Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 350 g all-purpose flour
- 15 g baking powder
- 40 g caster sugar
- 2 g fine sea salt
Fats and Liquids
- 85 g unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 190 ml buttermilk, cold
- 5 ml vanilla extract
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 267 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbohydrates
- 40 g
- Fat
- 9 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 6 g
- Sodium
- 333 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 6 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 24 mg
- Potassium
- 87 mg
- Calcium
- 147 mg
- Iron
- 0.7 mg
- Magnesium
- 13 mg
- Phosphorus
- 112 mg
- Zinc
- 0.4 mg
- Vitamin A
- 76 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 0 mg
- Vitamin E
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin K
- 1 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.0 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.06 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.06 mg
- Niacin
- 0.6 mg
- Folate
- 13 mcg
- Water
- 29 g
- Alcohol
- 0 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat the oven to 220°C/425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl, thoroughly combine the all-purpose flour, baking powder, caster sugar, and fine sea salt.
Add the cold, cubed butter to the dry ingredients. Rub the butter into the flour using your fingertips or a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs with some pea-sized pieces remaining.
Make a well in the center of the mixture. If using vanilla extract, stir it into 175ml of the cold buttermilk, then pour the liquid into the well. Use a fork to gently bring the dough together until it just begins to clump.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Gently pat it together into a disc about 3cm thick. Do not knead the dough.
Dip a 5cm round cutter in flour and press it straight down into the dough without twisting. Transfer the cut scones to the prepared baking sheet. Gently gather any scraps, pat them down once, and cut out the remaining scones.
Using a pastry brush, lightly glaze the tops of the scones with the remaining 15ml of buttermilk, taking care not to let it drip down the sides.
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes at 220°C/425°F until the scones are well-risen and deep golden brown on top. Transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool slightly before serving.
Chef's Notes
- Temperature control is the absolute secret to flaky scones. Cold butter creates steam pockets as it hits the hot oven, pushing the layers upwards.
- Baking powder loses its potency over time. If yours has been sitting in the pantry for over six months, test it in hot water to ensure it fizzes vigorously before using it here.
- Placing the cut scones closer together on the baking sheet so they are just touching will encourage them to rise straight up, supporting each other as they bake.
- Never twist the pastry cutter. Pushing straight down and pulling straight up leaves the edges unsealed, giving the steam a clear path to lift the dough.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container to prevent drying out.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze unbaked scones on a baking sheet, then transfer to a bag. Bake from frozen, adding 3-5 minutes to bake time.
Reheating: Warm in a 150°C/300°F oven for 5 to 8 minutes until heated through.
Troubleshooting
Scones did not rise and are dense
Cause: The dough was overworked, developing too much gluten, or the pastry cutter was twisted during stamping
Fix: Cannot be fixed once baked. Serve warm with extra clotted cream and jam to mask the density.
Prevention: Handle the dough as minimally as possible and press the cutter straight down and up
Scones spread outwards instead of rising upwards
Cause: The butter was too warm when incorporated, or the dough was too wet
Fix: Cannot be fixed once baked.
Prevention: Ensure butter and buttermilk are very cold. Chill the cut scones for 15 minutes before baking if your kitchen is warm.
Cultural Context
The scone is a cornerstone of the British afternoon tea tradition, believed to have originated in Scotland in the early 1500s. Originally baked as a large, round flatbread on a griddle, the modern oven-baked scone owes its signature airy, towering rise to the commercial introduction of baking powder in the mid-19th century.
