The most delicious homemade Scones couldn’t be easier to make, with a few basic ingredients. You can adapt them to add any mix-ins you like.
If you’re a fan of easy baked goods you must try our Cinnamon Roll Biscuits, Homemade English Muffins, Cranberry Orange Muffins, or Lemon Blueberry Bread!
Homemade Scones are a snapshot of my childhood
Homemade Scones are a snapshot of my childhoodWe can all thank Momma Bailey for this beautifully simple, and insanely good, scones recipe.
There’s no quicker way to get my kids out bed! Picture a flakey, tender biscuit, married with an old-fashioned glazed donut. YUM. And they’re fool-proof for any level of baker.
This scones recipe is a launching point for any flavored scones, like blueberry, chocolate chip, orange scones, and popular peach scones.
How to make Scones:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Make Dough: Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Grate the frozen butter and add to dry mixture. Use a fork or pastry blender to cut in the butter. Combine yogurt, cream, egg, and vanilla until well blended. Add to dry mixture along with craisins (or other add-ins) then use a rubber spatula to fold the ingredients in until it starts to come together in large clumps.
Cut and Bake: Gently knead mixture by hand (in the mixing bowl) just a few times until it comes together in a ball. Try not to handle the dough too much (we want the butter to stay cold, and the scones to be tender and not tough). Dust a clean surface with a little flour then gently pat and shape into an 8-inch circle. Cut into 8 wedges then transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake at 400°F for 16-18 minutes.
Enjoy: Make glaze by combining powdered sugar and 1 Tbsp milk and stirring until smooth. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before drizzling the glaze on top. These are best served the day they are prepared.
Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions:
To Make Ahead: The dough for scones can be made one day in advance, covered and refrigerated. When ready to bake, place cold scones on lined baking sheet and bake as instructed.
To Freeze Scones Dough: place cut scones in freezer to flash freeze for 1 hour, then place partially frozen scones in a freezer safe container for 2-3 months. Thaw completely overnight in the refrigerator before baking. To Freeze Baked Scones, cool completely then store in a freezer safe container for 2-3 months. Thaw completely, or warm 20 seconds in the microwave before eating.
Add-Ins and Variations:
- Mix-ins: Add 1 cup of fresh or frozen blueberries, chocolate chips, coconut, pecans, dried cranberries or raisins.
- Orange Scones: Replace vanilla with fresh orange juice and add 1 tsp of orange zest to the glaze.
- Peach Scones
- Vegan Scones: Substitute vegan butter, vegan yogurt, flax egg, and replace heavy whipping cream with coconut milk.
- Gluten-Free Scones: Substitute gluten free flour.
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Recipe
Classic Pastry Scones
Ingredients
Scones:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup frozen unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup favorite mix-ins like Craisins, fresh or frozen blueberries, chocolate chips, coconut, pecans, dried cranberries or raisins
Glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1-2 Tablespoons milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a mixing bowl.
- Grate in frozen butter to dry mixture. Use a fork or pastry blender to cut in the butter.
- Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together yogurt, cream, egg, and vanilla until well blended.
- Combine: Add to the dry mixture along with craisins (or other add-ins) and use a rubber spatula to fold the ingredients in until it starts to come together in large clumps. Gently knead mixture by hand (in the mixing bowl) just a few times until it comes together in a ball. Try not to handle the dough too much.
- Shape and cut: Dust a clean surface with a little flour and drop dough on top. Gently pat and shape into an 8-inch circle. Cut into 8 wedges then transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet.
- Bake in preheated oven until golden, about 16 – 18 minutes.
- Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before drizzling the glaze on top. These are best served the day they are prepared.
- Glaze: Add powdered sugar to a mixing bowl with 1 Tbsp milk and stir until smooth. Add additional milk, if needed. Drizzle over scones.
Notes
Nutrition
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I first shared this recipe January 2014. Updated March 2020 and May 2024.
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Excellent and so easy!!! Of course the children chose chocolate chips… maybe blueberries next time. A big hit!!!!
Thank you for the wonderful recipe. 🙂
I made this recipe gluten free with King Arthur’s 1 for 1 flour and a bit of plantain flour to give it a whole grain quality and it turned out well! Didn’t add any extra xantham gum or other starches and it still held together.
Your recipe and the comments sound wonderful! I’m hoping to make them with items I would have on hand. Can I double the Greek yogurt in place of the heavy whipping cream or is there a pantry item substitute that might work to substitute for the heavy cream? Thank you for sharing the recipe!
Do you think I could make a rhubarb scone? Would I need to add more sugar?
Yes, you can definitely make rhubarb scones! Since rhubarb is quite tart, adding a bit more sugar to the dough can help balance the flavors.
If I could give this recipe 10 stars I would. I made these this morning. They are the best scones I (and my family) have ever tasted. They were so light and fluffy. Family has requested I make a double batch tomorrow morning. Thank you for sharing this simply delicious recipe. And Happy Mother’s Day!
This scone recipe is absolutely wonderful! I used sour cream and whole milk in place of the Greek yogurt and heavy whipping cream! My husband loved it!
Quick and easy! I added a 1/2tsp of cinnamon and a mixture of dried fruits. Fabulous! I also dropped them by tbs on the cookie sheet (easier to eat on the go).
Made these Saturday morning and they were the bomb- added dried Montmorency cherries and these were delightful not a hard biscuit type but soft and luscious
Omgosh this recipe was the best!
Definitely will make again ty!