Soft Homemade Scones (Easy Recipe)

Looking for a homemade scone recipe that’s easy to follow and always delivers soft, flaky results? These buttery scones are light, tender, and made with simple ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen. Whether you enjoy them plain, with a glaze, or loaded with your favorite mix-ins, this recipe gives you a perfect base to build on.

Why You’ll Love This Scone Recipe

Scones sometimes get a bad rap for being dry or crumbly, but when made right, they’re soft on the inside with a golden, slightly crisp top. This recipe comes together in under 40 minutes from start to finish and is perfect for breakfast, brunch, or even an afternoon treat.

Simple Ingredients for Soft Scones

Here’s what you’ll need to make these classic scones:

• All-purpose flour: Spoon it into your measuring cup and level it off. Too much flour can make scones dry.
• Granulated sugar: Sweetens the dough without overpowering it.
• Baking powder: You need a full tablespoon to help the scones rise properly.
• Salt: Just enough to balance the sweetness.
• Cold unsalted butter: Cold butter is key. It melts while baking, creating steam that gives the scones a flaky texture.
• Heavy whipping cream: Keeps the dough soft and adds richness. Also used for brushing the tops.
• Large egg: Adds structure and helps bind the dough.
• Vanilla extract: Adds a warm flavor that pairs well with most mix-ins.

How to Make Scones Step by Step

1. Preheat and prep. Heat your oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
2. Mix dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
3. Cut in the butter. Cut cold butter into small cubes. Use a pastry cutter or fork to work it into the flour until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs.
4. Add the wet ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the heavy cream, egg, and vanilla extract. Pour it into the dry ingredients and stir until the dough starts to come together. It may look crumbly at first, but that’s okay.
5. Shape and cut. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Gently shape it into a ball, then flatten into a 7-inch circle. Cut into 8 equal wedges.
6. Chill the dough. Place the scones on your prepared baking sheet. Freeze for 5 to 10 minutes to firm up the dough before baking.
7. Brush and bake. Brush the tops with a little cream. Sprinkle with sugar if you’re not using a glaze. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes or until the tops are golden and set.
8. Cool and glaze. Let the scones cool. If you’re adding a glaze, drizzle it on once they’ve cooled completely.

Easy Vanilla Glaze

Ingredients:

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 to 2 tablespoons milk (any kind)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions:
Whisk everything together until smooth. Adjust thickness by adding more milk or sugar. Drizzle over cooled scones and let it set before serving.

Flavor Variations

This recipe is a great starting point. Try these tasty add-ins:

• Blueberry Scones: Add 1 cup of fresh blueberries.
• Cranberry Orange Scones: Mix in 2 teaspoons of orange zest and 2/3 cup of dried cranberries.
• Cinnamon Raisin Scones: Stir in 1 1/2 teaspoons of cinnamon and 2/3 cup of raisins.
• Lemon Poppy Seed Scones: Add zest from 1 lemon and 1/2 tablespoon of poppy seeds.

Glaze Variations

Change up the glaze based on your flavor add-ins:

• Orange Glaze: Use orange juice instead of milk, and skip the vanilla.
• Lemon Glaze: Replace the milk with lemon juice.
• Cinnamon Glaze: Add 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon to the vanilla glaze.

Tips for the Best Scones

• Measure your flour correctly: Spoon and level to avoid dry dough.
• Keep ingredients cold: Especially the butter and cream. Cold dough bakes into flakier scones.
• Don’t overmix: Mix just until the dough comes together. Overmixing makes the scones tough.
• Freeze before baking: A quick chill helps the scones hold their shape and rise better.

Storage Tips

Store cooled scones in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can also freeze baked scones for up to 2 months. Just thaw and reheat before serving.

Soft Homemade Scones

These soft and fluffy homemade scones are easy to make and perfect for breakfast, brunch, or dessert. With a tender, buttery texture and simple ingredients, they’re the ideal base for endless flavor variations.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Chill Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Servings: 8 pieces

Course: Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Calories: 320

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

Scone Dough

• 2 cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter cubed
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream plus more for brushing tops
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Vanilla Glaze

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1-2 tablespoons milk use more to thin glaze if needed
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Equipment

• Mixing bowls
• Pastry cutter or fork
• Baking sheet
• Parchment paper or silicone mat
• Whisk
• Oven

Method

 

1. Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
3. Add the cold cubed butter and use a pastry cutter or fork to cut it into the dry ingredients until it forms pea-sized crumbs.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together heavy cream, egg, and vanilla extract until well combined.
5. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry mixture and stir until the dough just comes together. It may look slightly crumbly.
6. Transfer dough onto a lightly floured surface. Gently form into a ball and flatten into a 7-inch circle.
7. Cut the circle into 8 equal wedges and place them on the prepared baking sheet.
8. Freeze the scones on the baking sheet for 5 to 10 minutes to chill the dough.
9. Brush the tops with heavy cream. If not glazing later, sprinkle with sugar for extra crunch.
10. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes or until the tops are golden and cooked through. Let them cool before glazing.
11. To make the glaze, whisk powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Adjust consistency as needed.
12. Drizzle glaze over cooled scones and let it set for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

Notes

Store scones in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate for 3 to 4 days. You can also freeze baked scones for up to 2 months. Just thaw and reheat before serving.