Scones
Grated cold butter is the secret.
Serves8
Makes8
Prep15 minutes
Cook20 minutes to 25 minutes
Because I don’t have a huge sweet tooth, scones are one of my favorite bakery items; they’re less sweet than fruit muffins or other breakfast pastries. I love their slightly crumbly texture, but oftentimes they’re dense or too dry. Ten years ago, I was introduced to a new technique of grating cold butter into the dry ingredients, and it yielded beautifully tender, fluffy, and buttery scones. I’ve stuck to this recipe ever since, varying the dried fruit that’s stirred in or sometimes cutting the shaped scones in half before baking to make mini scones.
These scones have never let me down. You make them in just one bowl, and there’s no need for a mixer, so whipping up a batch for an afternoon tea party is easy. Don’t forget the clotted cream and lemon curd!
Why You’ll Love It
- They’re tender and fluffy. No tough or dried scones here! They’re buttery, not-too-sweet, and have a crispy top from an extra sprinkling of sugar.
- It’s made mostly of pantry staples. Assuming you already have some baking staples, all you need is butter, cream, and currants or raisins to make these scones.
Key Ingredients in Scones
- Butter: Makes the scones delicious and keeps them from being dry. Start with cold butter so that it’s easy to grate.
- Cream: Measure out 1 cup cold heavy cream, then set aside 1 tablespoon for brushing on top of the scones.
- Currants or raisins: The classic scones have dried currants or raisins for sweetness and a little chew.
How to Make Scones
- Measure out the dry ingredients. Whisk flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder together. Stir in currants or raisins.
- Grate the butter. Grate cold butter on the large holes of a box grater right into the dry ingredients. (If you’re working in a hot kitchen, freeze the butter for 30 minutes first to get it even colder.) Toss together and separate any flakes of butter.
- Stir in the cream. Stir in the cream until a dough forms. Knead a few times in the bowl, and then on the countertop.
- Shape and bake. Shape the dough into a 1-inch-thick round, then cut into 8 wedges. Brush with a little cream and sprinkle more sugar on top. Freeze while the oven heats so they can firm up a bit, then bake until golden-brown.
Helpful Swaps
- Other dried fruit can be used in place of the currants, but chop them into bite-size pieces first. Don’t substitute fresh or frozen fruit, though, as those are better layered into scone dough so they don’t get too crushed (try these recipes for blueberry scones or strawberry-sour cream scones instead).
- Chocolate chips can also be used in place of dried fruit. I recommend semi-sweet chips for their balanced sweetness.
- Swap out the granulated sugar on top for a coarser sugar like turbinado or demerara. White sanding sugar could also be used for a more sparkly top.
How to Store and Freeze Scones
- The unbaked scones can be cut, topped with sugar, and frozen unbaked. Freeze on the baking sheet until solid, then store in a freezer bag. Bake directly from frozen for about the same amount of time.
- Baked scones can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Rewarm in a 350ºF oven until heated through, about 5 minutes.
What to Serve with Scones
Scones Recipe
Grated cold butter is the secret.
Prep time 15 minutes
Cook time 20 minutes to 25 minutes
Makes 8
Serves 8
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 2 cups
all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon
granulated sugar, divided
- 2 1/2 teaspoons
baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon
kosher salt
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick)
cold unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup
dried currants or raisins
- 1 cup
cold heavy cream
Instructions
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Place 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup of the granulated sugar, 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, and 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt in a large bowl and whisk to combine.
Grate 1 stick cold unsalted butter on the large holes of a box grater directly into the flour mixture. Toss with your hands to incorporate the butter into the flour, breaking up any large flakes of butter. Add 3/4 cup dried currants or raisins and toss again with your hands to combine, breaking up any pieces of fruit that are stuck together.
Measure out 1 cup cold heavy cream. Transfer 1 tablespoon to a small bowl. Drizzle the remaining cream over the flour mixture and stir with a flexible spatula until the cream is absorbed. Knead the dough in the bowl with your hands just until big clumps form and all the loose flour is incorporated (be careful not to overwork it). Gather into a ball and place on a work surface lightly dusted with flour. Knead a few times so the dough forms one cohesive mass.
Pat the dough into a 1-inch-thick round about 7 inches wide; use a bench scraper to shape the dough as needed. Cut into 8 wedges with a pizza cutter or chef’s knife. Transfer the wedges to the baking sheet, spacing them evenly apart. Brush a thin layer of the reserved 1 tablespoon heavy cream onto the scones. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon granulated sugar and gently press on it so it adheres.
Freeze while the oven heats, at least 15 minutes. (Alternatively, freeze the wedges on a plate and transfer them to the baking sheet for baking.) Meanwhile, arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 400°F.
Bake until light golden-brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack. Let cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.
Recipe Notes
Mini scones: After cutting the scones into 8 triangles, cut each in half again before baking to form 16 mini scones, which are perfect for tea parties.
Make ahead: The scones can be cut, topped with sugar, and frozen unbaked. Freeze on the baking sheet until solid, then store in a freezer bag. Bake directly from frozen for about the same amount of time.
Storage: Baked scones can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Rewarm in a 350ºF oven until heated through, about 5 minutes.