Cream Scones - Easy Recipe! (2024)

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These Cream Scones are perfectly light and flaky. They are melt-in-your-mouth good!

Cream Scones - Easy Recipe! (1)

I wanted to get this recipe to you before the weekend, just in case you need some baking inspiration. Baking a batch of these cream scones would be a perfect way to start your Sunday morning. Start to finish, you can have these incredibly light and flaky scones on your breakfast table in well under an hour. They are super easy to make, especially if you use your food processor to mix up the dough.

Cream Scones - Easy Recipe! (2)

It’s hard to beat a good cream scone. One of my favorite breakfast treats is a cream currant scone or peach scone. I didn’t have any currants when I made these, but the dried cherries were equally delicious. You could use almost any small chopped fresh fruit or dried fruit, really.

Dried cranberries, blueberries, apricots, or even toasted chopped nuts would be wonderful in these scones. If you prefer, you can mix mini chocolate chips into these scones instead of the dried fruit.

If you have a weakness for breakfast pastries, try my basic scones recipe (any flavor!) or cream cheese danish next.

Cream Scones - Easy Recipe! (3)

How to Make Cream Scones

If you have a food processor, you can use it to combine the dry ingredients and work in the butter. The food processor makes this recipe so quick and easy! Then you’ll use a fork or spatula to incorporate the heavy whipping cream.

Finally, shape the scone dough into a ball and then a 1 1/2-inch thick circle. Cut the dough into 8 triangular wedges, bake and enjoy!

(Full instructions below.)

Tips for the best Cream Scones

  • You want to use a light hand when mixing up the scone dough, and err on the side of under-mixing. This will ensure that your scones turn out with those light and flaky layers that you love.
  • You want the butter to remain cold, and blend in the butter just until the mixture resembles coarse meal. The largest butter pieces should still be the size of small peas.
  • This scone recipe is easily adaptable for other mix-ins. Try your favorite chopped dried fruit, fresh berries, nuts or chocolate chips.
  • I often make these scones with a half white whole wheat flour and half all purpose flour to include more whole grains.

This scone recipe is so good, you’ll have a hard time stopping at just one. Grab a cup of coffee or tea and a warm scone, and settle in for some weekend relaxation time.

More Scone Recipes

  • Lemon Scones
  • Cinnamon Scones
  • Gingerbread Scones

Cream Scones - Easy Recipe! (4)

5 from 2 ratings

Cream Scones

Servings: 8 scones

Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Cook Time: 12 minutes mins

Total Time: 27 minutes mins

These Cherry Cream Scones are the lightest, flakiest scones ever. They are melt-in-your-mouth good!

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Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 5 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
  • ½ cup dried cherries, coarsely chopped, or dried cranberries or currants
  • 1 cup heavy cream

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 425° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

  • In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt. (Alternatively, see note about mixing scone dough by hand.)

  • Pulse a few times to combine the dry ingredients.

  • Add the butter cubes to the food processor. Pulse 10 times to cut the butter into the dry ingredients.

  • Add the dried cherries and pulse one or two times to mix them in. Transfer the dough to a large mixing bowl.

  • Pour in the heavy cream and use a fork to mix until the dough starts to come together. Use your hands to finish bringing the dough together if needed. Do not over-work the dough; you want the bits of butter to remain cold.

  • Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and shape it into a disk. Flatten the disk into a 1-inch thick circle. Cut into 8 wedges and place on the parchment-lined baking sheet.

  • Bake until the scones are lightly browned on the edges, 12 to 14 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

  • To make dough without a food processor: Whisk together the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Use a pastry blender or your fingers to work in the butter until the largest pieces of butter are the size of small peas. Then stir in the dried cherries and heavy cream.
  • Scones can be frozen before or after baking. Freeze unbaked scones on a baking sheet and then transfer to a zip-top bag. Bake straight from the freezer, adding a few minutes to the baking time.
  • Recipe adapted from Cook's Illustrated.

Serving: 1scone, Calories: 322kcal, Carbohydrates: 35g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 18g, Saturated Fat: 11g, Cholesterol: 60mg, Sodium: 161mg, Potassium: 207mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 9g, Vitamin A: 925IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 98mg, Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is an estimate.

Cuisine: American

Course: Breakfast

Tried this recipe?Mention @kristines_kitchen on Instagram or tag #kristineskitchenblog.

This site contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I may receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting Kristine's Kitchen!

Breakfast Freezer Friendly

posted by Kristine Rosenblatt on Sep 30, 2018 (last updated Jan 16, 2020)

24 comments Leave a comment »

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24 comments on “Cream Scones”

  1. Dorothy @ Crazy for Crust Reply

    I’m usually very excited for the time change but I’ll be traveling this year. It just seems like a waste of an extra hour, lol! Love these scones, I could eat a scone every day!

