I don’t know why but I often get a craving for scones when I have been working around the house, either doing housework or out in the garden. But as much as I love scones sometimes I get a bit lazy and can’t be bothered because it just seems like too much trouble. When you’re really busy and you get a scone craving you need an easy scone recipe, don’t you? Well now I have that easy scone recipe and I want you to know about it to!
This recipe, which I found here at Cooking Crusade, could not be any easier, and it makes THE BEST SCONES that you will ever taste! Even my mum has admitted that the scones made using this recipe are better than any she has ever made! That is high praise because my mum is a really good cook!
Speaking of mums this recipe would be great for mother’s day which is coming up next weekend. Your mum won’t be able to say no to these yummy scones with jam and cream? And with this easy scone recipe you can whip up a batch in no time at all. It only has three ingredients; self raising flour, cream and lemonade – that’s it!
We usually have self raising flour in the pantry but now that I have found this easy scone recipe I always make sure that I have some cream and lemonade in the house too!
Update!!!
Since posting this recipe I have had many comments about how wet and sticky the dough is for this recipe. So I thought that I would post a tip that I have learnt after making these many times.
If you don’t want/haven’t got time to work with a very sticky dough start by only add half of the carbonated lemonade/soda pop. Mix the ingredients well and then add more lemonade/soda pop as required. Making this adjustment to the recipe means that you will get one or two scones less but the quality of the scones is not affected.
- 3 cups (450g) of self raising flour
- 1 cup of thickened cream / heavy cream*
- 1 cup of lemonade (like Sprite)
- Preheat oven to 200 °C (400 °F).
- Place flour in a large mixing bowl.
- Add cream and lemonade and mix to combine.
- Turn the mixture out onto a well-floured board and knead with extra flour until smooth (mixture is very sticky initially).
- Use your hand to flatten the scone dough out to about 2 -3 cm (1 inch) thick and then cut into rounds with floured scone cutter.
- Place scones onto a lined baking tray so that they are just touching and then bake for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Scones are cooked when they are golden brown and can be easily pulled apart where they are joined.
I also use sugar free lemonade and find that it works just fine.
*Heavy cream or whipping cream is called thickened cream in Australia.
I also have two other scone recipes that are based on this one and are just as easy – click the images below to see their recipes!
If you liked scones you are going to want to try my Easy Fruit Scones! They’re packed with fruit, simple to make, and you only need 5 ingredients!
You might also like my chocolate chip version – click here to see my recipe for Easy Chocolate Chip Scones!
i call sprite soda pop not lemonade so you explained that but please what is your version of Thickened cream ? Do you mean whipping cream in the carton ?
Thanks for asking that question Kathy, until now I did not know that thickened cream is an Australian product and not necessarily the same everywhere. I think that the whipping cream in the carton would probably be very similar. In Australia, thickened cream is cream with gelatine added. It is of a thick pouring consistency and it is used in baking, for whipping, and for pouring over desserts. I am sure that this recipe would work fine with whipping cream, let me know how it goes!
I’m actually thinking that the “thickened cream” may be what we call sour cream in the US. What do you think?
No I don’t think that it would be sour cream. I think it would be whipping cream because it can be whipped and used in desserts. I would be interested to see if sour cream works too though! Definitely let me know if you try it with sour cream!
Hi Kaylene, thanks for the recipe. Australia = thickened cream/ England = Double cream 😉
Your welcome Sarah, thanks for the info and for visiting!
Thickened cream is available in Australia, called just that.
There is a Mexican product called crema or table cream that comes in a squeeze bottle that has a consistency that is half way between that of heavy whipping cream and sour cream that I think would be perfect for this recipe. It is widely available in grocery stores. I’m going to try it next time. This recipe is aaaaaaamaaaaaaazzzzing!
Sounds like Mexican crema would be good Sable. I don’t think it is available here in Australia but after a quick search online I see that you can make your own from cream, sour cream, and buttermilk. Might have to give it a try!
Hi there. Could the recipe be half cup cream and half cup milk?
Hi Kiki, I haven’t tried making these with half cream and half milk so I can’t say exactly how they would turn out. I think that the fat content in the cream helps to make these scones light and fluffy. I have made them using low fat cream and they were quite noticeably drier. That being said, I have read online that others have made these with milk instead of cream! So you probably could make these with half milk and half cream but the texture of the scones might be a little different. I hope this helps!
Hi in the UK WE HAVE SINGKE CREAM, double and whipping. You need to buy double cream for this recipe and lemonade if your from uk. I’ve tried it it’s great x
Thanks for the feedback Jan, I’m glad you like them!
Thick clotted cream.Lovely stuff from Devon and Cornwall in UK.
Can I use chilled Greek yogurt instead of heavy cream?
Hi Cheche, I haven’t used Greek yogurt myself so I can’t say how they would turn out. I think that the fat content in the cream helps to make these scones light and fluffy. The Greek yogurt might not have enough fat for this recipe. I have made them using low fat cream and they were quite noticeably drier. That being said, I have read online that others have made these with milk instead of cream so maybe Greek yogurt would work!
Here in the States of PA, NY, NC, VA, etc, these ingredient Scones as you call them are Biscuits here. Pur s ones have butter, cream, flour and are a free style,drop shape or in round with the scones cut in triangles. A light sugar cinnamon dusting, or thin glaze drizzled lightly. I never saw a scone looking like a biscuit.
Yes isn’t it interesting how a scone can vary from place to place. I have always had these traditional English scones so I find the ones that are cut into triangles a bit strange, although I am keen to try them one day! Funnily enough where I come from we call a cookie or cracker a biscuit!
Thank you for this recipe, Kaylene! I’ve battled flat, crumbly scones for years, so I’m looking forward to trying it! I will make them this Sunday using our US version of heavy cream/aka whipping cream (40% milk fat) and will let you know.
