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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Wow! These were amazing. I’ve never tried making this type of scone before. I wanted something different for breakfast and found your recipe. I’ve been perusing more of your recipes. I’m hooked. Thank you so much. And can I say I love that there are not twenty ads as I try to scroll through the post? Thanks again. I look forward to following you.
It was sooooo delicious like heaven.
The Best and Easiest scone recipe ever! I added chocolate chips and Heath bits. I also used sour cream instead of yogurt. Yum!
I added in 1 diced apple tossed with 1 tbsp flour and butterscotch chips….. Oh my delicious….
Froze batch of apple, dried tart cherries and choc chips…. See how they come out later…. Loved the recipe.
Yum! I made these for mother’s day brunch. I added the zest and juice of one orange to the batter, then combined orange juice, orange zest, and powdered sugar for the glaze. Very delicious, and very orange-y, just how I like it! They were flaky and delicious. Will make this again with endless variations.
I don’t usually comment or review things online but I have to talk about these scones. I made them a few weeks ago (the orange version) and they are AMAZING! I am not an advanced baker by any means, and they turned out so good! A few days later I made two more batches, one using lemon to replace the orange and another using lemon but adding some fresh berries (blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries) we had left over! They turned out with a blue/red swirl in them and both were so delicious. I have to say the orange was my favorite though. Thank you so much for this recipe!! I can’t wait to bake more of these!
I’m so happy you have enjoyed them so much! Thank you for taking the time to comment!
It’s delicious
These turn out so light and fluffy.
My husband, son and his girlfriend can’t wait until I bake them again.
Thank you for such an easy and yummy recipe
This recipe is a total winner!
How much butter, please? Thanks-
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup unsalted butter, it shows in the ingredient list