  2. Karen Reply

    I made these scones today with a combination of dried cranberries & apricots and they were SO good!! Thanks for the great recipe! I’m sure I will make it again and again with different mix-ins. And it will be hard to ever eat a store bought scone again – these taste so much better, and I was surprised how easy they were to make!

    • Cream Scones - Easy Recipe! (9)

      Kristine Reply

      Thanks for letting me know, and I’m so glad you liked these! I want to try them with cranberries and orange zest soon!

      • Karen

        I made these again today with a combination of dried cranberries, orange zest, and mini chocolate chips. They were SO good! This time I made the dough using my fingertips instead of the food processor, and I actually found it to be much easier!

      • Cream Scones - Easy Recipe! (10)

        Kristine

        Thanks for commenting and letting me know! I tried them with dried cranberries and orange zest a few weeks ago, but I bet the chocolate chips made them even better. Thanks for sharing the tip about making the dough by hand, too!

  3. Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice Reply

    I spent my extra hour of Daylight Savings Time sleeping, though maybe I should’ve been baking these scones! 🙂 These look delicious, Kristine! I love the cherry flavor. I love how soft and moist they look!

    • Cream Scones - Easy Recipe! (11)

      Kristine Reply

      Sleep sounds like a pretty good way to spend that extra hour! Unfortunately my kids didn’t get the memo about daylight savings time. 🙂

  4. Kristi @ Inspiration Kitchen Reply

    Gorgeous scones Kristine! I love scones in the morning – they’re so perfect for breakfast! Pinned!

    • Cream Scones - Easy Recipe! (12)

      Kristine Reply

      Thanks for the pin, Kristi! Scones are my favorite breakfast treat. They go so well with a cup of coffee!

  5. Oriana @Mommyhood's Diary Reply

    Ohh boy!! This is what I need right now to pair my cup of coffee. Love it. Pinned

    • Cream Scones - Easy Recipe! (13)

      Kristine Reply

      Thanks, Oriana! I know, it’s too bad I made these scones a few weeks ago because I could totally go for one with my morning coffee today too!

  6. Lindsey @ American Heritage Cooking Reply

    I love scones! These look perfect! Soft, moist and packed with dried cherries! Just how I like them! I did enjoy that extra hour…but I don’t enjoy how early it gets dark!!

    • Cream Scones - Easy Recipe! (14)

      Kristine Reply

      Thank you, Lindsey! The early evening darkness is not my favorite either, and it certainly makes dinnertime natural light food photos impossible!

  7. Karen Reply

    I had heavy cream I needed to use up so I found this recipe and I am sooo glad I did.
    These are just delectable. I used a combined dried berry mix that I presoaked in hot water and drained just so they wouldn’t be too hard in the finished scone. Since it is summer, I also used frozen butter that I simply grated on a box grater.
    This recipe is definitely going on my baking favorites list. In fact, it’s a reason to have cream on hand to whip up a batch. Tea party anyone?

  8. Fran Reply

    Just as the previous comment I had a cup of cream left over and been meaning to try your scone recipe They turned out just as pretty as yours. Just took them out of the oven and waiting for them to cool down so I can dig into one. I used cranberry and orange rind in the mix . Thank you!

  9. Jamie Lee Reply

    Love these scones. Perfect!! Made them twice coz the first time wasn’t enough. Thank you. ???

  10. Charlene Wurtz Reply

    have you ever used half and half cream instead?

    • Cream Scones - Easy Recipe! (15)

      Kristine Reply

      I haven’t. I think it will work fine, the scones just won’t have as rich of a flavor.

  11. Sharon Palmer Reply

    Says 2c. Flour 10 oz?? My dry cups are approx 7.25 oz
    Measuring things out to make tomorrow..adding pecans an little hint of maple extract with maple glaze..
    Can hardly wait..

    • Cream Scones - Easy Recipe! (16)

      Kristine Rosenblatt Reply

      Hi Sharon,
      I’ve just looked it up again to double check and 2 cups of flour weigh 250 grams (which is about 8.5 ounces). You can either measure the flour by spooning it into your measuring cup and leveling it off, or by weighing out 250 grams for this recipe. If you find the dough to be very sticky, you can add a bit more flour. I hope you enjoy the scones!

  12. Terrie S Reply

    These scones were so good. I made them by hand using a pastry cutter and they were perfect. I used a mixture of dried cherries and mini chocolate chip. Yummy!!

  13. Ruth Furr Reply

    I made these today, but is the 1 TABLESPOON of baking soda correct? Thats just about all I could taste in these scones.

    • Cream Scones - Easy Recipe! (17)

      Kristine Rosenblatt Reply

      Hi Ruth, It is 1 tablespoon of baking powder, not baking soda. They are not the same thing.

Leave a comment »

Cream Scones - Easy Recipe! (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to making good scones? ›

Baking tips for making the perfect scones

The colder the better when it comes to scones, we recommend a chilled bowl and pastry cutter too. Use pastry flour: This will create a noticeably lighter scone. However, self-raising flour works just as well and creates a higher rising scone that holds its shape nicely.

