Looking for soft, buttery, flaky scones to serve at your next tea party? This basic Buttermilk Scones recipe is everything you need and more. I’ll share with you all my tips and tricks for the most tender, delicious scones in any flavor!
Fresh from the oven, the outside of these scones is crispy while the inside is soft and fluffy. These melt-in-your-mouth plain buttermilk scones are perfect the way they are, but it is super easy to spruce them up with mix-ins and any flavor your heart desires.
I love to serve these scones slightly warm with a cup of coffee for breakfast or with afternoon tea. If you must have something extra, a simple pat of butter and jam will do. Or get fancy with some:
How to make Scones
These basic Buttermilk Scones are made with lots of buttermilk of course, and some very cold butter for that delicious buttery taste and tender texture.
- Start by working the cubed butter to the dry ingredient mixture with the tips of your fingers until about pea and bean size. Make sure to use cold butter.
- Beat together buttermilk, egg, vanilla, and add the mixture to the dry ingredients. Leave behind 1 – 2 tablespoon to use as egg wash later.
- Fold with a spatula until a shaggy dough forms.
- Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and pat it out into a rectangle, fold it over itself a few times. Finally, pat it into a circle about 1” thick.
- Cut into 8 triangles and transfer to a lined baking sheet. Brush with the reserved egg wash, and sprinkle with turbinado sugar just before baking.
Customizing your own buttermilk scones recipe
This is the best scone recipe for customization. You can easily add flavors using citrus zest or different flavor extracts and spices. You can fold in dried fruits, fresh fruit, nuts, chocolate chips, pretty much anything you can think of!
- If you’re using any kind of citrus zest, mix the zest with sugar to release the essential oil before you mix all of the dry ingredients together.
- If you’re using ground spices, stir them into the dry ingredients before adding the cubed butter.
- If you’re using a different kind of extract, reduce the amount of vanilla called for in the recipe to ¼ – ½ teaspoon but don’t omit it altogether. Then add the additional extract in with the wet ingredients.
- If you’re using any kind of filling like dried fruits, fresh fruits, nuts, or chocolate chips, toss them into the flour mixture after you have finished working the butter in and just before adding the wet ingredients.
- If you’re using delicate fresh fruits like berries, you’ll want to skip the “fold the dough over itself” step to avoid squishing the berries. Just shape the dough into a disk right away.
Baker’s Tips
- Similar to making any type of pastry dough, you want to make sure the butter pieces are still visible within the dough. When the scones are baked at high temperature, the butter will melt leaving behind pockets, creating that flaky texture.
- While working with this buttermilk scone dough and any variation of it, use only as much extra flour as needed to keep the dough from sticking. Adding too much extra flour can dry out the scones. A slightly wet dough will yield softer scones once baked.
- Folding the dough over itself is a crucial step to create distinct layers and making the scones “flaky” when baked, with the exception when using berries for filling.
- These scones do spread because the dough is softer, refrigerating or freezing the dough before baking could help curb the spreading and allow them to rise higher.
- I like to use an insulated baking sheet for scones to keep the bottom of the scones from getting too brown. A regular baking sheet will work, but the bottom of the scones may get extra crispy.
- This recipe makes 8 fairly large scones, cut them smaller if you wish to make a batch of 12 mini scones. Bake the mini scones for about 15 minutes.
Storing and reheating
These scones will keep at room temperature in an airtight container or wrapped individually in plastic for 3 – 5 days. They do not need to be refrigerated but will last longer in the fridge.
They are best when still slightly warm straight from the oven, but you can serve them at room temperature the next day, or warm them up in the microwave for 15 – 20 seconds. I like to wrap them in a damp paper towel when microwaving so they don’t dry out.
Unique scones recipe you’ll love
- Almond Scones (with homemade almond paste)
- Cinnamon Scones (coffee cake scones)
- (Starbucks) Cranberry Orange Scones
- Orange Scones with dried apricots
- Apple Pie Scones
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment, send me a photo, rate it and don’t forget to tag me @wildwildwhisk on Instagram. I’d love to see what’s cooking up in your kitchen. Cheers!
Buttermilk Scones
Ingredients
- 2 cup all-purpose flour, 270 g
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar, 63 g
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 oz unsalted butter, cold & cubed, 113 g
- ⅔ cup buttermilk, 160 g
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Turbinado sugar for topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Sift flour, baking soda and baking powder into a large mixing bowl, add kosher salt and sugar, whisk to combine.
- Add cold cubed butter to the flour mixture, work the butter into the flour with your fingertips or a pastry blender until all the butter pieces are about pea and lima bean size.
- Add egg, buttermilk and vanilla extract to a small bowl, whisk to combine. Make a well in the middle of the flour mixture and pour in the liquid mixture, reserving 1 - 2 tablespoon to use as egg wash later. Fold with a spatula or wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms.
- Turn the dough out onto a well-floured board or countertop, and pat the dough out into a rectangle about 1/2” thick. Fold the dough over itself and pat it out again, do this about 3 - 4 times. Then shape the dough into a circle about 1” thick. Cut into 8 portions.
