Love this? Pin it for later! 📌

Why This Recipe Works

Cold-weather friendly: uses pantry staples you probably already have after holiday baking.
One-bowl batter: fewer dishes mean more time to sip that mimosa guilt-free.
Freezer-ready: shape and freeze raw scones, then bake straight from frozen for a 20-minute breakfast any weekend.
Buttery but not greasy: the ratio of butter to cream keeps them lofty and tender without spreading flat.
Customizable canvas: swap citrus zest, spice blends, or a handful of dried cranberries to match your mood.
Authentic Devon split: baked high and tall so you can “fork-split” them properly, nooks and crags intact.

Ingredients You'll Need

Great scones start with great building blocks. Here’s what matters and why:

All-purpose flour – I use unbleached for a slightly creamy color and milder flavor. If you only have bleached, reduce the liquid by 1 tablespoon; bleached flour is drier.
Cake flour – replacing 15% of the total flour with low-protein cake flour guarantees a delicate crumb that still has enough structure to split and slather. No cake flour? Substitute cornstarch: for every ½ cup, remove 1 tablespoon of AP flour and replace with cornstarch.
Granulated sugar – just enough to sweeten without turning breakfast into dessert. Organic cane sugar has a faint molasses note that plays beautifully with jam.
Baking powder – fresh is non-negotiable. Check the date; if it’s older than the turkey wishbone still hiding in your junk drawer, spring for a new tin. Stale leavener equals squat, dense scones.
Fine sea salt – enhances the buttery flavor and balances sweetness. Skip iodized table salt; it’s sharper and can give a metallic edge.
Unsalted butter – keep it refrigerator-cold. I cube and freeze for 10 minutes while the oven preheats. European-style (82% fat) butter adds flake, but standard American butter works—just avoid anything labeled “spreadable” or whipped.
Heavy cream – at least 36% fat for true richness. In a pinch, half-and-half plus 2 tablespoons melted butter will approximate the fat, but texture suffers slightly.
Sour cream – the secret weapon. Its acidity tenderizes gluten and adds subtle tang reminiscent of buttermilk scones without thinning the dough.
Egg – one large, for structure and golden wash. If you’re egg-free, brush with cream and sprinkle demerara; color will be slightly paler.
Vanilla extract + orange zest – optional but festive. The combination smells like Prosecco and confetti.
Clotted cream & jam – choose the best you can find. Devon clotted cream is traditional, but a thick mascarpone-whipped cream hybrid sweetened with honey is a lovely stand-in. For jam, I lean toward seedless raspberry or blackcurrant for color contrast.

How to Make New Year's Day Scones with Clotted Cream and Jam

Prep and preheat

Position rack in upper-middle of oven and preheat to 400°F (204°C). Line a 12-inch cast-iron skillet or rimmed baking sheet with parchment. Chilling the skillet 10 minutes before baking boosts the bottoms into crunchy biscuit territory.

Whisk dries

In a large stainless bowl, whisk 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour, ½ cup (60g) cake flour, ⅓ cup (67g) sugar, 1 tablespoon baking powder, and ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt until homogenous. Aerating now means lighter scones later.

Cut in butter

Toss in ½ cup (113g) cold cubed butter. Using a pastry blender or your fingertips, cut until the largest pieces are pea-size and the smallest resemble coarse meal. Work quickly to avoid melting. If your kitchen is hot, pop the bowl into the freezer for 5 minutes.

Combine wets

In a 2-cup measure, whisk ½ cup (120ml) cold heavy cream, ¼ cup (60g) sour cream, 1 egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest until smooth. Make a well in flour, pour in liquids, and fold with a silicone spatula just until shaggy.

Knead briefly

Turn dough onto a lightly floured counter. With floured hands, press into a 1-inch (2.5cm) rectangle. Fold in thirds like a letter, give a quarter turn, and press again. Two folds create layers; more risks toughness.

Shape & chill

Pat into a 7-inch (18cm) circle, ¾-inch thick. Transfer to parchment-lined skillet. Cover loosely with plastic and refrigerate 20 minutes; cold dough equals loftier rise and defined sides.

