Thanks to a boost in popularity as a teatime treat—often attributed to Anna, England’s Duchess of Bedford, who had an affinity for serving the baked goods at her social gatherings—scones are now beloved in the United Kingdom and beyond. Scone dough is simple, so using high-quality ingredients will give you the best flavor and results.
Classic Scones
Ingredients
- 3 cups (375 grams) all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
- 4 teaspoons (20 grams) baking powder
- 1¼ teaspoons (4 grams) kosher salt
- ¾ cup (170 grams) cold unsalted butter, cubed
- â…” cup mix-ins (optional; see Note)
- 1 cup (240 grams) cold heavy whipping cream
- 1 tablespoon (13 grams) vanilla extract
- 1 large egg (50 grams)
- 1 tablespoon (15 grams) water
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Using a pastry blender or 2 forks, cut in cold butter until mixture is crumbly. Stir in mix-ins (if using). Add cold cream and vanilla, stirring with a fork just until mixture starts to come together. Using your hands, knead dough until combined.
- Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface, and roll into a rectangle about 1½ inches thick. Using a bench scraper or bowl scraper, cut dough in thirds; stack dough pieces on top of each other. Repeat rolling, cutting, and stacking procedure one more time. Pat or roll dough to a 1-inch thickness. Using a 2½-inch round cutter, cut dough, rerolling scraps to use all dough. Place 2 inches apart on prepared pan. Freeze until firm, about 15 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- In a small bowl, whisk together egg and 1 tablespoon (15 grams) water; brush onto scones.
- Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Let cool on pan for 5 minutes. Best served warm. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Notes
Note: Get creative with scone mix-ins. Mini chocolate chips, dried fruit, or chopped nuts make great additions to scones. You can even incorporate a tablespoon of citrus zest or a blend of herbs and a bit of hard or semihard cheese for a savory take. Just be sure that whatever you add is not too large, as big pieces can make it difficult to cut out your scones.
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