Best British Currant Scones
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These light and fluffy scones are so easy to make – with or without currants! They’re the perfect vehicle for clotted cream, lemon curd, jam or even German plum butter.
Would you believe that I never liked scones until I visited the UK – when I promptly fell deeply in love with current scones, clotted cream, and jam? I almost never eat scones in the US but I’ll gladly eat one every single day when I’m in the UK or Ireland!
Scones with clotted cream are my go-to sweet treat in the UK, always with a big cup of tea. Now that I’ve learned how to make them at home, I can enjoy them anytime. And now you can, too!
Why make British scones (English scones, Irish scones, whichever you prefer) instead of US American scones? Because British and American scones differ in a couple vital ways.
First, British scones have less butter and sugar. Well, less butter and sugar in the scone, that is. The amount of butter and sugar consumed in and on the scone via clotted cream, jam and lemon curd is probably about the same!
Second, in my experience, British scones often don’t include the mix-ins that are commonly found in the often sweeter American scones, like blueberries, nuts or chocolate chips. I’ve most commonly found plain scones and currant scones in the UK and Ireland (and maybe cheese scones?). That said, you probably can find other types of scones, but whenever I’ve bought scones, I’ve always only had the option of plain or currant.
I originally thought that another difference is in how the scones are cut. The scones I’ve eaten in the UK and Ireland have all been round, while scones I see in the US are cut into triangles. However, I’ve since learned that you will find British scones in the triangle shape. I guess I just need to go back to the UK and Ireland and do more scone research. 🙂
As I mentioned, I prefer British scones because I love the scone + cream + jam (or lemon curd) combo. It’s heaven. American scones are too sweet and dry for my tastes. The recipe I’m sharing with you today makes it easy to enjoy fresh British scones anywhere!
I’ve made these scones loads of time and have even taught others to make them in virtual baking classes. They’re are always a hit! They’re perfect for all kinds of occasions, such as:
- tea parties
- office parties
- holidays
- neighborhood potlucks
- showers
- birthdays
- simple afternoon tea with a friend (scones + tea)
- brunch
- dessert
- pretty much anytime you’re craving scones
These scones are light, fluffy, and tender. If you’ve got 30 minutes, you have enough time to bake a batch of fresh hot scones – with or without currents.
If you don’t want to use currants, you can add it any mix-in you’d like…raisins, nuts, cheese, cranberries, etc. It may not be traditional but it will be delicious, so I say go for it and experiment!
Contents
What to Put on Scones
My favorite toppings are:
- Clotted cream
- Homemade European cultured butter (if I don’t have any clotted cream)
- Fresh whipped cream
- Lemon curd
- Jam
- Rote Grütze (again, not traditional by any means…but delicious)
- Fresh berries
- German plum butter
If you want clotted cream with your scones, I recommend making the cream 24 hours before you make the scones. Doing so will not only allow enough time to cook and chill the cream, but you can use any leftover liquid cream in the scones.
Same goes for making homemade cultured butter, lemon curd, plum butter or jam. Make each a few days in advance and then make the scones the day you want to serve them so they’re nice and fresh.
These scones are best eaten the day they are made – they’re delicious right out of the oven – but I’ve found that they taste great the next day, too.
Do I Have to Use Currants?
Nope! Dried currants are my favorite mix-in but you can use any kind of dried fruit, nuts or even grated cheese and herbs. You can also make them plain.
Can I Freeze Scones?
Yes! You can either cut out your scones and then freeze them or you can bake your scones and then freeze them. I prefer to freeze unbaked scones so that I can take them out of the freezer and make freshly-baked scones.
To freeze unbaked scones, cut them out, place on a baking pan, and place in the freezer until fairly frozen. Then, place the frozen scones in a freezer ziplock bag or freezer-safe container. This way your scones won’t freeze stuck together.
How to Make the Best British Currant Scones
The first step is to pre-heat your oven to 500F/260C. You’re going to turn the oven down when you bake your scones, but for now, get it nice and hot.
Then, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl. Whisk until everything is well combined.
Cut the cold butter in several pieces and add it to the dry ingredients. Use your fingers to work the butter into the flour until it looks like small crumbs.
Add the currants (or whatever you want to add to your scones) and mix with a spatula or spoon until combined.
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together milk and eggs. Add to the flour a little at a time. Careful: depending on the size of your eggs and whether you scooped, spooned or weighed your flour, you might not need the entire amount. So don’t dump it all in at once!
Stir everything together with a spoon or spatula until the dough forms a ball. If you realize you’ve added too much milk/egg, just add a little more flour. You’re going to add more flour in the next step, so add just enough for the dough to form a ball.
Knead the dough several times on well-floured surface with well-floured hands until the surface of the dough is smooth and doesn’t have any cracks. Then press dough to 1 inch [25mm] thickness.
Cut out your scones using a round biscuit or scone cutter or a small jam jar or glass. You should get anywhere from 7 to 12 scones, depending on the size of your cutter.
