This is my beloved recipe for the best scones ever – buttery, crispy on the outside, but velvety on the inside perfection! These scones are simple to make and will have you baking them weekly for your weekend breakfasts. Slather these with clotted cream for the perfect combination!
Why I Think You’ll Love These Scones!
- This recipe yields eighteen perfectly delicious, crispy, buttery scones.
- These scones are SO good that the recipe is in my second cookbook!
- Once you try these scones, you won’t make any other type again.
This Really is the Ultimate Scones Recipe
I have been baking these scones for as long as I can remember. Sometimes, I think my husband married me for my baking—not all of it, but some. He has admitted, in a sugar-induced haze, that he married me to savor my butter tarts every Christmas. Now, don’t get all excited. I mean, butter tarts. There are no sneaky innuendos or double meanings implied there.
Ingredient Notes
I use sour cream and an egg to make the ultimate rich scones. Just read all of the rave reviews below from readers who have made these—I don’t call anything the best unless I think it is!
Sour cream is what sets the best scones apart from all others. It yields a tender crumb inside, while the butter in the recipe makes the outside crispy and snappy—the perfect scone, in my opinion.
How to Divide and Cut Scone Dough into Even Pieces
This method will work with any scone recipe, simply portion out the dough into two disks (12 scone yield recipes) or 3 disks (larger 18 scone yield like this recipe.) Form a log of dough that is even in thickness.
Cut the dough into three equal portions. Form each disk into a circle one inch thick, gently shaping and patting it into a circle (width ranges from 6 to 7 inches).
Cut each circle into six pieces to yield eighteen scones.
How to Arrange the Scones on the Baking Sheet
Lay the little pie-like pieces onto the baking sheets. Blueberries and other fresh fruit like to stick, so grease your baking sheets if you are using these. I use a good non-stick sheet, but my raisin scones don’t stick to it. Make sure there is space between the scones, as shown.
Karlynn’s Tips & Tricks
- Use cold butter ( even frozen) and grate it into the scones if you have a grater. Don’t fear; however, if you want to make these and you don’t have time to freeze the butter, cold from the fridge works great as well!
- Try not to overwork the dough if you can. The heat from your hands will soften the butter. If you think you overwork the dough, refrigerate the scone triangles before you bake them to get the butter hard again.
More Delicious Scone Recipes
Happy baking! Let me know in the comments below if you have tried these and what you think!
Love,
Karlynn
The Best Scones Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup white sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup butter cold or frozen is best
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup raisins blueberries, or other fruit pieces work
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 °F. Get out an extra large baking sheet or two baking sheets that fit into your oven. Lightly grease the baking sheets.
- In a large glass measuring cup, mix the sour cream and baking soda. Let it bubble.
- In a very large mixing bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- Grate the cold butter into the dry mixture. Or you can also cut in the butter using a pastry blender or two knives in a criss-cross fashion, until the butter is broken into pea-sized morsels in the flour.
- Beat the egg and mix in into the sour cream in the measuring cup.
- Add the sour cream mixture into the dry mixture, working it in.
- The dough can be a bit dry, but if you use your hands to combine it, it will be perfect. If needed, add a tablespoon or two of milk until the dough JUST comes together, you want a dry dough, not a gluey one!
- When the dough is combined, mix in the fruit.
- Divide into three equal circles, patting each into a circle that is one inch thick (width ranges from 6-7 inches). Cut each circle into six equal triangles. Place the cut scones on the baking sheet with space between
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the scones are browned nicely on the bottom and slightly on the top. Watch them carefully! Remove and let cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet , then remove and cool completely on a baking rack.
- Store in a closed container at room tempertature for up to 5 days. You can also freeze them for up to 3 months.
Video
Notes
Tips & Tricks
- Use cold butter ( even frozen) and grate it into the scones if you have a grater. Don’t fear however if you want to make these and you didn’t have time to freeze the butter, cold from the fridge works great as well!
- Try not to overwork the dough if you can. The heat from your hands will soften the butter. IF you think you did over work the dough, you can refrigerate the scone triangles before you bake them to get the butter hard again.
- You can substitute in currants for a very traditional scone!
- Make sure to read my Step by Step How to Make Perfect Scones. It will totally help you with cutting the scones up!
Nutrition
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Sharon W. says
The blueberry scones turned out lovely. So nice that I shared them with friends. I added another 1/2 cup of blueberries because I add a cup when other recipes called for only 2 1/2 cups of flour…..DON’T do it! I wasted the extra berries as they ended up in the bottom of the bowl without enough dough to mix them in. I did add some milk sprinkles into the dough as I found it a bit too dry to adhere well but it didn’t affect the rolling and baking outcome. I wanted more than just the usual 12 scones and this recipe made 20! Thank you for sharing….I think the sour cream addition is great because I don’t always have whipping cream in the frig when I get the urge to bake. Highly recommended!
