Scones: Tips for Tall, Flaky, and Buttery Results

What Is Easy Fresh Georgia Peach Ice Cream?

I spent a few weekends testing scone batches, and the biggest lesson was simple: great scones do not happen by accident. They come from cold butter, a light hand, and a little patience before the pan hits the oven.

A scone is a baked pastry made with flour, baking powder, butter, milk, and sometimes eggs. Traditional English scones sit closer to American biscuits because they are less sweet and often served with butter or jam.

American scones are sweeter and more dessert like, with add ins such as chocolate chips, berries, or citrus. The texture should be crumbly at the edge but still tender inside.

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This base recipe gives you that tall, flaky, buttery result. The dough is not meant to be smooth like bread dough. You want visible butter pieces in the mixture. Those cold pieces turn to steam in a hot oven, and that steam pushes the dough into layers.

I like to think of this as a foundation recipe. Once you know it, you can switch the add ins and make it your own.

Key Ingredients and Substitutions

Every ingredient in this recipe has a job. The flour gives structure, the sugar adds sweetness and helps browning, the baking powder gives lift, and the butter creates richness and flakiness.

Plain Scones

• 2 1/4 cups (270g) all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup (99g) granulated sugar
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup (113g) cold unsalted butter, cubed
• 1/2 cup (118ml) buttermilk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 large egg

Buttermilk is my favorite liquid because it adds tang and tenderness. If you do not have buttermilk, you can use heavy whipping cream in the same amount. A slightly thinned sour cream also works. I do not recommend whole milk, almond milk, or other dairy products because the texture changes too much.

For a gluten free version, use a 1 to 1 gluten free flour blend such as King Arthur Gluten Free Measure for Measure Flour.

Add ins, optional, add a total of 1 to 1 1/2 cups

• 1 cup (170g) chocolate chips
• 1 cup (170g) white chocolate chips
• 1 cup (120g) fresh raspberries, broken into pieces and frozen
• 1 cup (150g) blueberries
• 1 cup (167g) strawberries, chopped

I often use mini chocolate chips because they spread evenly through the dough. For fruit scones, keep the total fruit to about 1 cup so the dough does not become too wet and spread in the oven.

How to Get the Perfect Texture

Texture is where most scones go wrong. If the butter melts before the dough hits the oven, you lose the layers. If you overwork the dough, it becomes tough.

These are the techniques I follow every time:

• Cold butter: Use butter straight from the fridge, and you can even cube it and freeze it for a few minutes first.
• Lamination: Fold the dough in half, press it lightly, turn it 90 degrees, and fold again. Repeat this 4 to 5 times to sandwich butter between thin layers of dough.
• Quick chill: Shape the dough into an 8 to 10 inch disc that is about 1.5 to 2 inches tall, then refrigerate for 5 to 10 minutes.
• Freeze before baking: After cutting, freeze the wedges for 30 minutes. Cold butter creates steam and helps the scones rise instead of spreading.
• Gentle mixing: Stir just until the dough comes together. A thick, sticky dough is okay.

Pro tip: If you are making raspberry scones, add an extra 3/4 cup flour. For blueberry or strawberry scones, add an extra 1/4 cup flour. This balances the moisture from the fruit.

I also break fresh raspberries into smaller pieces and freeze them, even for 30 minutes, so they do not bleed pink into the dough.

How to Make Easy Fresh Georgia Peach Ice Cream

Active prep is about 10 minutes. Then you chill, cut, freeze, and bake. The full process is simple once you have the rhythm.

1. If making raspberry scones, add an additional 3/4 cup flour (90 grams). If making blueberry or strawberry scones, add an additional 1/4 cup flour (30 grams). The fresh fruit adds a lot of moisture, so more flour is needed.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the cold, cubed butter and use your hands or a pastry cutter to cut in the butter until pea sized amounts remain.
3. Create a well in the center of the flour mixture. Add the buttermilk, vanilla extract, and egg. Use a spatula to gently combine until the dough is thick and sticky.
4. Gently stir in your mix in if using, such as 1 cup chocolate chips, 1 cup fresh raspberries broken into pieces and frozen, 1 cup blueberries, or 1 cup chopped strawberries.
5. On a silicone mat or kitchen counter, gently knead the dough until all the flour is incorporated. Add 1 to 2 additional tablespoons of flour if the dough is too sticky.
6. Laminate the dough to create flaky layers. Fold it in half, press it down slightly, turn it 90 degrees, and fold it in half again. Repeat this folding and turning process 4 to 5 times.
7. Shape the dough into an 8 to 10 inch disc that is about 1.5 to 2 inches tall. Refrigerate the disc for 5 to 10 minutes.
8. Use a knife or pizza cutter to cut the scones into 8 equal wedges.
9. Place the scones 2 to 3 inches apart on a baking sheet lined with a silicone mat or parchment paper.
10. Freeze the scones for 30 minutes. During the last 5 minutes, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
11. Brush the tops with egg wash, buttermilk, or heavy cream. An egg wash is 1 large egg plus 1 tablespoon water. Add coarse sanding sugar if desired.
12. Bake for 20 to 26 minutes or until the scones are lightly golden. Allow the scones to cool.

