7 Homemade Scone Recipes, From Classic Cream Tea to Cheese and Chive

A good scone can make an ordinary afternoon feel like an occasion. I love the classic version with jam and a generous spoonful of clotted cream, but scones deserve more than one outing at afternoon tea. They can be packed with cheese for lunch, studded with fruit for a rainy afternoon or made with lemon for something a little brighter.

Here are seven recipes worth putting the kettle on for. They all make around eight scones.

A few tips before you start

Use cold butter, handle the dough lightly and resist twisting the cutter as you press it down. A straight cut helps the scones rise evenly. If the dough feels sticky, flour your hands and worktop rather than kneading in lots more flour.

Bake on a lined tray in an oven preheated to 220°C/200°C fan. Oven temperatures vary, so look for scones that are well risen and golden.

1. Classic Buttermilk Scones

These are the ones to make when you’ve bought particularly good jam and clotted cream.

Ingredients

• 350g self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 85g cold butter, cubed
• 45g caster sugar
• 175ml buttermilk
• 1 egg, beaten, for brushing

Method

1. Mix the flour and baking powder in a bowl. Rub in the butter with your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs, then stir in the sugar.
2. Pour in the buttermilk and bring everything together with a table knife to make a soft dough.
3. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and pat to about 3cm thick. Cut out rounds with a 6cm cutter, pressing straight down. Gently bring the offcuts together and cut again.
4. Place on the tray, brush the tops with egg and bake for 12–15 minutes, until risen and golden.

Serve with: Clotted cream and strawberry jam. I’m leaving the cream-or-jam-first argument to you.

2. Mature Cheddar and Chive Scones

Warm from the oven with butter, these make an excellent lunch alongside soup.

Ingredients

• 350g self-raising flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 75g cold butter, cubed
• 125g mature Cheddar, grated, plus a little extra for topping
• 2 tbsp finely chopped chives
• ¼ tsp mustard powder
• 180ml milk
• A little milk for brushing

Method

1. Mix the flour, baking powder and mustard powder. Rub in the butter, then stir through the Cheddar and chives.
2. Add the milk gradually, mixing until you have a soft dough.
3. Pat out to about 3cm thick and cut into rounds. Brush the tops with milk and scatter over the extra cheese.
4. Bake for 12–15 minutes, until golden and cooked through.

Serve with: Salted butter, or split and fill with cream cheese and slices of cucumber.

3. Lemon and Blueberry Scones

Fresh blueberries give these little bursts of fruit; lemon zest keeps them from tasting too sweet.

Ingredients

• 350g self-raising flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 85g cold butter, cubed
• 60g caster sugar
• Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
• 125g blueberries
• 170ml milk
• 1 egg, beaten, for brushing

Method

1. Mix the flour and baking powder, then rub in the butter. Stir in the sugar and lemon zest.
2. Add the blueberries and toss gently to coat them in flour. Pour in the milk and bring the dough together, taking care not to crush the fruit.
3. Pat into a round about 3cm thick and cut into eight wedges. Transfer to the tray and brush the tops with egg.
4. Bake for 15–18 minutes, until golden.

Serve with: A little butter or lemon curd.

4. Fruit Scones with Orange Zest

A familiar afternoon-tea favourite with a subtle citrus lift.

Ingredients

• 350g self-raising flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 85g cold butter, cubed
• 55g caster sugar
• 100g sultanas
• Finely grated zest of 1 orange
• 175ml milk
• 1 egg, beaten, for brushing

Method

1. Mix the flour and baking powder, then rub in the butter. Stir through the sugar, sultanas and orange zest.
2. Add the milk and mix just until the dough comes together.
3. Pat to about 3cm thick, cut into rounds and brush the tops with egg.
4. Bake for 12–15 minutes, until risen and golden.

Serve with: Butter while they’re still slightly warm.

5. Parmesan, Rosemary and Black Pepper Scones

These are the scones I’d make for a savoury afternoon tea or to serve with drinks.

Ingredients

• 350g self-raising flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 75g cold butter, cubed
• 90g finely grated Parmesan
• 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary
• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 180ml milk
• A little milk for brushing

Method

1. Mix the flour and baking powder, then rub in the butter.
2. Stir in the Parmesan, rosemary and pepper. Add the milk and mix to a soft dough.
3. Pat to about 3cm thick and cut into rounds. Brush with milk.
4. Bake for 12–15 minutes, until golden.

Serve with: Butter and a bowl of tomato soup, or alongside a cheeseboard.

6. Raspberry and White Chocolate Scones

A little more indulgent, but still unmistakably a scone rather than a cake.

Ingredients

• 350g self-raising flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 85g cold butter, cubed
• 45g caster sugar
• 85g white chocolate, roughly chopped
• 100g fresh raspberries
• 165ml milk
• 1 egg, beaten, for brushing

Method

1. Mix the flour and baking powder, then rub in the butter. Stir in the sugar and white chocolate.
2. Add the raspberries, followed by the milk. Bring the dough together gently; a few streaks of crushed raspberry are fine.
3. Pat into a thick round and cut into eight wedges. Brush the tops with egg.
4. Bake for 15–18 minutes, until golden and cooked through.

Serve with: Nothing more than a cup of tea, although a spoonful of softly whipped cream wouldn’t hurt.

7. Feta, Spinach and Sun-Dried Tomato Scones

These feel almost like a light meal, especially with a salad on the side.

Ingredients

• 350g self-raising flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 75g cold butter, cubed
• 100g feta, crumbled
• 40g baby spinach, finely chopped
• 50g sun-dried tomatoes, drained and finely chopped
• 170–190ml milk
• A little milk for brushing

Method

1. Mix the flour and baking powder, then rub in the butter. Stir in the feta, spinach and sun-dried tomatoes.
2. Add 170ml milk and mix gently, adding a little more only if needed to bring the dough together.
3. Pat to about 3cm thick, cut into rounds and brush the tops with milk.
4. Bake for 13–16 minutes, until golden and cooked through.

Serve with: Cream cheese and a handful of rocket.

Can you freeze homemade scones?

Yes. Let baked scones cool completely, then freeze them in an airtight container for up to three months. Defrost at room temperature and warm them briefly in the oven before serving. They’re at their best on the day they’re made, but a warm scone from the freezer is still a very good reason to stop for tea.

Joanne Brook-Smith is a writer and editor with two decades of publishing experience. She launched Crave Magazine during the Covid period to create a fresh, inspiring space for food, travel and lifestyle content.