Mini British Scones

They may be small in stature but these Mini British Scones pack plenty of punch. They’re full of flavour and soft and crumbly in all the right places. You can whip them up in barely any time at all as a delicious snack or centrepiece for a cream tea or celebration!

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As a lifelong glutton, it is unusual for me ever think that something I’m making or eating should be smaller. But when following my other ethos of feasting with variety and abundance, sometimes a whole regular sized scone can be a little bit too filling along with everything else.

There is no trickery to making these smaller “mini” scones. They are simply my “best ever” scones recipe rolled slightly thinner, cut with a smaller cookie cutter and baked for a little less time.

Best Scones Ever! (Small Batch Recipe)

The Best Scones Ever is a big claim but I'm ok with it. After years of experimenting, I have finally found the perfect recipe for light and fluffy plain scones that rise perfectly and taste delish – no dry or crumbly scones here! What's more, this is a classic scone recipe with no dried fruit and no faffing.

I am fully aware that for more experienced or intuitive bakers, publishing this slight variation might seem daft. But as many people or less confident or experienced, I know some will find these specifically detailed step-by-step instructions helpful.

If this does apply to you, please make sure to at least skim through the extra information I’ve written below. Contrary to cliché opinion including “life stories”, everything I’ve written is designed to help you get the most out of the recipe.

British Scones vs American Scones

I’ve specifically called this recipe British scones to distinguish them from the kind which are more common in the United States. I don’t feel like the fact there is a distinct difference is as widely known as it should be.

A British scone is slightly sweet but not overly so, fluffy, soft and crumbly all at the same time and almost always served split and with something spread on them.

They might be plain, flavoured or include dried fruit or other “chunks” like chocolate chips. Most commonly, British scones are cut into rounds which allow them to rise well.

American scones on the other hand are a little sweeter, richer and more cakey/denser in texture than British scones.

They usually contain egg and are even more likely to be flavoured and/or contain fruit or other flavourings. They are often cut into triangles (much like my cheese scones are) and regularly glazed with with a light icing.

Of course there are variations on all sides of the pond where the lines become blurred. But these are the general differences.

Biscuits Vs Scones

The reason I am so attuned to the lack of awareness about the difference in scones is when Americans read my explanation to my British audience about what an American biscuit is and “pitch a fit”.

In simple terms and to a British understanding, they’re basically unflavoured savoury scones.

Of course when an American thinks of a savoury version of the kind of scone that they’re familiar with, the description no longer accurately describes a biscuit.

Despite pitching my American Biscuit recipe to my British and other non-American audience, I know that many Americans also use and love it and there is no higher compliment!

Breakfast Biscuits (Savoury American Scones)

American Biscuits are a Southern US classic. They're effectively savoury buttermilk scones that are flaky rather than crumbly & make an excellent side or breakfast. Ideally served warm and smothered with butter, I can’t stop eating them!

How to Serve Mini Scones

A warm scone will always be my preference. Not necessarily hot but warm enough to melt a generous dab of salted butter. Of course they can also be enjoyed cold and this is often the most convenient option.

Serving them as freshly baked as possible is optimal. With only natural ingredients, scones don’t keep terribly well. If older than a day, a little warmth in the microwave will extend their life a little.

As always I must take this opportunity to insist that the correct order in which to dress your scone is first with butter, then your jam of choice followed by clotted cream. I will be accepting no further discussion on the subject!

But don’t feel like it is always necessary to slather on a jam or curd. I eat a solid 70% of my scones very simply with just lashings of butter.

Ingredients for Mini British Scones

Flour

You might wonder why I’ve used self-raising flour and added baking powder in this recipe rather than starting with plain flour and adding more baking powder. It just works better this way – I can’t really explain the science because it doesn’t actually make any sense.

If you do want to make your own self raising flour, check out this helpful flour guide from Charlotte’s Lively Kitchen.

If you are in the US and using self-rising flour, you can omit the extra salt from the recipe as self-rising includes salt which self-raising here in the UK does not.

Butter

I only use salted butter in baking or cooking. I also do prefer to use proper block butter when making scones. You can use a spreadable butter or margarine but the water content is higher and I don’t think you get optimal results. The taste especially is better with proper butter.

The butter does need to be cold. As cold as possible in fact. If the butter is at all softened, it will just melt into the flour with the additional heat of your hands. Cold hands never hurt either but they’re harder to come by.