Jody says
I’d like to try these with a couple substitutions. Full fat yogurt instead of sour cream and Crisco instead of butter. Do u think it will work?
Yvonne says
I have always wanted to make sconces. So glad I tried your recipe. I did sprinkle a little sugar on top before baking. Do you have a recipe for Cranberry Orange?
Deb says
These are definitely the best scones EVER! They are so deliciously buttery I have to freeze the batches in three for fear of eaing them all in one sitting!
I divided the batch into three portions then added in my fruit. This way I could choose three different additions! Raisin, cranberries, and walnuts!
I have never commented on the recipes but this one I couldn’t leave without praise!
Kathleen Ziriakus Mccart says
I love your scones recipes! At my age, 79, that pastry cutter kills my arms! So I throw all the dry ingredients into the food processor add the cubed butter and pulse till it looks like sand. I then dump everything into a large bowl and follow your recipe. Works like a charm!
Shannon says
I’ve made these multiple times and I have no idea how others have issues with them being flat. I find this recipe to be perfect. Crispy on the outside and the perfect texture inside. I split the dough in three and make three different flavours.
Great recipe! Follow the instructions and just work the dough and don’t add extra milk. If you keep working it with your hands – the dough comes together! Be patient!
Shannon says
I’ve made these multiple times and I have no idea how others have issues with them being flat. I find this recipe to be perfect. Crispy on the outside and the perfect texture inside. I split the dough in three and make three different flavours.
Great recipe! Follow the instructions and just work the dough and don’t add extra milk. If you keep working it with your hands – the dough comes together! Be patient!
Kokum says
Been baking all my life. What a disaster! Anytime I try a new recipe I follow it exactly. These came out flat and I used frozen butter. Avoid avoid avoid I should have read the comments first. I will never use this recipe again.
James says
Toooooo much butter, one cup, flat. Making scones for decades, will never use this recipe again.
Lynn says
These came out totally flat. The dough was way too wet. I’m an experienced baker, followed the instructions carefully, can’t imagine what went wrong but very disappointed as I needed these for an event and didn’t have time to remake.
Nicole says
I just wanted to ask if I can make the dough up and cut into triangles and freeze before baking them, as I would like to just put them in the oven before company comes over. If anyone has any suggestions as to whether this would work and how much longer they should be cooked from frozen, it would be appreciated. Can’t wait to try this scone recipe, sounds amazing!
Maria says
This was only the second time I have tried a recipe for scones. It was an immediate hit with my family!!! I used light sour cream since I had too much of it on hand and the scones came out just as described they should in the recipe: crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. We ate them as is, so the 1 cup of sugar was the perfect amount of sweetness for our tastes. I used raisins this time, so next time I want to try dates and bits of chopped almonds. The prep time was much longer than the 10 minutes the recipe cited. By the time I gathered my ingredients, utensils, pans, bowls, and grated the butter, it took me over 45 min (I didn’t actually time myself) to measure out, mix, grate, and handle everything. No matter. The scones were awesome and I will experiment with some of fruits other cooks have tried. I do wish there was a healthier version. Do you have one?
Mireya Clark says
Great tasting scones and the dough comes out perfect and definitely not sticky. I used a food processor to mix everything in the order instructed by the recipe and was delighted with the outcome.
Gracie says
These are my go-to way to impress anyone. SO GOOD.
BRENDA says
I have been making these for the last few years and they are so good. Not a dry crumbly awful mess LOL. I have played around with different ingredients. I have made rasperrry white chocolate chip with almond glaze. Chocolate with chocolate mini chips and salted caramel chips with a caramel icing. The possibilities are endless.
Rosann says
This is the best scone receipe i have ever tried puffing the sour cream with baking soda is magical. The texture is perfect not to dry. This scone tasts like shortbread. Thanks for all you share
Cathie Turner says
I made these yesterday with very large fresh blueberries! They were delicious! Going to try them with raisins next time. I needed to add a little extra time to the baking as I pressed out 3 round “cakes” & left each one in the round to bake. I scored them before baking so that they could be broken apart after baking.
Kathleen Ziriakus Mccart says
Great idea! I’ll try that!
Sandra D says
This is my first time making scones and my 6 y.o. grandson and I give this recipe a “thumbs up” rating! When I told him it was my first time, he said I should keep a “list” so I showed him the recipe and said I was keeping it. I did add milk to it (probably about an 1/8 of a cup). I rolled the dough out and cut circles with a glass; I then put them into the fridge for about 10 minutes – I got 15 scones. The hardest part, which took the longest, was shredding the frozen butter 🙂
Nor says
This is an amazing scone recipe. 🙂 Really excellent, fluffy and crunchy at the same time. Got rave reviews from my tea group and will replace with one I had been using!
