Light & tender Homemade Buttermilk Scones made from scratch in just 20 minutes ! Afternoon tea wouldn’t be complete without a batch of warm scones fresh from the oven.
I finally got around to find time for baking again. Last Friday was National Cream Tea Day and I made a batch of Buttermilk Scones to join in with #TwitterBakeAlong run by Jackie and Rob. Homemade Buttermilk Scones are quick and easy to make so they’re the perfect choice when time is short and you need almost instant results because you fancy a sweet treat but the cake cupboard is bare.
Make a batch of scones and pop them in the oven – 12 minutes later you’ve got warm scones ready to eat. Simply split open and spread with butter. Delicious any time of day, we’ve even been known to have them for breakfast.
Photos are from the last visit to the Kitchen Shed in France, fond memories.
For an extra special treat though, try them in a tradional cream tea with rich and decadent clotted cream (recipe coming soon) I’ll leave it up to you whether you put the jam or cream on first.
Buttermilk and light handling are the key to success with scones. You can substitute half yoghurt and half milk if you can’t get hold of buttermilk. There’s no need to use a mixer, your hands and a bowl are all that’s required. You don’t even need a rolling pin, just a gentle pressing of the dough with your hands does the job. Sultanas aren’t a traditional addition to a scone dough but I’ve included them as an optional ingredient -we love them.
Note:
Half yoghurt and half milk can be substituted for buttermilk.
Sultanas are an optional addition as traditionally scones served at afternoon tea are plain.
Homemade Buttermilk Scones freeze well.
Homemade Buttermilk Scones
Equipment
- Mixing Bowl
- Pastry / Cookie Cutter
- Pastry brush
- Baking sheet
Ingredients
Scone Dough
- 450 grams self raising flour
- 1/2 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda
- A pinch salt
- 175 grams butter diced and at room temperature
- 4 tbsp caster sugar
- 6 tbsp buttermilk can be substituted with half milk and half yoghurt
- 1 egg beaten
- milk or egg wash
- 100 grams sultanas Optional
Instructions
- Sift the flour, bicarb and salt into a large mixing bowl.
- Using your fingertips, rub the fat into the flour until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
- Add sugar and stir with a spatula.
- Add sultanas if using and stir again.
- Form a well in the centre of the mix with your spatula.
- In a small bowl beat the egg and buttermilk (or yoghurt and milk) and pour into the centre of your scone mixture.
- Quickly pull the mix together - I tend to start mixing with the spatula and then go in with my hands to form the mixture into a ball.
- The scone dough should be slightly sticky and soft. Add a little extra buttermilk if you find the dough a little dry.
- Keep mixing to the absolute minimum.
- Turn your dough onto a floured board.
- Pat out your dough gently, maintaining a thick dough of 2.5 cm (1 inch)
- Cut out your scones using a circular pastry/cookie cutter. Push down your cutter quickly using the palm of your hand and don't twist the cutter.
- For large scones use a 70 mm (2 ¾ ins) cutter or 58 mm (2 ¼ ins) for smaller scones.
- Bring the trimmings back together and cut the rest of your scones. Don't over work or you will end up with tough scones.
- Place your scones onto a greased baking tray.
- Brush the tops of your scones with milk or egg wash.
- Bake in the oven for 15 minutes (large) or 12 minutes (standard) until golden brown.
- Cool on a wire rack.
- Serve with jam and cream or butter.
Kitchen Shed Tips:
- For the perfect soft scone, keep mixing to the minimum.Scones are best eaten the same day, freeze any leftovers.
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Pin Homemade Buttermilk Scones for later:
How about making your own Homemade Clotted Cream to complete your afternoon tea? Recipe here.
I’m linking Homemade Buttermilk Scones to:
- Cook Blog Share hosted this week by Jacqui over at Recipes Made Easy.
- Fiesta Friday hosted by Angie over at Fiesta Friday and co hosted this week by Petra at Food Eat Love.
Gorgeous scones, I love how tall they bake up!
