Buttered Scones

Name: Buttered Scones
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 27 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients: 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour; 2 teaspoons (10 g) baking powder; ½ teaspoon (3 g) fine sea salt; 2 tablespoons (25 g) caster sugar (or superfine sugar); 5 tablespoons (70 g) unsalted butter, cold, cut into ½-inch (12 mm) cubes; ¾ cup (180 ml) whole milk, at room temperature; 1 whole (50 g) large egg, beaten, for egg wash

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Tender, golden scones with a crisp exterior and soft crumb, made with cold butter for flaky layers. These classic British tea scones are simple enough for everyday baking yet elegant enough for a proper cream tea. Serve warm with jam and clotted cream.

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 12 min
Wait: 5 min
Total: 32 min
Makes: 8 scones

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Steps

Before you start

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C)
Cut butter into ½-inch (12 mm) cubes and chill for at least 15 minutes
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper
Have milk at room temperature

1
Mix dry ingredients
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and caster sugar.
- Make sure the baking powder and salt are evenly distributed throughout the flour.
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Ready when: Mixture looks uniform and there are no streaks of baking powder
Tip: Sift the ingredients if your flour has been stored for a while to eliminate lumps and incorporate more air.
2
Cut in cold butter
- Add the cold butter cubes to the flour mixture.
- Using a fork or pastry cutter, work the butter into the flour using a cutting motion until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs with pea-sized pieces of butter still visible.
- This should take 3–4 minutes.
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Ready when: Texture is grainy and breadcrumb-like with visible flecks of butter throughout
Tip: Keep the butter cold and work quickly so it stays in distinct pieces. This creates the flaky layers in the finished scones. Avoid overmixing or using warm butter.
3
Add milk gently
- Make a well in the center of the mixture.
- Pour ¾ cup (160 ml) of the milk into the well.
- Using a wooden spoon, gently fold the dry ingredients into the milk with a few quick motions until a shaggy dough just forms.
- The dough should be moist but not sticky; add the remaining milk a tablespoon at a time only if the dough is too dry.
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Ready when: Dough is cohesive and slightly wet, with no dry flour visible
Tip: Stop mixing as soon as the ingredients come together. Overworking the dough makes scones tough and dense.
4
Shape the dough
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface.
- Gently press it into a ¾-inch (2 cm) thick disk about 6 inches (15 cm) across, working it as little as possible.
- Using a 2-inch (5 cm) round cutter or the rim of a drinking glass dipped in flour, cut out 8 scones, pressing straight down without twisting.
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Ready when: Eight disks are cut from the dough with clean edges
Tip: Twisting the cutter seals the edges and prevents the scones from rising evenly. Press straight down and lift cleanly away.
5
Arrange and glaze
- Place the scones on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 1½ inches (4 cm) apart.
- Brush the top of each scone generously with beaten egg wash.
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Ready when: Each scone is coated with a thin, shiny layer of egg
Tip: The egg wash ensures a golden, glossy finish. Use a pastry brush for even coverage.
6
Bake until goldenOven 400°F / 205°C
- Place the baking sheet in the preheated 400°F (200°C) oven and bake for 12–14 minutes, until the scones are risen and the tops are a deep golden brown.
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Ready when: Tops are golden brown and scones have risen noticeably; a skewer inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs, not wet batter
Tip: Watch carefully in the last few minutes—scone tops brown quickly. If the bottoms are browning too fast, move the pan to a lower oven shelf.
7
Cool and serve
- Transfer the scones to a cooling rack and let them rest for 3–5 minutes before serving.
- They are best eaten while still warm, within an hour of baking.
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Ready when: Scones are cool enough to handle without burning your fingers but still warm to the touch
Tip: Scones are at their best eaten the same day, fresh from the oven. Wrap leftovers in a tea towel to keep them soft.

Good to know

Tips

The temperature of your ingredients matters: cold butter creates flaky layers, and room-temperature milk mixes in smoothly. Keep everything else cool by working quickly.
For perfectly even scones, cut out all 8 shapes before moving any to the baking sheet. If you have scraps of dough, gently press them together and cut one more scone, but note it may be slightly denser.
Scones are best served warm with clotted cream and jam. Separate the scone horizontally with a fork (rather than a knife) to preserve the tender crumb.
Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract or ½ teaspoon of almond extract to the milk for subtle flavor variation, or stir ½ cup (50 g) of dried fruit (currants, raisins, or chopped apricots) into the flour mixture before adding the milk.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: keep in an airtight container or wrapped in a tea towel for up to 6 hours. Refrigerator: wrap well and store for up to 2 days; refresh by warming in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 5 minutes. Freezer: cool completely, wrap individually, and freeze for up to 3 months; thaw at room temperature for 1 hour, then warm in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 8–10 minutes.

Substitutions

caster sugar (or superfine sugar) → granulated sugar. Use the same amount. Granulated sugar is slightly coarser but works just as well.
whole milk → buttermilk. Use the same amount. Buttermilk produces slightly tangier, more tender scones; reduce baking powder to 1½ teaspoons.
whole milk → plant-based milk (oat or almond) or heavy cream. Use the same amount. Heavy cream makes richer, creamier scones.
large egg → milk or cream. Brush with whole milk or heavy cream for a less shiny finish but still golden.