This is the base scone recipe I keep coming back to. It works plain, and it handles most add ins without falling apart.

Serving and Keeping the Ice Cream

Serve the scones warm or at room temperature. They are lovely with butter, jam, clotted cream, or a drizzle of glaze. For a quick breakfast, I set out a few wedges with fruit and coffee.

Storage is easy if you follow a few rules:

• Cool the scones completely, then store them in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 to 2 days.
• Do not refrigerate baked scones because the fridge can dry them out.
• To freeze baked scones, keep them in an airtight container for up to one month and thaw at room temperature.
• To make ahead, shape and cut the dough, refrigerate it overnight, and bake directly from the fridge the next day.
• To freeze unbaked scones, place them on a baking sheet until solid, then transfer them to a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Bake from frozen and add 2 to 3 extra minutes to the bake time.

For raspberry scones, remember to break the raspberries into smaller pieces and freeze them before mixing. That small step keeps the fruit intact and prevents the dough from turning pink.

Nutrition per scone from the source recipe: about 555 calories, 74g carbohydrates, 7g protein, and 27g fat. The exact numbers will shift a bit with different add ins.

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What Is Easy Fresh Georgia Peach Ice Cream? I spent a few weekends testing scone batches, and the biggest lesson was simple: great scones do not happen by accident.

• Total Time: 0 min
• Yield: 8 scones 1x

Ingredients

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Plain Scones
2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup granulated sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
½ cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
½ cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg

Add-Ins, optional, add a total of 1-1.5 cups
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup fresh raspberries, broken into pieces and frozen
1 cup blueberries
1 cup strawberries, chopped

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Instructions

1-If making raspberry scones add an additional: If making raspberry scones add an additional ¾ cup flour (90 grams). If making blueberry or strawberry scones add an additional ¼ cup flour (30 grams). The fresh fruit adds a lot of moisture so more flour is needed otherwise the dough will be very wet and not have enough structure when baking.
2-In a large mixing bowl combine the: In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add in the cold, cubed butter and use your hands or a pastry cutter to cut in the butter until pea sized amounts of butter remain.
3-Create a well in the center of: Create a well in the center of the flour mixture. Add the buttermilk, vanilla extract, and egg. Use a spatula to gently combine until the dough is thick and sticky. Gently stir in your mix-in if using – example 1 cup chocolate chips, 1 cup fresh raspberries (broken into pieces and frozen) 1 cup blueberries, OR 1 cup strawberries, chopped.
4-On a silicone mat or kitchen counter,: On a silicone mat or kitchen counter, gently knead the dough, until all the flour is incorporated. Add 1-2 additional tablespoons of flour if the dough is too sticky.
5-Lamination (folding the dough to create flaky: Lamination (folding the dough to create flaky layers!): Fold the dough in half, press it down slightly, then turn the dough 90 degrees and fold in half again. Repeat this folding and turning process 4-5 times.
6-Shape the dough into a 8-10 inch: Shape the dough into a 8-10 inch disc that is about 1.5 to 2 inches tall. Refrigerate the scone in a disc for 5-10 minutes.
7-Use a knife or pizza cutter to: Use a knife or pizza cutter to cut the scones into 8 equal wedges.
8-Place the scones 2-3 inches apart on: Place the scones 2-3 inches apart on a baking sheet that’s lined with a silicone mat or parchment paper.
9-Freeze the scones for 30 minutes: Freeze the scones for 30 minutes. The last 5 minutes, preheat the oven to 400º F.
10-Brush the tops of the scones with: Brush the tops of the scones with egg wash (1 large egg + 1 Tbsp water), buttermilk or heavy cream. Add coarse sanding sugar if desired.
11-Bake for 20-26 minutes or until the: Bake for 20-26 minutes or until the scones are lightly golden. Allow the scones to cool.

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• Prep Time: 10 min
• Cook Time: 35 min
• Method: bake

Nutrition

• Calories: 555
• Sugar: 43
• Sodium: 351
• Fat: 27
• Saturated Fat: 16
• Carbohydrates: 74
• Fiber: 3
• Protein: 7
• Cholesterol: 57