Apple-Walnut Drop Scones Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why do my scones not rise enough? ›

The longer you get the dough sit before baking it, the less your scones will rise. Try to bake the dough as soon as you finishing kneading and rolling it out. Letting the mixture sit too long will cause the gas bubbles from the leavening agent to disappear. These gas bubbles are what help the scones rise.

Kneaded and shaped scones are made from stiffer and drier dough resulting in a flakier texture. Drop scones are stickier and moister. This causes the scone to puff and be more tender. All scone recipes are mixed using the using the Biscuit Method, or made by first mixing together the dry ingredients in a bowl.

Pack the scones closely on the baking tray so they will support each other as they rise rather than spreading. Make scones the day you need them – they taste far better warm.

You may have used too little raising agent or over handled the dough before it was baked. The oven may have been too cool.

To ensure taller scones, start with a thicker dough disc and place the scones on a tray with sides, allowing them to slightly touch one another. This arrangement encourages the scones to push against the pan and each other, promoting height.

That jam-first method in known as the Cornish style — versus the Devonshire style, which layers cream first. I followed the queen's lead, spreading a bit of each curd on a third of the scone, then greedily scooped the clotted cream and slathered it all over.

The less you knead the mix, the less the gluten will tighten up – which means your scones will stay loose and crumbly, rather than tight and springy.

American biscuits are more similar to traditional British scones, but are usually savory and served with savory meals.

The secret is using cake flour instead of all-purpose flour. It's lower in protein and makes for ultra-tender scones. If you don't have any on hand, you can easily make your own using all-purpose flour and cornstarch (see the FAQs below). For a kid-friendly twist, don't miss my chocolate chip scones.

Recipes for scones sometimes provide a make-ahead option that involves refrigerating the dough overnight so it can simply be shaped and then popped into the oven the next day. But now we've found that resting the dough overnight has another benefit: It makes for more symmetrical and attractive pastries.

Should you chill scone dough before baking? ›

Not chilling the dough before baking: to really ace your scones, it helps to chill your dough again before it's baked. Using cold ingredients does help, but your hands will warm up the dough when you're working with it and the extra step of chilling will help you get the best result.

Pre-heat oven to 350-375 degrees (350* for convection, 375* for standard). Place frozen scones directly on parchment-lined, un-greased baking sheet - evenly spaced. Tip: Use cooking spray or foil on baking sheet if you don't have parchment paper. For best results, bake scones on the the middle shelf.

Resting the dough also allows the flour to hydrate, making the dough a little less sticky, and making it easier to neatly cut out the scones. Using this method results in scones that are incredibly light and tender and look picture-perfect.

Arrange scones side by side on the baking tray, so that they are just touching each other. This will help keep the sides straight and even as the scones cook.

Use a 5 cm (2 inch) fluted cutter to stamp out the dough by pushing the cutter straight down into the dough (as opposed to twisting the cutter) then lift it straight out. This ensures that the scones will rise evenly and keep their shape.

The crumblier the dough, the crumblier the resulting scones, so be sure not to add too much milk. You might not even need it all. I say roll the dough out, and using a rolling pin makes me feel all domestic goddess, but the be completely honest, you can just press the dough out onto a floured surface.