If you’ve never made a classic Australian scone before, you’re about to have a moment. These are light, fluffy, pillowy rounds of pure joy, ready in just 20 minutes from start to finish, and they are very different from what Americans call a scone. They’re a surprisingly incredible canvas for that fresh whipped cream and jam, which is such a beautifully simple treat.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!This recipe is inspired by a classic family recipe that came from a 1970’s Australian cookbook, but with a few small upgrades. The biggest being; instead of rubbing soft butter into the flour with your fingertips (which warms it up), we grate frozen butter straight into the bowl. It’s the trick that American-style scones have been using for years, and it gives you incredible flakiness without overworking the dough.
If you’re looking for a quick bake to pull together before guests arrive, or something cozy for a weekend morning tea, classic Australian scones with jam and whipped cream are the answer. You might also love my Garlic Bread Brioche Cake if you’re here for the enriched dough rabbit hole, just a fair warning.
What are Australian scones?
Australian scones are a soft, lightly sweetened baked good made with flour, butter, milk, and baking powder. They’re closer to an American ‘biscuit’ than an American scone. Light and bread-like rather than dense and crumbly, and traditionally served split open with jam and a big dollop of whipped cream. It’s served as a quick, affordable treat to feed guests when they pop over for morning or afternoon tea.
How do you make classic Australian scones?
You mix together flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar, then toss in grated frozen butter and coat it lightly in the flour. You want to keep those butter pieces intact, not rub them in like breadcrumbs. Add milk and cold water, mix until just combined, pat the dough out, cut into rounds, brush with cream, and bake at a high heat for 10-15 minutes.
The key is keeping everything cold and not overworking the dough. The less you touch it, the lighter your scones will be.
What makes Australian scones different from American scones?
I moved to Oklahoma and ordered a scone at a local café, fully expecting something like what I grew up with. What arrived was a dense, triangular, almost cake-like wedge, sweet, rich, and crumbly. It was delicious, but I was in shock. That is not a scone where I come from.
Australian (and British) scones are round, soft, and much more bread-like. They’re not overly sweet on their own. The sweetness comes from the jam. And the whole point is loading them up with whipped cream and jam and eating them while they’re still warm.
What do you serve with Australian scones?
The classic serve is:
- Jam: strawberry is traditional, but any flavour works
- Whipped cream: lightly sweetened with icing sugar and a touch of vanilla
- A cuppa (cup of tea or coffee): non-negotiable
There’s also a long-standing debate about whether the jam goes on first or the cream (personally, I’m a jam-first person).
For a savoury version, skip the sugar and serve with butter, or alongside a bowl of soup.
Can you make Australian scones ahead of time?
Scones are absolutely best eaten fresh and warm, ideally within an hour of baking. That said, you can prep the dry ingredients and grated butter ahead of time and keep it in the fridge, then add the liquid and bake when you’re ready. That way you get fresh scones in about 15 minutes.
If you do have leftovers, store them in an airtight container at room temperature and warm them in a low oven for 5 minutes before serving.
How do you store leftover scones?
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Reheat at 160°C / 320°F for about 5 minutes. They also freeze well. Freeze in a ziplock bag. Reheat from frozen at 180°C / 350°F for 10–12 minutes.
How to Make Classic Australian Scones: Quick Overview
- Preheat oven to 430°F / 220°C
- Whisk dry ingredients together
- Grate in frozen butter and toss lightly to coat (keep those butter pieces!)
- Add milk and cold water, mix until just combined
- Pat out, cut into rounds, place close together on tray
- Brush with cream, bake 10-15 minutes (every oven is different, so it MAY take some 15 minutes)
- Whip the cream while they bake
- Serve warm with jam and cream
Classic Australian Scones with Jam and Fresh Whipped Cream
Ingredients
Scones
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp sugar
- 4 tbs butter, frozen and grated 1/2 a stick
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/4 cup cold water
- splash of milk, for brushing
Whipped Cream
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar, sifted
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste I prefer vanilla bean paste
- tiny pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 430°F / 220°C. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a large bowl.
- Grate the frozen butter directly into the dry ingredients. Toss lightly with your fingers or a fork just until the butter is coated in flour. You want to keep those little butter pieces intact, not rub them in. Work quickly so everything stays cold.
- Make a well in the centre and pour in the milk and cold water. Mix with a fork or your fingertips until the dough just comes together. If there is some loose flour in the bowl, resist the urge to add more liquid. Turn it onto your surface and very lightly knead to bring all that loose flour into the dough. Stop as soon as it comes together. *overworking the dough here can make the scones tough
- If you haven't done so already, turn the dough out onto your surface and gently pat to about 1 inch thick (2.5cm). Cut into rounds with a 2 inch (5cm) biscuit cutter; dip cutter into flour each time before cutting. Place close together on the prepared tray (placing them closer together will help them rise higher).*If you don't have a cutter, the rim of a drinking glass or mason jar works great, just dip it in flour before each cut the same way you would a cutter.
- Brush the tops quickly with milk. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden and well-risen.
- While the scones bake, whip the cream with icing sugar, vanilla, and a tiny pinch of salt to soft, billowy peaks. This should take around 2-3 minutes.
- Serve warm, split open, with jam and a generous dollop of whipped cream.*Usually, I serve the scones warm and whole, and let our guests split them open and load them up with jam and cream themselves. It makes it so much more fun and interactive, and half the joy is in the building!
Notes
- Cold is everything. If you have time, pop your butter in the freezer 20 minutes before you start so it’s extra cold when you grate it.
- Don’t overwork the dough. Mix until just combined and stop. A shaggy dough is fine and is better than kneading the dough too much!
- Place scones touching on the tray so they rise up higher.
- Sweet variation: Add an extra 1tbs of sugar and ½–¾ cup raisins (or any dried fruit) to the dry ingredients for a classic fruit scone.
- Best eaten the day they’re baked, ideally still warm from the oven.
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