Description
A foundational recipe for making tall, flaky, and buttery scones from scratch, perfect for afternoon tea or breakfast.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup heavy cream, plus 1 tablespoon for brushing
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- Add the cold butter cubes to the flour mixture. Use a pastry blender or your fingertips to cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, 1/2 cup heavy cream, and vanilla extract.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix gently with a fork until just combined. Do not overmix; the dough will look shaggy.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Gently knead the dough 3 or 4 times until it just comes together. Pat the dough into a 3/4-inch thick circle or rectangle.
- Use a 2.5-inch round biscuit cutter (or knife for wedges) to cut out the scones. Place them on the prepared baking sheet, ensuring the edges touch slightly for taller rise.
- Brush the tops of the scones lightly with the remaining 1 tablespoon of heavy cream.
- Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and the centers are cooked through.
- Transfer the scones to a wire rack to cool slightly before serving.
Notes
- Keep all ingredients, especially the butter and cream, very cold for the flakiest texture.
- For taller scones, press the biscuit cutter straight down without twisting.
- If making variations, gently fold in 1/2 cup of additions (like blueberries or dried cranberries) just before adding the wet ingredients.
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 15 min
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: British
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 scone
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 6
- Sodium: 250
- Fat: 15
- Saturated Fat: 9
- Unsaturated Fat: 6
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 32
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 5
- Cholesterol: 60