Biscuit vs. Scone: Grandmother was from Georgia, nephew a chef in Seattle, and big brother was born, raised, and grew old in Hereford, UK. We went around and around with the subject of biscuit vs. scone. I originally thought like Trackmom – that they were the same – but was proved very wrong.
In the U.S., scones are typically made with dairy fat (cream or butter), while our biscuits are made with vegetable or animal fat (shortening or lard). Although some scones are savory, most are on the sweet side and are enjoyed as breakfast, dessert, or afternoon tea. Biscuits are usually savory (salty) and typically eaten with breakfast or supper/dinner – hardly ever as dessert…unless topped with butter and chocolate…yum!
Hope this helps clarify the “Is it a scone? Is it a biscuit?” mystery.
Thanks for the explanation of the difference between biscuits and scones Trina, I hope you enjoy this recipe!
I definitely agree.
Hey Kalene,
I’ve just discovered your recipe. I can’t wait to try it. I’ve had my mum’s recipe for years – she use to put a “forkful” of custard powder in hers. Anyway, I have never been able to have them rise as well as Mum’s – probably because I live in Mississippi these days!
But I’m going to see if this recipe works, because I miss my Mum’s scones.
On one of the previous messages, they mentioned sour cream – I think they might have meant buttermilk, which is sour milk that is used in making biscuits. And biscuits are not scones, in my opinion! Biscuits don’t get as light and fluffy as scones.
So I’ll let you know how the recipe works.
Hi Gina,
I love this recipe because my scones always turn out wonderfully light and fluffy! Actually I never make scones any other way now! I hope you have success too and do let me know how you go!
Hi I can never find dubble cream in cape town SA but we have dessert cream in a tin and idealmilk witch is also that we can cook with
Hi
I used the whipping cream here from PicknPay here in RSA and Sprite, and I also added half teaspoon salt, turn out perfect every time.
Happy baking!
Thanks for adding that information Crissy!
Hi. Woolworths has a double thick cream.
In NZ I use ordinary cream. You can also substitute the lemonade with other fizz such as raspberry which gives a pretty pink colour. I use this recipe all the time and it is a bit sticky but just add more flour when on the board if required. Never fails
Thanks Mary, what a great idea to make pink ones using raspberry soda! I’ll have to try that next time!
I know I’m a bit late in adding this, but thickened cream is not the same as whipping cream even in Australia. Thickened cream has gelatine added to make it hold its shape somewhat without whipping. Everyone I know who makes a similar recipe uses unthickened whipping cream at whatever fat content (usually about 35% fat), and some omit the ‘lemonade’ entirely. It is clear that this is a forgiving recipe that can have ingredient adjusted to suit the cook and the pantry.
I changed the recipe up a bit, I used 3 cups self rising flour, 1 cup heavy whipping cream, and one cup beer! Oh my Oh my these were as delicious!!!!
Oh wow, I have never thought of trying these with beer! Thanks for the great suggestion Jennifer!
Hi there…I’m a late commenter on the scones too!!! I add ginger beer instead of lemonade for a change and chopped preserved ginger…also when camping I use a tin of reduced cream (no need to refrigerate) so I really dont think it matters as long as you have a liquid and fat content in the same quantity approx. 200mls…cheers and enjoy these scones with whatever you choose to add….Merrilyn
Thanks for the suggestion about the tin of cream Merrilyn, I’ll have to give that a try! Also I love the idea of using ginger beer and preserved ginger!
I used double cream but to be honest I found the recipe very messy
It can be a bit messy Margaret, but I find the results are worth it. I sometimes lessen the messy stickiness of the dough by decreasing the liquid a bit. If you use a bit less lemonade the mixture is not quite as sticky and therefore not quite as messy. You wont get quite as many scones but it is a handy cheat if you need to avoid the soft sticky dough!
Likewise, so I did them up by dumping dough into a prepared 9 inch cake tin and scored in wedges down to the bottom. They came out perfect.
That’s good to know Sable, thanks for the tip!
while these sound great my question is about the “lemonade”. You mention Sprite, which is a carbonated soda, where lemonade isn’t carbonated. Is the carbonation necessary to this recipe?
I will probably give them a try anyway but I was wondering.
Hi Peggy, thanks for the question. We call carbonated soda such as Sprite “lemonade” here in Australia. The carbonation is necessary in this recipe as it helps to give the scones their light and fluffy texture. It also adds some sweetness.
I hope this helps!
Thanks! I am going to try these. I tried something siimilar several years ago called 7-up bread. Same principal—carbonation helps w/ rising instead of yeast
Yes Dee they are a really light and soft texture, it’s amazing how the lemonade works! The 7 up bread sounds interesting too, I’ll have to look it up!
thank you for sharing this recipe, baked some today, delicious. If anyone interested I used the English Double Cream straight from the carton.
Glad you enjoyed them Beverly, and thanks for sharing the cream that you used.
I think clotted cream might be a good substitute as well. For those in the US, Cost Plus World market carries it in their food section. If nothing else, put it on your scone as a topping
Thanks Linda, and I agree you have to have cream as a topping for your scone! 😉
These sound great! Do these have a strong lemon taste?
Hi Danielle, there is no lemon flavour with these scones because the lemonade is a sweet fizzy drink like Sprite. It may be what you know as soda pop. In Australia a soda pop like Sprite is called lemonade! I hope that helps 🙂
I didnt know ahead of time about the lemonade! Here in KY lemonade is not carbonated. I wil in the future use Sprite. But I have already made these with reg. lemonade will just see how they turn out and will post to let you know.
Oh Judy what a shame about the confusion, it is funny how we call Sprite lemonade here in Australia but I believe it is called Soda Pop in other parts of the world! Please do let me know how they turn out!
