How to Make Buttermilk Scones (2024)

By Trang Doan - Jun 5, 2020 (updated Sep 22, 2020) - This post may contain affiliate links.

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Looking for soft, buttery, flaky scones to serve at your next tea party? This basic Buttermilk Scones recipe is everything you need and more. I’ll share with you all my tips and tricks for the most tender, delicious scones in any flavor!

Fresh from the oven, the outside of these scones is crispy while the inside is soft and fluffy. These melt-in-your-mouth plain buttermilk scones are perfect the way they are, but it is super easy to spruce them up with mix-ins and any flavor your heart desires.

I love to serve these scones slightly warm with a cup of coffee for breakfast or with afternoon tea. If you must have something extra, a simple pat of butter and jam will do. Or get fancy with some:

Honey Butter
Homemade Lemon Curd
Blueberry Compote
Strawberry Sauce

How to make Scones

These basic Buttermilk Scones are made with lots of buttermilk of course, and some very cold butter for that delicious buttery taste and tender texture.

Making buttermilk scone dough (Photos 1 – 4)

Start by working the cubed butter to the dry ingredient mixture with the tips of your fingers until about pea and bean size. Make sure to use cold butter.
Beat together buttermilk, egg, vanilla, and add the mixture to the dry ingredients. Leave behind 1 – 2 tablespoon to use as egg wash later.
Fold with a spatula until a shaggy dough forms.
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and pat it out into a rectangle, fold it over itself a few times. Finally, pat it into a circle about 1” thick.
Cut into 8 triangles and transfer to a lined baking sheet. Brush with the reserved egg wash, and sprinkle with turbinado sugar just before baking.

Buttermilk scone dough divided (Photo 5)

Customizing your own buttermilk scones recipe

This is the best scone recipe for customization. You can easily add flavors using citrus zest or different flavor extracts and spices. You can fold in dried fruits, fresh fruit, nuts, chocolate chips, pretty much anything you can think of!

If you’re using any kind of citrus zest, mix the zest with sugar to release the essential oil before you mix all of the dry ingredients together.
If you’re using ground spices, stir them into the dry ingredients before adding the cubed butter.
If you’re using a different kind of extract, reduce the amount of vanilla called for in the recipe to ¼ – ½ teaspoon but don’t omit it altogether. Then add the additional extract in with the wet ingredients.
If you’re using any kind of filling like dried fruits, fresh fruits, nuts, or chocolate chips, toss them into the flour mixture after you have finished working the butter in and just before adding the wet ingredients.
If you’re using delicate fresh fruits like berries, you’ll want to skip the “fold the dough over itself” step to avoid squishing the berries. Just shape the dough into a disk right away.

Buttermilk scones made with orange zest and dried cranberries

Baker’s Tips

Similar to making any type of pastry dough, you want to make sure the butter pieces are still visible within the dough. When the scones are baked at high temperature, the butter will melt leaving behind pockets, creating that flaky texture.
While working with this buttermilk scone dough and any variation of it, use only as much extra flour as needed to keep the dough from sticking. Adding too much extra flour can dry out the scones. A slightly wet dough will yield softer scones once baked.
Folding the dough over itself is a crucial step to create distinct layers and making the scones “flaky” when baked, with the exception when using berries for filling.
These scones do spread because the dough is softer, refrigerating or freezing the dough before baking could help curb the spreading and allow them to rise higher.
I like to use an insulated baking sheet for scones to keep the bottom of the scones from getting too brown. A regular baking sheet will work, but the bottom of the scones may get extra crispy.
This recipe makes 8 fairly large scones, cut them smaller if you wish to make a batch of 12 mini scones. Bake the mini scones for about 15 minutes.

Storing and reheating

These scones will keep at room temperature in an airtight container or wrapped individually in plastic for 3 – 5 days. They do not need to be refrigerated but will last longer in the fridge.

They are best when still slightly warm straight from the oven, but you can serve them at room temperature the next day, or warm them up in the microwave for 15 – 20 seconds. I like to wrap them in a damp paper towel when microwaving so they don’t dry out.

Unique scones recipe you’ll love

Almond Scones (with homemade almond paste)
Cinnamon Scones (coffee cake scones)
(Starbucks) Cranberry Orange Scones
Orange Scones with dried apricots
Apple Pie Scones

If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment, send me a photo, rate it and don’t forget to tag me @wildwildwhisk on Instagram. I’d love to see what’s cooking up in your kitchen. Cheers!

