Lemonade Scones are the fastest and easiest scones you will ever make! Incredibly fluffy, moist scones made from scratch using only 3 ingredients – self raising flour, cream and lemonade. The secret ingredient is lemonade – but they don’t taste of lemon at all!
This is the faster way to make classic scones which call for butter to be rubbed or blitzed into flour. Lemonade Scones rise ever so slightly less, but the difference is barely noticeable!
Lemonade Scones
Scones are as Australian as Meat Pies and Lamingtons. Made the traditional way, butter is rubbed into flour using your fingers – or a food processor. Not particularly difficult, but it does take time, calling for fridge cold butter to be diced into cubes.
I don’t know who discovered this genius shortcut way of making scones, but I am forever indebted to them. Sometimes I do enjoy taking the time to make scones the traditional way. But I usually make these Lemonade Scones which honestly come out so similar and yet take less than half the time to make.
If you’ve never tried these before, you’re honestly going to be amazed. Seriously AMAZED!
Scones are an afternoon tea favourite in Australia, brought to our shores when the British settled here just over 200 years ago. It’s a regular at quaint tea houses, especially in the countryside, and at local bake sales!
What’s the difference between an American biscuit and a scone?
🇺🇸That’s biscuits as they’re known in America that look like our scones! A southern classic served savoury, fabulous with grits, sausage gravy and eggs.
A comparison of the classic Aussie scone recipe with this New York Times Biscuits recipe is all it takes to verify that they are indeed made the same way – just used for different purposes. 🙂 Lemonade Scones are slightly more different because they are a touch sweeter than classic scones.
What you need for Lemonade Scones
Here are the 3 ingredients you need:
Self raising flour – this is just plain flour (all purpose flour) and baking powder that’s already been combined. It’s sold as “self raising flour” in the UK, Australia, NZ. It’s easy to make your own self raising flour simply by mixing 2 tsp baking powder for every 1 cup of flour.
Cream – thickened or heavy cream works best I find. But it does work fine with ordinary cream too, but it needs to be full fat (I found low fat didn’t work as well, not as soft inside); and
Lemonade -the “secret ingredient”, the namesake of this scone recipe!! I don’t know the science behind why it works. I like to think the fizz activates the baking powder to make the scones rise and make them fluffy, but I’m totally guessing here!
What type of Lemonade to use?
Schweppes and Kirks Lemonade are the two brands I use. I’ve made it with “no frills” too and it worked fine, so I am pretty sure any lemonade brand should be fine. Sprite and 7 Up also work – tried it and it comes out exactly the same!
How to make Lemonade Scones
Just dump the flour, cream and lemonade into a bowl, mix, turn out onto board, cut out scones and bake.
Yep. That’s it. Really!
Lemonade Scones – Tips!
Few tips to share to ensure your scones come out soft and fluffy every time!!
Less dough handling = fluffier scones. So only mix the batter until the flour is almost fully incorporated (ie can still some flour), then scrape onto work surface and knead as few times as possible to bring together into a disc shape with a pretty smooth surface (I aim for 5 kneads, 8 is ok).
Do not twist the cutter – press the cutter straight down and up, resist the urge to twist! If you twist, the sides of the scones gets “smeared” which affects how well they rise.
Avoid touching sides of scones – use a big kitchen knife or similar to transfer scones to tray to avoid touching the sides of the scones.
Place so they’re touching each other ever so slightly – because they help each other rise (isn’t that just so sweet? 😍)
Don’t be tight with the jam and cream – there’s nothing sadder than running out of cream mid scone scoffing!!
Whether Lemonade Scones or traditional made scones, they are best served warm but MUST be served with copious amounts of cream and jam. There’s just really no getting around that part. It’s like having a grilled cheese sandwich without cheese. It just ain’t right. Just saying.😇
– Nagi x
Watch how to make it
More Aussie favourites
Scones – made the classic way
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Lemonade Scones – 3 Ingredients From Scratch
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 cups self raising flour , plus extra for dusting (flour sub – Note 1)
- 1 cup thickened cream (heavy cream), not whipped!
- 1 cup lemonade (Note 2)
To serve
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200°C/390°F (180°C fan). Line tray with baking/parchment paper.
