Homemade English Strawberry Scones

There’s something special about fresh strawberries in the spring and summer months, but finding the right recipe to show them off can be tricky. Sure, you could toss them in a salad or eat them plain, but why not take things up a notch with a classic English teatime treat?

These English strawberry scones are the perfect answer. They’re buttery, slightly sweet, and packed with juicy strawberry pieces that make every bite feel like a little celebration. Plus, they come together in under an hour, so you can whip up a batch for weekend brunch or an afternoon snack without spending your whole day in the kitchen.

What Kind of Strawberries Should I Use?

Fresh strawberries are your best bet for these scones, and you’ll want to make sure they’re nice and ripe for the sweetest flavor. Before adding them to your dough, dice them into small pieces (about ¼ inch) so they distribute evenly throughout the scones and don’t create big pockets of moisture. If fresh strawberries aren’t in season or you can’t find good ones, frozen strawberries can work in a pinch – just make sure to thaw them completely and pat them dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture. Whatever you do, avoid using mushy or overripe berries, as they’ll make your dough too wet and your scones won’t hold their shape properly.

Options for Substitutions

These scones are pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps, so here are some options:

• Strawberries: Fresh strawberries are great, but frozen ones work too – just make sure to thaw and drain them well, then pat dry with paper towels to avoid extra moisture in your dough. You can also swap for blueberries, raspberries, or chopped dried cranberries.
• Butter: Cold butter is key for flaky scones, so don’t substitute this one. The cold fat creates those lovely layers as it melts during baking.
• Milk: Any milk works here – whole, 2%, or even buttermilk for extra tang. If using buttermilk, reduce the baking powder to 1.5 teaspoons and add 0.25 teaspoon baking soda.
• All-purpose flour: Stick with all-purpose flour for the best texture. Whole wheat flour will make your scones dense and heavy, which isn’t what you want here.
• Eggs: If you’re short one egg, you can use 0.25 cup of additional milk, though the scones might be slightly less rich.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake when making scones is overworking the dough, which develops too much gluten and results in tough, dense scones instead of light and flaky ones – mix just until the ingredients come together and handle the dough as little as possible.

Another common error is using melted or too-soft butter, so make sure your butter is cold and cut it into small pieces before rubbing it into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Be careful not to add too much milk at once since strawberries release moisture during baking, and if your dough is too wet, your scones will spread instead of rising tall and fluffy.

Finally, avoid twisting the cutter when cutting out your scones – press straight down and lift up, as twisting seals the edges and prevents them from rising properly in the oven.

What to Serve With Strawberry Scones?

These scones are perfect for an afternoon tea or weekend brunch, and they’re best served warm with clotted cream and strawberry jam for that authentic English experience. If you can’t find clotted cream, whipped cream or even softened butter works just fine. I love pairing them with a hot cup of tea – Earl Grey or English Breakfast are my go-to choices – but they’re also great with coffee or fresh lemonade. For a fuller spread, add some fresh berries on the side, maybe some yogurt, or even a fruit salad to round out your meal.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep your scones in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the fridge for up to 5 days. The strawberries make them a bit more moist than regular scones, so they’re best enjoyed within the first couple of days when they’re at their freshest.

Freeze: These scones freeze really well for up to 3 months. Wrap each one individually in plastic wrap, then place them all in a freezer bag. You can also freeze the unbaked scones on a baking sheet, then transfer to a bag once frozen solid, and bake them straight from the freezer when you want fresh scones.

Warm Up: To bring back that fresh-baked taste, warm your scones in a 300°F oven for about 5-7 minutes, or pop them in the microwave for 15-20 seconds. If they’re frozen, let them thaw at room temperature for about an hour, or warm them straight from the freezer in the oven for 10-12 minutes.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1150-1300
• Protein: 25-30 g
• Fat: 40-48 g
• Carbohydrates: 170-185 g

Ingredients

For the dough:

• 2.25 cups flour (I always use King Arthur all-purpose flour)
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 0.5 tsp salt
• 6 tbsp butter (I like Kerrygold unsalted butter for this)
• 1 egg (room temperature, about 70°F)
• 0.75 cup milk
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 0.5 cup strawberries (diced into 1/2-inch pieces)
• 0.5 tsp vanilla extract

For the egg wash:

• 1 egg
• 1 tsp milk

Step 1: Prepare Your Mise en Place and Preheat

• 0.5 cup strawberries, diced into 1/2-inch pieces
• 6 tbsp butter, cubed and chilled

Preheat your oven to 425°F and line a baking tray with parchment paper.

Dice the strawberries into 1/2-inch pieces and set aside.

Cut the butter into small cubes and keep it cold—this is crucial for creating those flaky layers in your scones.

I always keep my butter in the freezer for the last few minutes before using it because cold butter creates steam pockets as it melts, giving you that beautiful, tender crumb.

Step 2: Create the Dry Ingredient Base

• 2.25 cups flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 0.5 tsp salt

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

This combines the leavening agent evenly throughout and prevents lumps in your final dough.