📖 Recipe card

Buttermilk Scones

4.88 from 50 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Bread, Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine: American, European

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes minutes

Servings: 8 scones

Calories: 271kcal

Author: Trang

Equipment

Ingredients

▢ 2 cup all-purpose flour (270 g)
▢ ⅓ cup granulated sugar (63 g)
▢ 1 tablespoon baking powder
▢ ¼ teaspoon baking soda
▢ ½ teaspoon kosher salt
▢ 4 oz unsalted butter (cold & cubed, 113 g)
▢ ⅔ cup buttermilk (160 g)
▢ 1 large egg
▢ 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
▢ Turbinado sugar for topping

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Sift flour, baking soda and baking powder into a large mixing bowl, add kosher salt and sugar, whisk to combine.
Add cold cubed butter to the flour mixture, work the butter into the flour with your fingertips or a pastry blender until all the butter pieces are about pea and lima bean size.
Add egg, buttermilk and vanilla extract to a small bowl, whisk to combine. Make a well in the middle of the flour mixture and pour in the liquid mixture, reserving 1 - 2 tablespoon to use as egg wash later. Fold with a spatula or wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms.
Turn the dough out onto a well-floured board or countertop, and pat the dough out into a rectangle about ½” thick. Fold the dough over itself and pat it out again, do this about 3 - 4 times. Then shape the dough into a circle about 1” thick. Cut into 8 portions.
Place the scones on the parchment-lined baking sheet, brush the top and sides with reserved egg wash, and sprinkle generously with turbinado sugar. Bake for 20 minutes until golden brown.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the baking sheet 5 - 10 minutes before transferring the scones to the wire rack to cool completely. Best served warm.

Video

Notes

Customize this recipe using citrus zest, different flavor extracts and spices, as well as adding filling such as dried fruits, fresh fruit, nuts, chocolate chips, ect.
Folding the dough over itself is a crucial step to create distinct layers and making the scones “flaky” when baked, with the exception when adding fresh berries for filling.
This scone dough will spread, if you want it to be taller or spread less, you could freeze the dough after cutting it into 8 before baking or pat it out taller than 1”.
This recipe makes 8 large scones, you can divide it into 12 smaller scones if you wish. Note that smaller scones will bake faster so you’ll need to adjust the baking time appropriately, about 15 minutes.
I like to use an insulated baking sheet for scones to keep the bottom of the scones from getting too brown. A regular baking sheet will work, but the bottom of the scones may get extra crispy.

Nutrition

Serving: 83g | Calories: 271kcal

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?If you made this recipe and loved it, please leave a comment and give us a 5 STAR review. Mention @WildWildWhisk or tag #WildWildWhisk on Instagram.

This post was originally published on 9/10/2018. The post has been updated and republished on 6/5/2020 with the latest improvements, extra tips, and a video to help you in the kitchen.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

Jean King
December 26, 2023 at 10:57 am

I have made these scones with regular flour and with gluten-free flour. Every time I have made them, they have turned out well. I have used buttermilk, substituted milk with vinegar added and used water with dried buttermilk powder without any effect on the outcome of the scones. I usually add chopped, dried cherries and they taste wonderful in these scones. I normally sprinkle a little white sugar on top but after reading another comment, I added brown sugar on the GF scones and that is a very nice addition. I also grated the butter (frozen) into the flour and that worked beautifully! I highly recommend that! This is a most delightful scone recipe and the reheat well, too! Thank you so much for sharing!
Reply
- Trang Doan
  December 26, 2023 at 9:13 pm
  Thank you so much Jean for such wonderful thorough feedbacks! I’m glad to hear this is such a versatile recipe and all the substitutions work out well for you. Thanks again for trying my recipe. Happy holidays!
  Reply
Libbi
August 17, 2023 at 5:53 pm

These are seriously THE BEST scones! Perfectly sweet and they come together so easily. A staple in my kitchen!
Reply
- Trang Doan
  August 17, 2023 at 7:36 pm
  Thank you Libbi! I’m so glad you liked these 🙂
  Reply
GAIL
September 04, 2022 at 3:25 pm
This was my first attempt at making scones. They came out PERFECT!!! Your tips on freezing the butter and using a grater was very good advise. I added dried cranberries and orange zest. Absolutely wonderful!
Reply
John Danforth
March 28, 2022 at 3:12 pm
This is an absolutely fabulous recipe. I followed it to the letter using Kerrygold butter, which my daughter assures me is especially rich in butter fat. But then I used non fat buttermilk. All else was precisely as indicated in the recipe except I used a 50-50 mixture of granulated and brown sugar to replace the turbinado sugar. Thank you so much for sharing this.
Reply
Diana Gallivan
March 27, 2022 at 9:42 am

Delicious… I used 50 whole wheat flour and added frozen blueberries. Thanks
Reply
Trish
January 17, 2022 at 9:33 am
Can u use powdered buttermilk in place of liquid buttermilk? Thanks
Reply
- Trang Doan
  January 17, 2022 at 12:42 pm
  I have never used powdered buttermilk before but I think you should be able to use it with water as a substitution.
  Reply
  - Vicki
    July 08, 2022 at 7:45 am
    Ththe ratio seems really off the dough was extreamly wet and i was unable to roll it it was more like cupcake batter, 240g of flour 2/3 cup of butter milk and an egg. Way too wet!
    Reply
    - Trang Doan
      July 09, 2022 at 2:06 pm
      In my recipe, 2 cups of flour is 270g. Did you hold back some liquid to use as egg wash? Dough is wetter than normal but shouldn’t be like cupcake batter. You can still use extra flour to help it not stick to the counter but remember that you don’t want a dry dough because the scones will come out dry.
      Reply
Lidiane Peixoto
September 16, 2021 at 2:41 pm
So delicious and easy to make ! Thank you 😋😋😋☕️
Reply
Ree
September 13, 2021 at 9:15 pm

