Look no further, you’ve found the best easy, foolproof recipe for tender, buttery, and perfect scones, ready in just 30 minutes! My recipe includes plenty of tips and tricks as well as a detailed video tutorial. Includes notes on how to add your favorite mix-ins like fruit, chocolate, or nuts, too!
A Simple, Classic Scones Recipe
This quick and easy scone recipe makes flavorful, beautifully textured scones without any fuss. It comes together in minutes in a food processor (easy clean-up!) and yields professional, tea-party worthy results every time. They taste terrific plain, but can also be dressed up with add-ins or a sprinkle of sugar or a smear of jam.
If you’ve been too intimidated to make this wedge shaped treat in the past, you won’t be after trying my scone recipe. You’ve got this!
Why you’ll love this recipe:
- No pastry cutter needed! Instead we’ll use a food processor, which does all of the heavy lifting without overworking the dough. Note: I do also provide instructions for how to make them with a pastry cutter or grater, if you don’t have a food processor.
- Completely customizable. Frozen fruit (or fresh fruit, it’s just a bit messier), chocolate chips, dried fruit, nuts, or citrus zest are all great options. I’ve used this recipe for lots of different flavor variations such as my lemon poppy seed scones, chocolate scones, raspberry scones, and more! You can also omit the sugar and make a savory version–yum!
- No eggs. This is no accidental omission. I found that using eggs makes for less flaky and less melt-in-your-mouth results.
- Flaky, tender layers, thanks to a little laminating. This process is easy, and it’s great practice for when you want to try making biscuits or puff pastry 😉
What You Need
One of the best things about my scones recipe is that it uses basic ingredients that you probably already have on hand.
- Butter. Keep your butter as cold as possible, as cold butter pieces distributed throughout the dough makes for tender, flaky, and buttery layers! I like to freeze my butter for at least 15-30 minutes (or longer) before I begin.
- Flour. Do NOT use self-rising flour or your scones will become much too tall and tip over. Stick with regular, all-purpose flour (“plain flour” in the UK).
- Heavy cream. This helps bind everything together, much like an egg would, but the results are much more melt-in-your-mouth. Make sure to keep this nice and cold too!
- Sugar. A small amount adds sweetness, but not so much that you can’t add a vanilla glaze or sweet add-ins. I also add a splash of vanilla extract. You can omit or reduce these if you are making savory scones.
- Add-ins. These scones are great plain, but if you’d like, you can add chocolate chips, nuts, frozen fruit (fresh can get messy), etc. Cheddar cheese is a great addition for a savory version! Note that making this recipe with add-ins, especially moist add-ins like fruit, will result in a slightly longer bake time.
SAM’S TIP: If you can get your hands on it, I recommend using a high quality European butter in this scone recipe. It has a higher fat content and makes for especially delectable, tender results.
How to Make Scones
- Pulse the dry ingredients together in your food processor.
- Add the butter pieces and pulse until incorporated; the butter pieces should be no larger than a chocolate chip at this point.
- Pour the cream and vanilla over the butter mixture.
- Pulse until your dough starts to clump together. You can test this by pinching some dough between your fingers–if it clings together, it’s ready!
It’s important to note that you should be pulsing the ingredients in brief spurts and not simply blending. Pulsing make sure everything gets evenly distributed. If you just blend everything, it won’t incorporate evenly and the batter will get too wet, too warm, and over-worked.
- Lamination: Turn your dough out onto a floured surface. Sprinkle any add-ins overtop, if using, and form it into a disc. Fold the dough over itself (add more add-ins here if desired), flatten, rotate 90 degrees, and repeat. Do this process about 5 times total.
- Form your dough into a disc that is about 1″ thick and 6″ wide. Avoid over-handling your dough and don’t warm it up too much, or your scones could become flat and dense. The disc doesn’t need to be super smooth.
- Cut the disc into wedges, pressing straight down with a sharp knife–do NOT saw! If you do, then your scones may tip over in the oven or have messy edges.
- Place the scones on your baking sheet, brush them with cream, and sprinkle with sugar. Bake until light golden brown and let cool slightly before enjoying.
SAM’S TIP: If your dough gets too warm during the lamination process, you can pop your scones in the freezer for 10-15 minutes before baking. It’s very important that your dough stays nice and cold!
Frequently Asked Questions
You can use a grater or a pastry cutter to cut the butter into the flour instead; however, your dough will be very dry and will require more effort to come together. I provide more detailed instructions for this in the recipe below.
Yes! To do this, prepare your dough as instructed, then wrap in cling wrap (or place in an airtight container) and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
If baking from the refrigerator, you can follow the recipe as written. If baking from frozen, the scones may need a few extra minutes in the oven. I always wait until just before baking before brushing them with cream and sprinkling with sugar.
Yes! To freeze baked scones, let them cool completely after baking. Once they’ve cooled, transfer them to an airtight container (I like to loosely wrap each scone in wax paper or parchment paper so they don’t stick together) and enjoy within 3 months.
This scones recipe is tasty enough to be served plain, but a little honey butter, strawberry sauce, or whipped cream on the side never hurts!
