These easy vanilla scones are a great grab and go breakfast – whip up a batch and eat them throughout the week. This easy scone recipe is my go-to, and you can even add blueberries if you want.
My sister and I love scones, and I absolutely love the petite vanilla scones at Starbucks, so I created my own easy scone recipe.
You can serve these Easy Vanilla Scones three ways. You can either add a vanilla glaze – just like Starbucks does, or you can leave them plain and eat them with clotted cream and jam. Or you can make my friend Lauren’s Lemon Ginger Curd.
I made these scones as part of my Royal Wedding Watch Party menu. You guys – and American is becoming a Princess. This is a big deal! It is also going to so much fun to watch live. The best way to celebrate is to grab some friends and serve up an Afternoon Tea inspired feast. And you can’t have Afternoon Tea without scones.
The great thing about these easy vanilla scones is that you can make them in just 20 minutes! It is so easy. You probably have all of the ingredients you need in your fridge and pantry already.
You can either roll out the scone dough and then use a small round biscuit cutter to make round scones, or you can form the scone dough into a circle and then slice the dough into triangles.
I made some triangular scones which I glazed with icing, and I made some circular scones which I left plain and served with clotted cream and jam – it was the best of both worlds.
To recap, here are links to all of my Royal Wedding Watch Party posts.First I shared a guide to hosting a Royal Wedding Watch Party, complete with Royal Wedding Bingo Cards.
Next, I shared a recipe for a Roasted Strawberry Crepe Cake, a show stopping dessert made with layers of crepes and raspberry custard. There is an easy shortcut to making this recipe, just use store-bought crepes!
Tea Sandwiches, sandwiches are a key part of afternoon tea, so I shared recipes for my three favorite tea sandwiches.
Charles came up with the idea for Crown Cookiessugar cookie sandwiches with jam in the middle.
And a Sparkling Strawberry Pimm’s Cup co*cktail – a festive British co*cktail to sip while toasting the newly married couple!
You can use these recipes to easily host a traditional afternoon tea. These recipes lend themselves well to a bridal shower, baby shower, or girls get together.
If you want to try another easy scone recipe, make these Dark Chocolate and Orange Scones.
Easy Vanilla Scones
My sister and I love scones, and I absolutely love the petite vanilla scones at Starbucks, so I created my own recipe. These easy vanilla scones are a great grab and go breakfast - whip up a batch and eat them throughout the week. You can serve these Easy Vanilla Scones two ways. You can either add a vanilla glaze - just like Starbucks does, or you can leave them plain and eat them with clotted cream and jam.
CourseBreakfast
CuisineBritish
Prep Time 8 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Ingredients
- 2cupsAll Purpose Flour
- 2 ½teaspoonsBaking Powder
- a pinch of Sea Salt
- 4tablespoonsCold Butter
- 3tablespoonsGranulated Sugar
- 1Large Egg
- about ½ cup of Milk
- 2teaspoonsVanilla
For the Vanilla Glaze:
- ½cupPowdered Sugar
- 1/2teaspoonVanilla
- 2 1/2teaspoonsMilk
Instructions
Heat your oven to 425 degrees.
In a mixing bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together. I recommend using a whisk because it will remove any clumps.
Crack the egg into a one cup liquid measuring cup. Add enough milk so that the mixture measure 200 ml (7 ounces). Whisk to combine.
Next, take a cheese grater, and use the grater to grate the butter into the flour mixture. Then use your fingers to mix the butter into the flour, until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the granulated sugar.
Use a fork and stir the vanilla and about ¾ of the milk mixture into the flour mixture. You want the dough to be soft and just slightly sticky. You will have some of the milk mixture leftover, and you will need it later.
Place the dough on a floured surface and knead gently until the dough is evenly mixed. Use your hands to flatten the dough until it is ¾ of an inch thick. Use a biscuit cutter to form the scones, or use a knife to slice them into triangles.
Arrange the scones on a parchment lined baking sheet, leaving 2 fingers space between each scone. Carefully brush the tops of the scones with the remaining milk mixture, making sure that none of the milk mixture runs down the sides of the scones.
Bake the scones for 9-12 minutes, until golden brown.
Mix up the vanilla glaze by combining the powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk. Let the scones cool for a few minutes, then brush them with the vanilla glaze.
Recipe Notes
You can either roll out the scone dough and then use a small round biscuit cutter to make round scones, or your can form the scone dough into a circle and then slice the dough into triangles. I made some triangular scones which I glazed with icing, and I made some circular scones which I left plain and served with clotted cream and jam - it was the best of both worlds.
