Buttermilk scones with clotted cream & strawberry jam
Light, flaky buttermilk scones — perfect for afternoon tea. Quick to make and best served warm with clotted cream and jam.
Proper afternoon tea deserves proper scones: slightly crisp on top, soft and flaky inside, and split open while still warm. These buttermilk scones are straightforward — no fancy folding or faff — and sing when paired with clotted cream and a good strawberry jam.
Make them for visitors, a weekend treat, or when you need a quick lift-yourself-up. They keep well for a day and freeze brilliantly if you want to stock the freezer for impromptu tea.
Ingredients
- 450 g plain flour
- 15 ml baking powder
- 50 g caster sugar
- 5 ml table salt
- 100 g butter — cold, cubed
- 300 ml buttermilk
- 25 ml milk — for brushing
- 200 g clotted cream
- 200 g strawberry jam
Equipment
- baking tray
- round cutter (6 cm)
- pastry cutter or two knives
- cooling rack
- sieve
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 220°C fan/240°C conventional. Line a baking tray with baking paper or lightly dust with flour.
Sieve the plain flour and baking powder into a large mixing bowl. Stir in the caster sugar and table salt until evenly distributed.
Add the cold, cubed butter to the dry ingredients. Using your fingertips or a pastry cutter, rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs with a few pea-sized pieces of butter remaining.
Make a well in the centre and pour in the buttermilk. Using a round-bladed knife or a spatula, fold the mixture together until it just comes together as a slightly sticky dough. Do not overwork.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, pat to a thickness of about 3 cm, then fold once and pat again to encourage lift. Use a 6 cm round cutter to stamp out 8 scones — press straight down without twisting to keep the edges neat. Gather scraps and repeat, handling as little as possible.
Place the scones on the prepared baking tray so they just touch (this helps them rise evenly). Chill the tray in the fridge for 30 minutes to firm the butter inside the dough.
Brush the tops of the chilled scones lightly with milk. Bake in the preheated oven for 12–15 minutes until well risen and golden on top.
Transfer the scones to a cooling rack and leave to cool for 10 minutes before splitting. This short rest allows the crumb to set.
Serve each warm scone spread with clotted cream and strawberry jam.
Tips
- Keep the butter and buttermilk cold — cold butter creates steam in the oven that gives lift and flakiness.
- Cut scones with a straight up-and-down motion; twisting the cutter seals the edge and stops them rising.
- Make the dough just until it comes together — overworking makes dense scones.
- To freeze: bake, cool completely, then freeze in a single layer. Reheat from frozen at 160°C fan/180°C conventional for 8–10 minutes.
- If you prefer taller scones, use a straight-sided cutter and chill the shaped scones well before baking.
Substitutions
buttermilk → 300 ml milk soured with 15 ml lemon juice or white wine vinegar (stir and leave 5 minutes)
Stays closeplain flour → self-raising flour 450 g and omit the baking powder
Stays closeclotted cream → double cream lightly whipped to soft peaks
Noticeably differentstrawberry jam → raspberry or blackcurrant jam, same quantity
Stays close
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 510
- Calories
- 8 g
- Protein
- 67 g
- Carbs
- 24 g
- Fat
- 2 g
- Fibre
- 24 g
- Sugar
- 340 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I make the dough ahead?
Yes — shape the scones, cover the tray, and chill for up to 24 hours before baking. Bring straight from the fridge to the oven for best rise.
Why are my scones heavy or dense?
Usually because the dough was overworked, the butter was too warm, or the baking powder is old. Work quickly, keep everything cold and check your raising agent is fresh.
Can I freeze unbaked scones?
Yes — freeze the cut, unbaked scones on a tray, then transfer to a bag. Bake from frozen but add a couple of minutes to the baking time.
How should I reheat leftover scones?
Split and warm gently in a low oven, 150°C fan/170°C conventional for 6–8 minutes, or from frozen at 160°C fan/180°C conventional for 8–10 minutes.
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