Set this dry mixture aside—you’ll use it in the next step.

Step 3: Cut Butter into Flour Until Breadcrumb Texture

• dry ingredient mixture from Step 2
• 6 tbsp cold butter, cubed

Add the cold cubed butter to the dry ingredient mixture from Step 2.

Using your fingertips, rub the butter into the flour with a quick, light motion until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs—this should take about 2-3 minutes.

Stop before the mixture becomes too fine; you want small, pea-sized pieces of butter remaining because they create the flaky layers in your scones.

Step 4: Mix the Wet Ingredients

• 1 egg
• 0.75 cup milk
• 0.5 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 tbsp sugar

In a separate bowl, whisk together 1 room-temperature egg, 0.75 cup milk, 0.5 tsp vanilla extract, and the sugar until well combined.

The sugar will partially dissolve and the mixture will be smooth.

This wet mixture will be added to your dry ingredients next.

Step 5: Combine All Ingredients and Form Dough

• flour-butter mixture from Step 3
• wet ingredient mixture from Step 4
• 0.5 cup diced strawberries

Pour the wet ingredient mixture from Step 4 into the flour-butter mixture from Step 3 and gently stir with a wooden spoon or fork until almost combined.

Add the diced strawberries and fold everything together until the dough just barely holds together—don’t overwork it, as this will make your scones tough.

I like to stop mixing when I still see a few streaks of flour; a slightly shaggy dough will give you the best texture.

Step 6: Shape and Cut the Scones

• dough from Step 5

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and gently flatten it with your hands to about 3/4-inch thickness—avoid using a rolling pin, which compresses the dough.

Using a 2 1/2-inch round cutter (or drinking glass), cut out scones by pressing straight down without twisting, which would seal the edges and prevent rising.

Place the cut scones on your prepared baking tray, spacing them about 1 inch apart.

Step 7: Egg Wash and Bake

• 1 egg
• 1 tsp milk

In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 1 egg with 1 teaspoon of milk to create an egg wash.

Brush this mixture gently across the top of each scone—this will give them a beautiful golden-brown shine.

Bake for 15-20 minutes until the tops are lightly golden and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.

Once baked, transfer the scones to a cooling rack and let them cool for at least 5 minutes before serving with jam and clotted cream.

Homemade English Strawberry Scones

Delicious Homemade English Strawberry Scones recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 47 minutes mins

Servings: 8 scones

Calories: 1225

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

For the dough::

• 2.25 cups flour (I always use King Arthur all-purpose flour)
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 0.5 tsp salt
• 6 tbsp butter (I like Kerrygold unsalted butter for this)
• 1 egg (room temperature, about 70°F)
• 0.75 cup milk
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 0.5 cup strawberries (diced into 1/2-inch pieces)
• 0.5 tsp vanilla extract

For the egg wash::

• 1 egg
• 1 tsp milk

Method

 

1. Preheat your oven to 425°F and line a baking tray with parchment paper. Dice the strawberries into 1/2-inch pieces and set aside. Cut the butter into small cubes and keep it cold—this is crucial for creating those flaky layers in your scones. I always keep my butter in the freezer for the last few minutes before using it because cold butter creates steam pockets as it melts, giving you that beautiful, tender crumb.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. This combines the leavening agent evenly throughout and prevents lumps in your final dough. Set this dry mixture aside—you'll use it in the next step.
3. Add the cold cubed butter to the dry ingredient mixture from Step 2. Using your fingertips, rub the butter into the flour with a quick, light motion until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs—this should take about 2-3 minutes. Stop before the mixture becomes too fine; you want small, pea-sized pieces of butter remaining because they create the flaky layers in your scones.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together 1 room-temperature egg, 0.75 cup milk, 0.5 tsp vanilla extract, and the sugar until well combined. The sugar will partially dissolve and the mixture will be smooth. This wet mixture will be added to your dry ingredients next.
5. Pour the wet ingredient mixture from Step 4 into the flour-butter mixture from Step 3 and gently stir with a wooden spoon or fork until almost combined. Add the diced strawberries and fold everything together until the dough just barely holds together—don't overwork it, as this will make your scones tough. I like to stop mixing when I still see a few streaks of flour; a slightly shaggy dough will give you the best texture.
6. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and gently flatten it with your hands to about 3/4-inch thickness—avoid using a rolling pin, which compresses the dough. Using a 2 1/2-inch round cutter (or drinking glass), cut out scones by pressing straight down without twisting, which would seal the edges and prevent rising. Place the cut scones on your prepared baking tray, spacing them about 1 inch apart.
7. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 1 egg with 1 teaspoon of milk to create an egg wash. Brush this mixture gently across the top of each scone—this will give them a beautiful golden-brown shine. Bake for 15-20 minutes until the tops are lightly golden and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Once baked, transfer the scones to a cooling rack and let them cool for at least 5 minutes before serving with jam and clotted cream.