Score & glaze

Using a bench scraper or sharp knife, score the top into 8 wedges, cutting halfway through. Brush with a 50-50 mix of cream and egg; sprinkle with demerara sugar for crunch. Re-chill 5 minutes while oven finishes heating.

Bake to golden

Bake 12–14 minutes, rotating halfway, until tops are chestnut brown and sides refuse to yield when gently pressed. Err on the side of over-browned; pale scones taste of raw flour.

Cool & split

Cool 5 minutes in skillet (carry-over heat finishes centers), then lift onto a rack. To serve, split horizontally with a fork inserted halfway around the circumference; this preserves the rustic top and exposes the fluffy interior for maximal jam absorption.

Dress & devour

Spread a generous layer of jam first, then dollop clotted cream on top (Devon-style) or vice-versa (Cornwall-style). Either way, serve immediately while the edges are still crisp and the middles steam.

Expert Tips

Keep it cold

If your kitchen is warmer than 72°F, freeze the flour bowl 15 minutes before starting. Warm dough leaks butter and produces squat, lopsided scones.

Uniform height

Use an empty wine bottle as a rolling pin; the weight is light enough not to overwork dough yet heavy enough to maintain even thickness.

Make-ahead magic

Shape, score, and freeze raw scones on a tray. Once solid, transfer to a zip bag; bake from frozen, adding 3–4 extra minutes. Perfect for surprise guests.

Egg-free shine

For a vegan glaze, whisk 2 tablespoons maple syrup with 1 tablespoon oat milk; brush and sprinkle with coarse sugar for a sparkly crust.

Revive day-old

Split stale scones, drizzle cut sides with cream, and toast butter-side-down in a skillet. They’ll taste almost fresh from the oven.

Color pop

Fold ½ cup dried cranberries or golden raisins into dough for ruby flecks that echo celebratory confetti without excess sweetness.

Variations to Try

Black-Eyed Peas Scone: fold in ⅓ cup cooked black-eyed peas (patted dry) and ¼ tsp cayenne for a Southern twist on luck.
Lemon Poppyseed: add 2 tablespoons poppy seeds and replace orange zest with lemon; serve with lemon curd.
Cheese & Chive: omit sugar, fold in 1 cup grated sharp cheddar and 2 tablespoons minced chives. Serve alongside scrambled eggs.
Spiced Eggnog: replace cream with eggnog and add ¼ tsp nutmeg; glaze with maple icing.

Storage Tips

Room temp: Cool completely, then store in an airtight tin up to 2 days. Place a barely damp paper towel inside to prevent drying.

Refrigerator: Not recommended; the fridge stales baked goods faster than the counter.

Freezer baked: Wrap each cooled scone in plastic, then foil. Freeze up to 2 months. Thaw at room temp 1 hour, or microwave 20 seconds, then toast.

Freezer raw: See make-ahead tip above.

Frequently Asked Questions

Up to 50% whole-wheat works; more than that compromises lift. Use white whole-wheat for milder flavor and add an extra tablespoon of cream.

Usually the butter got too warm or the baking powder is expired. Chill shaped dough 15 minutes before baking, and check leavener freshness.

Yes, though the dough will be looser. Reduce cream to ¼ cup and add ¼ cup buttermilk; add an extra tablespoon of AP flour to compensate for extra liquid.

Clotted cream is slowly heated then cooled, creating a thick, nutty spread with about 55% fat. Whipped cream is simply heavy cream aerated to roughly 30% fat; it’s lighter and sweeter.

Absolutely. Pat dough into a ½-inch rectangle, cut with 1½-inch biscuit cutter, and bake 8–9 minutes. Yield doubles; perfect for a brunch buffet.

Cool completely, pack in a shoebox lined with a clean tea towel, and tuck the cream & jam in a small cooler bag. Assemble on site for maximum crunch.

New Year's Day Scones with Clotted Cream and Jam

Why This Recipe Works

Ingredients You'll Need