Want to save this easy vanilla scone recipe for later? Here is an image for you to pin:
FAQs
To ensure taller scones, start with a thicker dough disc and place the scones on a tray with sides, allowing them to slightly touch one another. This arrangement encourages the scones to push against the pan and each other, promoting height.
What to avoid when making scones? ›
5 Mistakes to Avoid When Baking Scones
- Using anything but cold ingredients. The secret to the flakiest scones is to start with cold ingredients — cold butter, cold eggs, and cold cream. ...
- Only using all-purpose flour. ...
- Overmixing the dough. ...
- Not chilling the dough before baking. ...
- Baking them ahead of time.
(A fat is saturated when it is solid at room temperature, like butter, margarine or shortening.) Light Scones contain just 0.3 gram of saturated fat, and 3.6 grams of total fat. In baking, you can generally substitute half the amount of oil as the butter or margarine called for.
Which flour is best for scones? ›
Cake flour is finer and lower in protein, which makes lighter and fluffier scones. If you don't have any on hand, a simple blend of all-purpose flour and a bit of cornstarch makes a great substitute. Simply whisk together 1¾ cups all-purpose flour and ¼ cup cornstarch.
Should you chill scone dough before baking? ›
Keep scones cold before putting them in the oven: For best results, chill the mixture in the fridge before baking, this will help to stiffen up the butter again, which will stop your scones from slumping as soon as they hit the oven's heat.
How long should you rest scones before baking? ›
Recipes for scones sometimes provide a make-ahead option that involves refrigerating the dough overnight so it can simply be shaped and then popped into the oven the next day. But now we've found that resting the dough overnight has another benefit: It makes for more symmetrical and attractive pastries.
What happens if you don't put baking powder in scones? ›
I didn't use baking powder in the scones I made yesterday and they were light and fluffy but I did use self raising flour. If you used plain flour they might be a bit biscuity! They'll still taste good but might be thin.
How thick should scone dough be? ›
It is far better that the scone mixture is on the wet side, sticking to your fingers, as the scones will rise better. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and flatten it out with your hand, or use a rolling pin, to a thickness of 1-2 cm (1/2 – ¾ inch).
Why are scones bad for you? ›
Although convenient and tasty, scones are a complete loss. They are typically extremely high in calories from the heavy butter and cream. And, although scones with fruit might seem healthier, most are even higher in calories and still high in saturated fat. Steer clear of scones.
How do you check if scones are done? ›
Bake scones in a 425°F oven for 18 to 23 minutes, until they're a very light golden brown. Don't over-bake; dark scones will be dry. Break one open to check for doneness: the interior shouldn't appear doughy or wet, but should feel nicely moist.
Scones are typically moist but crumbly, sort of like corn bread or Mexican wedding cookies. In my opinion, a scone should be light and flaky, not moist, but not dry either. The best result comes from using cold butter and cooling your dough in the fridge until just before sliding into a preheated oven.
Is heavy cream or buttermilk better for scones? ›
Heavy Cream or Buttermilk: For the best tasting pastries, stick with a thick liquid such as heavy cream or buttermilk. I usually use heavy cream, but if you want a slightly tangy flavor, use buttermilk.
Do you put cold or hot butter in scones? ›
Butter must be COLD from the very start to when the dough enters the oven. The cold butter melts upon entering the oven and the water content in butter evaporates in steam. As the steam escapes, it bursts up and creates that beautiful tall, flaky, fluffy texture.
Why do my scones fall apart when I cut them? ›
Why are my scones too crumbly? The liquid that you add after adding the butter is required to keep the whole dough together. If there's not enough water to keep the dough together, it will fall apart too easily and it will be very hard to bring it all together.
How do you make scones rise and not spread? ›
Pack the scones closely on the baking tray so they will support each other as they rise rather than spreading. Make scones the day you need them – they taste far better warm.
Why are my scones heavy and dense? ›
My scones have a dense, heavy texture and poor volume
You may have used too little raising agent or over handled the dough before it was baked. The oven may have been too cool.
Why don t my scones rise high? ›
The longer you get the dough sit before baking it, the less your scones will rise. Try to bake the dough as soon as you finishing kneading and rolling it out. Letting the mixture sit too long will cause the gas bubbles from the leavening agent to disappear. These gas bubbles are what help the scones rise.
Should you sift flour for scones? ›
The less you knead the mix, the less the gluten will tighten up – which means your scones will stay loose and crumbly, rather than tight and springy. Make sure you sieve the flour and baking powder into your bowl. This means that the two will be well mixed together, which gives you a better chance of an even rise.
