Better Homes And Gardens English Tea Scones

Everybody needs a great, classic scone recipe!!! These are really quick plain scones you'll make again and again.

These scones are made with a food processor which is not only faster, it eliminates the risk of common pitfalls. Soft and fluffy insides, golden tops, serve them with copious amounts of jam and cream for the ultimate classic afternoon experience.

Close up of a plain scone with jam and cream being held up high, stacked on top of another scone.

Classic plain scone recipe

Perhaps the simplest of all baked goods in this entire world, the humble scone surely conjures up fond memories for every Aussie. Gatherings with family and friends, school bake sales, fundraising morning teas at work, a quaint little cafe in the Southern Highlands, or your grandmother's kitchen.

(Your grandmother, not mine. Mine lived in Tokyo and hated cooking. I would have died of shock if she ever baked anything. Or refused to eat it out of suspicion 😂).

A pile of plain scones on a soft tea towel.

Plain scones – made easy!

This is how I make plain scones. They are soft and fluffy on the inside, with the signature "flaky folds" when you break it open, and a golden rustic-but-not-too-rustic top:

Food processor. Self raising flour and cold butter – blitz 8 seconds. Add milk – blitz 8 seconds until ball forms.

Turn dough out,knead lightly 10 times (no more), lightly roll across the top to smooth surface. Cut scones out, bake 12 minutes.

No egg. No lard. No cream. No sugar. Why complicate something that's already perfect?

Preparation steps for how to make plain scones

Scones on a tray, ready for baking

Food processor, allthe way

"Food processor?", I hear traditionalists gasp in shock.

Yes. (She says firmly). Food processor. Not only is it faster with literally zero effort, it eliminates a lot of "risk factors" when it comes to making scones (eg overworking dough, melting butter with hot hands) andthe dough comes together better. Softer and smoother, which means your scones will have a smoother top compared to handmade ones.

Here's a comparison of the finger-rubbing method vs food processor. They are virtually identical in terms of rise and fluffy-factor, but the surface of the food processor scone is noticeably smoother.

Not that there's anything wrong with a rustic top on scones. Scones are, after all, humble and rustic food, not intended to look like something from a Michelin star patisserie. 🙂

Comparison of scones made using a food processor vs rubbing butter in with fingers

Essential Tips for making the BEST Scones!

It alarms me that I feel like I could write an entire essay on scones, so I'm restraining myself and summarising final tips for your new scone making life.

1. Resist the urge to twist – I feel like my hand always wants to twist when pressing the cutter into the dough. Resist the urge. Push straight down and pull straight back up. This will ensure your scones rise and they rise straight, not wonky.

Preparation of plain scones - cutting scones from dough — Push straight up and down, don't twist. Avoid touching / smearing the sides of the cut scones. This helps the scones rise straight.

2. Don't smooth the sides once cut – For the same reason as above. So when handling the cut scones, minimise touching the cut sides.

3. Knead 10 times, no more – Kneading the dough makes the surface of scones smoother with a more even rise. However, many recipes will tell you never to knead the dough because it would make the scones tough.

After decades of scone making, I can definitively tell you – sconescan take kneading. I have found that 10 light kneads does not affect the fluffiness, rise or softness of scones at all, but itdoes make the scones smoother on the surface.

So 10 kneads. That's my rule!

4. How do you serve scones? With copious amounts of of jam and cream, with coffee and tea. I know not of any other way. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Close up of a plain golden scone being held by fingers.

Scones Q&A

What's the difference between a biscuit and a scone? That's biscuits as they're known in America that look like scones! A southern classic served savoury, fabulous with grits, sausage gravy and eggs. And a comparison of this humble Aussie scone recipe with this New York Times Biscuits recipe verifies that they are indeed made the same way – just used for different purposes. 🙂
Should scones have egg? Some recipes do, but it's much softer and fluffier without egg (because egg binds better but removes moisture from baked goods). I tried with and without side by side just to be 100% sure.
Are scones British?Yes, we Aussies have the Brits to thank for brining scones to our shores. 🙂
Why are my scones lopsided? To avoid wonky scones, see Tip #1 above: press the cutter straight up and down, do not twist. And avoid touching the sides when transferring to the baking tray.
How long to scones keep? Scones are best served on the day they are made but will keep for up to 3 days in an airtight container. Just warm them before serving to make them soft and fluffy.

An afternoon tea with scones, jam and cream, with coffee and tea.

The great Aussie scone. Old fashioned comfort food that will never go out of fashion.