Trang, these were perfect; thank you! Before today, I’d always made scones using heavy cream. Using buttermilk piqued my interest. SO glad that I tried this…and so is my husband. I put a slight twist on ours by reducing the vanilla to 1/2 tsp, then adding 1/2 tsp of hazelnut extract and about 1/2 c toasted chopped pecans. Yum! Many thanks for what I think is my new favorite scone recipe. 🙂
Reply
- Trang Doan
  September 14, 2021 at 6:02 am
  Thanks Ree!! I love the additional of pecans and hazelnut extract. You could try it with maple extract too if you like maple. This is such a versatile recipe that could be a base for so many delicious scones to come. Thank you for visiting and try it 🙂
  Reply
  - Becky
    January 26, 2022 at 4:50 am
    Would I somehow be able to sweeten with maple syrup instead of sugar?
    Reply
    - Trang Doan
      January 31, 2022 at 4:04 pm
      Yes, you can but you may want to hold back the buttermilk since maple syrup will add more liquid to the batter. I would sub the same amount of maple syrup for sugar, then try using 1/2 cup of buttermilk mixed with egg, hold back some for egg wash as the recipe directed. Hope that helps. If the batter is too wet just use extra flour when you roll it out, remember that you don’t want this dough to be too dry so the scones come out softer.
      Reply
Chrissie
May 15, 2021 at 6:28 am

Thanks for this recipe, worked perfectly (even with my own homemade buttermilk). I baked these in the oven of our fireplace (saves electricity!) and it’s absolutely fluffy !
Reply
Donna in Oregon
April 17, 2021 at 9:04 am

These scones turned out so beautifully! My first time making scones. I weighed the flour and sugar. I added 3/4C dried cranberries and maybe a 1/4 C of slivered almonds I had on hand. I just chopped them a little finer. Also half vanilla and half almond extract. I did freeze them for 25 min before baking. At our high altitude (3800 ft) they only needed 20 min. Will probably only do 18 min next time. The buttermilk/egg coating with turbinado sugar put them over the top!! Thank you Trang! I will definitely be making more variations in the future.
Reply
- Trang Doan
  April 17, 2021 at 12:30 pm
  Thanks Donna!! So glad to hear you enjoy these, I love the variation you made. Almond extract is amazing.
  Reply
  - Muchele
    April 19, 2021 at 12:09 am
    Where do I find the quantities of the ingredients?
    Reply
    - Trang Doan
      April 19, 2021 at 6:01 am
      There is a recipe card at the end of the post.
      Reply
Peter Aretin
March 09, 2021 at 5:31 pm
I much prefer using pastry flour and caster or baker’s sugar. I do not no why the superfine sugar improves the result, but I think it’s indispensable for shortbread, and use it in scones as well.
Reply
- Peter Aretin
  March 09, 2021 at 5:33 pm
  Sorry. “know” not “no.”
  Reply
- Halimah
  October 06, 2021 at 6:42 am
  
  Oh my dayss best recipe everrrrr😌😌
  Reply
  - Trang Doan
    See Also
    Carrot Cake Scones with Maple Cream Cheese Glaze - Food duch*ess Earl Grey Scones with Lavender Glaze Cheese and Chive Scones Lemonade Scones (3 Ingredients, No Dairy)
    October 06, 2021 at 5:32 pm
    Glad to hear you enjoyed these scones! 🙂
    Reply
Julia
March 09, 2021 at 5:09 pm
Best scones ever
I have them with wild thimbleberry jam
Reply
Kim
February 28, 2021 at 3:32 am
OK I tried to make these twice…and the dough was literally like glue (and I’ve made scones before…). A genuine waste of ingredients ,I feel. I did use frozen butter the second time and refrigerated the dough before baking…came out just the same . Never again!
Reply
- Trang Doan
  February 28, 2021 at 3:00 pm
  Hi Kim, sorry this recipe didn’t work for you. This is a wet dough and a bit sticky, not like a dry bread dough. Keeping the work surface well floured could help and using a bench scraper will prevent you having to touch the dough too much. But I totally understand if you hesitate to try this again. Thank you for giving it a chance and even making it twice!
  Reply
  - Peter Aretin
    March 09, 2021 at 7:24 pm
    I may have found out why some have struggled with impossibly wet, sticky batter. The recipe for 8 scones calls for 2 Cups or 270 gm all-purpose flour. The figure I use, from King Arthur flour, is 120 gm/cup for all-purpose. Pastry flour is even lighter, at 106 gm/cup, so 270 would be 2 and a quarter cup of all-purpose. I stuck with 270 gm and used pastry flour, and the resulting batter, while a little hard to manage, baked up to very light, delicious scones, although they did spread quite a bit in the baking. I hope this helps.
    Reply
    - Trang Doan
      March 10, 2021 at 6:13 am
      Thanks Peter! How you measure flour and what you use to measure flour does matter because each time it can be different, if you use different measuring cup, it can also be different. That’s why I try to provide gram measurement as well, exactly how I make my recipe. But this scone dough is on the wetter side for sure, but more moisture will yield softer scones. Did you try freezing the scones before baking to curb the spreading? But I think you’ll still get more spread if using pastry flour since it has less protein which means less gluten which means less structure to the scones. But I’m glad you still find them delicious!
      Reply
- Deb
  March 07, 2021 at 7:30 am
  
