6 delicious homemade scone recipes
Six homemade scone recipes, from classic to strawberry, blueberry, lemon, chocolate chip, and cranberry orange, all mixed in one bowl and ready in 50 minutes.
Cold butter is the whole trick with scones. If it stays in little pea-sized pieces until the dough hits the oven, the steam pushes the layers apart and you get a tender, flaky crumb instead of a hockey puck.
Here are six versions of the same base dough. One is plain and buttery, and the other five fold in fruit, citrus, or chocolate. Every one mixes in a single bowl, bakes on one sheet, and takes about twenty minutes of actual work.
Pick one for the weekend, or make two batches and freeze half. The dough freezes better than the baked scones do.
About the Ingredients
3 cups (375g) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
All-purpose flour gives the right tenderness here. Bread flour makes them chewier, and a straight swap to whole wheat makes them dense, so use half whole wheat at most.
1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
This is for the sweet versions. For the classic and cranberry orange, cut it to 1/3 cup (67g) so the scones stay closer to savory.
1 tablespoon baking powder
Check the date on the can. Old baking powder is the number one reason scones come out flat, and it loses strength after about six months open.
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
Fine salt dissolves evenly. If you only have kosher or flaky salt, use a slightly heaped half teaspoon.
3/4 cup (170g) cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
Cold is not optional. Pull it from the fridge right before you cut it in, or freeze it for 15 minutes first.
1 cup (240ml) cold heavy cream, plus 2 tablespoons for brushing
Heavy cream makes richer scones than milk. Half-and-half works, but the crumb will be a little lighter and less tender.
1 large egg
The egg adds structure. If you skip it, add two extra tablespoons of cream so the dough still holds together.
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Optional for the savory-leaning versions. Skip it in the cranberry orange if you want the citrus to lead.
1 1/2 cups (about 200g) mix-ins, choose one: chopped strawberries, blueberries, lemon zest, chocolate chips, or dried cranberries plus 1 tablespoon orange zest
Toss berries in a spoonful of flour before folding them in so they stop sinking. Frozen berries work without thawing.
1 cup (120g) powdered sugar plus 1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice or orange juice, for the glaze
This glaze suits the lemon, strawberry, and cranberry orange versions. The classic and chocolate chip are good without it.
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Heat the oven
Set a rack in the middle and heat the oven to 400F (200C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cold dough going into a hot oven is what makes scones rise.
2. Whisk the dry mix
Whisk 3 cups flour, the sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl for 30 seconds. Breaking up any lumps now saves you from a bitter pocket of baking powder later.
3. Cut in the butter
Add the cold butter cubes and toss them in the flour. Rub the pieces between your fingertips or use a pastry blender until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with some pea-sized bits left. Stop there, since overworking makes tough scones.
4. Add the wet ingredients
Whisk 1 cup cream, the egg, and vanilla in a small bowl, then pour it over the flour mixture. Stir with a fork just until no dry flour shows. The dough will look shaggy, and that is correct.
5. Fold in your flavor
Turn the dough onto a floured counter and pat it into a rough rectangle. Scatter your chosen mix-in over the top, fold the dough in half, and pat it out again. Repeat once so the add-ins are spread through, not clumped in one spot.
6. Shape and cut
Pat the dough into a 1-inch thick round, about 8 inches across. Cut it into eight wedges with a sharp knife, pressing straight down rather than sawing. Transfer the wedges to the lined sheet, leaving 2 inches between them.
7. Brush and bake
Brush the tops with the remaining 2 tablespoons of cream. Bake 18 to 22 minutes, until the bottoms are golden brown and the tops are set. A scone in the center should feel firm, not squishy, when you press it.
8. Cool and glaze
Slide the parchment onto a rack and let the scones cool 10 minutes. Whisk the powdered sugar with 1 tablespoon of lemon or orange juice, adding the second tablespoon only if it is too thick to drizzle. Spoon it over the cooled scones.
Tips & Tricks
- Grate frozen butter on a box grater instead of cutting it in with a pastry blender. It takes thirty seconds and coats the flour more evenly than any tool.
- Pat the dough into a 1-inch thick round and cut it into eight wedges with a sharp knife. A dull knife drags and seals the edges, which stops the rise.
- Leave a two-inch gap between wedges on the pan. Scones spread as the butter melts, and crowded ones steam instead of browning.
- If the dough feels sticky, chill it for 15 minutes before shaping. Warm dough means warm butter, and warm butter means flat scones.
