Self-raising flour is generally better for scones as it already contains raising agents (like baking powder) for a taller, lighter, fluffier rise, making it the standard choice for classic scones. However, you can use plain flour if you add extra baking powder, though self-raising simplifies the process for consistent, high-rising results.
What type of flour is best for scones? We recommend using all purpose flour. Bread flour contains too much gluten and will make the scones tougher and drier, and cake flour is too light and creates too much lift.
Baking tips for making the perfect scones
The colder the better when it comes to scones, we recommend a chilled bowl and pastry cutter too. Use pastry flour: This will create a noticeably lighter scone. However, self-raising flour works just as well and creates a higher rising scone that holds its shape nicely.
The secret to good scones is keeping ingredients and dough extremely cold, handling the dough as little as possible to avoid toughness, and baking in a hot oven, using techniques like grating cold butter and chilling the shaped scones before baking for maximum flakiness and rise. Don't overmix; stop mixing as soon as the dough just comes together, and cut scones with a straight, decisive motion without twisting the cutter to ensure they rise high and straight.
The key to making perfect scones is to use self-rising flour. Sifting the flour will add air and ensure that the scones are light. Work quickly and lightly and handle the dough as little as possible.
Soft, fluffy scones come from using very cold butter, gentle mixing (don't overwork!), a good leavening agent like baking powder, and often buttermilk or cream, with chilling the dough before baking being a key secret to creating steam pockets for lift and a tender texture. The combination of cold fat and minimal gluten development creates flaky layers and airy insides.
Common mistakes when making scones include using warm ingredients (butter, eggs, cream), overmixing or overworking the dough (leading to toughness), twisting the cutter when shaping (preventing even rise), not chilling the cut scones before baking (allowing butter to melt), and overcrowding the baking sheet. Using a high-protein flour, not preheating the oven, and adding all liquids at once also hinder perfect scone texture, resulting in dense or dry results instead of light and flaky ones.
The 15-minute rule is designed to ensure that your scones don't get too brown in the oven. Overbaking this delicate pastry will only cause it to dry out, thus rendering it dry and flavorless. Besides setting a timer, you can also look for visual cues that your scones are finished.
But frozen grated butter is the real key to success. Like with pie crust, work the cold butter into the dry ingredients to create crumbs. The butter/flour crumbs melt as the scones bake, releasing steam and creating air pockets. These pockets create a flaky center while keeping the edges crumbly and crisp.
Recipe tips
Freeze the dough
Alison says that by freezing the dough before baking, your butter will stay solid, creating little air pockets in the scones once cooked. This gives them a super soft and airy texture when the scones rise.
For super fluffy scones, make sure to not over-mix and resist the urge to knead the dough too much. “Ditch the spoon and use a flat-bladed knife when mixing the ingredients together,” Alison adds. “When patting the dough into a disc, do it quickly and lightly and avoid overworking the dough.”
The inside is soft and fluffy and moist. The thin outer crust has a bit of crunch which doesn't last, and is good guide to how fresh it is. A scone is not dry, or crumbly, or dense.
For the Scones
Unbleached Flour: Naturally aged, unbleached flour retains a slightly off-white color and has a denser texture. It is often preferred for its richer flavor and higher nutritional value, making it a popular choice for professional bakers.
Ingredients
Handle scone dough gently: “Overmixing leads to too much gluten development, which leads to tough, dense scones, instead of flaky, moist ones,” says Bethany. Once you've added the liquid in your recipe, mix the dough gently until just combined — and no more.
A common chemical raising agent used in food is baking powder, which contains two active ingredients, bicarbonate of soda (sodium bicarbonate - something called an alkali) and cream of tartar (potassium hydrogen tartrate - something called an acid).
Biscuits contain most of the same ingredients as scones, with the exception of eggs and, sometimes, buttermilk instead of milk or cream. However, they typically have a higher proportion of fat and less liquid than scones, causing them to bake up taller and flakier, rather than crumbly and tender.
Overworking the dough: when you overwork your dough, your scones can come out tough and chewy, rather than that desired light, crumbly texture. The trick is to use light pressure and only the work the dough until it just comes together.
Place pan of shaped scones into the freezer for up to 30 minutes before baking. This short rest relaxes the gluten, making scones more tender; and cold chills the fat, increasing flakiness.
5 Mistakes to Avoid When Baking Scones
Similar to the crumpets and croissants, scones are also processed and are often accompanied by extra sugary condiments. “Scones have likely been added because of their high sugar and saturated fat content, particularly when served with jam and clotted cream,” highlights Trueman.
The main chemical interaction happening in this scones recipe is the chemical leavening caused by the baking powder and baking soda. This interaction is what causes the dough to rise, creating the scones' airy texture.
If you want to make scones ahead (but don't want them to become stale), we suggest prepping your scone dough ahead of time and then either chilling it in the fridge or freezing it, depending on when you plan to bake them.