- Combine the flour, cream and lemonade in a bowl and mix until flour is mostly combined. Do not over mix, it will make the scones dense! The dough should be soft and fairly sticky.
- Turn out onto a floured surface, and knead gently just 3 – 5 times to bring dough together, then gently pat into a disc shape 2.5cm/1" thick.
- Use a 6cm/2.5" round cutter to cut rounds – press straight up and down (don't twist), flour cutter in between. (Note 4)
- Use a knife or similar to scoop up (avoid touching sides) and place on tray, slightly touching each other (they help each other rise).
- Brush the tops lightly with milk. (Note 5)
- Bake for 15 minutes until golden on top. Place on rack to cool. Place tea towel over them to stop the tops from getting crusty.
- Serve with copious amounts of cream and jam, and of course tea!
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Originally published January 2014. Long overdue to add a recipe video and fresh new photos!
Life of Dozer
Now you see it… now you don’t! (Except for the smear of cream on his snout 🐽)
Made these scones for Father’s Day. They went down a treat
Fantastic recipe, just made a batch today.
Can you tell me where you got that fantastic cutter with the handle?
If you’re in Australia, you can find the Wiltshire ones with handles at Big W
I have never successfully made scones before – always hard and flat. Today………… Success! Thank you so much for the clear tips and why not to do certain things (like twisting that cutter!)
This worked perfectly. Rose beautifully and had a lovely light taste.
Any tips for gluten free scones. Would love to make some light fluffy ones
Try using gluten free flour. I did, but not worth the trouble. The taste and texture is like sand ! Ugh.
I’ve used GF flour with this recipe and it works great. Just sub in the same amount. Usually I just use the Aldi brand, doesn’t have to be anything special
Something to add to the list Debby! N x
My first attempt at scones and these were AMAZING! Even my two toddles were impressed!
Could I substitute heavy cream for lite cream?
Hi Kym not wanting to go against Nagi’s advice but I use light thickened cream everytime & they turn out great, maybe not as good as with thickened cream but I never get any complaints 🙂
Not for this one sorry Kym, it will affect the texture of the scones. N x
I’ve made these before but was wondering can this recipe be used to make pumpkin scones? How would that change the outcome?
Really good scones, I got in a bit of a sticky mess. but the=taste=was worth it
Used raspberry lemonade, gives scones a slight different colour but same amazing taste
Good idea Daniel!!! N x
Want to use chives and cheese in the mix, so ok to use soda water instead of lemonade? Thanks Raine
Nagi…can I add a handful of raisins for fruit scones?? My husband is longing for me to make them
Sure can Sarah! You could even soak them in some hot water first to plump them up so they are softer. N x
I made these today and they turned out perfectly! Such an easy recipe! Helpful tip about self-raising flour too!! I’ll never buy it again! Thank you!!!
Hi Nagi,my first attempt at any sort of baking, lockdown and rainy afternoon, great recipe easy to follow, great tips. Scones were yummy. Yes lashings of jam and cream.
Tried this today and it is the lightest, fluffiest scone I’ve ever had. Family totally loved them. Beats Baker’s Delight and Coles scones by far!
Hey Nagi
I want to make these with sparkling water and maybe add a bit of honey to make it healthier for my toddler. How much honey do u think I should add? Or even a bit of sugar if honey won’t work.
Thank u so much
I’m so glad you loved them Giselle, that’s great to hear! N x
I add an extra tsp of baking powder to get additional rise out of lemonade scones. Then they’re indistinguishable from the traditional recipe.
He who has taken over my kitchen, a symptom of lockdown, has just put his first ever batch of scones in the oven. I am expecting an excellent afternoon tea today!
Have made these many times, always with great results. Small confession – we tend not to have lemonade in the house but t here work perfectly with champagne or prosecco 🙂 !!
GENIUS Jennifer, why have I not thought of this?!!! N x
Such a forgiving recipe taste wise – thanks for sharing! Three questions I had were whether you could make the dough (and store it) ahead of time, if so then how would you store it, and would you recommend overbaking or underbaking if your oven is not baking evenly and some look quite done while others don’t?
Hi Vanessa, as you’ve activated the raising agent and the lemonade is in there – you want to bake straight away to get the lift. They wouldn’t work by storing the dough unfortunately. N x
Thanks for the tip Nagi! I ran out of SR Flour.