How to Make Perfect Scones

I recently got a reader email asking about how to make better scones. In all honesty, I wouldn't have had a good answer for the inquirer had she asked before I met Amy Lawrence, an accomplished cookbook author with several scone cookbooks out. However, in an interview in 2010, Amy shared her tips for perfect scones, and my scone-making was completely revolutionized. No more flat, dense blobs. No more flavorless, colorless discs. And no more blind guessing on substitutions and improvisations. Just easy, delicious scones (almost) every time.

Follow Amy's tips, and your scones are likely to improve just as much as mine did.

Once you have your scone-making basics down, be sure to check out the two most popular recipes on the site (Raisin Scones and Cinnamon Scones, pictured here), or to explore the scone recipe collection.

Photo (c) Lindsey Goodwin
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Raisin Scones Recipe

This easy Raisin Scones Recipe is one of the most popular scones recipes on About Coffee / Tea. It's an easy-to-make buttermilk scone recipe.

For an added treat, serve Raisin Scones with coffee or one of my top ten teas for afternoon tea and with jam, clotted cream, Devonshire cream or cinnamon butter.

Prep Time: 10?minutes

Cook Time: 15?minutes

Total Time: 25?minutes

Yield: About 12 scones

Ingredients:

• 2 cups flour
• 2 tbs baking powder
• 2 tbs sugar
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg, ground
• 1/2 cup butter, cut up
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 egg white, lightly beaten
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• About 3/4 cup buttermilk

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg in a large bowl.
3. Use a pastry cutter to cut in the butter. The mixture is done when it resembles coarse cornmeal.
4. Stir in the raisins, and then stir in the vanilla extract.
5. With minimal stirring, mix in just enough buttermilk to make the dough stick together. It will be crumbly and there should still be a little bit of dry flour left in the mixing bowl.
6. Turn the dough out on a heavily floured cutting board.
7. Knead the dough for about a minute. When it is done, it should be easy to handle and smooth.
8. With a rolling pin, roll the dough into a 3/4"-thick slab.
9. Cut the dough into triangles that are 3" long on each side.
10. Transfer the scones to a buttered baking sheet and brush the tops with egg whites.
11. Bake in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. (Optional: Turn pan halfway through baking.)
12. Cool on the baking sheet.

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