In the Netherlands we also call it lemonade (almost all non-alcoholic cold drinks are called lemonade)
I think I will try these soon. I’m looking for quick and easy recipes for a high tea party.
We call clear carbonated drinks lemonade but we also call all non-alcoholic cold drinks ‘soft drink’ here in Australia. I think it’s so interesting that each country has a slightly different way of naming the same thing!
I hope you do try these, they would be great for a high tea party!
What cream did you use
Just tried these with making my own self rising flour (3c flour, 4 1/2 tsp baking powder & 1 1/2 tsp salt), whipping cream and I used mango pop (as we had no Sprite & don’t like the mango pop).
Turned out surprisingly terrific! Nice & fluffy and no mango flavour – just needs the carbonated pop to make them fluffy. Will definitely try again! Maybe add some fruit next time. Yum. Thank you from Canada.
Hi Kallie, I’m glad you had success with the mango pop! I had wondered about using flavoured carbonated drinks but I haven’t tried any yet. I love this recipe and I’m also keen to have a go at a fruity version!
Would this method to make self rising flour work with King Arthur’s glutton free flour, please?
I got the lemonade issue solved, but Im still not clear on the cream. Anyone here in the U.S.? Tell me if it’s heavy cream that we would whip onto ” whipped cream” or something else. I think that’s the only cream we have that’s pourable.
Hi Tanya, from what I can read what you call heavy cream in the U.S. is very close to what we call thickened cream here in Australia. It is what we use when we want to whip it and get whipped cream. I think that heavy cream would work perfectly fine in this recipe.
Here is a link that I found that explains the difference between thickened cream and heavy cream.
https://www.differencebetween.com/difference-between-heavy-cream-and-vs-thickened-cream/
I hope this helps because this is such a great recipe!
Hi from Canada
We have a cream here called creme fraiche
You can find it online and make your own or purchase from your dairy. Delicous with both scones and tea biscuits
Thanks for the info Monique!
Yes, depending on what is available where you are. Heavy cream or whipping cream. Half and half will also work (just not a low fat version)
Someone has mentioned buttermilk. That would work but the flavor would be just a tad different. I might try it with buttermilk and toss in some blueberries or raspberries.
I used heavy whipping cream and club soda…then added orange flavoring, topped it off with an orange glaze….wonderful
Thanks for the feedback Lynn. What a great idea to add some orange flavoring and glaze, I’ll have to give it a try!
In Australia we call whipping cream and in America they call it cool it. Hope it helps
Cool Whip (cool it) is a pre-made whipped topping that has very little cream and a whole lot of junk in it. It is found in plastic containers in the freezer section. Heavy whipping cream, on the other hand, is in the dairy section in cartons and only contains cream – straight from the cow.
That’s cool whip not cool it. That means it calm down!
Not quite. We have heavy cream or whipping cream, basically the same thing. Then we have what is called “cool whip”, it is a non dairy whipped topping (made with oil). Or you can get ready made whipped cream (daity) in a spray can.
About how many scones does one batch make?
Hi Sarah, I get 20 scones when I make up a batch of these.
I’m making these tomorrow for a baby shower but since I’ve never made scones, I thought I’d better make a test batch today. These are incredibly easy and so delicious! I mixed half a batch together, used a canning jar lid to cut them out because I don’t have a scone cutter, then cut them into fourths with a knife to make mini scones. Turned out perfect. Thanks for the great recipe!
I’m glad you had success Sarah, and I love the idea of mini scones! I hope you have a great baby shower!
In the photo above is that butter and jam/jelly you put on top the scones? They look so delicious I’m going to make this this afternoon. Thanks for sharing this recipe.
Hi Betty, the scones pictured here are topped with jam and whipped cream. But you could use butter and jam if you prefer! I really hope that you like this recipe, it is one of my all time favorites!
They are in the oven as I speak…Im crossing fingers that they come out ok.
Waiting for them to cook is the most exciting part Nomfundo! I hope you enjoy them!
Hi all after reading your comments I came a conclusion on what the USA ingredients are. Please correct me if I’m wrong.
AUSSIEs-Thickening cream
USA- whipping cream/heavy cream
Aussie- lemonade
USA- can of sprite
Yes Sherzell I think you’re right! It’s funny how we have different names for similar things!
Scottish girl living in the US, these are the best scones I have ever eaten, and I’ve had a few lol. Just wanted to say thanks so much 🙂
Your welcome Fiona, I’m glad you enjoyed the scones! I have to say this is my favorite scone recipe now, I’ve lost count of the number of times I have used it!
I am so looking forward to making these scones in the next few days! One question – does it make any difference if the lemonade is from the fridge or cupboard?
Hi Linda, I have used room temperature lemonade from the cupboard and chilled lemonade from the fridge and it doesn’t seem to make any difference to the recipe. As long as the lemonade still has plenty of fizz (not flat) then it should work fine. I hope you enjoy them!
I use soda water instead of lemonade to reduce sugar content. Works well
That would be a great way to cut down on sugar, thanks for the suggestion Christine!
My first batch just came out of the oven. Used lemonade from the cupboard. Brilliant. Will never make them the old way again.
I’m so glad that you liked them Linda, I will never make them the old way again either!
I just made these scones and although they look good, due to the lack of butter the taste was too bland and I will stick with my other recipe which has better flavour.
Sorry to hear that you didn’t like these scones Amy. I guess we all like different flavors and wont always agree on what is nice! 🙂
I made these scones today turned out great but I used a mixture of wholewheat and white flour we love them
I love the idea of using some wholewheat flour for these, glad you liked them Bernita!
What if I don’t have self-rising flour but Just the plain one?
