy in the middle Why: Not baked long enough
    Give them a couple more minutes and check again with the pull-apart test.

Good to know

  • Chill the bowl, the cutter and the butter before you start for a better rise.
  • Short of time? Chill the cut scones on a tray in the fridge for 15 minutes while the oven heats; they come out fluffier.
  • Use only a light dusting of flour on the surface; too much makes the scones heavy.

Safety

  • Don't taste the raw dough: raw flour and raw egg can carry harmful bacteria such as E. coli and Salmonella. Wash hands, bowls and the counter with warm soapy water afterwards.
  • The baking tray goes into the oven empty and comes out very hot. An adult lifts it out with oven mitts and puts it on a heatproof surface; kids can place the scones once it's set down, keeping their fingers off the metal.
  • Trays and oven racks stay hot for a while after baking. Use oven mitts.