Light & Fluffy Scones - Julia's Cuisine (2024)

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Make these English style Light & Fluffy Scones for your next afternoon treat. Using minimal ingredients with easy prep and baking time! Great served with butter and jam or Homemade Lemon Curd.

Light & Fluffy Scones - Julia's Cuisine (1)

Scones are probably one of my favourite go to easy treats to make. And these are super easy to make and they don’t use a whole lot of ingredients. It will be stuff you already have on hand in your pantry. If you’ve been following the blog for a while, you probably would have seen my Lemon Curd Filled Scones or my delicious Cranberry Scones. And if you look around, you’ll find even more!

With that being said, let’s dive into this recipe for big fluffy scones.

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What are Traditional English Scones

They are the basic component of the British Afternoon Tea! Although, I’ve never attended a posh Afternoon Tea, I’ve had scones in the afternoon at my mother-in-laws house. And that’s posh enough.

Scones are an easy to put together baked treat. Made from just a few simple and basic baking ingredients. Traditionally they are served with clotted cream.

You can serve them with whipping cream, fruit, berries or butter and jam like shown here.

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What We Need to Make this Recipe for Big Fluffy Scones

Just a few basic and simple ingredients, that’s all we need. We’re using plain flour, butter, sugar, baking powder, salt, milk and a egg to glaze. That’s it friends. Easy!

  • 2 cup plain flour
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • 4 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 3 tbsp butter cold
  • ⅔ cup milk
  • 1 egg yolk plus 1 tbsp milk to glaze

BAKING TIP Get all your ingredients, baking equipment, spoons and whatever else necessary for the recipe before starting. This will always make the baking experience better!

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How To Make The Lightest Fluffiest Scones

  • Preheat the oven – 425 degrees F and have a large baking tray ready. Remember, be organized!
  • Combine dry ingredients – to a large mixing bowl and use a wire whisk to combine them well.

ALWAYS READ THE FULL RECIPE TO THE END BEFORE STARTING. THE FULL RECIPE WITH THE INGREDIENT LIST AND INSTRUCTIONS CAN BE FOUND AT THE END OF THE POST IN THE RECIPE CARD.

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Light & Fluffy Scones - Julia's Cuisine (6)
  • Cut in the cold butter – use your fingertips to incorporate it into the dry ingredients. It will have a coarse bread crumb like texture.

USE COLD BUTTER. Always use cold butter in scones. This help create air pockets as the butter melts as the scones bake. This helps create a lighter texture associated with scones.

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Light & Fluffy Scones - Julia's Cuisine (8)
  • Pour in milk – do this slow, stirring as you pour. You are looking for a sticky dough texture.
  • Place scone dough on a floured surface – add a little bit of flour to the top of the dough.

REMEMBER, This is a sticky dough. You want it to be sticky to ensure a scone that’s not dry.

Light & Fluffy Scones - Julia's Cuisine (9)
Light & Fluffy Scones - Julia's Cuisine (10)

Press or Roll The Dough

  • Press or roll the dough – into one inch thickness. Yes, you can do this with your hands OR you can use a rolling pin. Whatever works for you.
  • Cut into circles – Use a 2 inch circle cutter to cut out your scones. Make sure you lightly flour the cutter before cutting into the dough. If not, the cutter will stick to the dough.

TIP FOR FLOURING THE COOKIE CUTTER. Place a small amount of flour on a clean surface and dip the cookie cutter in the flour to coat. Repeat steps each time you cut a new scone.

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Light & Fluffy Scones - Julia's Cuisine (12)
  • Place unbaked scones on a baking tray – Place the scones on the baking tray evenly spaced apart.
  • Make the egg wash – Whisk together the egg yolk with 1 tbsp of milk and lightly brush the tops of the scones.
  • Bake for 12 – 15 minutes – The scones will be risen and golden when done. Remove from oven and leave on the tray to cool.

REMEMBER, All ovens are created differently. Get to know your oven when making new recipes. Adjust baking times according to your oven and keep notes for the future.

Light & Fluffy Scones - Julia's Cuisine (13)
Light & Fluffy Scones - Julia's Cuisine (14)

Big Fluffy Scones Fresh From the Oven

I gotta say, there isn’t anything much better than a fresh baked scone. I can easily eat more than one. They are small remember…ha!