Hi Dalila, unfortunately you can’t use plain flour in this recipe. I accidentally used the wrong flour once and they turned out small and hard as rocks! If you don’t have self raising flour then you can add some baking powder to the plain flour. Blend together 2 teaspoons of baking powder per cup of plain flour (so for this recipe you will need 6 teaspoons of baking powder). If you add the baking powder you should get nice soft fluffy scones! I hope this helps.
I was thinking to substitute wholewheat for the entire mix? Could that work? I’m particularly interested in this recipe. As a diabetic I can use the Diet Sprite and wholewheat won’t spike the sugar as fast as white.
I’m not speaking from experience but I think that you could try using wholewheat in this recipe. The scones might lose some of their light and fluffy texture but I’m sure that they would still taste great. Maybe someone who has used all wholewheat flour will reply and let us know! I’d love to know how you go if you do try making them with all wholewheat Elaine!
That’s a Bisquit not a scone…..
Here in Australia this is called a scone actually, a biscuit here is more like a cracker or cookie! It’s funny how some parts of the world use the same name for different things. These scones are similar to traditional English scones, that are usually served with fruit jam and cream for afternoon tea!
I can’t take it! I really can’t. Everyone is going around trying to explain the difference between a biscuit and a scone and it’s driving me crazy. This is for everyone in the USA. One lady was claiming to have chefs in her family and she KNOWS! She didn’t. The difference between a biscuit and a scone is the texture. Scones come in savory or sweet too. I think the confusion comes in when people make “scones” from biscuit dough and call it a scone when they add fruit to it. A biscuit texture is more dry and crumbly. A scone is not. You hear descriptions of a scone being soft and pillowy and that isn’t a biscuit. A biscuit is harder then that (yes even the good ones. They can rise great and all, but the outside will still be crumbly and dry, inside is more on the flakey side). When making a biscuit you are using cold butter that you work into the flour mixture until it’s crumbly, being careful not to have it to fine. When using butter with scones it’s often room temperature and you mix it to a fine sand. You don’t even use butter in this recipe and biscuits would NEVER be made without some kind of fat: cold butter, lard, or shortening so you can get the flour mixture to that crumbly state. Even mixing the wet ingredients in, with biscuits you aren’t wanting to break up the crumb you developed previously which is why you are careful. Its different with scones. I think with them you don’t want to activate the gluten in the flour. It’s all about the texture people! 😉 Some of you are confused about the shape. Don’t. Often times biscuits are round but they can take whatever shape they are made into. Just like scones. Hope that helps! I am trying this recipe today to see how it turns out. There are too many positive comments not to.
I’m glad! A biscuit and a scone are definitely very different things here in Australia! Whatever you want to call these I hope you enjoy them 😉
Wow lol I think this is probably something that varies by country and region.
My mother bakes a buttermilk biscuit that is light fluffy and not at all dry. Her scones are some of the best I’ve ever eaten and I’ve eaten a lot. She used room temp butter for both. It’s all in how she works her dough.
Her basic scone recipe came from Ireland with her grandmother. Her biscuit recipe was my paternal grandmother’s from the midwest. In the midwest, back in my grandmother’s day, what they called scones was actually a fried bread dough lol.
I’ve just baked a batch of the scones..ohhhmyy!!!! I added some grated cheese!! Simply the best scones EVER!!! THANK YOU – I’ll be circulating your recipe!
Thanks for the feedback Leigh, I’m so glad you enjoyed them. Wonderful idea to add some cheese too!
Used double cream and tonic water and 2 Tbsp caster sugar. Didn’t have any other carbonated drinks! Turned out beautiful. Val
Very handy to know that tonic water and some sugar will work if you don’t have any Sprite – thanks for the feedback Val!
I made these scones for a brunch. They created quite the feeding frenzy. I would have loved to have acted as if I had painstakingly produced them. Unfortunately to many asked for the recipe and my cover was blown. Thanks for the shortcut recipe, it’s great! Leslie
I’m glad they were a hit Leslie! I also have a fruit version of these scones which is very easy too and delicious!
https://thelinkssite.com/2016/04/08/easy-fruit-scones-5-ingredients/
I am a bit confused mine came out rather damp in the middle and didn’t rise very well. Normal scones don’t need kneading?? Do you mean just gently combine the ingredients before cutting them out? I followed your instructions but I think that’s why they’re a bit flat??
Hi Stacy, sorry to hear that yours didn’t turn out right! You do have to add more flour and knead the dough a bit because the mixture is very wet and sticky at first. Perhaps you didn’t add enough extra flour. The scone dough should form a smooth ball and only be slightly sticky before you cut the scones.
Greetings from Kentucky! I made these today for Thanksgiving. I used heavy cream and seltzer water (carbonated water) with 2 tablespoons sugar. The dough was rather wet when I poured it onto my large cutting board. I kneaded about 3/4 cup flour into it and made a soft dough that held its shape but was still a bit sticky. I used a 2 inch cutter dipped in flour to cut out 22 scones. They rose well. Had slight sweet taste that paired well with homemade cranberry butter. Very easy and tasty, thanks for sharing!
Hi Lee, thanks for your feedback on this recipe and I’m glad you enjoyed the scones. Happy Thanksgiving to you from Australia!
Hi just made these and they’re perfect,didn’t have cream so I used full fat soft cheese and it worked a dream, thank you
Hi Andrea, great to hear that they turned out okay using soft cheese!
I’m so glad I stumbled upon your recipe!!!
I’m a “Yank” living in Australia and I’m always on the lookout for Aussie recipes I can make for my husband, as he is from here. 🙂
The recipe couldn’t have been easier, and they turned out great. The taste and texture are very similar to a recipe I use for “Angel Biscuits”. I’ll be using this recipe instead from now on. I had never had Aussie scones before, and was a bit unsure of what they were supposed to look and taste like, so the one thing I unintentionally did a bit different from the traditional scones, was that I rolled them out to the same thickness I would have made biscuits. I understand that scones here are actually quiet a bit taller than the U.S. biscuits. They were still great, and most importantly, my husband was pleased.