  Made these today. Split the recipe in half for sweet scones and savoury scones with cheese on top. Also we cut them with cookie cutters. They were just perfect! Crisp, light and just delicious. My kids just ate three each as an after dinner treat! Thank you!
  Reply
Nosheen
February 20, 2021 at 11:40 am
So I added too much buttermilk but I added a bit more flour and froze the dough for around 30 mins it was still a little gooey so I decided to bake these as scone-muffins and they turned out fab! 😊 they also taste great!
Reply
Marlon
February 07, 2021 at 11:53 am

Baked nice great layers slightly sweet to the taste family enjoyed them. Will make again
Reply
Anne Maire
January 31, 2021 at 1:49 pm

Tasty, and very large. I had to cook a little longer than recommended.
Reply
Susan
January 31, 2021 at 11:04 am

This was my first time making scones from scratch and they were a hit and easy to make! I forgot to reserve some liquid for the egg wash and worried that, therefor, my dough would be too sticky, but it was perfect! I ended up using buttermilk for the wash, which worked perfectly well. I also used salted butter instead of unsalted because baked goods tend to be a bit too bland for my taste when made with unsalted butter and I don’t have a good ability to gauge how much salt I might need to add to make it better to my taste.
Reply
- Trang Doan
  January 31, 2021 at 11:36 am
  Thank you so much Susan! I’m happy to hear they turn out well and you were able to adjust to your taste with salted butter 🙂
  Reply
peg wallace
January 30, 2021 at 8:27 pm

I lost track of the recipe I used to use for breakfast catering, abd yours was just as good if not better. My husband said, “these are really good but they are not scones, you know.” “Eh”, I saud. Scottish scones are quite different. I’m afraid he’s going to have to go to Scotland, because i wouldn’t change your recipe a bit!
Reply
- Trang Doan
  January 31, 2021 at 11:38 am
  Thanks Peg!! I’m glad you agree with me hahaha, at least he said they were good 🙂
  Reply
Gina Oster
January 22, 2021 at 8:42 am

I am not sure what I did wrong…this was a goopy mess! I couldn’t cut them. It was the consistency of muffin batter. Butter came straight out of the fridge….I had to abort. I’ve made scones dozens of times and never had this happen. I will try again with less buttermilk and frozen butter.
Reply
- Trang Doan
  January 22, 2021 at 12:59 pm
  Hi Gina, sorry this didn’t work out for you. It certainly shouldn’t be goopy like muffin batter, sounds like not enough flour or too much liquid. Did the butter melt while you were working with it?
  Reply
Danielle
January 16, 2021 at 12:37 pm

Quick way to use up my leftover buttermilk. I have added crushed almonds and dried cranberries. I also placed them on the tray in a circle with space between them so that the edges wouldn’t be as brown. Very moist! They rise up nicely!
Reply
Terri Chan
December 23, 2020 at 11:36 am

Hi! I am gluten free and have modified your recipe successfully. I love the results! I am thinking of sharing my lessons on medium and will love to link to this recipe as my base.
Reply
- Trang Doan
  December 23, 2020 at 3:17 pm
  Hi Terri! That’s great to hear, and thank you so much for letting me know your experience modifying this recipe. Do you mind letting me know the brand of gluten free flour you used in case others want to make it gluten free too? And yes, I would appreciate you linking back to this recipe when you share it. Happy holidays!
  Reply
  - Terri Chan
    December 25, 2020 at 5:16 pm
    
    Here is the link to my adaptation! Happy holidays!
    https://link.medium.com/VW7BkHTcwcb
    Reply
    - Trang Doan
      December 26, 2020 at 8:48 am
      Thanks! Happy holidays Terri!
      Reply
Lynn N
December 07, 2020 at 2:58 am

FABULOUS!
Used your recipe for my very first time making scones and it was superb! My daughter and I tag-teamed making Cranberry-Orange Scones and they were delicious… the almost crispy bottom, the layer upon layer of buttermilk dough is just divine! This will be my go-to recipe forever and am excited to experiment making other flavors.
Reply
- Anya
  December 09, 2020 at 5:53 pm
  Can the scones be frozen and re heated after they are baked?
  Reply
  - Trang Doan
    December 09, 2020 at 6:59 pm
    Yes, you can heat them in the oven at 350F straight from frozen, about 10 minutes or so until warm through.
    Reply
Diane
October 18, 2020 at 8:44 am

The most moist, delicious scones I ever made! This recipe is a definite keeper!
Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe!
Reply
Susan Laurio
October 17, 2020 at 1:57 am

Thank you for sharing this recipe. It’s so easy to follow, the taste and texture are perfect. I try to incorporate few ingredients like cheese, apple, and mixed berries and they all turn out so good. My boyfriend loves it so much that i have to make more and freeze it.
Reply
Jess G.
September 12, 2020 at 11:48 am

