Lemonade Scones with Cream

Name: Lemonade Scones with Cream
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 22 min
Ingredients: 300 grams self-raising flour (sifted. (2 cups, plus extra for your bench).); 55 grams caster sugar (1/4 cup); 1/4 teaspoon salt; 125 ml thickened cream (1/2 cup); 125 ml lemonade (carbonated lemonade like Sprite, Schweppes lemonade or any lemonade brand of your choice. Use a fresh bottle!); 2 tablespoons milk (for glazing)

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You will love these beautifully light and fluffy lemonade scones. With a crisp, golden outer layer, crumbly edges and ultra-soft interior, they are perfect for morning or afternoon tea served with jam and fresh cream. And the best part? They are ready to serve in about 30 minutes!

a plate of scones, topped with jam and cream.

Why you’ll love this recipe

Easy to make – if you haven’t made scones before, you will love how quickly the scone dough comes together. They can be made from scratch in one bowl in just a few minutes. No rubbing butter, no resting time.
So soft and fluffy – Lemonade is the secret ingredient to make the fluffiest scones you’ve ever eaten. Perfect served warm from the oven, topped with your favourite jam and a dollop of cream.
Simple ingredients – a few basic ingredients like flour, sugar, lemonade (like Sprite) and cream are all you’ll need.
Serve them for any occasion – ready to serve in around 30 minutes from start to finish, they are perfect for an easy morning or afternoon tea, brunch, baby shower, bridal shower, Mother’s Day or just because!
Perfect for beginner bakers – this is such an easy recipe that anyone can master. Ideal for baking with kids or grandkids.

Ingredients you will need

** This post contains tips and instructions to achieve the best possible results. This photo is a great guide for when you are in the supermarket, but for full ingredient quantities and methods, please scroll down to the detailed recipe card below!

all ingredients for lemonade scones, laid out on a table.

Lemonade – the bubbles in the lemonade aerate the dough and help it to rise, making the scones sweeter, softer and fluffier! (Note that ‘lemonade’ refers to the fizzy, lemon-flavoured carbonated drink, not American-style lemonade made with lemon juice, sugar and water). I use plain Schweppes lemonade or Sprite, but you can use any brand of regular, fizzy lemonade. Just be sure to use a freshly-opened bottle, for maximum bubbles and freshness. And don’t use sugar-free lemonade for best results.
Self-raising flour – 2 cups are required for the scones, but set aside extra for the work surface. Sift and weigh your flour for best results. And be sure to check the expiry date on the flour to ensure the raising agent is effective. If you don’t have self-raising flour, you can make your own by mixing 2 teaspoons of baking powder and a pinch of salt to every cup (150 grams) of plain (all-purpose) flour.
Caster sugar – for sweetness and texture. Use regular white or raw caster sugar.
Salt – a pinch of salt to enhance the flavour and balance the sweetness.
Cream – for extra moisture and to help bind the scones. Use regular, full-fat thickened cream with 35% milk fat.

a tray of scones on a table with jam and cream.

Step by step instructions

Full ingredient notes and quantities can be found in the detailed recipe card below. But here is a brief overview of what you can expect;

Mix the dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sifted flour, sugar and salt until combined.
Add the lemonade and cream. Gently mix to a soft, sticky dough. Don’t overwork the dough, or the scones will become hard and tough.
Shape the dough. Place the dough onto a lightly floured bench, adding a little more flour as needed if the dough is too sticky to work with. Roll the dough to 1.5-2 cm in height.
Use a round, 6cm pastry cutter to cut the dough into 8 rounds. Carefully transfer the scones to a lined baking tray.
Brush with milk. For a crisp and golden-brown exterior, brush the tops of the scones with milk before baking. And for extra crunch, a sprinkle of raw sugar is lovely too.

a grid of images showing scone dough being mixed in a bowl.

lemonade scones being cut and placed on a baking tray. A hand is brushing the tops with milk.

Turn the finished scones out onto a clean tea towel. This helps to keep them soft.

Expert tips

Handle the dough as little as possible. Overworking the dough is a common mistake people make with scones. It can result in tough scones that don’t rise. Mix the dough until just combined and then gently shape it with your hands before rolling.
Check the expiry on your self-raising flour. Expired raising agents won’t work and will result in scones that don’t rise.
Use a fresh, unopened bottle of lemonade. Fresh, fizzy lemonade with lots of bubbles help with the rising process.
Optional: you can place the scones onto the tray almost touching, to help them rise evenly.
Enjoy them plain, or add ⅓ cup of sultanas, raisins or chopped dates to the dough before rolling. Alternatively, you could add chocolate chips, chopped pecans or some fresh blueberries.
Weigh the flour and measure your ingredients accurately, for best results. Use a kitchen scale to measure the flour by weight. Flour can be easily compressed. This means that too much flour can be added to the dough if you rely on a measuring cup alone. Too much flour will result in dry, tough scones. If you don’t have kitchen scales, fluff and sift the flour into a measuring cup and level it with a knife.
Dip your pastry/scone cutter in flour between cutting each scone, to prevent the dough sticking to the cutter. If you don’t have a scone cutter, you can use a round cup and knife, or simply cut square scones from the rolled dough.
All ovens are different. Check your oven temperature and make sure your oven is pre-heated to the correct temperature before baking. Baking at an incorrect temperature can prevent the scones from rising properly.

FAQs

How to serve them;

For a classic serving, cut the scones in half and top them with your favourite jam (I recommend raspberry or boysenberry!) and a generous dollop of whipped cream. You can also spread them with lemon butter, raspberry sauce, salted caramel sauce or butter.

How to tell when they are ready;

Insert a toothpick into the middle of one scone. If it comes out clean, with a few crumbs sticking, they are ready. You can also gently tap on the top of a scone to check if it’s cooked through. If it’s ready, it will sound hollow. Be careful not to overbake the scones, or they will be dry.

How to store them;

Scones are best eaten fresh, on the day that they are made. However, they can be stored in an airtight container for 2-3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.

How to reheat them;

Leftover scones can be warmed in the microwave to freshen them up again. Add a small, microwave-safe cup of water to the microwave with the scones to put the moisture back into them and microwave in 20 second bursts, until heated through. They can also be reheated in the oven or an air fryer at 150C for 5-10 minutes.

Can I freeze them?

Wrap the baked and cooled scones in baking paper and freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. To thaw, leave them on the counter for 30-60 minutes or overnight in the fridge. Reheat before eating.

a plate of scones, cut in half and topped with jam and cream.

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