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.
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 😂).
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?
Food processor, all the 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) and the 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. 🙂
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.
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 – scones can take kneading. I have found that 10 light kneads does not affect the fluffiness, rise or softness of scones at all, but it does 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. 🤷🏻♀️
Scones FAQ
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.
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!
And more afternoon tea favourites
Cinnamon Swirl Bread – easy, no yeast!
Cheese, Herb and Garlic Loaf or Zucchini Cheese Loaf– quick bread, no yeast
Blueberry Lemon Loaf with Lemon Glaze or Blueberry Lemon Yoghurt Cake
Savoury Cheese Muffins or Cornbread Muffins (personal fave😇)
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
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Scones
Ingredients
- 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)
Instructions
- 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.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
LIFE OF DOZER
Of course I didn’t give him an entire scone piled high with jam and cream…… I mean, that face? I can totally resist.
Hi Nagi
I need a savoury scone recipe. Do you have suggestions on how I could adapt this recipe?
Thx
Fluffiest, yummiest scones ever. Thanks, Nagi 😀 I substituted a few tablespoons of milk with juice of one lemon, added its rind and 2 tablespoons of sugar. Baked in our pizza oven. Absolutely delicious! I’d never used the food processor for scones before, but this is now my “go to” scone recipe.
Top scone recipe, did it by hand, quantities are perfect, used my own fortified skim milk mix with no dramas, used cultured butter, next time I’ll cut the butter into strips versus cubes so it
will mix faster, other than that the scones come out perfect, took about 20 mins in my oven at 180°c. got to say this will be my go to recipe for scones.
Now I just might have to have a crack at a wholemeal version of this recipe.
Thanks for this excellent scone recipe Nagi, by the way mine were a bit rustic and some even looked a bit like the leaning tower, but uniformity is boring.
I have made quite a lot of scones in my life. Recipes from CWA, Women’s Weekly, Nursing Mothers. When the shearers came three times a year, scones would be part of the morning and afternoon tea. Shearing is very physical work and the shearers need quite a lot of calories during the day. They can’t eat big meals as they have to bend over the sheep to shear it. So morning and afternoon teas are quite robust in order for them to get the energy needed to get through the day. Usually it was sandwiches, scones and cakes for morning and afternoon tea. This method is such a good method. So quick, so easy. No need to put off making scones because of the pain of rubbing in the butter. Regarding the order of cream and jam. In England the cream used is often clotted cream (which is delicious) and i think that it tastes best under the jam. Thank you Nagi once again.
Last time I made scones they came out quite flat, but with Nagi’s recipe they looked amazing!
I’ve had scones in oz and the uk – the difference is they use clotted cream, which is much stiffer than our double or dollop cream. Their jam is a little sloppier too. So the cream first and jam second makes sense there. But I will always spread my jam on first no matter where I am!
First time I’ve made scones and had friends over for morning coffee, so naturally I looked up Naggi, your my kitchen hero…and well, my friends all gave them 12/10 and we’re so impressed 👍 light and fluffy they were, Naggi what would I do without you, big thank.you, oh and my husband has asked can I make.these once a week 😁 umm all that yummy cream and jam maybe once a month 😜
These scones are amazing. Fast and easy and so light and fluffy. I subbed in buttermilk because I had some that needing using up and they were lovely. Not tough at all.
Hello Nagi and Dozer and Friends. Wanted to advise, I daringly substituted regular with gluten free SR flour. The scones could have been much better! Not completely inedible. Lashings of cream and jam helped! But if anyone knows of a way to successfully use GF SR flour, I’d be happy to hear it. Many thanks.
As a side note, everything else I’ve made has been amazing and I bow to the amazing Nagi and everyone else who has made RTE so successful.
I have had some success with GF flour by adding some xanthan gum and a good pinch of salt to the flour, and using an egg, cream and lemonade for the liquid part. The egg adds some richness and colour and I think the xanthan gum makes the flour behave more like wheat flour.
Hi Nagi, Ive just been to the Easter show and had the scones at fro. The CWA tea room. Hve you ever had their scones? They are delcious, but they use the Manildra Scone premix to make their scones which is made in a mixer by just adding water tomthe flour premix. Can you please look at how to recreate the premix with ingredients ready available at home to bake these scones? Thanks
The perfect recipe! I used the rubbing method and followed the note of adding an additional 2 tbsp of milk and my scones turned out fluffy and moist.
Quick question…. how far in advance can they be made and do they do ok being frozen?
From England. Your scones can be frozen as the basic mix( butter rubbed into flour, or prepared and raw..open freeze when cut and store in a box or freezer bag or cooked. I find the coked scones or just the rubbed in butter, best way.
We use clotted cream too which is very rich and calorific. I like cream first instead of butter and then jam. Hope this helps.
These scones are so light and fluffy and so easy to make. I am never buying scones again. I have refrigerated a few shaped pieces to bake fresh the day after tomorrow, hope they come out equally well.
A question about the recipe for scones. Can I make these in advance, freeze them, and then reheat them when I need them?
Perfect amount for an impromptu gathering of friends.
I found it needed a little longer to bake in my oven (15 mins). Came out light and fluffy with a slightly crispy edge. Perfect!
Another amazing recipe. I bought your cookbook today and I know I’ll love every recipe. Thank you to you and your team for all the beautiful recipes and success factor when making.
I have tried many times over the years to make scones, following recipes to the letter, used the CWA mix, everything but this is the first time I have made scones that rose and were light and fluffy, Thank you Nagi I no longer feel like a scone failure.
Came out perfect! I added homemade buttermilk and it soften the texture.
Nagi!! I have to admit I was a little sceptical about the food processor method at first, so did the first batch using the hand-rubbing technique. My thumbs seized-up and my hand muscles cramped. Not doing that again!
The 2nd batch I followed your food processor method but added a touch more butter and a touch more milk and watched as the dough balled-up magically at the end. Genius!
I will never make scones again any other way 🙂
I laugh at how each time I’m looking for a recipe, I always go straight to your page to see if you have one!!
And guess what??
You do 🙂
Thanks again for another wonderful recipe xx