Made first time this morning: so happy with the result! And my boyfriend loved them, too.
I had to sub confectioners sugar (thanks for including ingredient weights!) and I followed the recommendation to put the dough in the freezer for a few min before baking.
Happy to add this to my repertoire!
Reply
- Trang
  September 12, 2020 at 3:46 pm
  So glad to hear Jess!!
  Reply
Trisha Lentz
August 30, 2020 at 8:37 am
I made these scones this morning for the first time. I substituted the flour with double the almond flour, and used 1/2t vanilla extract and 1/4t almond extract. They turned out fantastic! For a more keto/diabetic/gluten free idea, I was pleasantly surprised.
Reply
- Gwen Cook
  October 17, 2020 at 8:02 am
  
  These were fantastic! I added about 1/2 cup toasted coconut and 1/4 teaspoon each vanilla, orange, lemon and coconut extract. I didn’t have turbinado sugar so just sprinkled granulated sugar on the tops. This was my first attempt at making scones and this recipe is definitely a keeper. Thanks
  Reply
Kateryna
August 27, 2020 at 9:26 am

These are great!
Instead of putting the finished scones into the fridge before baking, I mixed in the butter, and mixed together the liquids, and put both into the freezer for about 20 minutes before mixing together and then baking. They came out very fluffy and tall – and delicious!
Reply
- Trang
  August 27, 2020 at 8:18 pm
  That sounds great! Thanks for the tips 🙂
  Reply
Lou Lagnese
August 17, 2020 at 5:37 pm

Thank you Trang. Theses scones are delicious!
Reply
- Trang
  August 18, 2020 at 5:37 am
  Thanks for trying them out Lou!
  Reply
Emily Ng
August 02, 2020 at 10:20 am

First time I am successful in making scones after following this recipe n video
Reply
Teresa
July 26, 2020 at 7:52 am

Trang, These are the BEST ! ever scones. First made plain then after that I have added dried fruit and raw sugar on top before baking. Super job on this recipe. Keep baking !
Reply
- Trang
  July 26, 2020 at 10:16 am
  Thanks Teresa!
  Reply
  - Teresa
    December 22, 2020 at 9:00 am
    
    Trang, I have now made a Rum-Raisin Scone by soaking 2/3 cup raisins in 1/4cups rum.. Soak for at least 10 minutes.. used about 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg and 1/8 teaspoon ginger. Dough was a little dry so used a tad of the soaking liquid. Turned out great.
    Did Pumpkin scones using 1/3 cup pumpkin puree and 1/3 cup buttermilk, another keeper.
    A great basic recipe !
    Reply
    See Also
    Lemon Poppyseed Scones
    - Trang Doan
      December 22, 2020 at 7:40 pm
      Amazing creations Teresa!! The sky is the limit with this recipe 🙂
      Reply
    - Tatiana
      February 04, 2021 at 6:08 pm
      Delicious! Thank you
      Reply
      - Trang Doan
        February 05, 2021 at 5:49 am
        Thanks Tatiana, happy to hear you enjoyed these 🙂
Didi
July 22, 2020 at 6:40 pm
Can you use self-rising flour for this recipe?
Reply
- Trang
  July 22, 2020 at 7:37 pm
  Yes, I would cut the baking powder and salt by half if using self-rising flour.
  Reply
Martha
July 12, 2020 at 4:08 pm
I made this recipe 3 weeks ago to rave reviews. Now I want to make it with blueberries and lemon zest. How much zest should I use?
Reply
- Trang
  July 12, 2020 at 8:01 pm
  You can use zest of 1 lemon or 2 for stronger lemon flavor.
  Reply
CharityW
June 29, 2020 at 1:39 pm

OMG!!! This is the first time I’ve ever made scons before! So delicious! My dough was extremely wet, so next time I’ll cut back on the liquid. I don’t have a silpat, so I used a paper lunch bag. Worked perfectly. I will Definitely be making these again!! Thank you for sharing your great recipe.
Reply
- Trang
  June 29, 2020 at 5:31 pm
  Thanks Charity! I’m glad it still tastes delicious. If the dough is too wet, you can add some extra flour when working with it as well. Make sure to hold back some liquid for egg wash too.
  Reply
Sherry
June 09, 2020 at 11:24 am

Delious. I had never made scones before, this was so easy. The taste and texture was great. I gave some to my neighbor and she raved about them. Making again tomorrow. These are perfect. Thanks for sharing.
Reply
- Trang
  June 10, 2020 at 5:37 am
  I’m so happy to hear this Sherry! Thank you for giving it a try 🙂
  Reply
- Kathy
  March 06, 2021 at 1:06 pm
  
  Second time making these and they are delicious. Turned out exactly as pictured.
  Reply
John
May 31, 2020 at 5:35 am

I have tried 8 scone recipes (including several from well known authors and British baking show judges) and these are absolutely superior to the others. I have made these several times using a variety of flours and dried fruits. I have frozen the dough and they baked from frozen wonderfully (adding extra bake time of course). When frozen, I have brushed them with half and half cream. This recipe is the outstanding!
For those of us who measure ingredients by weight, it would be so useful to provide this info as part of the ingredients. I see that you provided, in your comments, weights that you actually used, vs just a mathematical conversion, thanks for doing so.
Reply
- Trang
  May 31, 2020 at 12:42 pm
  Thank you for a wonderful review, John!
  Reply
Les Waller
May 30, 2020 at 11:24 am