- Place the scones on the parchment-lined baking sheet, brush the top and sides with reserved egg wash, and sprinkle generously with turbinado sugar. Bake for 20 minutes until golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the baking sheet 5 - 10 minutes before transferring the scones to the wire rack to cool completely. Best served warm.
Video
Notes
- Customize this recipe using citrus zest, different flavor extracts and spices, as well as adding filling such as dried fruits, fresh fruit, nuts, chocolate chips, ect.
- Folding the dough over itself is a crucial step to create distinct layers and making the scones “flaky” when baked, with the exception when adding fresh berries for filling.
- This scone dough will spread, if you want it to be taller or spread less, you could freeze the dough after cutting it into 8 before baking or pat it out taller than 1”.
- This recipe makes 8 large scones, you can divide it into 12 smaller scones if you wish. Note that smaller scones will bake faster so you’ll need to adjust the baking time appropriately, about 15 minutes.
- I like to use an insulated baking sheet for scones to keep the bottom of the scones from getting too brown. A regular baking sheet will work, but the bottom of the scones may get extra crispy.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!
This post was originally published on 9/10/2018. The post has been updated and republished on 6/5/2020 with the latest improvements, extra tips, and a video to help you in the kitchen.
I had to get creative with this recipe this first time trying it, only because I was lacking several ingredients, but was really in the mood for scones! It turned out I only had 1 and half cups of white flour (and no whole wheat), so I filled out the second cup with oat fiber – wish I’d thought to use almond flour, which I keep in the fridge; maybe next time! Also, I only had 1/3 c. of buttermilk, so added some liquidy yogurt to top it off. My baking powder is nearly one year post expiration. Used coconut flour to dust the board. No turbinado sugar, but I do have a somewhat coarse raw sugar from TJ’s. And yet, with all those tweaks, my scones came out looking beautiful and puffy. Best of all, they’re delicious (typing this last bit with one hand cause the other is holding a scone 🙂
Excellent Julie! So glad they came out delicious with all your tweaks. Baking is all about experimenting so keep on doing what you’re doing, you got it!
I cooked these separated on parchment paper so that they would brown on all sides. They looked and tased great, but, if anything., I should have made them thicker before putting them on the parchment. They spread more than I thought they would. This may not bother most people and it is NOT a big deal, but I like to slice my scones in half and toast them. These are too thin for me to slice. I will make again and see if I can make them thicker.
You can certainly cut them smaller and thicker next time.
I made this recipe but added 1cup of cranberries(dried).. It was great..
Great Cynthia, this recipe is perfect for mix-ins!
I have never made a lighter scone. My husband ate one and said “Wow these are the lightest scones I have ever eaten, some can be rock-like.” I only tried your recipe because I had the buttermilk, now it will be in my recipe file.
You made my day Mary Beth! I’m so glad you tried it 🙂
Delicious, fluffy, and so easy to put together
Just made these in Denver, CO while visiting a friend and they came out great even at altitude. I didn’t even think about any modifications until they were in the oven.
Glad to hear, thanks Christine!
I had to use at least two tablespoons of of preserves to keep these sweet babies from floating off the plate. I will own up to letting the dough sit covered for 10 or 12 minutes to give the acid a headstart working with the powder/soda stuff before popping in the oven. This is now officially my goto scone recipe, thank you so much! BTW, I’ve been baking for 62 years, and still looking to improve…
Thanks so much Ralph! That’s amazing, 62 years of baking, it’s an honor to have you here. I’ve been using this basic recipe and branch off to many different flavor scones, and I’m glad you like it!
I just made this today because I had exactly 2/3 c of buttermilk left over from making Irish soda bread. I substituted whole wheat pastry flour and egg substitute because that’s all I had in the house, and the scones came out delicious!!!! This will be my go-to scones recipe from now on!
Excellent Heather, this recipe is so versatile and forgiving and that’s why I love it. You could add whatever filling you’d like next time or check out some of the other scones in the archive for inspiration! 🙂
It’s really great to find a basic scone recipe without additions. These would be lovely with some jam and cream and a nice cuppa
Now I’ve craving a warm scone with some chia jam and a cup of tea! They look great Trang. Love the step by step photos too!
Thanks Leanne! Warm scone with chia jam sounds perfect!
A perfect recipe!
Thank you Mimi!
Would this recipe work using Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 gluten free flour?
Hi Jody, I have not tried making this with gluten free flour, but it’s good brand that I have used before on other things. I suspect it will work though the texture will be different. Let me know if you end up trying it.
Tried this recipe and it was way too gooey to handle! Made a mess and stuck to everything. Added a lot of flour to try to handle it better, but didn’t work. Saved a lil extra for the wash. It was a no for me 🙁
Hi Mary, sorry this recipe didn’t work out for you. Was your butter cold when you made the dough? I would love to help troubleshoot if you ever want to give it another try. Hopefully you can find another recipe you’ll enjoy. Thanks for trying it!