3 ingredient scones

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5 from 1 vote

Enjoy a batch of buttery 3 ingredient scones, prepared and baked in under 30 minutes! A classic recipe super easy to make, plus my secret tip for light, soft, perfect scones every time.

Course Breakfast, Breakfast / Snack

Cuisine British

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 12

Total Time 22

Servings 12 scones

Ingredients

US Customary - Metric

▢ 3 cups self-raising flour see note 1
▢ ⅓ cup grated frozen butter see note 2
▢ 1 cup milk cold

Instructions

If you don’t already have butter kept in the freezer, then pop a block in for about 15 minutes before grating.
Grate the frozen butter into a bowl with the flour.
Rub the butter into the flour with your fingertips until it resembles breadcrumbs. Lift your fingers above the bowl while rubbing to help aerate the mixture. See Note 4
If using sugar, stir it into the flour mixture now.
Pour the cold milk over the flour mixture combining with a butter knife or an offset spatula to form a soft dough. Mix only until combined. Do not overmix. See note 5
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Gather the dough gently to form a smooth ball.
Pat the dough out to about 1 inch (2cm) thick.
Dip a 2½ inch (6cm) round cookie cutter or cup in some extra flour and push down into the mixture. Don’t twist! If you do, it will result in lopsided baked scones. See note 6
Gently form the dough back together and cut again until you have used up all the dough.
Place the cut-out scone dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a Silpat silicone mat.
Bake for 12-15 minutes until risen and golden brown in a preheated oven of 390°F/200°C (standard) or 350°F/180°C (fan / convection)
Remove from the oven and serve either warm or cooled.

Storage

Scones are best eaten or served warm from the oven. Preferably eaten on the same on which it has been baked.
On the countertop at room temperature: Store in an airtight container for about two days
In the refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for about a week,
In the freezer: Store in an airtight container for about two months.
Food safe / Freezer safe airtight containers or zip bags ensures that your scones do not absorb scents from other food while they are stored.

Serving suggestions

Delicious served with sweet or savory filling
Sweet
Any flavor jam/jelly
Whipped cream
Honey
Lemon curd
Marmalade
Nutella
Savory
Guacamole
Smoked salmon
Cheese and chutney

Notes

Self-rising flour: Ensure that your self-rising flour is fresh and not past the expiry date. If the self-rising flour is expired, the scones will not rise and will have a dense texture.  If you do not have self-rising flour, then you can make your own by just adding 2 teaspoons of baking powder to every cup of all-purpose OR cake flour called for in the recipe.
Cold grated butter: My secret tip for making tender, light scones: Grated frozen butter! Trust me, this makes a world of a difference to your baked scones. Firstly, it’s easier to incorporate frozen grated butter throughout the flour compared to little blocks of cold butter. Secondly as the grated frozen butter melts during baking, it creates pockets of butter throughout, releasing steam and helping the dough rise instead of spreading out.
Sugar: This is optional and about ¼ cup (or according to taste) can be added to the flour after rubbing in the butter.
Use your fingertips only When rubbing the butter in to the flour mixture, try not to use your palm of your hand to do so. The palm of your hand is warmer than your finger tips and will soften the butter.
Avoid over-mixing the dough. Too much stirring will produce dense scones.
If you do not want to use a cookie cutter, you could also use a sharp knife to cut the dough into triangles or squares.

Nutrition

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