Delia Smith Afternoon Tea Scones Recipe

A scone that rises tall and one that spreads flat almost always comes down to the same two things: how cold the butter is, and how little you handle the dough once the milk goes in. Everything else is just flour, sugar and a hot oven.

Editorial Note: This recipe is inspired by the classic British method for afternoon tea scones rather than copied from any single published version. It is not presented as an official Delia Smith recipe, and this site is not affiliated with Delia Smith, her publishers, or Delia Online.

This makes 8 scones, light inside with a crisp golden top — the classic base for jam and clotted cream, and ready well within the hour.

Ingredients

• 225g self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 40g cold butter, cubed
• 25g caster sugar
• 150ml milk, plus extra for glazing

Rub In the Butter

Preheat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan) / 425°F / Gas Mark 7. Sift the flour and salt into a bowl, then rub in the cold butter with your fingertips until it looks like fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar. Working quickly here, before the butter warms in your hands, is what keeps the little flecks of fat intact — they’re what create the flaky layers as the scones rise.

Mix the Dough

Make a well in the centre and add most of the milk. Mix quickly with a knife to a soft dough, adding the rest of the milk if it looks dry. Stop as soon as it comes together — overworking the dough at this stage is the other common cause of tough, dense scones.

Cut and Bake

Turn the dough onto a floured surface and pat it gently to about 2cm thick — don’t roll it hard. Cut into rounds with a 5cm cutter, pushing straight down without twisting, which helps them rise evenly rather than lopsided. Place on a baking tray, brush the tops with milk, and bake for 10 to 12 minutes until risen and golden. Cool on a wire rack for a few minutes before serving.

Try More Recipes: Classic Yorkshire Pudding

Serve It Like This

Split while still warm and serve with jam and clotted cream for a classic afternoon tea, or simply with butter alongside a pot of tea.

Worth Knowing

Keep the butter cold. If your kitchen is warm, chill the cubed butter for a few minutes before rubbing it in.

Don’t twist the cutter. Twisting seals the edges and stops the scones rising straight up.

Best eaten fresh. They’re at their best the day they’re made, but freeze well either unbaked or baked, for up to a month.

Estimated Nutrition (per serving, serves 8)

Nutrition is estimated using standard ingredient data. Actual values will vary depending on exact ingredients and portion sizes used.

Classic Afternoon Tea Scones

Recipe by Mary Randolph

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: DessertCuisine: BritishDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

40

minutes

Calories

300

kcal

Total time

1

hour 

10

minutes

Light, tall scones with a crisp top and soft crumb, ready in well under an hour.

Ingredients

• 225g self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 40g cold butter, cubed

• 25g caster sugar

• 150ml milk, plus extra for glazing

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan) / 425°F / Gas Mark 7. Sift the flour and salt into a bowl, then rub in the cold butter with your fingertips until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar.
• Make a well in the centre and add most of the milk. Mix quickly with a knife to a soft dough, adding the rest of the milk if it looks dry. Don't overwork it.
• Turn onto a floured surface and pat gently to about 2cm thick. Cut into rounds with a 5cm cutter, pushing straight down without twisting, and place on a baking tray. Brush the tops with milk.
• Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until risen and golden. Cool on a wire rack for a few minutes before serving.

Notes

• Best eaten the day they're made, but freeze well unbaked or baked for up to a month.