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How To Make Big Fluffy Scones A Fool-Proof Recipe
The best recipe for big fluffy scones that’s light, tasty and so easy to make. They’re perfect for breakfast or afternoon tea and they taste great served with jam and clotted cream.
This scones recipe is such a simple bake anyone can make! They come out big, fluffy and completely delicious. It’s made with just a few simple ingredients, doesn’t take long to bake and it’s best eaten fresh from the oven. This recipe is completely fool proof, you can’t go wrong with these steps.
The only thing better than scones is scones paired with a cup of tea. A popular English tradition, these scones are a must-have in many afternoon tea restaurants. I find the best thing about this recipe is how big the scones are; why have small scones when you can have big fluffy ones!
How Do I Get My Scones To Rise And Be Fluffy?
The secret to tall, big, fluffy scones is the addition of baking powder. Baking powder is a raising agent that releases carbon dioxide when mixed with water. When scones are baking in the oven, small air bubbles are created causing the scones to rise.
Keeping your scones lined up side by side will force the scones to rise upwards instead of growing outwards. Make sure the scones aren’t too close together or they’ll bake attached.
Watch How To Make It
Recipe Ingredients
Below are the few ingredients needed to make these scones:
- Self-Raising Flour & Baking Powder: Self-raising flour has baking powder added to it. Even though there’s already baking powder in this flour, we’ll be adding more so that the scones will have a big rise.
- Salt & Sugar: For flavour; sugar also helps to provide the crust colour.
- Butter: You can use salted or unsalted butter; I like to use salted butter for more flavour but this is up to your preference. Remember a small amount of salt is added to this recipe already.
- Milk: Combines all the dry ingredients together. Use full fat milk for best results.
- Vanilla: The addition of vanilla is optional but it does add a nice flavour to the scones.
- Egg: An egg is used for the egg wash. Simply whisk an egg and brush it over the scones before baking it in the oven.
How To Make Big Fluffy Scones (Fool Proof Recipe)
Below is a step-by-step guide on how to make big fluffy scones; an easy fool-proof recipe for anyone! Full instructions are on the recipe card at the bottom.
Step One:
Preheat the oven to 180°C (gas mark 4, 350°F) and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
Step Two:
In a large mixing bowl, add self-raising flour, sugar, salt and baking powder and mix together.
Then add cubes of butter to the mixing bowl, using the ‘rub-in-method’ use your fingertips to combine the butter and flour together until combined and resembles crumbs. Or you can use a food processor.
Step Three:
Make a well in the middle and add milk and vanilla to the mixing bowl. Gently mix together until a dough has formed, you may need to bring the dough together with your hands.
Step Four:
Dust your worktable with flour and add a little to the rolling pin. Gently roll the dough out with your rolling pin, you only need to flatten the dough a little. The thickness of an inch or 3 cm is ideal.
Step Five:
With a large cookie cutter, cut-out circles and place on a lined baking tray. Try not to twist the cutter when pressing down, you’ll want a clean cut by sharply pressing down.
I used a large 8cm cookie cutter for big scones.
Step Six:
With a basting brush (pastry brush) gently coat the scones with an egg wash by whisking an egg. Then bake in the oven for 12 to 15 minutes.
Add Fruits To Scones
I’m not the biggest fan of dried fruit in scones, so I often leave them out. But if you like dried fruits, then there are so many variations you can make to this recipe.
Currants: Raisins are a popular addition to scones: you can also add dried cranberries, sultanas, apricots or a pack of dried mixed fruit.
Zest: Adding lemon zest or orange zest will add an extra layer of flavour.
If you want to add fruit to your scones, make sure you’re using dried fruit rather than fresh fruit. Fresh fruit holds a lot of excess water which can have an effect on the texture.
What To Serve With Big Fluffy Scones
If you’re following a traditional English scones recipe, you’ll want to cut your scone in half, add jam and clotted cream, then add the second scone half on top. You can add jam first then clotted cream or clotted cream then jam; the order in which you add the two differs depending on which part of the UK you’re from.
You can of course add whatever you like! Chocolate spread, butter, peanut butter or just have it plain. There are so many ways to enjoy your freshly baked scones.
As jams are quite a popular scone filling, this is great opportunity to experiment with different jam flavours: from apple jams to rhubarb jams or ginger jams to apricot jams.
My Top Tips
Making scones requires you to be very gentle when handling the dough. You want to touch the dough as little as possible and roll it out very lightly. Overworking the dough can give you a tough and dense scone.
Use butter and milk straight from the fridge. When placing the scones in a preheated hot oven, the heat will make the dough rise rapidly, small pockets of air will arise due to the cold butter used.
Twisting the cookie cutter when cutting circles from the dough can prevent an even rise! Cut the dough straight down without twisting. To help, lightly dust the cookie cutter with flour to prevent sticking.
Homemade scones aren’t the best for making in advance, they taste better fresh and should be eaten straight away.
How To Freeze Scones
Once the scones have cooled down, place them into a freezer bag or an airtight container. Then place in the freezer and freeze for up to 2 to 3 months.
When you want to eat them, take them out of the freezer and leave to thaw for a few hours. Reheat in the oven at 180°C for around 10 minutes.
How Long Do Scones Keep Fresh?
Homemade scones are best eaten freshly baked but can keep fresh for generally up to 2 days. Store the scones in an airtight container and keep at room temperature.
You can keep them in the fridge where they will last up to 7 days. Generally, the longer they’re kept the dryer they’ll become.
Why Didn’t My Scones Rise High?
If you’ve done everything right it can be so frustrating when your scones don’t rise high! There are a number of factors that can cause this:
- Overworking the dough
- The oven wasn’t hot enough
- Opening the oven door before the scones are cooked
- Twisting the cookie cutter
- Using warm butter and milk
Even if you do get scones that don’t rise well, it will still taste great!
More Recipes You’ll Like
- Cheese Scones
- Garlic Tear And Share Bread
- Breadsticks Recipe
- Bacon And Cheese Turnovers
- Oreo Waffles
- Empire Biscuits
Easy Recipe For Big Fluffy Scones
Ingredients
- 350 g Self-Raising Flour
- ¼ tsp Salt
- 2 tsp Baking Powder
- 85 g Cold Butter
- 4 tbsp Caster Sugar
- 160 ml Milk
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1 Egg For Egg Wash
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (gas mark 4, 350°F) and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, add self-raising flour, sugar, salt and baking powder and mix together.
- Then add cubes of butter to the mixing bowl, using the ‘rub-in-method’ use your fingertips to combine the butter and flour together until combined and resembles crumbs. Or you can use a food processor.
- Make a well in the middle and add milk and vanilla to the mixing bowl. Gently mix together until a dough has formed, you may need to bring the dough together with your hands.
- Dust your worktable with flour and add a little to the rolling pin. Gently roll the dough out with your rolling pin, you only need to flatten the dough a little. The thickness of an inch or 3 cm is ideal.
- With a large cookie cutter, cut-out circles and place on a lined baking tray. Try not to twist the cutter when pressing down, you’ll want a clean cut by sharply pressing down.
- With a basting brush (pastry brush) gently coat the scones with an egg wash by whisking an egg. Then bake in the oven for 12 to 15 minutes.
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