Cream Scones
I first had a true English cream scone while studying abroad in college, and I’ve had a deep love for scones ever since. I’ll admit, I’m kind of a scone snob — I want them crisp and golden on the outside, but soft, moist, and tender on the inside. Not dry, not cakey, and definitely not heavy.
I’ve spent more than 15 years baking, testing, and tweaking these to get that balance just right, and this is the recipe I come back to every time. I also love how easily scones change with the seasons — berries and lemon in the summer, peaches in August, cinnamon and maple in the fall, chocolate whenever the occasion calls for it. They’re just as approachable as a batch of muffins, but somehow always feel a little more special and elevated when you set them on the table.
These are my OG cream scones, and I truly think they’re foolproof. Follow the steps, trust the process, and fair warning: every scone after this might ruin you a little.
Cream Scones
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
10 Tbsp cold butter
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup heavy cream + 2 Tbsp for brushing on top of scones
Instructions
Mix flour, sugar, powder, soda and salt together in a large bowl.
Cut your butter into cubes, then add to the flour mixture. Cut the butter into the flour with a pastry cutter until it’s the size of super small peas.
Mix egg, 1/2 cup heavy cream and vanilla together in separate bowl.
Add liquid ingredients to the flour/butter mixture. Mix just until combined...l usually start with a fork and then switch to my hands and kind of gently knead the mixture all together.
Gently pat the mixture into a big circle and cut into 8 triangles. Place on a parchment lined sheet tray and put in the freezer for 15-20 mins.
Preheat oven to 425.
Place scones onto the parchment lined sheet tray a few inches apart, and then brush with heavy cream and sprinkle with sugar.
Bake for 10 mins at 425. Turn oven down to 400. Bake for 8-10 more mins. If they’re browning more than you’d prefer, put a piece of foil over them to finish the bake.