Delicious Variations
Strawberry or blueberry
Use 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen berries, tossed in a spoonful of flour first. Frozen berries go in unthawed and add about 2 minutes to the bake.
Lemon
Add the zest of 2 lemons to the dry ingredients and glaze with lemon juice. A tablespoon of poppy seeds in the dough is a good addition if you have them.
Cranberry orange
Use 1 cup dried cranberries and the zest of 1 orange, and cut the sugar to 1/3 cup. Dried fruit absorbs moisture, so add 2 extra tablespoons of cream.
How to Store 6 delicious homemade scone recipes
Refrigerator
Keep baked scones in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days, or in the fridge for 4 days. The fridge dries them out faster, so only refrigerate the glazed ones.
Freezer
Freeze unbaked wedges on a tray until solid, then bag them for up to 2 months. Bake from frozen at 400F (200C) for 22 to 25 minutes. Baked scones freeze for 1 month and reheat well.
Reheating
Warm a baked scone in a 300F (150C) oven for 6 to 8 minutes. Ten seconds in the microwave works but makes them rubbery, so the oven is worth the wait.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why are my scones dry and crumbly?
You probably added too much flour or worked the dough too long. Measure by spooning flour into the cup and leveling it, and stop mixing the moment the dough holds together.
Q: Can I make scones without heavy cream?
Yes, use whole milk or half-and-half in the same amount. The scones will be slightly less rich, so add 2 tablespoons of melted butter to the wet ingredients to make up for it.
Q: How do I know when scones are done?
The bottoms turn golden brown and the tops feel firm when you press the center. If the tops are browning before the middle sets, tent them with foil and give them 3 more minutes.
Q: Can I make the dough ahead of time?
Yes, shape and cut the wedges, then refrigerate them covered for up to 24 hours. Bake straight from the fridge and add 2 minutes to the time.
Q: Why did my scones spread instead of rising?
The butter got warm before baking, or the baking powder is old. Chill the dough for 15 minutes before it goes in, and replace baking powder that has been open more than six months.
Pick one flavor this weekend and make the base dough once. Once you know how the dough should feel, the other five versions take no thinking at all. Dinner's done. Go put your feet up.
6 Homemade Scone Recipes – Easy Weekend Baking
Six homemade scone recipes, from classic to strawberry, blueberry, lemon, chocolate chip, and cranberry orange, all mixed in one bowl and ready in 50 minutes.
🧂 Ingredients
- 3 cups (375g) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 3/4 cup (170g) cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
- 1 cup (240ml) cold heavy cream, plus 2 tablespoons for brushing
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups (about 200g) mix-ins, choose one: chopped strawberries, blueberries, lemon zest, chocolate chips, or dried cranberries plus 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 1 cup (120g) powdered sugar plus 1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice or orange juice, for the glaze
📋 Instructions
- 1Heat the oven — Set a rack in the middle and heat the oven to 400F (200C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cold dough going into a hot oven is what makes scones rise.
- 2Whisk the dry mix — Whisk 3 cups flour, the sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl for 30 seconds. Breaking up any lumps now saves you from a bitter pocket of baking powder later.
- 3Cut in the butter — Add the cold butter cubes and toss them in the flour. Rub the pieces between your fingertips or use a pastry blender until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with some pea-sized bits left. Stop there, since overworking makes tough scones.
- 4Add the wet ingredients — Whisk 1 cup cream, the egg, and vanilla in a small bowl, then pour it over the flour mixture. Stir with a fork just until no dry flour shows. The dough will look shaggy, and that is correct.
- 5Fold in your flavor — Turn the dough onto a floured counter and pat it into a rough rectangle. Scatter your chosen mix-in over the top, fold the dough in half, and pat it out again. Repeat once so the add-ins are spread through, not clumped in one spot.
- 6Shape and cut — Pat the dough into a 1-inch thick round, about 8 inches across. Cut it into eight wedges with a sharp knife, pressing straight down rather than sawing. Transfer the wedges to the lined sheet, leaving 2 inches between them.
- 7Brush and bake — Brush the tops with the remaining 2 tablespoons of cream. Bake 18 to 22 minutes, until the bottoms are golden brown and the tops are set. A scone in the center should feel firm, not squishy, when you press it.
- 8Cool and glaze — Slide the parchment onto a rack and let the scones cool 10 minutes. Whisk the powdered sugar with 1 tablespoon of lemon or orange juice, adding the second tablespoon only if it is too thick to drizzle. Spoon it over the cooled scones.