Transfer your scones to a lined baking pan. Then gather the remaining dough into a ball, knead together once or twice until smooth, and again press it out to 1 inch [25mm] thickness. Cut out the rest of your scones and transfer them to your baking sheet.
Brush the top of the scones using what’s left of the milk and egg mixture (or mix one additional egg with 1 tsp milk, cream or water in a small bowl and brush that on the tops of the scones). Sometimes I have enough milk/egg left over, sometimes I don’t.
Turn your oven down to 425 F/215C. Bake smaller scones for 10-12 minutes and large scones for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Check your scones 8-10 minutes in to see how browned they’re getting. If the tops are nicely browned but they’re not finished baking, place a piece of foil over the scones.
Cool scones on a wire rack.
Serve warm or at room temperature with butter, clotted cream, whipped cream, lemon curd or jam. These scones are best eaten the day they’re made but I’ve found them to still be good the next day. Enjoy!
Best British Scones with Currents
If you've got 30 minutes, you have more than enough time to whip up a batch of tender, flakey British style scones. Mmmmm!
Ingredients
- 3 cups [360g] flour (see note below)
- 1/3 cup [65g] sugar
- 2 Tbsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 8 Tbsp [115g] butter, (unsalted, cold)
- 3/4 cup [100g] dried currants
- 1/2 cup [125ml] whole milk or cream (see note below)
- 2 eggs
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 500F/260C.
- Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl. Use a whisk to mix everything together.
- Cut cold butter in several pieces and add to the dry ingredients. Use your fingers to work the butter into the flour mixture until it looks like small crumbs.
- Add currants (or whatever you want to mix in) and mix with a spoon or spatula until well combined.
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together milk and eggs. Add to flour a little at a time. Careful! You might not need the entire amount so don't dump it all in at once. Stir with a spoon or spatula until dough forms a ball.
- Knead dough several times on well-floured surface with well-floured hands until the surface of the dough is smooth and doesn't have any cracks.
- Press dough to 1 inch [25mm] thickness. Cut out scones using a round biscuit or scone cutter or a small jam jar or glass. You should get anywhere from 7 to 12 scones, depending on the size of your cutter.
- Transfer scones to a lined baking pan. Gather remaining dough into a ball, knead it together once or twice smooth, and again roll it out to 1 inch [25mm] thickness. Cut out the rest of your scones and transfer them to your baking sheet.
- Brush the top of the scones using what's left of the milk and egg mixture or whisk one additional egg with 1 tsp milk, cream or water in a small bowl. Brush on the tops of the scones.
- Turn oven down to 425 F/215C. Bake smaller scones for 10-12 minutes and large scones for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.
- Cool on a wire rack.
- Serve warm or at room temperature with butter, clotted cream, whipped cream, lemon curd or jam. Enjoy!
- Scones are best eaten the day they're made but I've found they're ok the next day, too.
Notes
1. FLOUR: The 3 cups flour measurement is based on spooning flour into your measuring cup rather than scooping it. If you scoop the flour you'll like end up with more flour and may need more liquid than indicated in the recipe.
2. MILK: Depending on the size of your eggs and how you measure the flour (e.g., if you scoop it you'll likely use more flour than if you spoon or weigh it) you might need more or less of the liquid. I recommend pouring the liquid into the flour a little at a time. The dough will probably be a bit sticky when you turn it out to start kneading. If that's the case, add flour a sprinkle at a time as you knead it.
3. MIX-INS: I used dried currants in this recipe but you can use other kinds of dried fruit, nuts or even grated cheese and herbs. You can also make plain scones.
4. BAKING: If the top of your scones are nicely browned but they're not finished baking, place a sheet of foil on the top of the scones.
Those look SO good! I love the feeling of travel I get when I read your recipes….
Thanks, Alexis! 🙂 These scones are amazing. I want to make them every morning…
Cate, lovely scones! But I make wedge-shaped scones just as my mother, grandmother, great grandmothers (generations of English women) made them in England. I think when people here get there scones at a place like Starbucks, it’s no wonder they don’t like them as they’re made way ahead. As you rightly mention, they are best the day they are made.
That’s so interesting, Jean! I’ve never seen them wedge-shaped in the UK, and I’ve never seen round ones in the US. Is the wedge shape more traditional? It’s sure a lot easier!
Are they really supposed to bake at 500°F?
Goodness, I didn’t read all the way through. Sorry! I’m excited to try these! I don’t like American scones either but love British ones.
They’re so good! I hope you love them, too! 🙂
TheseAre the best scones I have ever made so soft and light the only this different was cut in to triangle shape which I guess is a American thing lol
I’m so glad you like them! I do triangles sometimes, too. 🙂
Do you think you could make them, cover well and put in the fridge overnight to bake in the morning? Thanks!
I assume you could (though I haven’t tried it)!
These look so delicious! What a fun treat to keep around to share with family and friends or to serve at brunch!
Thanks for sharing! Do the scones keep long?
They’re best the day they’re made but if you store them in an air-tight container they’re good the next day, too.