Sugar

I use caster (superfine) sugar as there isn’t much used in the recipe – I find that the finer grind is more easily distributed throughout the dough. If you need to use regular granulated then you can, it won’t be the end of the world.

Please use white sugar, brown sugar will change the flavour and texture of the scones.

Be Flexible

As with any of my scone recipe, you can always adapt them to include other flavourings etc. Adding dried fruit is a classic along with candied zest or fruits. I wouldn’t recommend adding fresh fruits as this will affect the overall texture and bake of the scones.

You can also add flavourings like ground ginger or lemon zest. Or extracts like orange, almond or vanilla.

Just be careful to not add anything too wet to the dough or you will start to change the texture and overall bake.

Vegetarian or Vegan Mini Scones

This British scone recipe is vegetarian as written.

To make mini vegan scones, there are a few simple swaps:

• Switch the butter for vegan baking block.
• Switch the milk for a flavour free and unsweetened plant-based milk.
• Use plant-based milk or cream to glaze the scones before baking.

Are Mini Scones Allergy Friendly?

This recipe is free from nuts.

Dairy or Egg Free: Use the vegan swaps given above to make mini scones suitable for a dairy or egg allergy.

Gluten Free: Swap the flour for gluten free flour and make sure that the baking powder you use is suitable for gluten free diets.

Please note that this recipe may contain other allergens not referred to above and any variations suggested have not been tested unless otherwise stated. For more information regarding any dietary information provided on this website, please refer to my Nutritional Disclaimer.

Equipment Notes for Mini Scones

There isn’t anything too specialist needed for scones – mostly just standard kitchen equipment such as a mixing bowl, measuring scales and silicone spatula.

You will also need a large baking tray and something to cut out the rounds. You can use a thin glass but a basic set of cookie cutters is a really good to have in your kitchen arsenal.

A flour shaker makes lightly dusting surfaces super easy and a silicone pastry brush is the best option for applying the egg or cream wash. If you don’t have one, a very clean (ideally new) paintbrush will also do the job well.

A comprehensive list of the equipment used to make this recipe is included in the main recipe card below. Click on any item to see an example. There are no hard and fast rules so many items can be sensibly substituted to achieve the same results.

Get Ahead

Scones take very little time to prepare so making them just before you want to eat them is often not a problem.

But you can make them in advance, freeze them on a baking tray then move to a large sandwich bag once fully frozen. The individual scones can then be baked off from frozen when you want one (or more).

You can also bake then freeze in exactly the same way. Allow the scones to thaw naturally.

Leftover Mini British Scones

Blast the scones in the microwave for 15 to 20 seconds and they will be perfect to eat for a couple of days after baking.

You can also pop them in the air fryer for around 2 minutes to reheat with a little crunch on the crust.

If the scones are not re-heatable, try slicing them thinly and using them like the bread in a bread and butter pudding. Or, turn them into breadcrumbs, mix with a little melted butter and scatter them over fruit before baking.

Mini Scones Tips

Don’t be tempted to skip lining the baking tray unless you have a super non stick tray that you have all the confidence in. There is nothing sadder than a stuck scone. Or 6.

You can pat the dough out ready for cutting on a clean work surface but using a wooden board makes clean up easier.

Add a little more flour or milk to get a sticky but handle-able dough as required. This will be especially true if subbing a gluten free flour or using a plant based milk.

If you want to take the rise of your scones to the next level, try the layering method in my Breakfast Biscuits recipe.

If you don’t have cookie cutters, you can use something like a glass to cut out the rounds. The trick is to use as thin a glass as possible, ideally with straight sides. The other trick is to not twist. This makes the dough catch on itself and hinder the rise.

Alternatively, pat the scone dough into a round. Use a large sharp knife to cut the dough into slices like a cake. Put the slices straight onto the baking tray for triangle scones with no waste. You’ll want to do this in 2 or 3 batches to keep the scones nice and mini.

Don’t forget to let me know in the comments if you try making this recipe – I want to know what you think and if you made any substitutions, how did it turn out?

Still Have Questions?

Simple! Just contact me and I will do my best to help as quickly as I am able. Head over to my Contact Me page, any of my social media channels or post a comment at the bottom of this page and I’ll see what I can do.

Find More Great Scone Recipes

All the Best Scone Recipes

This is the place to find all my greatest scone recipes in one place! The only difficult part about making delicious homemade scones is going to be choosing which ones!

From giant to tiny, plain or fruited, I’ve got the scone recipe for you. And if you want to keep things savoury, try cheese scones or American biscuits.

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