These basic cream scones come together quickly and easily. They make a perfect base for clotted cream, butter and jam, or fruit compote. Enjoy them for breakfast, brunch, or afternoon tea.
If you often bake but don’t always have buttermilk on hand, this cream-based scone recipe is a terrific fallback. A carton of heavy cream is handy for many things—whipped cream or rich hot chocolate—and it also makes wonderfully tender scones when mixed with an egg and a little vanilla.
How to Make Basic Cream Scones
The main difference between these cream scones and classic buttermilk scones is the liquid: instead of using buttermilk plus cold butter worked into the flour, this recipe uses cold cream combined with an egg. There’s no need to grate or cut cold butter into the dry ingredients; simply fold the egg-and-cream mixture into the dry ingredients to form a dough.
The dough will be slightly less wet than buttermilk scone dough. Use extra flour sparingly. When the dough comes together but is still a bit tacky, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, press the dough down and fold it over itself several times to create layers. Pat or roll it into a circle about 1 inch thick and cut it into eight wedges.
Egg wash or cream wash?
Traditionally an egg wash (1 egg plus 1 tablespoon of cream or milk) gives baked goods a glossy finish, but for a small batch of eight scones it’s fine—and simpler—to brush them with a little extra cream. About 1–2 tablespoons of cream is enough to coat the tops and sides and help the turbinado sugar stick, giving the scones a light brown sheen and a bit of crunch.
Some bakers reserve a tablespoon or two from the egg-and-cream mixture to use as an egg wash, but if you do that be sure to replace the liquid so the dough keeps the right consistency. Either approach works; the cream wash is quick and yields an attractive, slightly glossy crust.
These cream scones have a tender, slightly crumbly texture and a mild, milky flavor that pairs beautifully with fruity or juicy toppings. They’re especially nice warm, served with coffee at breakfast or with tea in the afternoon. Try them with butter and jam, fruit butter, compote, or a spoonful of lemon curd for a bright contrast.
More delicious scone recipes
- Strawberry and Cream Scones
- Clementine Coconut Scones
- Orange Cream Scones
- Lemon Blueberry Cream Scones
- Lemon Poppy Seed Scones
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Cream Scones Recipe
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Ingredients
Scones
- 2 cup all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 large egg + cream to make 1 cup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cream wash & topping
- Extra cream
- Turbinado sugar
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
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Whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder in a medium bowl.
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In a measuring cup, beat the egg and add cream until the total measures 1 cup. Stir in the vanilla extract.
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Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the liquid. Fold gently with a spatula or wooden spoon until a slightly wet dough forms.
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Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, fold it over itself a few times to build layers, and shape into a 1-inch thick circle. Cut into 8 wedges.
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Place the scones on the prepared sheet, brush the tops and sides with extra cream, and sprinkle generously with turbinado sugar.
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Bake 19–20 minutes, until the scones are golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly.
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Serve warm with clotted cream, butter and jam, or your favorite fruit spread.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is calculated automatically and should be used as an estimate only.
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