Royal English Scones (Buckingham Palace Recipe)
The official English fruit scone recipe served at Buckingham Palace garden parties — buttery, tender and just-sweet-enough, dotted with golden sultanas. Serve them warm with clotted cream and strawberry jam and a proper cup of tea. Treat yourself like royalty; it's easier than it looks.
Prep
20 min
Cook
15 min
Total
35 min
Serves
12
Ingredients
Scones
- 3 1/2 cups (450g) all-purpose flour
- 4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup (85g) cold butter, cubed
- 1/4 cup (50g) sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup (240ml) buttermilk
- 3/4 cup sultanas (golden raisins), optional
- 1 large egg, beaten, for egg wash
To serve
- Clotted cream
- Strawberry jam or preserves
Method
- 1
Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar in a large bowl, then rub in the cold cubed butter with your fingertips until the mixture looks like large peas in sand.
- 2
Whisk the 2 eggs and buttermilk together, pour into the flour mixture and stir until it just comes together, adding the sultanas if using.
- 3
Flatten the dough to about 1 inch thick, cover, and chill in the fridge 30–45 minutes.
- 4
Turn onto a lightly floured surface and cut straight down with a 2-inch round cutter — don't twist. Gather scraps, re-roll once for a couple more.
- 5
Set the scones on a lined baking sheet, cover, and chill another 20 minutes (this is the secret to a tall, even rise).
- 6
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Brush the tops with the beaten egg wash.
- 7
Bake 12–15 minutes, until risen and light golden. Cool on a wire rack.
- 8
Serve warm or at room temperature with clotted cream and strawberry jam.
- 9
Best English afternoon Tea..
- 10
bon appetit
Tips
- Don't twist the cutter — press straight down and lift, or the scones rise lopsided.
- The two chills (dough, then cut scones) keep the butter cold, which is what makes them rise tall.
- Egg-wash only the tops, not the sides — drips down the cut edge stop them rising.
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