Enjoy!
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Scones
Ingredients
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (113 g) very cold unsalted butter I like to place my butter in the freezer 15 minutes before beginning to ensure it is cold
- ½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup add-ins optional: frozen berries, chocolate chips, nuts, etc.
- Additional heavy cream for brushing over scones optional
- Additional sugar for sprinkling over scones optional
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375F (190C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in the basin of a food processor and pulse to combine.2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour, ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar, 2 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt
- Cut butter into Tablespoon-sized pieces and scatter over flour mixture, pulse until butter is cut up into the flour mixture and butter pieces are no longer visible.½ cup (113 g) very cold unsalted butter
- Combine the cream and vanilla extract in a measuring cup and pour heavy cream over your flour mixture.½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream, ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pulse until dough begins to clump together.
- Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and (handling lightly, as you don’t want to over-work this dough) add any add-ins at this point, gently working them into the dough. Fold the dough in half over itself and use your hands to gently flatten layers together. Rotate the dough 90 degrees and fold in half again, repeating this step 5 times and taking care to not overwork the dough.½ cup add-ins
- Form the dough into a smooth disk about 1″ thick by 6″ round.
- Cut the disk into 8 wedges, pressing the knife straight down with each cut.
- Transfer wedges to prepared baking sheet and place about 2" apart. Brush lightly with cream and sprinkle with sugar.Additional heavy cream for brushing over scones, Additional sugar for sprinkling over scones
- Bake on 375F (190C) for 14-16 minutes or until edges are just beginning to turn golden brown. Don’t over-bake your scones or they will be dry and tough.
- Allow scones to cool on baking sheet before serving and enjoying.
Notes
¹Food Processor
If you don’t have a food processor you can make the scones by whisking together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut the butter into the dry ingredients with either a pastry cutter, box grater, or pair of knives. Whisk together heavy cream and vanilla and pour over and stir until well-combined. The dough will be very dry but will come together with some effort. If absolutely necessary you can add a bit more cream, a splash at a time.Storing
Scones are best enjoyed fresh, but you can store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. See the FAQ section in the post for instructions on freezing scones (before or after baking).How to Make Lemon Scones
Add 1 Tbsp of fresh lemon zest into the dough with the butter Once scones have cooled, dip in a simple glaze made of 1 ¼ cup (160g) powdered sugar, 1 ½ Tablespoons (20ml) lemon juice, 1 ½ teaspoons of water, and ¼ teaspoon of vanilla extract.Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
I originally published this recipe many years ago, but have just updated it as I thought it could use a new video and some updated tips and tutorial photos.
Jan
Best scone recipe! I followed the recipe exactly and they did not disappoint! The flavor is amazing!
Sam
Thank you so much, Jan! I am so glad you enjoyed the scones! 🙂
Sarah Stephenson
These were so delicious and easy! I added dried berries. Moist and fluffy!
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed the scones, Sarah! Thank you so much for commenting 🙂
Abena
This is a sweeter scone, but really good!! Highly recommend
Sam
Thank you so much! 🙂
Cindy
I needed to make a gluten free and dairy free version, so I substituted King Arthur Measure for Measure for the flour, Earth Balance vegan butter sticks for the butter, and coconut cream for the heavy cream. I froze and then grated the butter substitute before adding to the dry ingredients in my Ninja. It’s my first time trying to bake for both gluten free and dairy free and I thought it did very well.
Sam
I’m glad to hear that it still turned out well with the substitutions! Thank you for commenting, Cindy!! 🙂
Charis
Delicious! I added some lemon zest to the dough, and served with homemade lemon curd…perfection! They are best served immediately out of the oven, but were also good the day after baking. I made more than the recipe called for, so I cut them as narrow triangles which caused them to slightly twist & turn while baking – made for an interesting shape!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed the scones, Charis! I love the addition of lemon zest. 🙂
Lucy
This is by far the easiest scone recipe I’ve found. Just made them today and they are so flaky and delicious. I like that they are not too sweet as you find in most store bought scones. Thanks for the video too. It helps to see what the dough consistency should be.
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed the scones and the video, Lucy! 🙂
Shawn Abraham
I made these scones for my family and they loved them, I did substitute the heavy whipping cream with half & half and melted butter, it worked great. Thanks for the great scone recipe.
Sam
Thanks for letting me know how the substitution worked Shawn! I am so glad everyone enjoyed the scones. 🙂
Beth
Have you seen the reviews of your HB food processor that warn of mold accumulating where you cannot clean? I wanted to order but am reluctant. Could you please address this issue?
Sam
Hi Beth! I have not heard about this, but I also have not had any issues with any mold. It’s also not particularly difficult to clean. I’m looking at mine now and all I can imagine is that the space between the handle and the basin might be the trouble spot, but I have had no issue with it.
Stephannie
I love this recipe! It has become my go to for quick and delicious scones. Today my add-in was cooked cinnamon apples (completely chilled, almost frozen). Absolutely delicious!! In regards to concerns about the BHG food processor growing mold in places that cannot be reached, I have to say that I have never had this issue because I always run it through the dishwasher after use. I’ve been using this processor, every week, for at least 10 years. Works beautifully and have never had any problems.
