The Best Scones Recipe
User Reviews
4.9
The Best Scones Recipe
Description
This scones recipe uses cold or frozen butter grated into a large dry mix of all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, creating a coarse texture that encourages flakiness. Sour cream combined with baking soda provides tenderizing acidity and moisture. After gently mixing the dry and wet ingredients and adding beaten egg and fruit—commonly raisins—the dough is formed into circles, cut into wedges, and baked at 350°F until golden.
Cold butter is critical to obtain flaky textures, as it creates pockets during baking. The dough tolerates a bit of dryness but should come together when kneaded briefly by hand. Avoid overworking to prevent tough scones. Variations include substituting currants for raisins and other fruit choices. These scones have a lightly sweet, rich flavor balanced by the tender crumb.
They work well for breakfast, tea time, or snacks, pairing with butter, jam, or cream. Refrigerating dough before baking can help maintain texture if over-handling occurs, and leftovers stay fresh for a couple of days.
Ingredients
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup white sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup butter cold or frozen is best
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup raisins blueberries, or other fruit pieces work
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 °F. Get out an extra large baking sheet or two baking sheets that fit into your oven. Lightly grease the baking sheets.
- In a large glass measuring cup, mix the sour cream and baking soda. Let it bubble.
- In a very large mixing bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- Grate the cold butter into the dry mixture. Or you can also cut in the butter using a pastry blender or two knives in a criss-cross fashion, until the butter is broken into pea-sized morsels in the flour.
- Beat the egg and mix in into the sour cream in the measuring cup.
- Add the sour cream mixture into the dry mixture, working it in.
- The dough can be a bit dry, but if you use your hands to combine it, it will be perfect. If needed, add a tablespoon or two of milk until the dough JUST comes together, you want a dry dough, not a gluey one!
- When the dough is combined, mix in the fruit.
- Divide into three equal circles, patting each into a circle that is one inch thick (width ranges from 6-7 inches). Cut each circle into six equal triangles. Place the cut scones on the baking sheet with space between
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the scones are browned nicely on the bottom and slightly on the top. Watch them carefully! Remove and let cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet , then remove and cool completely on a baking rack.
- Store in a closed container at room tempertature for up to 5 days. You can also freeze them for up to 3 months.
Notes
- Use cold or frozen butter and grate it into the flour for better flakiness; refrigerator-cold butter also works well.
- Avoid overworking the dough to prevent the butter from melting and the scones from becoming tough.
- If dough becomes too soft, refrigerate the shaped scones before baking to firm up the butter again.
- Currants are a traditional fruit alternative to raisins in scones.
- Following step-by-step instructions for mixing and shaping helps ensure perfect texture.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 18scones
Amount Per Serving
Calories 288 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 288kcal | 14% |
| Carbohydrates | 39g | 13% |
| Protein | 4g | 8% |
| Fat | 13g | 20% |
| Saturated Fat | 8g | 40% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Trans Fat | 0.4g | 20% |
| Cholesterol | 45mg | 15% |
| Sodium | 282mg | 12% |
| Potassium | 164mg | 3% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 12g | 24% |
| Vitamin A | 410IU | 8% |
| Vitamin C | 1mg | 1% |
| Calcium | 43mg | 4% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
You'll Also Love