Can I use milk instead of heavy cream in scones? ›

Just remember the magic ratio: 1 cup (227g) of heavy cream can be replaced by 1/2 cup (113g) each of butter and milk. If you keep in mind the tips and tricks we've taught you here, you'll be able to transform any scone recipe to get exactly the results you're looking for.

What is better for scones buttermilk or heavy cream? ›

Heavy Cream or Buttermilk: For the best tasting pastries, stick with a thick liquid such as heavy cream or buttermilk. I usually use heavy cream, but if you want a slightly tangy flavor, use buttermilk.

What to avoid when making scones? ›

5 Mistakes to Avoid When Baking Scones
  1. Using anything but cold ingredients. The secret to the flakiest scones is to start with cold ingredients — cold butter, cold eggs, and cold cream. ...
  2. Only using all-purpose flour. ...
  3. Overmixing the dough. ...
  4. Not chilling the dough before baking. ...
  5. Baking them ahead of time.
May 1, 2019

Which flour is best for scones? ›

Use all-purpose flour for a higher rising scone that holds its shape nicely, both in and out of the oven. To make more delicate, lower-rising, cake-like scones, substitute cake flour for all-purpose flour. Reduce the liquid in the recipe by 1 to 2 tablespoons, using just enough to bring the dough together.

Is it better to make scones with butter or oil? ›

For example, if you substitute oil for butter or margarine, you can significantly reduce the amount of saturated fat in your baked goods. This streamlined recipe for Light Scones uses just 3 tablespoons of canola oil, which contains a fraction of the saturated fat found in butter or margarine.

Why are my scones so dry? ›

Handle scone dough gently: “Overmixing leads to too much gluten development, which leads to tough, dense scones, instead of flaky, moist ones,” says Bethany. Once you've added the liquid in your recipe, mix the dough gently until just combined — and no more.

Does butter have to be cold for scones? ›

Get Flaky Scones with COLD Butter

Butter must be COLD from the very start to when the dough enters the oven. The cold butter melts upon entering the oven and the water content in butter evaporates in steam. As the steam escapes, it bursts up and creates that beautiful tall, flaky, fluffy texture.

What is the difference between a scone and a shortcake? ›

But shortcakes don't share the same buttery flakiness of biscuits or the dry crumbliness of a scone. That's because shortcake recipes call for eggs and use more sugar. That's what makes them unique! This gives the shortcake a sweet taste and tight crumb—perfect for soaking up the juices from the fruit topping.

Why are my scones not fluffy? ›

Placing a dough in a cool oven that then slowly heats up actually affects the rising agent. Make sure your oven is at the right temperature you will be baking the scones at before you put them in. Also having an oven that is too hot or too cold will affect the baking of your scones immensely.

How thick should you roll out scone dough? ›

It is far better that the scone mixture is on the wet side, sticking to your fingers, as the scones will rise better. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and flatten it out with your hand, or use a rolling pin, to a thickness of 1-2 cm (1/2 – ¾ inch).

Do you butter a cream scone? ›

It's usually one or the other. The clotted cream is spread liberally over each slice of scone and a little strawberry jam is placed on top. If you don't have clotted cream then you use butter instead. Though, you could use any type of jam, strawberry is probably the most authentic variety.

Why are scones bad for you? ›

They are typically extremely high in calories from the heavy butter and cream. And, although scones with fruit might seem healthier, most are even higher in calories and still high in saturated fat. Steer clear of scones.

Should you chill scone dough before baking? ›

Not chilling the dough before baking: to really ace your scones, it helps to chill your dough again before it's baked. Using cold ingredients does help, but your hands will warm up the dough when you're working with it and the extra step of chilling will help you get the best result.

Why do scones taste bad? ›

That slightly bitter, kinda “tinny” flavor you often experience when biting into a muffin, biscuit or scone is the result of using a baking powder in high quantities — as is needed for these quick-rise treats — with aluminum in it.

What makes scones rise best? ›

To ensure taller scones, start with a thicker dough disc and place the scones on a tray with sides, allowing them to slightly touch one another. This arrangement encourages the scones to push against the pan and each other, promoting height.

Why are my scones not light and fluffy? ›

Overworking the dough: when you overwork your dough, your scones can come out tough and chewy, rather than that desired light, crumbly texture. The trick is to use light pressure and only the work the dough until it just comes together.

How long should you rest scones before baking? ›

Recipes for scones sometimes provide a make-ahead option that involves refrigerating the dough overnight so it can simply be shaped and then popped into the oven the next day. But now we've found that resting the dough overnight has another benefit: It makes for more symmetrical and attractive pastries.

How do you make scones rise and not spread? ›

Pack the scones closely on the baking tray so they will support each other as they rise rather than spreading. Make scones the day you need them – they taste far better warm.

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