Scones

If you’ve never had a British scone, you’re missing out. Tall and fluffy, soft in the center and just slightly sweet, these staples of British tea time are more similar in texture to American-style biscuits than they are to an American scone.

The secret to a light and fluffy scone lies in how little the dough is handled. You don’t want to work the dough too much or apply too much pressure. A light touch, in combination with a few other specific techniques and tricks, will give you the best possible result. In my case, this resulted in scones that even Dame Prue Leith, a judge on popular Great British Bake Off, was impressed by.

Concerned? Don’t be. I’ll tell you everything you need to know to turn out scones that would impress Prue too.

How To Make Scones

INGREDIENTS

• Flour: All-purpose is best here. Some British or Irish scone recipes will call for self-rising (or self-raising flour), but this recipe has been created specifically to use all-purpose, so for best results, stick with that! To ensure the best possible texture, I highly recommend weighing your flour with a scale.
• Granulated Sugar: A little sugar (not too much!) gives the scones a subtle sweetness and helps them brown in the oven.
• Baking Powder: This is absolutely essential to achieve a light and fluffy scone.
• Kosher Salt: This recipe was tested with Diamond Crystal kosher salt. If you have Morton, I recommend using about half the amount called for (1/2 teaspoon).
• Butter: I recommend unsalted butter for all baking, since this allows you to completely control the seasoning in the recipe. For these scones, make sure your butter is cold when you rub it into the flour: If it’s too warm, it will melt instead of remaining in distinct tiny pieces and your scone won’t be as light and flakey.
• Eggs: You’ll need two large eggs: one for the scone dough and one for the egg wash.
• Milk: For the richest scones, I recommend whole milk—but if you only have 1 or 2 percent, that will work as well! If you want to be really decadent, half-and-half is also an option.

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

Before starting the scone dough, set the oven to 400°. It should preheat at least 15 minutes before the scones go in. Even if it says it's ready to go after 10 minutes, giving it that extra bit of time will ensure it's evenly and thoroughly heated and result in a better bake. To make the scone dough, start by whisking together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt until they’re evenly combined.

Then add the cold cubed butter, toss it until each piece is individually coated in the flour, and use your fingertips to rub it in until the butter becomes fine crumbs. I like to do this in two stages: First I squish the chunks of butter between my thumb and first two fingers until they’re flat shards, then I continue to rub those shards until they’ve broken down into finer crumbs. If at any point the butter starts to feel warm and sticky, stop and pop the bowl back in the refrigerator until it's cold again. If the butter starts to melt it will incorporate completely into the dough, and this will jeopardize the light and flakey texture of the scones.

Once the butter is in fine crumbs, use a separate bowl to whisk together one egg and the milk until they’re combined. Then make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the whisked egg-milk mixture.

This next part is one of the most important steps in the scone-making process. Once the wet ingredients go into the dry ingredients, it’s critical to NOT overwork the dough. A light touch is key. I recommend using a fork to gently toss the dry ingredients around the edges into the pool of wet ingredients in the middle. Continue to use the fork to combine everything just until a shaggy dough forms, then use your (clean!) hands to just bring everything together into a ball. At this point, the dough should still be very shaggy—and that’s okay.

Next, lightly flour a clean work surface and place the shaggy dough ball on it. Using your hands, gently pat the dough out into a 1"-high rectangle (because it’s so high, it won’t be very big). Fold the rectangle in half and use your hands to gently pat it out to a 1"-high rectangle again. Repeat this two more times, patting out into a 1" rectangle after the last fold. At this point the dough should be smooth on top, but you should still be able to see tiny flecks of butter in it if you look closely.

Now, it's time to cut the scones! This is another important point in the process; the specific technique you use here will also determine how well and how evenly your scones rise. Dip a 2 1/2" round biscuit cutter in flour and cut straight down into the dough without twisting the cutter. Any swiveling will disturb the scone’s clean cut sides, sealing them and preventing them from rising in the oven. (Incidentally, a knife or bench scraper will do the same thing, so even if you want to make square scones, avoid using these at all costs!) Once the cutter reaches the work surface, you can slightly wiggle it to free it from the rest of the dough if necessary.

Transfer the cut scone to a parchment-lined baking sheet. If you can, I recommend actually transporting the scone to the baking sheet still inside the cutter, and then releasing it on the baking sheet. The less you handle the scone after it comes out of the cutter, the better chance you’ll have of getting an even perfectly risen scone.

Continue to cut out scones, spacing them as close as possible together without actually letting the cutter graze any previously cut bits. You want clean cuts all around on each scone! After you’ve cut out as many scones as possible, gently push the scrapes together into a single mass, pinch the edges together, and cut more scones. Avoid handling the scraps too much; you want to maintain the layers you’ve created in the dough. While this second cut-out won’t look nearly as beautiful or perfect as the first round, but they’ll still be light and fluffy and just as delicious!

Before baking, carefully brush just the tops of the scones with lightly beaten egg. Make sure not to let the egg drip down the sides: the egg’s proteins will prevent the scone from properly rising where it dripped, and you’ll end up with lopsided scones.

Bake your scones, one sheet at a time, until they’re risen and beautifully golden-brown on top, about 15 minutes. I recommend serving them with jam or clotted cream, which is the traditional way—but if you wanted to add a bit of butter or whipped cream, I wouldn’t stop you!

Full list of ingredients and directions can be found in the recipe below.

Recipe Tips

• It might be tempting to dig into these scones the moment they come out of the oven, but resist! The scones will be at their best about 15 minutes after they’ve been baked. They need a few minutes to cool so their insides can set.
• While plain scones are popular in Great Britain, raisin scones are also very common. If you’d like to try the raisin variety, try mixing 1/2 cup raisins into your dry ingredients.

Scones Variations

• Cranberry Orange Scones: Get in the holiday spirit with this American-style scone, packed with orange zest and cranberries.
• Pumpkin Scones: Packed with warm fall spices and plenty of pumpkin, these American-style scones are perfect for a crisp autumn day.
• Fruit Scones: Choose your own adventure with these versatile scones, designed to accommodate whatever dried fruit you have handy.

Storage

Leftover scones, once they’re completely cooled, can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. They’re at their peak the day they’re made, though; if you have more than a few left over, I highly recommend freezing them in an airtight bag. They should keep for up to 1 month.