Love this one. I substituted oat milk, monkfruit sweetener, and chopped dates – texture and flavor came out great! Definitely a new go to recipe.
I’m so glad! Thanks for sharing about the oat milk and monkfruit substitutions!
I wish to learn how to bake and surprise my family
Great! There are lots of recipes on this site that will get you started. You can also join our International Baking Club!
Great recipe!
Best part…getting hands into the flour and butter, my 2min therapy session!
I think its my oven or our humidity, a standard egg wash produces the golden finish I’m looking for – just one more egg.
This is now a snap and easy to make for bruch (easy to make with a mimosa!), or swapping for a savory variation when we go wine tasting into Sonoma or Napa.
Baking is definitely therapeutic! Good point about using a standard egg wash. Now I want to make a batch in my new oven and see how they turn out with a standard egg wash vs. the leftover milk/egg…hmmm…I think I might do some baking today. 🙂 I’m glad you liked the scones!
The dark jam in the pictures of your scones look interesting. What is it made of ?
It’s seedless blackberry jam!
These turned out lovely. The best scones recipe I’ve tried. Thank you for posting this recipe
I’m so glad you liked them! 🙂
These are amazing! I’ve been to Britain once and have longed for traditional scones ever since. Today, I found them ?
I’m so glad you like them! 🙂
These are fantastic but I have one little problem-I cannot seem to get the inside cooked without nearly burning the bottoms. At the allotted time – the inside is still nearly raw. After putting foil on top and cooking more, the bottoms are very brown and the inside is only barely cooked more. Suggestions?
Here are a few troubleshooting ideas…
1. Be sure you’re turning the temp down to 425F/215C when you put your scones in the oven.
2. Are you using a regular-sized oven or a smaller top oven? I find that when I bake with my smaller top oven I have to lower the temp or bake for less time as compared to when I use my regular-sized oven.
3. Are you using a silicone mat (or a couple layers of parchment) on your baking pan? I get good results when I use either one. If you are, you could try doubling up so there’s an extra layer between the pan and your scones.
4. What kind of baking pan are you using? Thin/dark pans can generate too much heat and over bake the bottoms. Try using a light colored stainless steel baking pan. If you already are, you could try placing one baking pan on a second pan (to help reduce the amount of heat that reaches the bottom of the scones). Or, if you have a baking stone, you could try baking the scones on that.
5. You could try moving your oven rack up a bit.
6. Do you have a thermometer in your oven so you can check the oven temp? Make sure it’s not running hotter than you think.
7. You can also try turning the temp down a bit.
I hope that helps! 🙂
Oh my these are amazing and simple to make. Made 2 batches one with raison and one without
Great recipe! Turned out beautifully.
I’m so glad you liked them!
Do you use dried black currant berries or Zante currants? Thanks!
Good question! I think they were dried black currant berries. I’ve only found dried currants at one store in my area and they’re in bulk so I’m not completely sure what kind they are!
Hello! I just found fresh dark colored currants at local farmers market. Will they work as well? I was wondering if they would crush when kneading the dough though. ?
I’m so jealous that you found fresh currants! I’m trying to remember how delicate they are…I haven’t tried using fresh ones but I imagine they’d work ok if you’re gentle with the kneading. If you try them, let me know how it goes!
You say the whey from the clotted cream can be used–is it as substitute for the milk?
Can whey be frozen?
Yep! I use less milk when I add the whey from clotted cream. I still use milk in the scones, though. I add the whey to a measuring cup and then add milk. I’ve used more and less whey in scones and they’ve always turned out well. It’s also great in smoothies. I haven’t frozen whey (I never have any left!) but I don’t see why you couldn’t freeze it.
These came out so great! Light & fluffy inside with just the right crunch on the outside. I have tried sooo many recipes & this one came out the best by far & was very simple to follow. Thanks so much. I can’t wait to try your clotted cream recipe next time – just need to plan a little better.
I’m so glad you liked them! Definitely do try clotted cream – it’s amazing with those scones.
I have been in search of such a scone- crispy on the outside and tender on the inside with substance. It is the best British scone recipe and I use this now as a base for my other scones. Substitute the currants with crystalline ginger, chocolate chips, cranberries, etc. this is truly how a scone should be and not the super moist ones that are no more than a muffin in a scone shape. I also simplified it by making it into a rectangular slab and cut it length wise in half and then make 4 cuts crosswise to make 10 scones. No waste and lots more crisp edges. Placing the slab overnight in the refrigerator and cut it before baking really helps with the rise and crispness. To keep these fresh, I bake them all. Cool and put on try in freezer for an hour. Next, use vacuum seal to seal them while frozen in uantitybthatbyoubwould normally use. Open one the night before and let it defrost. Bake in the morning at 350°F for 5 min to crisp up. This way, you will have fresh scone whenever you want. I keep 3 different kinds in my freezer for variety.
Try this recipe. You will fall in love with it!
Great tips! Such a good idea to keep a few different varieties in the freezer. You can never have too many scones. 🙂