Mr. Kitchen Magpie says
I love when she makes these. I request them whenever I can… 😉
Laurie says
You mention the butter gets soft with your hands. Are you recommending hand-mixing the batter after adding the sour cream mixture to the flour mixture?
Sarah Williamson says
These are the best scone! I love scones but I have never actually baked them myself. I had some frozen blueberries that I needed to use up and found your recipe. I’m so glad I did! This will definitely be my go-to scone recipe! Now I need to try your chocolate chip banana scones! Thanks for the recipe.
tracey voigt says
why are these scones baed at 350 degrees instead of the normal 400.
Judy D. says
Absolute favorite the recipe has held true to its tastiness over the past two years I think that I’ve been making it I had to just give it credit I like using fresh blueberries they are the best. The techniques that she shares to making the scones are so essential to make you want to come out perfect
Sandy says
Great recipe, thank you! Do you have any quantities for other add-ins such as chocolate chips?
Mary says
I made this recipe using fresh cherries and lime zest. You are not kidding when you say best recipe ever!!
Judi says
I just want to thank you for the best scone recipe ever, and I love how versatile it is!! The first time I made this recipe, I used blueberries with lemon zest and the rest is history! Our daughter-in-law owns a coffee shop and she asked if I would bake scones for her. I worked in her kitchen and loved every minute of experimenting with different fruits, etc.Due to health issues, I am not working there anymore, but she just asked me if I would consider coming in to make “scone squares”. Evidently, sometimes customers don’t want a whole scone to go with their coffee,but they want “a little something”.
Any ideas if I could make this in pan form, without losing its texture/flavor?
Eileen Nelson says
I thought this was a very good scone recipe! Though, I used buttermilk instead of sour cream and added frozen mango for the fruit as that’s all I had. A successful experiment 😬. The scones were fluffy and not too messy to make. I would brush with egg or milk wash in future as the pale colour did not appear too appetizing. Tasted great tho. Thank you for sharing 😊
Sue says
Made these this morning. Usually my scones turn out like hockey pucks. These turned out amazing!!. I used grated frozen butter as I can’t use my hands too much. Going to try them with raspberries next. Thank you for the recipe
Radha Raghunath says
How can I make it eggless?
Marietta Wiley-Marges says
I’m vegetarian and have been baking without eggs for 48 years. Most people don’t believe you can’t bake without eggs until they experience it. I substitute 1 egg with 1 or 2 heaping Tbsp of yogurt or sour cream. Bon appetit!!!
Omega Mama says
This recipe was way to dry as is. I had to add 2 cups of sour cream instead of the 1.
Joanne says
Has anyone made these as/with orange & craisins? If so how did they turn out and what measurements did you use on the orange (orange juice, zest? One, both?) and craisins, how much? Thanks for any assistance you can give me!
Mr. Kitchen Magpie says
It should work quite well, Karlynn has made tons of variations of scones. In fact, quite a few of them are on this site.
Judi says
Hi, Joanne, I have made this recipe with orange and craisins and it was wonderful!! I used orange zest and squeezed so fresh orange juice in the batter.I used the same amount of craisens as fruit. While still warm, I made a glaze with confectioners sugar, orange zest and OJ and drizzled the scones with it. It is a favorite!!
Liliana says
Hi!
I’ve made these scones before and I am never going to back to any other recipe – these were by far the most tender! In fact, I love them so much that I have decided to bring them in for my AP Calculus as a pre-holiday break surprise! That’s where my question comes in: one of my friends in the class is gluten free, so do you know if this recipe would work with a one-to-one gluten free all purpose flour substitution? Has anyone ever tried that and/or have any predictions? Thank you so much, and I look forward to spreading the cheer of these Insanely delicious scones 🙂
Liliana says
I forgot to leave them the five star rating they deserve!!
Feisty Granny says
My son (54) has to eat GF and that 1 to 1 (aka Cup 4 Cup) works like using regular flour – others can’t tell the difference.
DONNA says
I have made a lot of scones in my time and this is the best recipe by far. BRAVO!!
Patty says
By far the best scones I have ever baked.. the poofy sour cream makes all the difference!!! I used unsalted butter and added a little more salt and put them in the freezer for 15 minutes before baking.. they turned out soft with a great taste.
Jean says
HOW MUCH TIME IN THE FRICCIN OVEN??????
Mary says
15 to 20 minutes
Jay says
Is it possible to add cinnamon to the scone?