Lovely simple and quick recipe! I even put it up on Youtube for others to see and shared your blog in the description of the video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tRixCbCoN0
Reply
- Trang
  May 30, 2020 at 11:37 am
  Hi Les, thanks for making the recipe and a wonderful video 🙂
  Reply
  - Rehana
    January 26, 2021 at 7:47 am
    I have made this recipe twice now. Both times my dough was quite wet. The first time I misread and used one teaspoon of baking powder instead of one tablespoon. They didn’t raise much but were soft and fluffy. My dough both times was slightly firmer than muffin batter but I turned it (the gloop) out onto a very well floured surface, floured my hands as I was patting and folding the dough and after several folds and turning over, the dough became more scone-like/firm. In all, the floured surface and extra flour for hands used about 3/4 cup additional flour. I popped thr dough into the fridge for about 15 minutes before shaping and baking. I didn’t want triangles so after cutting, I patted the dough and shaped into circles. No complaints from the family. My second batch of dough – eith the correct amount of baking powder) is in the fridge now. Hoping it will rise better this time but even if it doesn’t, if it is as good as the previous batch, they will be gone in a flash.
    P.S. I used milk that had just expired instead of throwing it away and going out to buy buttermilk.
    Reply
    - Trang Doan
      January 27, 2021 at 6:14 am
      3/4 cup extra flour is quite a bit more than what I would expect. I do like to keep my scones dough slightly wetter, so they come out softer on the inside. If you have trouble working with it, a trick is to use a bench scraper to help lift the dough. I appreciate your thorough and detailed comment. This would help others if they run into the same problem. I’m glad to hear that at least the family didn’t complain 🙂
      Reply
Carol d
May 19, 2020 at 8:26 am

Absolutely perfect. I did add extra vanilla, and brushed with buttermilk instead of egg. , sprinkled with brown sugar instead of white.
Reply
Silvia
May 18, 2020 at 7:33 am
Just made them and they are amazing! I am going to try to add different flavours but the base it perfect!!
Reply
- Trang
  May 18, 2020 at 8:03 am
  Thanks Silvia, they are the perfect vehicles for other flavors!
  Reply
Sheri
May 14, 2020 at 5:21 pm

Just made these this morning – my new favorite scone recipe!!! I added candied and fresh ginger. Used frozen butter which I grated into the flour. Turned out wonderfully light, flaky, fluffy. Thanks for a great recipe! Can’t wait to try more variations.
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- Trang
  May 14, 2020 at 6:08 pm
  Oh I love candied ginger, such a clever addition. Thank you for the wonderful review!
  Reply
Anita
May 13, 2020 at 8:10 pm
Melt in your mouth scones.
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Stan
May 10, 2020 at 3:38 am

Came out beautifully ,Made it for my wife Kamie for Mothers Day treat with a cup of Jacobs Coffee.She said it was way better that store bought muffins.Light and deliciously moist,Thank you very much for the recipe.
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- Trang
  May 11, 2020 at 11:19 am
  What a wonderful Mother’s day treat, happy mother’s day to your wife and thank you for the review! 🙂
  Reply
Winston Ng
May 02, 2020 at 12:42 am
Not sure what I do wrong. I measured everything properly, but the dough was wet to handle.
Reply
- Winston Ng
  May 02, 2020 at 12:48 am
  Wait, nevermind. I figured out what I did wrong. I was supposed save some of the buttermilk mixture but I ended up putting everything in.
  Reply
  - Trang
    May 02, 2020 at 9:01 am
    Hi Winston, sometimes cup measures can vary depending on how you measure it, 1 cup for me is usually about 135 g, sometimes 140 g but I know for some people 1 cup can be 120 g which will definitely affect the texture of the dough. If the mixture is too wet to handle, add a little more flour, but keep in mind that you don’t want it to be dry because the scones will end up too dry after baking. This dough should be a little wet and sticky, just keep the surface and your hands floured well, if it sticks a bit, it’s totally fine, use a scraper for the counter surface.
    Reply
Aarti
April 18, 2020 at 12:21 pm

This was my first time ever making scones and I am a beginner baker, and these were AMAZING! I decided to grate the frozen butter in the flour and chilled the cut scones in the fridge for half an hour before baking. CAME OUT GREAT!
Reply
- Trang
  April 18, 2020 at 3:21 pm
  Thank you Aarti! I’m so happy to hear they were a success! Keep on baking 🙂
  Reply
Kimberly Wint
April 14, 2020 at 11:53 am

OH MY GOD !!! I literally tried 3 times to make scones these came out amazing and fluffy !! I wish I can send you a reaction video I’m so happy !!!
Reply
- Trang
  April 14, 2020 at 8:06 pm
  I’m so happy to hear and I can totally feel your excitement through your comment 🙂 🙂 Thank you so much for baking with my recipes!
  Reply
Emma
April 10, 2020 at 2:50 pm
These were great, so easy and yummy! I added some cinnamon in the dough and on top. I have had a lot of bad experiences with online recipes but I think you’ve just gained my trust 🙂
Reply
- Trang
  April 12, 2020 at 8:17 am
  Thank you so much Emma! I’m so happy to hear you like this recipe, I hope you try others and please let me know if you have any questions at all. I’m here to help and hopefully continue to keep your trust.
  Reply
Barbara
April 07, 2020 at 7:50 pm

