Fruit Scones!
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Delicious, light, and buttery fruit scones that are perfect for afternoon tea – Serve with jam & clotted cream for a classic treat!
Tea and scones
I love afternoon tea, and I LOVE scones. I have always been slightly obsessed with them, especially when I go down to Cornwall on holiday as they just seem to be that much better.
You guys also seem to love a scone just as much as I do! For example, my lemon and blueberry scones, cheese scones, and my white chocolate and cranberry scones. They alway manage to get such a better reception than I anticipate and it surprises me every time!
Variations of a classic
My classic buttery scones have always been a popular recipe to go to, especially on weekends such as Father’s day and Mother’s day, and I have wanted to post another delicious recipe in a while. I did also post my white chocolate & cranberry scones which proved to be popular as they were ‘different’.
I have wanted to post my alternative to my classic buttery scones for a while as I have made them countless times, but they’re always gone before the photos could be taken
With this recipe, a couple of little things changed. I obviously added in the sultanas to make them fruit scones! I increased the milk just slightly, and the same with the butter, and it makes the perfect difference because of the addition of the fruit.
The risk of adding dried fruit is that it can dry out, but the extra little touch of butter & milk has prevented that. Admittedly, my scones never look perfect, but why should they? It proves they’re homemade
The perfect texture
For me, the perfect fruit scone is light, buttery, and just slightly crumbly when you break it open. It should feel soft in the centre without being doughy, and golden on the outside without being hard. That balance is everything.
The key is not to overwork the dough. Folding it gently and handling it as little as possible keeps the texture fluffy rather than tough. The more you knead, the denser they’ll become, and nobody wants a heavy scone.
Admittedly, my scones never look perfectly uniform. Some rise more than others, some lean slightly to one side, and I actually love that. It proves they’re homemade and baked with care rather than churned out in a factory.
Jam & clotted cream
I always always always serve my scones with clotted cream. Then, I either add in fresh strawberries for example, or jam, but clotted cream is a MUST. I use Rodda’s clotted cream because it’s just perfection, and suits a fresh scone ideally.
I tend to lean towards strawberry jam, but any flavour will work! Whether you put jam then cream, or cream then jam is the million dollar question… but hey! I do one of each to keep both sides of the battle happy! These are such a classic recipe, yet so easy and fun to bake for all the family.
Tips & tricks
- You could easily make this mix and use a smaller cutter so that the scones are more delicate which I often do. I then usually get 12 out of the mix then
- I use this scone cutter
- They do last in an airtight container for 2-3 days. I also freeze them for up to 3 months!
- You can use plain flour, and use 2tsps baking powder instead
- You can swap the milk and lemon juice for buttermilk. Skip the heating stage and just add it to the dough.
Fruit Scones
Ingredients
- 100 g unsalted butter (cold/cubed) (not baking spread)
- 1 tsp baking powder (optional)
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 350 g self raising flour (plus extra for dusting)
- 50 g caster sugar
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 185 ml whole milk (warm)
- 125 g sultanas
- 1 medium egg (beaten, to glaze)
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 220ºc/200ºc fan/430F and place a lined baking tray in the oven to preheat.
- In a large bowl, rub the butter into the flour, salt, baking powder and sugar mixture until breadcrumbs are formed.
- Alternatively, tip the flour, salt, baking powder, sugar and butter into a food processor and pulse until it resembles bread crumbs
- Add the lemon juice to the dry mixture with the vanilla
- Slowly add the warm milk. Mix in while you add in the liquid as you may not need all of it - you can do this with a spatula, or still in the food processor
- Fold/knead through the sultanas until even
- Dust the work surface with some flour and tip the dough onto it - fold the dough over a few times so it is smooth but do not over work it
- Flatten the dough out until it is about 5cm thick
- Dip a 5cm round cutter into the spare flour and cut out the scones
- Flatten out the dough again and cut the rest out until the dough is all used up - trying not to over work the dough
- Add the scones to the tray and brush the tops with the beaten egg so it's glazed.
- Bake in the oven for 10 minutes.
- Leave to cool slightly when baked, and enjoy!
Notes
- You could easily make this mix and use a smaller cutter so that the scones are more delicate which I often do. I then usually get 12 out of the mix then
- I use this scone cutter
- They do last in an airtight container for 2-3 days. I also freeze them for up to 3 months.
- You can use plain flour, and use 2tsps baking powder instead
- You can swap the milk and lemon juice for buttermilk. Skip the heating stage and just add it to the dough.
I have just made these scones and they were perfect thank you.
Hi,
I’ve made this recipe a few times now and they’re always delicious. I’m wanting to make about 30 scones for a christening. Would you make 4 times the dough in one go or would it be better to double it and make two separate batches?
Ps got your new book for Christmas – my favourite present!
Hello
I am hoping to make these but would like to prepare in advance so was wondering how long the uncooked scone dough could be kept in the fridge for before baking?
I always bake asap – I dont think they should be left too long!
I love scones when they are done properly but so often when you buy them they are dry and I can never make a nice scone but today finally I succeeded! These are delicious and this has to be the best scone recipe! I used Italian glacé morello cherries and the flavour combined with the vanilla was delicious. Thank you so much!
Hi Jane absolutely adore your recipes I use them a lot x would you be able to tell me how much it costs to make the recipe for 12 scones x
Hi Jane
I made these scones today (my first time ever baking scones) they looked amazing but when I pulled them out at 10minutes were still raw in the middle so put them back in and ended up having almost 20minutes in the oven.. one in particular (a larger scone) was quite dough like in the middle… im not sure what I did wrong… I feel I followed the recipe exact.. the only thing I can think of is one my oven as its not brilliant and everything takes longer to cook than it should and secondly I left the mixture sitting for a while whilst I tended to the kids 😅 I’ve read elsewhere scone mix shouldn’t be sat too long? perhaps over worked too? I really dont know 🙈🤦♀️ x
It is most likely the oven – and leaving the mixture. Try an oven thermometer, try using smaller cutters, and bake them straight away x
Should you use real butter to make these (unsalted) or can you use baking block/ stork ?
I personally always use real butter for scones x
Hi Jane
I have tried to make fruit scones for years they always spread out not up ( more rock cakes ) these were perfect – thanks for sharing.
Hi Jane, I want to make these for afternoon tea for next weekend but won’t have time to bake next week. Am I able to make these this weekend and freeze them?
Yes you can!
Perfect recipe that gives me perfect scones each time!! I use this recipe at least once a week since finding it. Highly recommend. X
Made these today with dried figs. Delicious!
Hello! Going to try this recipe to add my many others of yours that I have made and loved! But wondered if would semi skimmed milk work? Would I need to change anything else? I don’t have any whole milk x
Ideally in baking you’d use whole milk for the best results, but you can use semi skimmed..
Mike. I started baking during lockdown and absolutely love it. My family love scones and this will be the first time using your recipe.
If they taste as good as they look we are in for a treat.
Kind regards from Mike Payne living in the wonderful Portuguese Algarve
If I can’t get hold of essence, paste or pod can I leave this out?
Yes!
Love your recipes jane…started to love baking in my sixties! Thanks for your lovely ideas..Anne
Ahh that’s amazing! So so glad!!
Hi Jane
In your Chocolate Fudge Cupcakes recipe (which is amazing!) you suggest using any leftover buttermilk to make scones – would buttermilk work with this scone recipe if I swapped it for the 190ml of whole milk or would I need to use a different quantity? x
Hiya! Yes you can swap out the milk – but then also leave out the lemon! X