Classic Scones

Name: Scones
Cook time: 11 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 8 to 10 scones
Cuisine: british
Ingredients: 2 cups cake flour, more as needed; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 2 teaspoons baking powder; 3 tablespoons sugar; 5 tablespoons cold butter, cut into pieces; 1 egg; 1/2 to 3/4 cup heavy cream, more for brushing

By Mark Bittman

Updated Sept. 22, 2022

Classic Scones — Evan Sung for The New York Times

Total Time: 20 minutes
Rating: 5(2,928)
Comments: Read comments

Traditional English scones are barely sweet — they are usually eaten with sweet jam and clotted cream — and they are lighter, flakier and tastier than their American counterparts. You can make the dough in the food processor (do not overprocess), but if you’re willing to incorporate the butter by hand it is of course fine to do it in a bowl. You’re looking for a slightly sticky but not messy dough; start with a half cup of cream and increase it as needed. Serve the baked scones warm, with the best jam you can lay your hands on, and a dollop of crème fraîche, mascarpone or, if you can find it, clotted cream.

Featured in: A Very Proper Scone

or to save this recipe.
Subscriber benefit: give recipes to anyone
As a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.
Subscribe
Share
Print Options
Include recipe photo

Ingredients

Yield:8 to 10 scones

2cups cake flour, more as needed
½teaspoon salt
2teaspoons baking powder
3tablespoons sugar
5tablespoons cold butter, cut into pieces
1egg
½ to ¾cup heavy cream, more for brushing

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Opt out or contact us anytime. See our Privacy Policy.

Preparation

Make the recipe with us

Step 1
Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Put the flour, salt, baking powder and 2 tablespoons of the sugar in a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles cornmeal.
Step 2
Add the egg and just enough cream to form a slightly sticky dough. If it’s too sticky, add a little flour, but very little; it should still stick a little to your hands.
Step 3
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead once or twice, then press it into a ¾-inch-thick circle and cut into 2-inch rounds with a biscuit cutter or glass. Put the rounds on an ungreased baking sheet. Gently reshape the leftover dough and cut again. Brush the top of each scone with a bit of cream and sprinkle with a little of the remaining sugar.
Step 4
Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, or until the scones are a beautiful golden brown. Serve immediately.

Ratings

5 out of 5

2,928 user ratings

Have you cooked this?

Private Notes

Leave a Private Comment on this recipe and see it here.

Comments

Huma7 years ago

These are the best simple scones I've ever made.
In a pinch, if you don't have cake flour, you can substitute with a mixture of corn starch and regular flour:
Combine 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour with 1/4 cup cornstarch.

laura7 years ago

Can I make these the night before, put them in the fridge, and then bake them in the morning?

Teddy297 years ago

A monkey could cook these scones. I'm not a fan of the gargantuan, crumbly-dry US version, but this recipe made light, buttery scones. I halved the recipe with no problems & cooked at 425 for 10 minutes, convection setting - on parchment paper as others suggested. Perfect results.

Shelina6 days ago

These turned out really well!

Katie1 week ago

does this recipe require salted or unsalted butter?

Pete6 days ago

I use unsalted when baking. Since this recipe has salt as an ingredient, I would assume that the butter is unsalted.

Carlita2 weeks ago

Basically a sweet biscuit. Delicious, but didn't meet my (high) expectations.

Private comments are only visible to you.