These scones look amazing! Thanks for sharing the secrets to making them great – will try these very soon!
Wow, these scones look amazing and wish to have these for our lazy weekend breakfasts. I’m glad I have all the required ingredients in hand.
Thanks Lathiya, glad to hear you have all the ingredients to hand. Please do let me know how you get on.
Love these classic buttermilk scones. I would love to pair it with some jam and butter and tea.
I have a friend coming over for tea today. These classic buttermilk scones look perfect, so I am making them! Perfect timing. Thank you for sharing.
Hope you enjoy your afternoon tea, please let me know how you get on.
I adore British cream teas with scones! I have never made my own but your scones look easy and delicious! On my to make list!
Thanks Jacqueline, I hope you get to try the recipe soon. You’ll find that once you’ve made your own you won’t go back to shop bought.
Never tried scones with buttermilk. This sounds so delicious. I will soon try this recipe.
Thanks, look forward to hearing from you.
I wish I could buy some clotted cream nearby so I can enjoy it with these delicious scones! Best way to enjoy my morning tea!
Thanks for popping by, I’ll let you know when my clotted cream recipe is ready and you can enjoy your scones with cream.
The scones turned out so light and fluffy! I’m so excited to have another recipe to eat with tea in the afternoon!
Thanks Marta, please let me know how you get on.
These scones would be just absolutely perfect with tea! I love that they only take 20 minutes to make!
Oh my! I’m a southern girl. And I love buttermilk biscuits. These buttermilk scones are also so delicious.
Thanks for stopping by Wendy.
I love scones and traditional afternoon teas. The addition of buttermilk is fabulous, isn’t it? You get such a great texture from it. I’m a cream then jam person though.
I use buttermilk in enriched dough recipes too for the same reason. Scones are delicious either way 🙂
These scones look elegant and inviting without being a lot of fuss to make. It’s great to know that I don’t have to use a rolling pin!
Thanks Beth, scones really are so easy to make and even easier if you don’t use a rolling pin with the advantage of the less you handle the dough the better the scone will be.
Nothing quite like a classic buttermilk biscuit. Definitely a fantastic idea – especially when the cake cupboard is bare as you said! I love a quick and easy recipe like this. Looking forward to the clotted cream recipe!
Thanks Stine, I’m nearly there with the blog post on Clotted Cream.
Scones are my favorite and I love how easy yours are to make and bake, They are perfect with my tea!
Thanks for stopping by Jere, it’s a pleasure to share the recipe.
Wow! They look so tall and flaky! I Perfect for afternoon tea haha
Thanks Jen, the secret to a tall scone is not to press the dough out too thinly and place on the baking sheet fairly close together.
These traditional homemade buttermilk scones are so delicious and perfect for a tea party! I appreciated the reminder to not over-mix the batter!
Thanks Emily, not over mixing the dough does really help with the lightness of the scone.
Makes me want to have afternoon tea. These scones look delicious and their thickness is perfect!!
Thanks Maria, it’s a pleasure to share the recipe.
I love buttermilk scones, especially warm from the oven with a big mug of tea! Can’t wait to try this recipe!
Thanks Taleen, I hope you enjoy them and I forward to hearing how you get on.
I adore scones! And yours do look very good. I haven’t actually had any yet this year – I really need to make some soon! Eb x
Thanks Eb, it’s the time of year for sitting outside and having afternoon tea. Hope you get around to making some soon.
Thanks for sharing, these look yummy perfect for an afternoon tea 🙂
Nic | Nic’s Adventures & Bakes
Thanks Nic, it’s a pleasure to share my scones recipe
I love scones and haven’t made them for years! Your recipe sounds so good, time to dust off my baking, I feel inspired 🙂
thank you for sharing your recipe with us at Fiesta Friday!
Thanks Petra, always a pleasure to join in the Fiesta party.
You simply cannot go wrong with a classic buttermilk scone and you have a great rise, this looks like a fab recipe!
Thanks Chloe, it’s a pleasure to share the recipe 🙂
These look and sounds so scrumptious!