Easy Air Fryer Scones Recipe

This small-batch scone recipe makes five traditional British scones with golden tops, soft centres and plenty of height. Serve them warm with strawberry jam and clotted cream for an easy homemade cream tea.

The small batch fits neatly into most air fryer baskets, so there is no need to cook more than you need. They are ideal for afternoon tea, unexpected guests or whenever you fancy a freshly baked scone.

If you're serving a crowd, simply double the recipe and cook in two batches.

Love air fryer baking recipes? Try my easy air fryer muffins, air fryer rock cakes, air fryer fruit scones, or air fryer Madeira cake next!

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Flour - Self-raising flour gives the scones their rise and light texture. If you only have plain flour, add baking powder according to the instructions on the packet to create the equivalent of self-raising flour.

Baking Powder - Add extra raising agent for a light and fluffy texture.

Butter - Use cold butter cut into small cubes. Rubbing cold butter into the flour creates a tender, crumbly scone rather than a heavy or greasy one.

Sugar - A small amount of caster sugar lightly sweetens the scones without making them overly sweet.

Milk - Semi-skimmed or whole milk. You can also swap milk for buttermilk (you won't need the lemon juice too).

Lemon Juice - A squeeze of fresh lemon juice sours the milk to produce light and fluffy textured scones.

Vanilla - Vanilla adds a subtle sweetness but can be omitted if you prefer a more traditional plain scone.

📖 Variations

• Dust with icing sugar (powdered sugar) once cooked.
• Add 45g of quartered glace cherries for cherry scones.
• Add 45g of chocolate chips to the dough for chocolate chip scones.
• Swap the vanilla extract for cinnamon and make air fryer cinnamon scones.
• Make air fryer cheese scones. Omit the sugar and add a handful of grated cheddar cheese to the dough.

🔪 How to make scones in air fryer

Prep: Preheat the air fryer to 200°C (400°F).

One: Place the self-raising flour, baking powder and cold cubed butter in a large mixing bowl. Rub the butter into the flour using your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

💡Pro tip - use a food processor if you'd like to, and use the pulse function. Be careful not to overwork the dough.

Two: Mix in the caster sugar.

Three: Heat the milk in the microwave for 30 seconds then add a squeeze of lemon juice and the vanilla extract. Leave to stand for 2 minutes, then using a cutlery knife, mix the soured milk into the flour.

💡Pro tip - you may not need every drop of liquid, so add it gradually.

Four: Bring the dough together with your hands. The dough will be quite sticky and soft at this stage.

Five: Lightly flour your work surface then shape the scone dough into a round disc (roughly 3cm thick) using your hands. Using a 5cm fluted cookie cutter, stamp out 5 scones (press the cutter straight down rather than twisting it, as twisting can seal the edges and prevent the scones from rising evenly). You'll need to keep reforming the dough into a disc with your hands until you have used it all up.

Six: Glaze the tops of the scones with milk (you can also use a beaten egg), and then place them in your air fryer basket and air fry for 7-8 minutes until golden brown and well risen.

Seven: Transfer the scones to a wire rack and allow them to cool slightly before serving.