Classic British Scones with Jam and Clotted Cream
Light, tender scones with a golden top — the perfect base for ruby strawberry jam and thick clotted cream. Ideal for a proper cream tea or any time you need a comforting, quick bake.
This is the no-nonsense, proper scone you want for a cream tea — tender inside, golden on top and made without fuss. Scones are forgiving, quick, and brilliant for impressing friends with very little effort.
Make these when guests pop round for afternoon tea, or when you simply need cake-with-a-cup-of-tea energy. The trick is cold butter, minimal handling and a hot oven — that’s what gives you lift and flaky crumb.
Serve with good strawberry jam and thick clotted cream. If you’re in Devon or Cornwall, you already know the debate: jam-first or cream-first. Both delicious. Choose wisely (or don’t).
Ingredients
- 225 g self-raising flour
- 25 g caster (superfine) sugar
- salt — a pinch
- 55 g unsalted butter, very cold, cubed
- 150 ml milk (plus extra for brushing) — about 1 tbsp extra for glazing
- 1 egg — optional — for richer scones and glaze (beat with milk to brush)
- 150 g strawberry jam — approx. 1 heaped tbsp per scone
- 200 g clotted cream — approx. 1 tbsp (20–25g) per scone when serving
Equipment
- baking tray
- 5–6 cm round cutter (or glass)
- wire cooling rack
- rolling pin (or hands for patting)
- pastry cutter or food processor (optional)
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan) / Gas 7. Line a baking tray with baking parchment.
Sift the self-raising flour into a large mixing bowl. Stir in the caster sugar and a pinch of salt.
Add the cold cubed butter to the flour. Rub the butter into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining.
Make a well in the centre. Mix the milk with the beaten egg (if using). Pour most of the milk mixture into the well and fold with a round-bladed knife or spatula until the dough just comes together — it should be soft and slightly sticky. Add a splash more milk only if too dry.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Gently pat or roll to a thickness of 3–4 cm (about 1.25–1.5 inches). Do not roll too thin.
Stamp out rounds with a 5–6 cm cutter, pressing straight down (don’t twist). Reroll scraps once and cut more rounds to make 8 scones.
Place the scones close together on the prepared tray so they touch slightly (this helps them rise up rather than out). Brush the tops with the reserved milk (or milk + beaten egg) for a golden finish.
Bake in the preheated oven for 12–15 minutes until risen and golden. Rotate the tray halfway if your oven has hot spots.
Remove the scones and cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Best eaten warm — split with a serrated knife and serve immediately with strawberry jam and clotted cream.
To serve the traditional ‘Devon’ or ‘Cornish’ way: spoon jam first, then a generous dollop of clotted cream (Devon) — or cream first, jam on top (Cornish). Both are perfectly proper; pick a side and defend it politely.
Tips
- Keep everything cold: chill the butter and, if the kitchen’s warm, chill the mixed dough for 5–10 minutes before cutting to help the scones rise.
- Cut straight down with a sharp cutter — don’t twist. Twisting seals the edges and prevents a proper rise.
- If you don’t have self-raising flour, use plain flour with 2 tsp baking powder added (stays-close swap).
- Make ahead: freeze shaped unbaked scones on a tray, then transfer to a bag. Bake from frozen, adding 2–3 minutes to the baking time.
- Reheat gently: warm split scones under a moderate grill for 1–2 minutes or in a toaster oven — avoid microwaving as it makes them chewy.
Substitutions
self-raising flour → plain (all-purpose) flour + 2 teaspoons baking powder (use same weight/volume)
Stays closeunsalted butter → cold baking margarine or solid coconut oil (same weight)
Noticeably differentclotted cream → thick double cream spooned (not whipped) or mascarpone for a similar mouthfeel
Noticeably differentstrawberry jam → raspberry or blackberry jam — flavour changes but works exactly the same
Stays close
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 320
- Calories
- 4 g
- Protein
- 30 g
- Carbs
- 20 g
- Fat
- 2 g
- Fibre
- 14 g
- Sugar
- 220 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I use plain flour instead of self-raising?
Yes — for 225g plain flour add 2 teaspoons (about 8g) baking powder. Sift together before using.
Should I put jam or clotted cream on first?
Both ways are traditional: Devon prefers jam first, then cream; Cornwall does cream first. It’s purely personal — both taste brilliant.
Can I freeze scones?
Yes. Freeze baked scones wrapped well for up to 3 months. Reheat from frozen in a low oven (150°C/300°F) for 8–12 minutes. You can also freeze raw cut scones on a tray then bag them and bake from frozen (add a couple of minutes).
Why didn’t my scones rise?
Common causes: overworking the dough, warm butter, oven not hot enough, or the cutter twisted when cutting. Keep butter cold, handle dough minimally and cut straight down.
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