Interestingly, someone told me the other day that apparently there's a Great Debate in the UK about whether jam or cream should be dolloped on first. The thought of cream first then dolloping jam on the cream never even crossed my mind!

Someone, please explain!! 😂 – Nagi x

More Aussie favourites

Lemonade Scones 3 ingredient shortcut scones!
Pikelets
Lamingtons
Pavlova
Sausage Rolls
Party Pies

And more afternoon tea favourites

Cinnamon Swirl Bread – easy, no yeast!
Cheese, Herb and Garlic Loaf or Zucchini Cheese Loaf– quick bread, no yeast
Apple Muffins or Apple Cake
Raspberry Bars or Strawberry Bars
Blueberry Lemon Loaf with Lemon Glaze or Blueberry Lemon Yoghurt Cake
Savoury Cheese Muffins or Cornbread Muffins(personal fave😇)

Photo of plain scones on a small white plate with one split open, piled high with jam and cream, ready to be eaten.

WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT

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Servings 10

Tap or hover to scale

Recipe video above. Super quick and easy classic plain scone recipe, fluffy inside with golden tops. Using a food processor is not only easier, it eliminates common pitfalls when it comes to making scones. Serve with copious amounts of jam and cream!

▢ 3 cups / 450g self raising flour (Note 1)
▢ 80 g / 3 oz cold salted butter , cut into 1 cm / 2/5" cubes (Note 2)
▢ 1 cup / 250 ml milk, fridge cold (Note 2)
▢ Extra flour , for dusting
▢ Extra milk , for brushing

Serving:

▢ Strawberry jam (or other of choice)
▢ 250 ml / 1 cup whipping cream
▢ 1 tbsp white sugar
▢ 1/2 tsp vanilla extract (optional)

Preheat oven to 200C/390F (standard) or 180C/350F (fan / convection).
Place flour in food processor, then butter. Blitz on high for 8 seconds until it resembles breadcrumbs.
Pour milk all over the flour (don't pour in one place). Blitz for 6 to 8 seconds on high until the crumbs turn into ball(s).
Transfer dough onto work surface, scrape out residual bits in the food processor.
Knead lightly no more than 10 times just to bring the dough together into one smooth ball, then pat down into a 2 cm / 4/5" thick disc. Dust with extra flour if necessary (I don't need it).
Optional: Lightly roll across the top with a rolling pin to smooth the top.
Dip a 5 cm / 2" round cutter into Extra Flour.
Plunge cutter straight down and back out into dough - do not twist. Repeat all over disc.
Remove excess dough from around scones, then carefully transfer scones onto baking tray, taking care not to smear / press the cut sides. (Note 4)
Gather together dough scraps and repeat. I get 10 scones in total.
Brush tops lightly with milk. (Optional)
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until the top is golden and it sounds hollow when tapped.
Remove from oven, then transfer onto dish towel and wrap loosely (makes top soft).
Once cooled to warm (10 - 15 minutes), serve warm.
Tradition is to split the scone with hands (no knife!), slather with jam and dollop on cream.

Cream:

Whip cream, sugar and vanilla until soft peaks form. Makes 2 cups of whipped cream.

1. Self raising flour is just plain / all purpose flour with baking powder already in it. Make your own by measuring out 3 cups of plain flour, then remove 6 tsp of the flour and add 6 tsp of baking powder.

2. Or use unsalted and add 1/4 tsp salt.

3. Full fat is best, low fat ok, 0% fat not recommended.

4. This helps ensure maximum rise and also that they rise straight. Anyone else ever experience wonky scones? 🙂

KNIFE cutting: You could also shape dough into a square/rectangle and cut using a sharp knife instead of pressing out rounds.

5. NO FOOD PROCESSOR: Make this the traditional way by rubbing the butter into the flour with your fingertips or a pastry cutter, until it resembles breadcrumbs like in the video / photos. Then stir milk in using a butter knife - you will probably need an extra 2 tbsp of milk otherwise the dough is too dry.

6. Source: I'm not sure where I originally got the recipe from, probably Womens Weekly or taste.com.au, it's a pretty standard basic scone recipe. However, since that time, my steps, the instructions and tips are definitely my own, from baking many batches of scones over the years!

7. Scones are most definitely best served warm. Reheat in microwave - just 10 sec for 1, about 20 sec for all of them. For reheating in the oven, wrap in foil then bake at 160C/320F for 5 minutes.

8. Nutrition per scone, excluding jam and cream (because I cannot be held responsible for how much you pile on!)