World's Best Scones Made Even Better

Cranberry Orange Pecan & Triple Chocolate Scones

This is a revision to our original recipe, The World's Best Scones.

What's different? Since scones are basically a sweet biscuit, we dropped the egg. Additionally, we reduced the milk and added two Make Ahead Options.

These options allow you to make scones in as little as 20 minutes. We're especially excited about Make Ahead Option #2 which goes from freezer to oven. We hope you enjoy this new & improved recipe!

World's Best Scones (made even better)
Makes 24 small scones, 1 1/4 inch (our favorite size) or 10-12 scones, 2 inch or 8-12 wedges.

2 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. baking powder (Yes, that is a Tablespoon.)
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
6 Tbsp. butter
6 Tbsp. (3 fl. oz.) milk
1/4 cup chopped nuts, if desired
1/2 cup of one or two of the following, if desired: currants, raisins, dried cranberries, dried chopped cherries, chocolate chips, cinnamon chips, dried chopped apricots or apples, etc.

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Sift together first 4 ingredients in a large bowl. Add one or two of the above dried fruits, nuts or chips or leave plain.

Make Ahead Option #1: At this point, you can turn the oven off and seal this mix in an airtight container (such as a plastic bag) and store for up to 6 months in a cool, dry place. When ready to use, place mix in a large bowl and proceed with step 2. You'll have tea & scones within a 1/2 hour if you multi-task on the tea.

2. Cut butter into dry ingredients until approximately the size of peas.

3. Measure vanilla into a small bowl and add milk. Pour most of the vanilla milk  into dry mix and stir to moisten. Dough should be moist enough to form a soft ball, but not sticky. If needed, additional milk may be added 1-2 teaspoons at a time.

4.  Turn dough onto a lightly floured cutting board and press out with hand to approximately 1/2 inch thickness. Tip: Do not knead dough and use as little flour as possible to keep the dough from sticking to the board.

Sparkling White Sugar Crystals

5. Cut into desired shapes and place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Lightly brush tops with milk if desired. Sprinkle with raw sugar crystals or Sparkling White Sugar crystals such as those found at cake decorating supply stores or King Arthur Flour. Raw sugar crystals can be found in the baking aisle of many grocery stores. Tip: If using a biscuit cutter or glass, dip the cutting edge in flour first.

Make Ahead Option #2: At this point, place your scones on a cookie sheet and freeze. When completely frozen, wrap scones well in plastic wrap and foil. Well wrapped scones will keep at least one month. When ready to use, proceed to step six, using frozen scones. Do not thaw first. You'll have scones within 20 minutes!

6. Bake for 10-15 minutes depending on size. The 1 1/4 inch scone will be done in about 10 minutes. Sprinkle again with large sugar crystals while scones are still hot for visual appeal. Best served within 1 day of baking with butter or clotted cream and jam. Store in airtight container if serving later in the day. Tip: When baking, start checking your scones at the minimum baking time. You can always bake longer, but overdone is ruined.
Tips for great scones: Scones are like biscuits. To get a tender, flaky scone, the dough should be handled as little as possible and you should always use cold butter and cold milk.

For more tips & recipes, check out our article on Squidoo: How to Make Great Scones.

Some of our favorite combinations are:

Cranberry-Orange Pecan:  1/2 cup dried cranberries, 1/4 cup chopped pecans, 1 tsp. fresh orange zest

Cinnamon Chip: 1/2 cup mini cinnamon chips and 1/2-1 tsp. ground cinnamon

You're invited to click Teapots 'n More and browse our selection of english bone china teapots, tea accessories, tea cups, tea miniatures and bone china tea sets.