Scones are definitely one of my top favorite things to make, and as a result I have too many scone recipes. So in an attempt to narrow the category, I'm only sharing what I think are the very best of the best recipes. This is one of them. It's for basic whipping cream scones. Unlike some whipping cream scone recipes, these cream scones have both butter and cream. Their texture is definitely lighter than most, and they have more flavor than cream-only scones thanks to the butter.
Is Milk or Cream Better For Scones?
Milk is fine to use in many scone recipes, but if you have some heavy cream or whipping cream, it makes scones much richer, flakier and more like pastries than muffins. In this recipe there is both butter and cream, so you get the flakiness of butter and the moisture from cream. So milk is okay, but for more pastry-like scones go with cream.
Be The Boss of Your Biscuit Dough
I never really made good biscuits until I learned to control the dough and not let it control me. Scones are the same way. Use the recipe as a guide, but if the dough is too wet, add more flour. If the dough is too dry, add more cream. However, I've tried to give exact measurements so you shouldn't have to alter the flour or cream by much if at all. But you never know because flour absorbencies, temperature of butter and just the way people measure can change the dough consistency.
How to Mix Scone Dough
The easiest way to make scones is to mix the dry ingredients in a food processor, pulsing mindfully so that you don't overwork the cold butter. But if you don't have a food processor, you can make the scones by grating in the butter, working it in with a pastry cutter or just using your fingers. Once you've got a coarse flour & butter mixture, you'll then pour it into a mixing bowl with the already whisked together egg, cream & vanilla. You can also do it the other way by mixing the liquid with the flour mixture. Since this recipe has an egg in it, I find it easier to just empty the dry mixture into the mixing bowl with the wet.
Honey and Orange Scones
For a change of pace, you can also make these as Honey and Orange Scones. Those two flavors go so well together. In this recipe, just replace 2 tablespoons of sugar with a generous tablespoon of honey and add about 2 teaspoons (you can use more or less) or orange zest. You can use more honey and less sugar if you wish, but that will change the texture of the scones somewhat.
Other Recipe Suggestions
Recipe
Basic Whipping Cream Scones
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (260 grams)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar (20 grams)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt plus an extra pinch
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter, cold and cut into chunks
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream (not light, not milk, not anything else but heavy whipping cream)
- 1 large egg
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- a little extra cream or extra egg white plus some sparkly or coarse sugar
- frozen blueberries, chocolate chips, anything else (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Have ready a parchment lined baking sheet.
- In a mixing bowl or the bowl of a food processor, thoroughly stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
- Cut up the butter and work it into the dry ingredients. If using a food processor, just pulse until mixture is coarse.
- In another mixing bowl, whisk together the cream, egg and vanilla.
- Add the flour mixture to the cream mixture and stir with a heavy duty scraper or big spoon just until moistened, then turn onto a floured mat and press down flat. Fold in thirds, sprinkling with flour as needed and pressing down again to work in any excess flour and press in any butter bits. You should see a lot of little hard butter bits.
- If adding blueberries of chocolate chips, press frozen blueberries into the dough, then fold the dough over onto itself so that the blueberries (or any other add-in) are within the dough.
- Push the dough together to form a circle that's somewhere between ½ and 1 inch thick. The thickness will affect bake time. Cut the circle into 8 wedges and arrange the wedges a few inches apart on the baking sheet. Brush tops with a little additional cream (or you can use additional egg) and sprinkle with coarse sugar if desired. Bake for 13 to 18 minutes or until lightly brown around the edges.
Jersey Girl Cooks says
I have never made scones and really should try to make them. Love that these have a light texture.
jess @ multicultural melbourne says
ok, that is a very cute dog 🙂 and loving the honey and orange combination, delicious!
Jackie says
Only have clotted cream in the UK. Preferably in Devon or Cornwall. I'm from Devon and the stuff they sell over here in the US in jars just doesn't compare. They serve it with everything. You can even buy an ice cream in a cone with clotted cream on top. Yum!
Melissa J says
Clotted cream is Absolutely Fabulous, You must try, go have tea someplace wonderfull and try it. Love scones, but clotted cream takes them to a whole new level
Jeanette says
what a cutie! growing up we had a 1/2 blue heeler and 1/2 australian shepherd named freckles that looked very similar. she had "freckles" on her tummy! cheers~
I'm At Home Baking says
The scones look wonderful! What a CUTE pup too!
Debbie says
The scones look delicious...love the addition of the colored sugar! I am an absolute sucker for dogs. Hal is adorable...he looks a bit like an Aussie. Just toooo cute!
Sue says
These sound wonderful!
HAL is a cutie!
I'm glad you had some great cupcakes on your birthday!
stephanie says
If you love thick whipped cream you will love clotted cream. I still have dreams about it. Thanks for the scone recipe. I have a bunch of oranges too from Costco that I need to use up.
Katrina says
We go through Cuties in our house SO fast I wouldn't be able to make something with them. 😉
And HAL kind of looks like an Aussie, too. But Collies and Aussie seem similar to me. Looks and sounds like a great dog.
Anna says
Cute! Whippets are so smart.
BTW, I forgot to mention that this recipe halves quite easily.
Mary Lynn says
My Mom loves scones. Perfect timing, too, since tomorrow is her birthday. Love Hal. He is so cute. Our Whippet howls when the phone rings..(only if she thinks no one is around will she howl)
Anna says
Thanks for the insight on clotted cream. I figured everyone in England kept it in the refrigerator and ate it every day. About the birthday, I broke down some boxes in the garage, took ornaments off the Christmas tree, and made a batch of these cupcakes.
https://www.cookiemadness.net/2010/08/ultimate-chocolate-cupcakes/ Hopefully next year's will be more exciting.
HAL says hello.
Chewthefat says
I love scones, and this looks like a wonderful, no-fuss recipe--I can't wait to try it. Despite living in England for nearly two years, I think I had clotted cream only once, in a restaurant. It's not an 'everyday food' but I have to admit I love ultra-rich dairy products. I hope you had a wonderful birthday! Hal is adorable, and good luck keeping the border collie in him intellectually stimulated! (I am sure Fuzz is up to the task!)