Easy fruit scones studded with dried fruit are a classic tea-time treat in the UK, especially when they're served with jam and clotted cream!
Delicious fresh from the oven and best of all super quick and easy to make!
Buttermilk is used in this easy fruit scone recipe to ensure the scones are light and fluffy! Just how they should be!
For the dried fruit I've used juicy currants, but sultanas or raisins would also work well.
👩🍳 Love scones? Try my easy cherry and almond scones too!
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✔️ Why you'll love this recipe!
Here's why this is the best recipe for homemade scones!
- An easy scone recipe for inexperienced bakers.
- Perfect for Afternoon Tea.
- Enjoy al fresco with jam and clotted cream on warm sunny Sunday afternoons.
- Freezer-friendly.
🛒 Ingredient notes
For this simple fruit scone recipe you will need the following ingredients!
- Flour - self-raising flour helps give the scones a lift.
- Bicarbonate of Soda - another raising agent.
- Salt
- Butter - cold and cubed. Use unsalted if you can.
- Caster Sugar - a small amount of sugar gives them a lovely background sweetness, without being overly sweet like American scones.
- Buttermilk - helps create light and fluffy textured scones.
- Vanilla Extract - use a good quality extract for the best flavour.
- Dried Fruit - I like small juicy currants but use other dried fruit if you prefer.
- Milk - for glazing the tops of the scones. Alternatively, you could use a beaten egg.
🔪 How to make fruit scones
The recipe card with ingredient quantities and detailed instructions can be found at the bottom of the post
One: Sieve the flour into a large mixing bowl and mix in the bicarbonate of soda and salt.
Two: Rub in the cold cubed butter with your hands until you get fine breadcrumbs. You could also do this in a food processor, but be careful not to over-process the mixture, which would result in tough scones.
Three: Stir in the caster sugar.
Four: Add the buttermilk, vanilla extract, and currants and mix with a metal knife until combined. Use your hands to then bring the dough together.
Five: Shape the dough into a round on a lightly floured work surface to around 4cm thick. Use a 5cm fluted biscuit cutter to stamp out the scones. You'll need to reform the dough a couple of times to get the maximum number of scones.
💡 Top Tip - for evenly risen scones, try not to twist the cutter when you stamp out the rounds.
Six: Place the scones on a lined baking tray and glaze with milk. Bake in a hot oven for 12 minutes or until golden brown.
💭 Expert tips
- If you can't get hold of buttermilk at the grocery store, you can make your own buttermilk by squeezing some lemon juice into milk and leaving it to stand at room temperature for 15 minutes before using it. The buttermilk helps the scones to become light and fluffy.
- Always use cold cubed butter straight from the fridge. If you try to rub in soft warm butter you will be left with a sticky mess. Cold butter helps to keep the dough cool and gives the scones the perfect flakey texture once baked.
- You don't need a rolling pin to roll out the dough. Just shape it with your hands for rustic-looking scones.
🍴 What to serve with scones
Serve your delicious fruit scone with any of the following!
- Strawberry jam and clotted cream. Being Cornish it's ALWAYS jam first!
- Raspberry jam or blackcurrant jam.
- Butter.
- Marmalade.
- Lemon Curd.
- Whipped double cream and strawberry coulis or blackcurrant coulis.
📖 Variations
- Make plain scones and omit the dried fruit.
- Add lemon zest for a citrus zing.
- Swap the currants for glace or dried cherries.
- Add fresh berries such as blueberries for blueberry scones.
- Add walnuts for crunch and texture, or why not have a go at making my easy date and walnut scones!
- Make savoury cheese scones instead using my master scone recipe but omitting the sugar and fruit, and adding grated cheddar cheese.
🥡 Storage
Scones are best eaten fresh from the oven. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
❓ Frequently asked questions
Yes, scones freeze well. Cool thoroughly before placing them in a freezer-safe container to protect from freezer burn. Use the scones within 3 months.
Place the frozen scones on a plate at room temperature and allow them to defrost for about 2 hours. Cover with a tea towel to prevent them from drying out.
The tops of the scones should be a rich golden brown colour, and when you pick the scone up and tap the bottom, it should sound hollow.
😋 More easy baking recipes
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Recipe
Easy Fruit Scones
Ingredients
- 450 g Self Raising Flour
- 1 teaspoon Bicarbonate of Soda
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 100 g Butter cold and cubed
- 50 g Caster Sugar
- 300 ml Buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 150 g Currants or use raisins or sultanas
- 3 tablespoon Milk for glazing
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 220°c (200° fan/ 400F/ Gas 6). Line a large baking sheet with baking paper.
- Sieve the flour into a large mixing bowl and mix in the bicarbonate of soda and salt.450 g Self Raising Flour, 1 teaspoon Bicarbonate of Soda, ¼ teaspoon Salt
- Rub in the cold cubed butter with your hands until you get fine breadcrumbs. You could also do this in a food processor, but be careful not to over-process the mixture, which would result in tough scones.100 g Butter
- Stir in the caster sugar.50 g Caster Sugar
- Add the buttermilk, vanilla extract, and currants and mix with a metal knife until combined. Use your hands to then bring the dough together.300 ml Buttermilk, 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract, 150 g Currants
- Shape the dough into a round on a lightly floured work surface to around 4cm thick. Use a 5cm fluted biscuit cutter to stamp out the scones. You'll need to reform the dough a couple of times to get the maximum number of scones.
- Place the scones on a lined baking tray and glaze with milk. Bake in a hot oven for 12 minutes or until golden brown.3 tablespoon Milk
Notes
- If you can't get hold of buttermilk at the grocery store, you can make your own buttermilk by squeezing some lemon juice into milk and leaving it to stand at room temperature for 15 minutes before using it. The buttermilk helps the scones to become light and fluffy.
- Always use cold cubed butter straight from the fridge. If you try to rub in soft warm butter you will be left with a sticky mess. Cold butter helps to keep the dough cool and gives the scones the perfect flakey texture once baked.
- You don't need a rolling pin to roll out the dough. Just shape it with your hands for rustic-looking scones.
- Make plain scones and omit the dried fruit.
- Add lemon zest for a citrus zing.
- Swap the currants for glace or dried cherries.
- Add fresh berries such as blueberries for blueberry scones.
- Add walnuts for crunch and texture, or why not have a go at making my easy date and walnut scones!
Nic
Absolutely delicious scones, thanks for the yummy recipe! Will make again.
Shelley
Oh yummmmm! Thanks for all the step-by-step photos, helpful tips, and serving suggestions! And maybe best of all ... that I can make these ahead and freeze them!
Beth
Yum! I absolutely adore scones. I discovered them a few years ago, and I never looked back. I can't wait to try your recipe.
Natalie
Yum, what a perfect scones. I'll give your recipe a try. Never used buttermilk before.
Toni
These are really amazing scones! I loved it! Thanks for the recipe!
Jean
Lovely scones .
So light, never made them with butter milk before .
Beth Sachs
So glad you enjoyed them Jean. Buttermilk is definitely the secret ingredient!