Delicious, fluffy, scones! First time using your recipe and they turned out better than I expected.😀
Reply
- Trang
  April 08, 2020 at 10:05 am
  Thanks Barbara! I’m so happy to hear they exceeded expectations, yay!
  Reply
Arlene
April 04, 2020 at 9:04 am

Just made these this morning. They came out great and took no time at all. Next batch I’ll be adding some blueberries.
Reply
- Trang
  April 05, 2020 at 8:31 am
  Excellent Arlene, I do have a blueberry scone recipe if you want to check it out for tips 🙂
  Reply
Audrey
February 11, 2020 at 9:10 pm

The lightest fluffiest scones I’ve ever tasted or made! Absolutely delicious, even without the turbinado sprinkled on top. EXCELLENT recipe!! Going to try it next with different add-ins. Thank you Trang!
Reply
- Trang
  February 12, 2020 at 6:56 am
  Thank you Audrey! I’m so happy to hear you enjoy these. The possibilities are unlimited with add-ins 🙂
  Reply
Karen Stonier
February 02, 2020 at 3:43 pm
WORST scone recipe ever. We have used lots of different recipes and this, by far, was the worst. I am not sure if the ratio of ingredients is incorrect but these spread out rather than puff up. They stuck to the parchment paper, too much butter for sure. I would cut the butter by one third for starters. The texture was horrible. Won’t be using this recipe EVER again.
Reply
- Trang
  February 02, 2020 at 7:41 pm
  Hi Karen, I’m sorry the recipe didn’t turn out for you. I’ve made these for many years and a lot of readers have made them successful. It sounds like perhaps something went wrong when you made this recipe, I’d be happy to help you troubleshoot if you ever decide to try it again. Thank you for giving it a try.
  Reply
- Brandon
  April 26, 2020 at 2:25 am
  haha a Karen complaining like that, how quaint…
  Reply
Joy
January 31, 2020 at 8:08 pm

Dough is visibly very soft thay i need to add more flour..
Final result Golden baked tender buttery goodness and i choose to serve with decent slice of butter and generous dolop of softly whipped cream. Heaven.
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Grace Elder
January 05, 2020 at 1:04 pm

I made your scones yesterday. My daughter said they were the best ones she had ever eaten. And that says a lot, considering she has tried a large variety throughout the years. I hope to serve my next batch with fresh strawberries and clotted cream. This will be my first attempt at making homemade clotted cream. So if you have a recipe you’re willing share, it will be the first choice. Thank you for what you do. Looking forward to the next recipe I use from your collection.
Reply
- Trang
  January 05, 2020 at 8:52 pm
  Thank you Grace! I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed the scones. I don’t have a recipe for clotted cream unfortunately… Be sure to let me know what you try next 🙂
  Reply
- CharityW
  June 30, 2020 at 8:10 am
  “Gemma makes clotted cream for the first time” is the best video I watched. It’s short, sweet, and to the point! If you Google how to make it and then click on videos. I had to scroll down a bit to find it. She has long brown hair and wearing a blue dress. I hope you find this helpful and good luck!
  Reply
Julia Harrison
January 04, 2020 at 8:17 am

I made these today amd they were wonderful!! I added some frozen diced strawberries (from strawberry season last summer) and they were delicious. Great recipe!!
Reply
- Trang
  January 05, 2020 at 8:55 pm
  The addition of strawberries sounds delicious! Thanks for the feedback 🙂
  Reply
Kathy
January 01, 2020 at 7:34 pm
I made these tonight because I wanted to use up some buttermilk I had in the refrigerator. I added some cinnamon and fresh ground nutmeg. They were great! Light, tender and not dry at all. Will keep this recipe for sure. Thank you.
Reply
- Trang
  January 01, 2020 at 9:41 pm
  Thank you Kathy, I’m glad you like these 🙂
  Reply
Shanna
November 15, 2019 at 8:02 am

I had to raise an eyebrow at the egg…don’t know that I’ve ever come across a scone recipe with an egg in it. But this recipe produced the lightest, yummiest, most tender scone I’ve ever turned out! Only had a bit more than 1/3 C buttermilk, so used half-and-half for the remainder of the liquid. I also baked a bit longer…more like 23 minutes. And I added lots of cinnamon—and maybe next time cinnamon chips—for a taste that was perfect for a chilly November morning. Long story short, this is a fantastically flexible recipe that yields amazing results. It is going in the permanent collection for sure!
Reply
- Trang
  November 16, 2019 at 2:43 pm
  Thanks Shanna! I’m glad you enjoy the recipe, and here’s to more scones!
  Reply
Julie G. Bayless
September 15, 2019 at 8:16 am