A little side note about the cream issue, even though I see it’s been pretty thoroughly addressed in previous comments…
Heavy cream in Australia is a bit thicker than USA whipping cream, but I have found them to be interchangeable. Aussie cream also has a bit stronger flavour than the mild cream we have in the U.S.
Thanks again for sharing this recipe, and Merry Christmas!
Hi Liz, until I wrote this recipe I didn’t realize that there was such a difference between U.S. and Aussie scones! I’m so glad that both you and your husband liked them. Also thanks for the extra info on the cream! I hope your having a Merry Christmas all the best for the New Year!
Thanks Kaylene can’t wait to try out with cream soda, I have no lemonade and will use sour milk instead. Will let you know how it turns out. From Johannesburg.
I hope they work for you Kgomotso – I never make scones any other way now! Do let me know how you go!
Wow…everyone loved them. I love fhe fluffyness , I could never get that kind of soft scones before.
Thanks.
Oh I’m so glad to hear that they turned out Kgomotso! I love how fluffy they are too 🙂
Can you use sugar free (diet) sprite?
Yes you can use sugar free Sprite Daryl. I actually use sugar free most of the time!
I don’t use dairy, is it possible to use coconut milk do you think?
Hi Joy, I haven’t used coconut milk before but I think that it would probably work in this recipe. Maybe you could try halving the ingredients and making a smaller batch to check (you should still get about 10 scones). You would probably get scones with some coconut flavor but that would be nice – let me know how you get on!
Coconut cream is butter as it’s replacing the fat content being the butter in normal scones. I have used coconut cream they are a little denser but still fluffy..
Yes I agree Lindi, the cream provides the fat content instead of butter. I tried using low fat cream once and the scones were a bit dry.
Sounds wonderful, I would just like to make them less fattey!
How did they turn out Joy?
I made these and they turned out fine. Not as flaky as in the photo above, but they do taste just like my traditional biscuits and maybe at a lower cost, due to the price of butter. One question, will carbonated water work just as well? Is it the carbonation that helps to raise them? I will be making these for my daughter’s baby shower coming up. Will make 2 batches, one batch will be mini BLT’s and the other batch will be strawberries and a bit of whipped cream. Thanks for the recipe! It sure was easy!
Hi Mellie, yes I think it is the carbonation that helps these scones to rise. I have not tried making them with carbonated water but I’m pretty sure it would work. They might have a little less sweetness if you use carbonated water. Not that they’re overly sweet on their own, even with the sweetener in the Sprite! I’m glad you liked the recipe and I hope you have a great time at your daughter’s baby shower!
I tried them with tonic water as I didn’t have any lemonade. I might add a dash of gin next time!
I just googled gin and tonic scones because I didn’t know they existed until now! Thanks for leaving that suggestion!
Had to add a lot more self rising flour because it was sooo watery. Also the scones did not rise at all. Probably because I had to add so much more flour. The taste was ok but didn’t look at all like your picture.
The mixture should be quite sticky before you knead it Terry, it but it shouldn’t be watery! Sorry to hear that you had this problem. One thing you could try is mixing the flour and the cream together first and then only add half of the Sprite. Then you can slowly add some more Sprite if the mixture is too dry. Let me know if you do try it again!
I used light cream and diet lemonade for those who want to cut down on the sugar and fat and they were so good.
Thanks for the info, I will try using light cream next time!
At school in South Africa, fruit scones cut into triangles were called Breakfast scones, round ones were tea scones. I think a scone is a scone no matter its shape. As long as it is tasty and enjoyable.
I agree Sharon, it doesn’t matter what shape they are as long as they taste good!
Has anyone tried to convert this recipe into UK ounces. I see loads of recipes that sound nice, but it’s all cups.
I love that this thread is from 2015! I also love these scones. Used heavy cream and Sprite and they were great! But, they are so pale. Do you brush the tops with something? butter?
Hi Barbara, I’m not sure why your scones are pale because I don’t brush the tops of mine with anything! Sounds like they taste alright so perhaps you could just brush them with a little bit of melted butter before they go in the oven to get the tops nice and brown! Also thanks for adding to this thread! 🙂
I will and carry on!
I am keen to try these.
I’m wondering if you think a can of full fat coconut cream would work in place of the thick/heavy cream?
I’m thinking using cream soda instead of Sprite and coconut cream would give them a unique flavor.
Hi Jenny, I have seen dairy free and vegan versions of this recipe and they use coconut cream in place of the thickened/heavy cream. So you should have no problems making these with coconut cream. That might give you a nice flavour when you combine it with the cream soda – I’d love to hear how they turn out!
Hi there,
I just wanted to say thanks for the terrific recipe! I have made both the plain and fruit scones a number of times and am beginning to get a little brave with the ingredients. Cheese turns out great. Today I made them with cranberries and orange rind and they are delish! Thanks again Kaylene!
I’m so glad you like them Lisa, the fruit ones are my favourite and I make them quite often. I also like to experiment with other flavours and I’m hoping to publish another version soon. Your cheese idea sounds good, as do the cranberry and orange ones! Thanks for the feedback!
A friend from New Zealand gave me this recipe and I was thrilled to find it here too! We added a drop of lemon curd on top and whipped cream just now. Lovely!
Ooh I haven’t tried these with lemon curd yet Cindy, can’t wait to make another batch and try it!
This recipe never fails. Thankyou. Prepared, cooked and on the table in less than half an hr.
You’re very welcome Georgie! Everyone should know about this recipe – it’s the best!
Made these this morning they were so soft and fluffy I wonder if it will work the same for gluten free as My gluten free are very hard
Hi Elizabeth, I haven’t tried a gluten free version of this recipe but I have seen others make them with gluten free SR flour so it should work. Maybe you could try making a half batch first? Let me know how you go if you do try it!
