Scones Recipe

Preheat and prepare

Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Place a rack in the center of the oven.

Combine dry ingredients

In a large mixing bowl whisk together 3 cups all-purpose flour, 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, and 1 teaspoon fine sea salt until evenly distributed.

Cut in the butter

Add 3/4 cup cold unsalted butter cut into small cubes to the dry ingredients. Using a pastry cutter, two forks, or your fingertips, work the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized butter pieces remaining. This creates flakiness in the scones.

Make the wet mix

In a separate small bowl or measuring cup whisk together 3/4 cup whole milk, 1/2 cup heavy cream, 1 large egg, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until smooth.

Form dough

Make a well in the center of the flour-butter mixture and pour in about two-thirds of the milk-cream-egg mixture. Stir gently with a wooden spoon or flexible spatula just until the dough starts to come together. If the dough seems too dry, add the remaining wet mixture a tablespoon at a time until it holds together but is still slightly shaggy. Do not overmix; overworking will make tough scones.

Chill briefly

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently pat it together into a disk about 1-inch (2.5 cm) thick. If the dough is warm or sticky, refrigerate the disk for 10 minutes to firm the butter before cutting.

Divide and add fruit

If making both plain and fruit scones, divide the chilled disk into two equal portions. For the fruit scones portion, gently flatten that half to a 1-inch thick disk, sprinkle 3/4 cup dried currants or raisins and 1 teaspoon orange zest evenly over the surface, then fold the dough over the fruit and press lightly to incorporate. Handle minimally to keep the scones tender.

Cut scones

Using a 2.5 to 3 inch round cutter (or a sharp knife for wedges), cut scones from both the plain and fruit dough disks. Press straight down—don’t twist—to help the scones rise evenly. Recombine scraps gently, pat to 1-inch thickness, and cut more scones. You should get about 8 to 10 scones total depending on size.

Arrange on sheet

Place the cut scones on the prepared baking sheet about 1 inch apart for slightly crisp sides or spaced farther for more even browning.

Brush and sugar

Brush the tops of the scones with 2 tablespoons heavy cream. If desired, sprinkle with 1 tablespoon coarse sugar for sparkle and crunch.

Bake

Bake in the preheated 425°F (220°C) oven for 12 to 16 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, until the scones are well risen and the tops are golden brown. Baking time varies with size; smaller scones may take 10–12 minutes, larger wedges 15–18 minutes.

Cool slightly

Remove the scones to a wire rack and let them cool for 5 to 10 minutes. They are best served warm.

Serve

Split scones horizontally and serve warm with Cornish clotted cream and strawberry jam. For the traditional method, spread a generous dollop of clotted cream first and top with jam (Cornwall style) or jam first then cream (Devon style), according to preference.