Aunt Molly’s Scones

Hi there! I’m Rose, Mandy’s neighbor, friend and fellow foodie! As a guest blogger on My Daughter’s Apron, I’m sharing my Aunt Molly’s scone recipe with you all. As a little girl, I always loved going to my aunt’s house just to have her scones…so yummy! When I got married, I asked Aunt Molly for her recipe and she replied that she doesn’t have a recipe — just adds the ingredients as she goes! So the next time she made her scones she wrote down the ingredients and amounts of each. This is the recipe she passed on to me which I am now passing on to all of you! Enjoy!

In a stand mixer*, add the first 5 ingredients and combine. Mix in eggs and blend well. Lastly add the currants, stirring to combine. Roll out the dough on a floured surface to ½” thickness. Using a large (2½”) circle cookie cutter, cut the dough into circles. Bake on a parchment lined baking sheet in a preheated 450⁰ oven for 12 minutes.

*If you don’t have a stand mixer, you can make these by hand. Follow same instructions as above but stir using a wooden spoon. However, you may need to get your hands “dirty” by mixing the ingredients by hand to form a nice dough.

A little tea and jam with your scones perhaps?

Ingredients:

4½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
3 cups self-rising flour
2 sticks cold, unsalted butter, cut into ¼ cubes
½ cup sugar
3 eggs, beaten
1 cup currants**

Makes roughly 16 scones.

**You can substitute other dried fruit such as dried cranberries, chopped dried apricots, raisins, etc.

A Note From Mandy

I am so glad these scones made their way onto the blog. They are tender, buttery and just sweet enough, and the currants give every bite a little chewy burst of fruit. I have baked a few batches in my own kitchen since, and I wanted to share some of the things I learned along the way.

Tips for Success

• Keep the butter cold. Cold butter is the secret to flaky scones. Cut it into small cubes and keep it in the refrigerator until the moment it goes into the bowl.
• Do not overwork the dough. Mix just until the dough comes together. Overmixing warms the butter and makes the scones tough.
• Press, do not twist. When you use the cookie cutter, press straight down and lift straight up. Twisting the cutter seals the edges and keeps the scones from rising tall.
• Reroll the scraps gently. Gather the leftover dough, pat it together and cut more circles. Handle it as little as possible.
• Watch them closely. At such a hot oven temperature, scones can go from golden to too dark quickly. Peek in a minute or two early.

Ingredient Swaps and Variations

Beyond the dried fruit options in the recipe, a little orange or lemon zest added with the dry ingredients is lovely with currants or cranberries. If you like a shiny, golden top, brush the scones with a bit of beaten egg or milk and sprinkle with sugar before baking. Mini chocolate chips are always a hit with kids. For a fun brunch treat, cut the dough into smaller circles for bite sized scones and shorten the baking time a little.

Make Ahead and Storage

Scones are at their very best the day they are baked, ideally still warm. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, and refresh them in a 350 degree F oven for about 5 minutes. To get ahead, freeze the unbaked cut scones on a parchment lined baking sheet until firm, then move them to a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Bake them straight from frozen, adding a few extra minutes to the baking time. Baked scones also freeze well for up to 3 months.

How to Serve Them

A pot of hot tea and a little jam is the classic way, and I love adding a dollop of whipped cream or softened butter too. They are perfect for a weekend brunch, a baby shower or an afternoon tea with friends.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use all purpose flour instead of self rising?

Self rising flour already contains leavening and salt, which this recipe counts on. For the best results stick with self rising flour as written.

Why did my scones spread?

Usually the butter got too warm. If your kitchen is warm, chill the cut scones for 15 minutes before baking.

Mandy

Aunt Molly's Scones

Tender, buttery currant scones from a treasured family recipe, perfect with a cup of tea and a little jam.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 12 minutes mins

Total Time 32 minutes mins

Servings: 16 scones

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: British

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 4 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 cups self rising flour
• 2 sticks cold unsalted butter cut into 1/4 inch cubes
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 eggs beaten
• 1 cup currants or other dried fruit such as dried cranberries, chopped dried apricots or raisins

Method

 

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a stand mixer, combine the baking powder, salt, self rising flour, butter and sugar.
3. Mix in the eggs and blend well.
4. Add the currants and stir to combine.
5. Roll out the dough on a floured surface to 1/2 inch thickness.
6. Cut the dough into circles with a large 2 1/2 inch round cookie cutter.
7. Place the scones on the lined baking sheet and bake for 12 minutes.

Notes

No stand mixer? Stir with a wooden spoon and finish mixing by hand to form a nice dough. Makes roughly 16 scones.