Admittedly, these are best the day they are baked. You just can’t beat a fresh scone. I personally like them warm from the oven with butter and jam.

That being said, they will keep for a few days in an airtight container.

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How To serve These Big Fluffy Scones

If you’re planning to serve yours with jam, I highly recommend the Partridgeberry Jam from Ikea! If you happen to be near an Ikea that is. It’s called Lingonberry Jam at Ikea though.

It’s honestly the best jam. You can read all about that jam in my post for Partridgeberry Crumble Squares. Which, by the way, are a must bake treat as well.

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Can these Traditional Scones be Prepared in Advance to Bake Later

Simple answer, NO. I’ll explain below why.

Okay, so you can combine all the dry ingredients but not the wet ingredients.

This recipe uses baking powder which activates as soon as it touches liquid. So, as soon as you put the dough together, you have to bake them.

HOWEVER, you can bake in advance and reheat before serving if you like them to be warm.

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Here’s a Few More Scone Recipes You’ll Love

  • Lemon Curd Filled Scones
  • Lemon Scones
  • Strawberry Cream Scones
  • Cranberry Scones
  • Pumpkin Scones
  • Fresh Apricot Scones
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Can I add Any Other Flavours To The Scones

  • Dates or raisins
  • Berries like blueberries, raspberries or strawberries
  • Lemon zest to make Lemon Scones
  • Make them savoury by adding grated cheese.

Like what you see today? Don’t forget you can follow on Facebook for daily inspiration or over on Instagram where I sometimes do daily cooking videos for fun! I’m also on Pinterest which is a great place that you can save and share your favourite recipes. As well, if you haven’t yet, Subscribe to the newsletter. You’ll be notified whenever there’s a new recipe! You can do that at the top of the page.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do I get my scones to rise light and fluffy?

Make sure the oven it at the correct temperature, don’t overwork the dough and use the correct amount of baking powder

Why are my scones dense?

Some common reasons for dense scones are not using enough baking powder, overworking the dough and not baking with the oven at the correct temperature.

Why are my scones hard on the outside?

Again, this is generally because you overworked the dough. Take care in working with scone dough so you don’t end up with tough scones.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Make these Light & Fluffy Scones for your next afternoon treat. Using minimal ingredients with easy prep and baking time! Great served with butter and jam.

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time15 minutes mins

Total Time30 minutes mins

Course: Breakfast, Brunch, Snack

Cuisine: British

Keyword: jam, scones

Servings: 10 scones

Calories: 147kcal

Author: Julia Pinney

Ingredients

  • 2 cup plain flour
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • 4 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 3 tbsp butter cold
  • cup milk
  • 1 egg yolk plus 1 tbsp milk to glaze

US CustomaryMetric

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 425F. Grease a large baking tray and set aside.

  • In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Whisk together.

  • Cut in the butter in cubes. Using your fingers, combine it into the flour mixture. It will be crumbly.

  • Slowly start pouring in the milk, mixing as you add it in. You just need the dough to come together and it will be quite sticky.

  • Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and lightly dust the top of the dough with flour.

  • Lightly knead the dough about 2 to 3 times. Gently press or roll the dough out to 1inch thick.

  • Using a floured 2 inch cookie cutter, cut the dough into 10 circles.

  • Place the dough circles on your baking tray.

  • Whisk together the egg with milk and brush the tops of the scones.

  • Bake between 12 – 15 minutes or until puffed up and golden.

  • Remove from oven and allow to cool. Can be served straight away and will keep up to two days in an airtight container.

*A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are estimates only.

Nutrition Facts

Light & Fluffy Scones

Amount Per Serving (1 scone)

Calories 147Calories from Fat 45

% Daily Value*

Fat 5g8%

Saturated Fat 3g19%

Cholesterol 30mg10%

Sodium 324mg14%

Potassium 48mg1%

Carbohydrates 23g8%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 3g3%

Protein 3g6%

Vitamin A 157IU3%

Calcium 119mg12%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Thanks For Stopping by & Hope To See You Soon!

