Soft and Fluffy Sour Cream Scones
These sour cream scones are soft, fluffy and ready in 30 minutes. Swapping the usual milk or buttermilk for sour cream is what makes them so tender, with just enough structure to hold together when you add cream and jam to them. They’re also completely eggless, so there’s no egg in the dough and no egg wash on top.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Ridiculously soft texture. Sour cream adds moisture and a gentle tang that keeps the crumb tender instead of crumbly or dry.
- No fancy equipment needed. A bowl, your fingertips, and a cookie cutter are all you need.
- Quick to make. From start to oven, you’re looking at half an hour, most of which is hands-off baking time.
- Easy to customise. Add cranberries or raisins for a fruity version, or keep them plain and serve with jam and cream.
- Completely eggless. These sour cream scones are completely egg free so it will be perfect to make during fasting periods.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Cake flour – Lower in protein than regular flour, which is exactly why these scones stay soft rather than turning chewy or tough.
- Baking powder – Your rising agent. This is what gives the scones their tall, fluffy lift, so make sure yours isn’t expired.
- Fine salt – Balances the sweetness and sharpens all the other flavours.
- White sugar – Just enough to lightly sweeten the dough without making these taste like cupcakes.
- Cold unsalted butter – The colder the better here. Cold butter is what creates those little flaky pockets as the scones bake.
- Sour cream – The star of the recipe. It adds moisture, richness, and a subtle tang, and it’s the reason these scones stay soft for days.
- Vanilla essence – A small addition that rounds out the flavour.
- Cranberries or raisins (optional) – Fold these in if you’d like a fruitier scone. Feel free to swap in chocolate chips or chopped dried apricots instead.
- Milk for brushing – This is what gives the tops that golden, glossy finish.
How to Make Soft and Fluffy Sour Cream Scones
Step 1: Mix your dry ingredients. In a large bowl, stir together the cake flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
Step 2: Work in the cold butter. Add the cold butter to the bowl and use your fingertips to rub it into the flour mixture. You’re aiming for a texture like fine breadcrumbs, with no large lumps of butter left. The butter must be cold so it creates light, soft scones.
Step 3: Combine the wet ingredients. In a separate bowl or jug, whisk together the sour cream, and vanilla essence until smooth.
Step 4: Bring the dough together. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir gently, just until everything is combined. It’s fine if the dough looks a little shaggy or uneven. Overmixing at this stage is what leads to tough scones, so stop as soon as you don’t see any dry flour left.
Step 5: Knead gently. Sprinkle about 1½ cups of flour onto your countertop or a large board. Turn the dough out onto it and knead it gently. You need to just bring the dough together rather than kneading it like bread dough. Over-handling the dough melts the butter from the warmth of your hands, and that’s what stops the scones from turning out light.
Step 6: Shape and cut. Roll or pat the dough out until it’s about 1-2cm thick. Using a round cookie cutter, cut out your scones, pressing straight down without twisting the cutter. Gather the scraps, gently press them back together, and cut out the rest.
Step 7: Brush and bake. Arrange the scones on a lined baking sheet and brush the tops with milk for a golden finish. Bake at 180°C for 15 to 20 minutes, until they’re risen and golden on top. Let them cool slightly before serving.
Step 8: Serve. Once cooled, serve with whipped cream and jam.
How to Store
Freshly baked scones are best enjoyed on the day they’re baked, but they’ll keep well in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. You can also freeze baked scones for up to a month. Thaw at room temperature and warm through before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did my scones turn out flat instead of fluffy? This usually comes down to warm butter or overworked dough. Keep your butter cold right up until it goes into the flour, and handle the dough as little as possible once the wet and dry ingredients are combined.
Do I have to use a cookie cutter? No. If you don’t have one, you can cut the dough into rounds or wedges using a sharp knife.
Can I add cheese instead of fruit? Definitely. Leave out the sugar and vanilla, and fold through grated cheese for a savoury version.
⭐ Tried this recipe? Leave a star rating and a comment below — I’d love to hear how your sour cream scones turned out!
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Small bowl or jug for wet ingredients
- Whisk or fork
- Round cookie cutter (5cm: choose size based on your preference)
Ingredients
- 2 cups (500ml) cake flour (plus additional 1.5 cups (375ml) for dusting and kneading)
- 1½ tbsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp fine salt
- ¼ cup (65ml) white sugar
- 75g cold unsalted butter
- 250ml sour cream
- 5ml vanilla essence
- cranberries or raisins (optional)
- milk (for brushing on top of scones before baking)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, stir together the cake flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- Add the cold butter to the bowl and use your fingertips to rub it into the flour mixture. You’re aiming for a texture like fine breadcrumbs, with no large lumps of butter left.
- In a separate bowl or jug, whisk together the sour cream, and vanilla essence until smooth. Pour this wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir gently, just until everything is combined.
- Sprinkle 1½ cups of flour onto your countertop or a large board. Turn the dough out onto it and knead gently. The dough might feel a little sticky, but do not over knead. It should just come together, so don't add too much extra flour.
- Roll or pat the dough out until it’s about 1-2cm thick. Using a round cookie cutter, cut out your scones, pressing straight down without twisting the cutter. Gather the scraps, gently press them back together, and cut out the rest.
- Arrange the scones on a lined baking sheet and brush the tops with milk for a golden finish. Bake at 180°C for 15 to 20 minutes, until they’re risen and golden on top. Let them cool slightly before serving.
- Once cooled, serve with whipped cream and jam.
Notes
- Keep the butter cold: Cold butter creates light, soft scones. Work quickly so the warmth of your hands doesn’t melt it.
- Don’t overmix or over knead: Stir the wet and dry ingredients until just combined, then knead only until the dough comes together. Overworking the dough gives tough scones.
- Sticky dough is fine: Use only as much flour as you need to bring the dough together, as too much will make the scones dense.
- Cutting tip: Press the cutter straight down without twisting so the scones rise evenly.
- Add-ins: Fold in cranberries, raisins, chocolate chips or chopped dried apricots for a fruity version.