Hello, I just made these! Only had half a cup of cream so I halved the recipe and made tiny scones…..4 1/2 cm cutter. Omg how good are they? And btw, I used slightly “off” cream as instructed by my dear godmother……makes the BEST scones. A very easy recipe.
Thankyou for the recipe.
You’re welcome Lynette! These are the best scones in my opinion, I never make them any other way. I haven’t tried using slightly “off” cream, but I will whip up a batch if I have some cream in the fridge that is getting very close to the use by date! I find that just as good an excuse as any to make a batch of scones! 😉
Hi Kaylene..I make these scones all the time…in fact I cook about 30 and freeze them in lots of six. So handy if someone calls in for a cuppa. Just put them frozen in mod oven. I have used gassy lemon when out of lemonade, they are lovely, one day I’m going to try ginger beer, my hubby loves it.
I freeze some of mine too Jackie, there so handy to have if you need something quick for afternoon tea! I’m a bit impatient so I thaw mine out with a quick burst in the microwave! I hope the ginger beer ones turn out for you!
Use beer instead of Sprite and add 1/2 cup finely shredded cheddar and a dash of cayenne pepper. Serve with a hearty soup of chili! Delish!
Great suggestion Liz, I’ll have to give that a try!
I tried these,did not look anything like the picture,did not rise,thank you
Hi Janette, sorry to hear that your scones did not turn out okay for you. Could you have mistakenly used plain flour instead of self raising flour? I did that once and they didn’t rise and were hard and awful, I was so disappointed I could have cried!
Funny to hear the comments of scones vs biscuits. I’ve lived all over but my mom was a southern cook. Biscuits are drier usually made with lard or butter in the old days and buttermilk making them crisp and flaky. Scones are lighter and fluffier usually made with butter and whipping cream. I’ve made lots of biscuits. One recipe I love uses self rising flour and just plain whipping cream. The cream has the fat you need by itself and they are sweet and melt in your mouth. Thanks for this recipe. I even altered this one a bit more cause I am a fermented kefir fan. VERY HEALTHY!!! I used half and half milk along with lemon flavored water kefir (fermented and bubbly). They turned out wonderful. The whipping cream in this recipe supplies the fat like butter would. The half and half milk (half whip cream and half whole milk) did just fine. Love the recipe. My husband wants them made with fruit added and icing so I intend on trying that too.
Hi Jan I’m glad you liked the recipe and thanks for all your feedback. I have never used kefir but it’s great to hear that you had good results using it! I’m not sure if you noticed but I have a fruit version of this recipe too!(There’s a link at the end of this post) I added a little bit of sugar to my fruit version and that seems to make them sweet enough without having to add any extra icing. I make these quite regularly and keep a few in the freezer because they thaw out well – if you warm them slightly you would never know they weren’t freshly baked! Thanks again for your feedback!
I have been making the lemonade scones for over twenty years, I inherited the recipe when I took over ownership of a cafe, I tweeked it and added a bunch of different flavours the most popular was a cheese scone, it sold very well, I changed the amounts to 4, 2, 1 it was a little wetter but the scones are so very light and big and fluffy. If you are interested in my cheese recipe let me know……
Hi Lindi this is my all time favourite recipe just because it’s so easy and can be tweaked to get different flavours! I don’t know if you noticed but I have a fruit and a chocolate chip version of these scones. I have played around with making a pumpkin and cheese version, and they were okay. It sounds as if your cheese ones are pretty good! I’d love to get a copy of your cheese scone recipe if your happy to share!
The lemonade scone recipe swap out lemonade for soda water not sparkling mineral water not enough bubbles. 1 big hand full of your favourite cheese grated into flour, then make as usual, top with melted butter and cheese mix and bake as normal..
Melted butter
Grated cheese
Smoked Paprika
Curry Powder
Mustard Powder
I don’t have measurements as it depends on how many I make. I mix altogether then add melted to make a good spreading on top of the scones…
Have also made them with semi dried tomatoes and gorgonzola….I hope this made sense, I’m a bit of this and a bit of that type of cook I really should write down my creations and quantities l probably have enough for a book swimming around my head…..lol
Thanks for the information about your cheese scones Lindi, I’ll have to have a go at making some. Don’t worry about not having any measurements, just having your ideas is enough. I can have fun trying out different amounts!
By the way, recipes that consist of a little bit of this and that are often the best. You probably do have the makings of a great cookbook if you could write it all down! Thanks again!
Made a beer, cheese and Keene mustard powder scone, mixed all in scone mixture and left the tops plain, they kind of reminded me of a Welsh rebit my Mum used to make when we were kids..These scones were so popular the other day I have made several more batches for some of my that were here, so this combo is a keeper….
I have started writing down all my combos, so far have remembered 11 versions, just thought another I have made is frozen Raspberries and white choc chips….
Wow it seems as if the flavour variations are endless with these scones!
Just was i was looking for! thanks for sharing
Hi Kaylene: I’ve had your recipe for a while but hadn’t ventured to make them until today. I had a craving for a nice scone like the ones I got while visiting Ireland. I went through two recipes that turned out flat and crumbly. Yuck! So I thought I’d give one more try and kept looking at your post. How easy could it be? I didn’t have heavy cream so I used half and half (which is half cream/ half milk) and added two TB melted butter. The liquid was thinner than cream so it took more flour to come together. I was really afraid these would go to the trash with the others. Surprisingly they came out tall, light and tender. Though they are more like a biscuit we are familiar with in the South. I had hoped the Sprite would add sweetness but it didn’t. Perhaps because I had more flour. Wonder if adding a bit of sugar would change it too much? I do like the tenderness and height. I’m going to keep this recipe and use it for biscuits as well. They are easy and perfect. Thanks!
