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This easy English Scones Recipe is perfect for entertaining guests! A traditional tasty English teatime treat that’s so easy to make at home.
Today’s recipe has a special place in my heart! These easy British Scones remind me of one my favorite vacation destinations: London. My husband and I love everything British: the accent, the weather, and especially the food. Yes, I’m serious, I love British food.
London is a great city for foodies. Even if you’re a student and don’t have much money (like we did on our first trip, where we stayed in a hotel room without windows to save money) you can experience Michelin starred cuisine (choose the lunch menu), eat the finest sandwiches from Harrods (go there just before they close), and taste traditional Afternoon Tea (get the cream tea instead of the whole Afternoon Tea).
Scones with clotted cream and jam are definitely one of my favorite treats and they’re so easy to make at home!
These scones are so simple to make! I like to make the whole recipe and freeze most of them. Then when I want one I defrost it, most times I use my toaster oven or just let them sit on the counter for a few hours, and they taste like fresh out of the oven!
Like my Easy Lemon Raspberry Cake or my Banana Muffins with Cinnamon Streusel, British-style scones are a great addition to a brunch or special-occasion breakfast like Mother’s day, Easter or Christmas. (Have a look at my Breakfast & Brunch category for more brunch inspirations!)
What is the difference between American Scones and English Scones?
British scones are different from American scones! British ones have less butter and sugar in them because you slather clotted cream (which is kind of a butter) and sweet jam on them when you eat them. They are flaky, fluffy, and so delicious!
English scones contain more leavening agent than you would normally use for this amount of flour but you want them to rise high in a short time. And you don’t really add add-ins into the dough like in the US version. British scones are preferred plain, sometimes a few raisins are added but that’s very rare.
Clotted Cream is really hard to find outside the UK. You can find it on Amazon or make your own (here is a great tutorial from Cupcake Project). But be prepared that it’s expensive to buy real clotted cream outside the UK, but you should definitely try it.
If you can’t find clotted cream you can use butter, whipped cream, or mascarpone which is a great alternative I often use and available at most big grocery stores in the deli section.
This English Scones Recipe is really easy and fast to make, using ingredients you probably have at home anyway. Scones are traditionally served in the afternoon at teatime with a cup of tea but they’re also perfect for brunch!
– Julia
Looking for more Brunch Recipes?
- Baked Oatmeal Recipe
- Spinach Tomato Quiche
- Ham and Cheese Breakfast Casserole
- Banana Muffins with Cinnamon Streusel
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English Scones Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes
- ¾ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg, beaten
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat and put it in the oven while it is preheating.
- In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar. Add the butter and use a pastry cutter, a fork, or your fingers to work it in until the mixture looks like fine crumbs.
- Heat up the milk on the stove or the microwave until warm, but not hot. Add the vanilla and lemon juice, then set aside for a moment.
- Add the milk mixture to the dry mixture and combine them quickly with a fork.
- Pour the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Sprinkle the dough with flour, then fold the dough over a few times until smooth. Don't overwork the dough. Pat into a round disc about 1.5-inch (4cm) high.
- Use a 2-inch round biscuit cutter to cut out scones. Press scraps together into a round and repeat until all the dough is used. You should get 6–8 scones.
- Brush the tops of the scones with egg wash, then carefully place them onto the hot baking sheet.
- Bake for 10–15 mins until golden on top. Serve topped with jam and clotted cream.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Hi! I just came back from the U.K. And have found I am craving scones. I was pleased to find your recipe but the pop up ads on your site make it unbearable to read!!! I can’t keep watching 30 second commercials! Please reconsider!
Oh no! I’m sorry the ads are getting in your way – I’ll be sure to let my ad manager know. I really appreciate the head’s up! There shouldn’t be any pop-up ads or autoplay commercials on this post, some ads start to play a video when the mouse cursor stays on them for too long but they should be easy to close.
I hope you are having a good day, and I’m sorry this happened! – Julia
I do agree the pop up video ad made it terribly difficult to scroll around the page. The recipe, though, FANTASTIC!
The ads are so ANNOYING. You are reading the article ànxious to get to the recipe and they keep jumping up! I really prefer the old Pintrest.
As for the recipe, lokks great. I made the clotted cream overnight and now I am ready to bake the scones. How can I freeze them.?
Thank you.
Once cooled I put them in a ziplock bag and freeze them. Defrost at room temperature then put in a low oven for a few minutes until warm. – Julia
I loved this recipe… thank you
Is it really 4 tsp of baking powder?
Yes, that’s right! 4 level teaspoons baking powder.
I haven’t made scones in ages–this post reminds me I should do that again sometime. :-)
On buying clotted cream: I live in a not very large city in the middle of the country, and I’ve been able to buy clotted cream (the same brand as in the Amazon link) at grocery stores here for many years . . . try looking in your supermarket’s fancy cheese section, as that’s usually where I have been able to find it. You’re right about the cost, though–it’s quite expensive, even at the store–but well worth it! :-)
Hi, love your recipe. I wouldnt call these British, more accurately English scones. If you are served these in England they will always contain raisins, hardly ever plain like this. You dont need clotted cream for scones (although it is nice) simple whipped cream will suffice. Scones are normally served with butter AND cream AND jam. Scones and a cup of tea are served all over the UK and are known as a “Cream Tea”. The Cornish and the Devonians (people or Cornwall and Devon in South West England) both claim the cream tea as their own and have friendly competition over it. One serve scones with jam under cream, the other serve scones with jam over cream. Both claim this is the right way. Whichever way you serve. Enjoy!
Do we have to use caster sugar or can we just use regular cane sugar?
I haven’t tried these with regular cane sugar but I think the scones would come out fine.
In the oven and so excited! I have a bunch of my girlfriends coming next weekend for the weekend while my husband takes the children camping…and these are going to be on the list! I’ve always had “Americanized” scones, which are good…but I’m finding I want less sugar in them. Thanks for the recipe! I pinned it!
Thank you so much for your comment, Melissa! Hope you and your girlfriends have a great weekend!
I loved your recipe! So great on a lazy, rainy Sunday afternoon. I got a little confused with the amount of butter required as a stick of butter is 250g in Australia, but I just followed your 85g and they’re perfect! Thanks
Thank you so much for your comment, Alana! I’m happy you loved them :-)
So delicious! I love scones with clotted cream and jam! This totally calls for a tea party!
They’re in the oven now :D Very nice, quick, simple recipe.
Thank you for your comment Charissa! I hope you like them as much as we do.