Sam
I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed the scones, thank you so much for commenting (and for sharing your experience with the food processor)!
Matthew Butler
I’m a bit of a newbie at baking and opted to go with tradition and make by hand, mainly because I don’t have a food processor lol. I’ve been recreating a lot of my mums English recipes and as these are not too far removed from english scones and rock cakes I thought I’d try my hand. A couple of things that help me with the butter are breaking it down into small pieces when working into the dry ingredients, and not entirely working it in 100% so there’s a tiny amount to melt into the dough while baking, also try placing the cut scones in the freezer for about 10 mins to firm the butter back up a little. I really understood the importance of not overworking the dough with this recipe, you need a little air to combat density. I never paid attention to that before! These really are amazing and perfect proportions of ingredients, which I wouldn’t even attempt to customise other than adding frozen blueberries or peaches.
Sam
Thank you so much for the feedback, Matthew! I am so glad you enjoyed the scones! 🙂
Sharon
My English mum made the most delicious scones with currents and golden raisins! I stand beside her, copy what she does and wallah! Scones! I go home, make the same recipe and…produce rocks:(. I finially figured it out…very cold butter, flour and bowl. Work quickly so butter doesn’t melt and now I will use a food processor to hp. One day I will serve my mum scones as delicious as hers! Thank you!
Sam
You can do it! I know you can! 🙂
Joy
I made these while dogsitting for a friend, and was limited in my ingredients and tools. Worked beautifully, though!
I used a combination of sour cream, half-and-half, and butter in place of the heavy cream I didn’t have on hand. I think the magic happened, however, when I used a hand-crank egg beater in place of the food processor.
These turned out light, fluffy, and significantly less dense than other scones I had made, recipes that generally included egg. Never again!
Thanks!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed the scones, Joy! 🙂
Joanne miller
Wonderful recipe. Using food processor made this recipe perfect! Do not listen to the Nay Sayers regarding use of food processor. For some reason, I had to add more cream as I couldn’t get the dough to come together. Thank you for this recipe.
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed it, Joanne! 🙂
DIANE
I’ve made these twice now, once exactly as directed and once with a few modifications. Most professional baking sites will tell you not to use a food processor for scone dough, as it overworks the dough. I did find the texture to be a bit more dense than I prefer, more like a biscuit. But the flavor was my favorite of all the scone dough recipes I was testing.
I wanted to try making this dough by hand but felt there was too much flour in proportion to wet ingredients to come together easier. So I reduced the flour to 200 grams (just short of 1 3/4 cups) and almost doubled the cream. I also did not freeze the butter, just kept it cold in the fridge with the cream.
Once dry ingredients were in bowl ((I added zest of 1 lemon) I cut butter into 1/2 inch cubes and added it to dough, then mixed with fingers until butter was size of peas or bigger. Added wet ingredients, including drop of lemon oil, and combined just until it started to come together. Then onto a floured counter, patted into a disk (no multiple folding, I also felt that overworked the dough), cut into 8 pieces, placed on baking sheet with parchment, and froze them for 30 minutes (another professional tip for better rise). Then brushed them with mix of egg and cream, sprinkled with sparkling sugar, and baked at 375 for 20 minutes. Sheer perfection, and I’ve been testing scone dough all week. This will now be my go-to for experimenting with add-ons.
Joy
Can you substitute vegan butter in place of the dairy butter? Will it work the same?
Sam
Hi Joy! I have never used vegan butter so I am not sure how it will work. The butter is very important to this recipe so I would be concerned that it wouldn’t work. If you do try it, let me know how it goes. 🙂
Savannah
You absolutely can! You can also substitute the heavy cream with coconut cream mixed with an alternative milk if you are completely vegan. The scones turn out wonderful!
Frida
Hi, how can I substitute the heavy cream?
Sam
Hi Frida! Unfortunately I am not sure whether or not you could use milk. 🙁
Griffin Terras
I tried this recipe, and everyone loved it! The density was a bit much, but the overall flavor was great! We didn’t have heavy cream available, so we substituted it with warm milk and melted butter (using cold milk densitizes the butter). Thanks so much for this recipe!
Sam
I am so glad everyone enjoyed the scones, Griffin! 🙂
Savannah
Hi! Just wanted to say that you can replace heavy cream with 1/2 cup regular milk and 2 tbsp melted butter mixed in. Works exactly the same! Also coconut cream mixed with any alternative vegan milk works wonderfully as well! I’ve done both substitutions using this recipe and all the scones turned out great!
Cheryl
Since I do not purchase or cook with white sugar and white flour, I made these phones with spelt flour, Half & Half whole spelt and white spelt, and coconut sugar. I think I may have under bake them a bit at 14 minutes so next time I will try 15 but I did not want to over bake. Thank you for the recipe. It was scrumptious
Sam
I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed, Cheryl! Thank you for sharing your substitutions!