I’m glad you like the recipe Deborah. I agree that these are not very sweet but here in Australia they are traditionally topped with jam and cream so that makes them sweet enough. If you want to make them sweeter you could try adding some icing/powdered sugar. I have a fruit version of this recipe and I add icing sugar to the mixture to make them sweeter. I find that the icing sugar adds sweetness without effecting the texture of the scone! You can see the fruit version here: https://thelinkssite.com/2016/04/08/easy-fruit-scones-5-ingredients/
Very sad to see that you have discontinued the e-mail subscriptions….
these scones sound so good & the picture is beautiful…. can’t wait to make these.
Thank You so much for sharing them !
Hi Abby, thanks for the comment I hope you enjoy these scones. Also thanks for the feedback about the email subscriptions, it should be up and running again now. I think I might have accidentally turned subscriptions off when playing with some settings the other day! Thanks for pointing it out, I hope you have a great day!
Amazing recipe. Thank you so much for sharing it.
You’re welcome Tasnim, glad you liked it!
I didn’t have enough cream for the recipe so used 1/2 cream, 1/2 buttermilk they still turned out beautifully.
Thanks for the feedback Veronica, good to know that a mixture of cream and buttermilk will still work!
Can the cream be replaced with coconut cream?
Hi Moka, I haven’t made them with coconut cream but I’m fairly sure that it will work. Actually someone else mentioned a while back that they used coconut cream in theirs and they said they were a bit denser but still fluffy. You seem to need a cream with a fair amount of fat (because there is no butter used) so coconut cream should work fine. I hope you enjoy them Moka!
4 cups Self Raising flour + 1 tub 150gm sour cream + about 1/2 large bottle of soda water -mix well with fork =wet mixture turn onto floured board and knead lightly -press out with palm of hand and cut out with cutter -onto baking paper tray )large ) makes 24 scones ,Cook in hot 180degc oven for 10-13mins till brown on top and seeing scones starting to separate.I cook these for Mens Shed as many are diabetic ,strawberry jam and cream .Sultanas go down well also with the members -for a change have used ginger beer /coca cola /lemonade/but soad water is cheap !
Easy great recipe so versatile
Thanks for the suggestion Jan! I’ve never tried making these using sour cream, I’ll have to give it a go! I agree this is such a versatile recipe!
I have been making these lemonade scones for many many many years, I have found the stickiness of the mixture works in the scones favour, my recipe is 3 flour 2 lemonade and 1 cream, so mine is wetter. I have been supplying Cafe’s, Tea places and icecream parlours for years with them..
Wow Lindi that would be a wet mix if you use double the lemonade! I haven’t made them with that much lemonade but I do agree that a wetter mix gives the best results. I sometimes cheat and cut the lemonade back so the dough is easier to work with – they’re still pretty good!
Can I add some mashed pumpkin to this scone mixture? How much?
I have made these lemonade scones – they turned out great!
I have made these once before with pumpkin but I didn’t write down how much I added unfortunately. I think it would have been around 1 cup of mashed pumpkin. I also added some Parmesan cheese and some chopped fresh chives. They turned out quite nice from what I remember! I hope that helps Mary!
Thank you for your reply – I will try with the pumpkin, love pumpkin scones!
Mary
Thank you for this easy recipe I love to bake but could not make scones until I tried your easy recipe. I live in Northern Ireland and love pinterest for all the articles that everyone has to post they are really helpful. Thanks again.
Glad to hear that you had success with this recipe Jackie! And I agree Pinterest is great for finding good recipes!
My grandson and I made these and they turned out wonderful. We are going to try pumpkin spice ingredients next. We used mini chocolate chips in the first batch.
I’m glad to hear that you and your grandson enjoyed them Carole. A pumpkin spice version sound good too!
Hi Kaylene, I have commented on here a few times before, I have been making these scones for 20 plus years with lots of very different versions well I have come up with another one thought you might like, it#s another cheese one. Diced bacon lightly fried remove and cool a fine diced onion lightly fried in bacon pan then cooled. Sift flour with a nice salt and smoked paprika keep a litter flour and toss bacon and onion and grated cheese inflour and add to bowl then add cream (l used sour cream) and swapped lemonade for beer cook as normal.. I sometimes sprinkle grated cheese on top. These are now my new cheese favourite. I have had so much fun with this recipe… Hope you enjoy it too.
Wow these do sound nice Lindi, I’ll have to give them a try. I’m not a beer drinker though so I was wondering if the beer flavour is very strong?
These were Amazing!! So simple and Delicious! They could easily double as buscuits. I never can get my baking soda/powder ratio rite. Then i always taste a hint of one or the other. These were perfect. I did add chocolate chips. Yummmm!!!
Glad you liked them Carolyn. I make the fruit ones all the time!
I just made these as stated. In US, so used heavy cream. Three cups flour and two cups liquid was runny and impossible to knead without adding at least another cup of flour…maybe more. Are you to whip the cream first and use one cup of whipped heavy cream….after adding the extra flour they came out ok, but do not look anything like yours….
Hi Karen, sorry to hear that your scones didn’t turn our as expected. I’m not sure what might have gone wrong, you definitely don’t have to whip the cream first. Also you shouldn’t have to add a cup or more of extra flour. Maybe up to half a cup but no more than that. It sounds as though you had the right ratios; 3 cups of flour plus one cup of cream and one cup of soda/Sprite (we call it lemonade in Australia).
As suggested in my post you can reduce the amount of liquid without affecting the quality of the scones. Just try adding half of the Sprite and mix, then add more Sprite as required to get a slightly sticky dough. If you don’t add as much Sprite you will most likely get one or two less scones but they will still turn out just fine. I have made them many times this way when I’m in a hurry! 🙂 I hope this helps you Karen and that you are able to have success with this recipe!