I had to get creative with this recipe this first time trying it, only because I was lacking several ingredients, but was really in the mood for scones! It turned out I only had 1 and half cups of white flour (and no whole wheat), so I filled out the second cup with oat fiber – wish I’d thought to use almond flour, which I keep in the fridge; maybe next time! Also, I only had 1/3 c. of buttermilk, so added some liquidy yogurt to top it off. My baking powder is nearly one year post expiration. Used coconut flour to dust the board. No turbinado sugar, but I do have a somewhat coarse raw sugar from TJ’s. And yet, with all those tweaks, my scones came out looking beautiful and puffy. Best of all, they’re delicious (typing this last bit with one hand cause the other is holding a scone 🙂
Reply
- Trang
  September 15, 2019 at 9:21 pm
  Excellent Julie! So glad they came out delicious with all your tweaks. Baking is all about experimenting so keep on doing what you’re doing, you got it!
  Reply
Charles
August 21, 2019 at 9:36 am

I cooked these separated on parchment paper so that they would brown on all sides. They looked and tased great, but, if anything., I should have made them thicker before putting them on the parchment. They spread more than I thought they would. This may not bother most people and it is NOT a big deal, but I like to slice my scones in half and toast them. These are too thin for me to slice. I will make again and see if I can make them thicker.
Reply
- Trang
  August 21, 2019 at 3:08 pm
  You can certainly cut them smaller and thicker next time.
  Reply
  - CYNTHIA Bennett
    November 02, 2019 at 2:51 pm
    I made this recipe but added 1cup of cranberries(dried).. It was great..
    Reply
    - Trang
      November 04, 2019 at 1:29 pm
      Great Cynthia, this recipe is perfect for mix-ins!
      Reply
Mary Beth
August 20, 2019 at 9:03 am

I have never made a lighter scone. My husband ate one and said “Wow these are the lightest scones I have ever eaten, some can be rock-like.” I only tried your recipe because I had the buttermilk, now it will be in my recipe file.
Reply
- Trang
  August 20, 2019 at 10:56 am
  You made my day Mary Beth! I’m so glad you tried it 🙂
  Reply
Lanet
July 20, 2019 at 6:13 am

Delicious, fluffy, and so easy to put together
Reply
Christine H
June 20, 2019 at 9:41 am
Just made these in Denver, CO while visiting a friend and they came out great even at altitude. I didn’t even think about any modifications until they were in the oven.
Reply
- Trang
  June 20, 2019 at 11:34 am
  Glad to hear, thanks Christine!
  Reply
Ralph Craig
May 05, 2019 at 4:13 pm
I had to use at least two tablespoons of of preserves to keep these sweet babies from floating off the plate. I will own up to letting the dough sit covered for 10 or 12 minutes to give the acid a headstart working with the powder/soda stuff before popping in the oven. This is now officially my goto scone recipe, thank you so much! BTW, I’ve been baking for 62 years, and still looking to improve…
Reply
- Trang
  May 06, 2019 at 7:01 am
  Thanks so much Ralph! That’s amazing, 62 years of baking, it’s an honor to have you here. I’ve been using this basic recipe and branch off to many different flavor scones, and I’m glad you like it!
  Reply
Heather
April 09, 2019 at 2:12 pm

I just made this today because I had exactly 2/3 c of buttermilk left over from making Irish soda bread. I substituted whole wheat pastry flour and egg substitute because that’s all I had in the house, and the scones came out delicious!!!! This will be my go-to scones recipe from now on!
Reply
- Trang
  April 10, 2019 at 6:53 am
  Excellent Heather, this recipe is so versatile and forgiving and that’s why I love it. You could add whatever filling you’d like next time or check out some of the other scones in the archive for inspiration! 🙂
  Reply
Marie
October 13, 2018 at 3:33 am

It’s really great to find a basic scone recipe without additions. These would be lovely with some jam and cream and a nice cuppa
Reply
Leanne | Crumb Top Baking
September 11, 2018 at 5:57 pm

Now I’ve craving a warm scone with some chia jam and a cup of tea! They look great Trang. Love the step by step photos too!
Reply
- Trang
  September 11, 2018 at 8:34 pm
  Thanks Leanne! Warm scone with chia jam sounds perfect!
  Reply
Mimi
September 11, 2018 at 5:58 am
A perfect recipe!
Reply
- Trang
  September 11, 2018 at 8:34 pm
  Thank you Mimi!
  Reply
  - Jody
    October 07, 2020 at 11:54 am
    Would this recipe work using Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 gluten free flour?
    Reply
    - Trang
      October 08, 2020 at 6:03 am
      Hi Jody, I have not tried making this with gluten free flour, but it’s good brand that I have used before on other things. I suspect it will work though the texture will be different. Let me know if you end up trying it.
      Reply
      - Mary
        October 21, 2020 at 10:05 am
        
        Tried this recipe and it was way too gooey to handle! Made a mess and stuck to everything. Added a lot of flour to try to handle it better, but didn’t work. Saved a lil extra for the wash. It was a no for me 🙁
      - Trang
        October 22, 2020 at 7:26 am
        Hi Mary, sorry this recipe didn’t work out for you. Was your butter cold when you made the dough? I would love to help troubleshoot if you ever want to give it another try. Hopefully you can find another recipe you’ll enjoy. Thanks for trying it!