Light & Fluffy Scones - Julia's Cuisine (21)

Related

Light & Fluffy Scones - Julia's Cuisine (2024)

FAQs

Why are my scones not light and fluffy? ›

Overworking the dough: when you overwork your dough, your scones can come out tough and chewy, rather than that desired light, crumbly texture. The trick is to use light pressure and only the work the dough until it just comes together.

What is the secret to making good scones? ›

Top tricks I learnt from the experts for baking perfect scones:
  • Resist the twist.
  • Use frozen butter.
  • Don't overwork the dough.
  • Freeze the dough. ...
  • Create rise and shine.
  • Follow this recipe.
  • Reduce the juice.
  • Fresh is best.
May 10, 2024

Should you leave scones to rest? ›

The resting of the dough helps to relax the dough so everything remains tender, if you kneaded the dough and baked the scones immediately the insides would be great but the outsides would be tough and chewy.

Can you refrigerate scone dough overnight? ›

Make scone dough up to three days ahead. Shape into 3/4"-thick disks, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate until ready to cut and bake.

What not to do when making scones? ›

Just a reminder: Don't overwork the dough or the scones will turn out rubbery – or worse, bullety and hard. Cut out your scones cleanly. Twisting the cutter can impair the rise. If you use a fluted cutter, you can't twist it.

How to make scones rise higher? ›

How to make scones rise high? Once you've cut out your scone shapes, flip them over and place upside down on the baking tray. This will help them rise evenly and counteract any 'squashing' that happened when you cut out the dough. Perfect scones should rise to about 2 inches high.

What type of flour is best for scones? ›

1. Flour. Know what flour you should use! We recommend using all-purpose flour.

Is it better to make scones with butter or oil? ›

For example, if you substitute oil for butter or margarine, you can significantly reduce the amount of saturated fat in your baked goods. This streamlined recipe for Light Scones uses just 3 tablespoons of canola oil, which contains a fraction of the saturated fat found in butter or margarine.

What is the best temperature for baking scones? ›

Method. Pre-heat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas 7. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Stir in the sugar, add the butter and rub quickly into the flour, creating a fine breadcrumb consistency.

Why do you put eggs in scones? ›

You might need a teaspoon or two more cream as its consistency is thicker than milk. Large Egg - The egg helps bind the ingredients together and increases the richness and flavour. Unsalted butter - Has to be cold to create flaky layers within the scone.

How wet should scone dough be? ›

Ideally, scone dough should be wet and sticky. It means that you mixed the ingredients well enough to come together but not so much that you see a smooth outer layer. Such appearance means you worked it so much that the gluten network formed, and you are likely to end up with bread instead of scones.

How to tell when scones are done? ›

Instructions on baking MY FROZEN SCONE DOUGH
  1. Scones with fruit and wheat-free scones may take longer than others Increase baking times in 3 minute increments to test.
  2. Higher elevation will need less cooking time.
  3. To check if they are ready, press down on the top to check if firm to touch, they are READY.

Why do my scones spread out and not rise? ›

My scones have spread and lost their shape

The mixture may have been too wet or the baking tray might have been too heavily greased. Twisting the cutter when cutting the scones can also have this effect.

Why do you chill scone dough before baking? ›

"Once you've shaped your scones, chill them before baking," Youngman says. "You can use that time to preheat the oven so the kitchen doesn't heat up while you make the dough. The final chill relaxes the gluten which yields a tender texture.

Why are my scones pale? ›

My scones are very pale

To get a nice brown top to your scone, brush egg or milk on top of them. If you had done this, then the oven may have been too cool or the scones were baked on a shelf that was too low in the oven.

Why are my scones heavy and dense? ›

Over-kneading your dough will result in scones and biscuits that are tough, dense, or rubbery. The longer you knead the dough, the stronger the gluten network will be. We want just enough gluten for the scones to hold their shape, but not so much that we sacrifice the light and flaky texture.

Why are my scones always flat? ›

First, make sure you're using fresh baking powder, one that has been opened less than 6 months ago. Also, if you knead the dough too much, the scones won't rise as tall. Knead gently, and just enough to bring the dough together. Adding more flour also prevents the dough from rising as high, so only dust lightly.

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