Is buttermilk same with sour cream or heavy cream? We don’t have such cream here in Kiribati but i was not really sure from all the comments whether buttermilk is still the same with heavy or sour cream. I used to make my buttermilk (one cup of milk and 1 teaspoon of vinegar). Will that work well in replacement of sour cream?
Hi Gwen, I have found that you need to use full fat cream in order to get the best results in this recipe. Others have said that they have used sour cream but I haven’t tried that as yet. I don’t think that buttermilk would work in this recipe because it has a fat content that is much lower than cream. I tried using low fat cream once and found the scones to be drier and not as fluffy. I fear that you would end up with very dry scones if you used buttermilk. Perhaps you could try rubbing in some butter to your flour before adding the other ingredients – that would boost the fat content of your mixture. Another option would be to use coconut milk or coconut cream as both of these would have a higher fat content than buttermilk. I hope that helps!
Great, i will try this and let you know of the result. Thanks very much
Could yoghurt be used instead of cream
Hi Janet, I haven’t tried using yoghurt but you could probably use it instead of the cream. The scones might not be as soft and fluffy because the fat content is generally not as high in yoghurt compared to cream. When I used low fat cream I found that they turned out okay but they were a bit drier. I hope that helps!
Could I use tonic water instead of lemonade?
Hi Nola, yes you can use tonic water instead of lemonade. This recipe seems to work with any carbonated soft drink! I think most tonic waters are sweetened but if yours is not you could add a small amount of sugar to the mix. I hope you enjoy them!
Hi I would love the recipe you inherited when you took over your cafe.thankyou.from 71 year old in northern Ireland.never baked in my life before.corona virus given me time for me.grandchildren in lockdown,so I have oodles of time to explore.
Hi Henrietta, I believe you are asking about Lindi’s cheese scone recipe that she made in her cafe. It sounds like Lindi uses this same 3 ingredient scone recipe as the base and then makes her variations. Here is a copy of Lindi’s comment with her cheese scone variation:
Lindi said
“The lemonade scone recipe swap out lemonade for soda water not sparkling mineral water not enough bubbles. 1 big hand full of your favourite cheese grated into flour, then make as usual, top with melted butter and cheese mix and bake as normal..
Melted butter
Grated cheese
Smoked Paprika
Curry Powder
Mustard Powder
I don’t have measurements as it depends on how many I make. I mix altogether then add melted to make a good spreading on top of the scones…
Have also made them with semi dried tomatoes and gorgonzola….I hope this made sense, I’m a bit of this and a bit of that type of cook I really should write down my creations and quantities l probably have enough for a book swimming around my head…..lol”
Great recipe! I added 525 grams of SR flour which I found just right for the liquids. Scones are just as good a few days later! (If they’re not eaten before then ).
Glad you like these Lilly! I pop any leftovers into the freezer and they defrost really well if you give them a few seconds in the microwave!
I made your scone recipe for Sunday morning breakfast and I was shocked to see the end result! I have always hated the authentic recipes where the butter has to be rubbed into the flour but this recipe is a definite keeper. It came out high, light and fluffy, a very fine texture and the taste was amazing!!! Thanks for sharing and lots of love from South Africa where we are currently still in lock-down because of Covid 19….
Glad you liked them Madelein!
I love this recipe too, I never make them any other way now! There’s also a fruit version on my blog and I make them all the time. Plus a chocolate chip version you might also like!
Stay safe Madelein, we are slowly coming out of lock-down here in Australia so fingers crossed it goes well!
I just made my first batch..left out lemonade and used combo of cooking cream (Philadelphia brand is great) and whole milk. Sticky dough easily came together with a light needing
They were super light and fluffy and with some cream and fresh berry compote were divine. Because the scones were unsweetened l split a couple onto bowl of hot veggie soup covered with cheese and grilled till bubbly. Really yummy..all gone!
Wow that sounds delicious Janet! I’ll have to give it a go using milk and cream!
You can definitely use whipping cream for this recipe. Also you can use other flavours of fizzy drink-Fanta or ginger beer will give different tastes.
To fix the wet sticky nature, I sprinkle more flour on top when I have tipped out the dough onto a floured board
Thanks for the tips Tracey! I have tried using a stronger flavoured lemon fizzy drink but I didn’t get much extra lemon flavour. I’ll have to give Fanta a try!
Hi can I make scones with cheese and chives .
Hi Fiona, yes you can make these scones with cheese and chives. I can’t advise of exact amounts as it is a few years since I made a savoury version of these. Perhaps add a cup of grated cheese and some fresh or dried chives. I hope they work for you.
I just baked your wonderful scones. However mine did not rise as much as yours, where did I go wrong?
Hi Silvana, I can’t say exactly why your scones didn’t rise as much as mine, but there might be a couple of things I can suggest. Firstly I always open a fresh bottle/can of lemonade so that there is plenty of fizz as the carbonation seems to help them rise. Also I try not to add too much flour when I am kneading them. The dough seems to rise better if it is still a bit wet and sticky. You want the scones to feel quite soft in your hands as they are being transferred to the baking tray. They should be able to hold their shape but the dough should still be very soft and delicate. I hope these suggestions help you Silvana and that you do try making them again! I make these scones quite often, especially my fruit scone version, a link to that recipe can be found under this recipe!
I make your regular and chocolate chip scones all the time and they are delicious. I use heavy cream and Sprite. Perfect every time!!!
Glad to hear that you like them Ann! My favorite are the fruit ones, I have a batch of those in the freezer quite often and heat one up for my breakfast!
I use whipping cream and Sprite… perfect scones!
Thanks for a great recipe… family and friends love it!
Yes I love this recipe too Suzette! I make these and the fruit version quite often. Glad to hear that they are a hit with your family and friends! Have a great Christmas!