- Nut free
- Vegetarian
- Soy free
- Sesame free
- Peanut free
- Shellfish free
- Seafood free
Scones are super simple, made using pantry basics – and can be on the table in less than half an hour. The perfect morning or afternoon tea!
- Makes16
- Cook time15 minutes
- Prep time10 minutes
Ingredients
- 3 cups (450g) self-raising flour
- 2 tsp icing sugar mixture
- 50g butter, chilled, chopped
- 1 1/4 cups (310ml) milk
- Extra milk, to brush
- Raspberry jam, to serve
- Whipped cream, to serve
Nutritional information
Check ingredient labels to make sure they meet your specific dietary requirements and always consult a health professional before changing your diet. View dietary information here.
Percentage Daily Intake information on our recipes is calculated using the nutrition reference values for an average Australian adult.
Method
Step 1
Preheat oven to 220°C. Combine the flour and icing sugar in a large bowl. Add the butter and use your fingertips to rub butter into the flour mixture until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Make a well in the centre.Step 2
Add the milk to the flour mixture and use a round-bladed knife to stir in a cutting motion until a soft, sticky dough forms.Step 3
Turn onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead until the dough just comes together (don’t overwork the dough). Use your fingertips to gently pat the dough out to a 3cm-thick disc.Use a lightly floured 5cm round cutter to cut 16 discs from the dough, reshaping the dough if necessary.Step 4
Lightly dust a 20cm square cake pan with flour. Arrange the scones, side-by-side, in the prepared pan. Lightly brush tops with extra milk.Step 5
Bake on the top shelf of the oven for 12-14 mins or until the scones are golden and sound hollow when tapped. Turn the scones onto a clean tea towel. Serve warm or at room temperature with jam and cream.
Recipe tip
COOK. STORE. SAVE.
Smart swap: You can make cheese scones by adding 1 cup of shredded tasty cheese to the flour before adding the milk.
Basic scones recipe
Scones are believed to have originated in Scotland back in the 1500s, but their popularity has grown since then. Made using pantry basics, such as flour, butter and milk, they can be on the table in less than 30 minutes and are super simple to pull together.
The essential ingredients of scones
A scone recipe traditionally uses just three ingredients – self-raising flour, butter and milk. However, there are a few modern twists happening with scones recipes nowadays, with cooks adding in sweetness through icing sugar mixture (as in our version), or even lemonade. The butter should be chilled and cut into cubes before being rubbed into the flour with your fingertips, which helps to keep the right texture in the scones.
What to serve with scones
Scones are subtle in flavour and can be matched with many drinks. The traditional accompaniment is a pot of freshly brewed tea, but champagne also works well (especially if it’s for a special occasion). You can also try a refreshing homemade lemonade if you would like to keep it alcohol-free – add some raspberry flavour for a fun twist.
How to know if the scone dough is the right consistency
When learning how to make scones, it’s important not to overwork scone dough or your scones may end up being tough. We recommend using a flat knife with a rounded end to mix the milk into the flour and butter mixture, almost ‘cutting’ through the dough. This helps to combine the ingredients but still leave a rustic texture. Scone dough should be slightly sticky but cling together when you combine it with your hands.
Baking tips and tricks for scones
When cutting out scone shapes from the dough, it’s important to make a clean, downward cut and not twist the cutter as you are doing it, or the scone may not rise evenly. Scones cook quickly, and you can check if they are ready by tapping the top of a scone – if it sounds hollow, it’s cooked through. Position the scone mixture on the baking tray so they are just touching and baste the top with milk for a golden colour.
The perfect shape for scones
Traditionally scones are round-shaped with the help of a scone cutter. We recommend using a lightly floured 5cm round cutter, which will result in 16 scones. Adjust the size of the cutter to create larger, more indulgent scones, or smaller bite-sized versions.
Love this basic scone recipe?
Create the perfect accompaniment for this easy scone recipe and make your own jam to serve with the scones. Our 3-ingredient strawberry jam is perfect for a beginner and a great entrée into the world of jam-making. If you are loving making scones, you can take it a step further and make a damper, which is really just a large scone. Our olive damper is a super simple and delicious bread that uses the same method as scones and creates a great result. You could also try these mini herb and cheese dampers for a savoury snack.
FAQs
Basic scones
- Makes16
- Cook time15 minutes
- Prep time10 minutes
Ingredients
- 3 cups (450g) self-raising flour
- 2 tsp icing sugar mixture
- 50g butter, chilled, chopped
- 1 1/4 cups (310ml) milk
- Extra milk, to brush
- Raspberry jam, to serve
- Whipped cream, to serve
Description
Scones are super simple, made using pantry basics – and can be on the table in less than half an hour. The perfect morning or afternoon tea!
Method
Step 1
Preheat oven to 220°C. Combine the flour and icing sugar in a large bowl. Add the butter and use your fingertips to rub butter into the flour mixture until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Make a well in the centre.Step 2
Add the milk to the flour mixture and use a round-bladed knife to stir in a cutting motion until a soft, sticky dough forms.Step 3
Turn onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead until the dough just comes together (don’t overwork the dough). Use your fingertips to gently pat the dough out to a 3cm-thick disc.Use a lightly floured 5cm round cutter to cut 16 discs from the dough, reshaping the dough if necessary.Step 4
Lightly dust a 20cm square cake pan with flour. Arrange the scones, side-by-side, in the prepared pan. Lightly brush tops with extra milk.Step 5
Bake on the top shelf of the oven for 12-14 mins or until the scones are golden and sound hollow when tapped. Turn the scones onto a clean tea towel. Serve warm or at room temperature with jam and cream.