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 🐽)
First time maker of scones – love your recipes so gave it a go.. VOILA!!! Briiliant. Bundy loved them too but didnt leave any cream
Thanks
Anne and Bundy
First time?! I’m sure it won’t be your last Anne!! N x
I use a similar recipe for pizza dough.
375 beer (1 echo) I use Coopers pale because that’s what I like to drink if I drink.
375ml(1 +1/2 cup) Greek/plain Yoghurt
5 cups self raising flour
plus extra for kneading
1 Tbsp olive oil optional
1/2 tsp salt optional
Method
Mix beer Yoghurt and flour (salt and olive oil if using) . In a large bowl until well combined.
Turn out onto a well floured surface. Knead for 5 to ten minutes. Place back in the bowl and cover with glad wrap. Let rest for 30 mins. Preheat Oven 220-250°C Divide dough and flatten to 5-7mm thick
2 large, 3 medium, 4-6 small.
Place toppings cook 12-15 mins. Also can be used for dinner rolls or a quick loaf or a Damper. The beer gives it a yeast flavour without the waiting for a rise and the Yoghurt a sourdough flavour. The kneading and resting turns it from a scone consistency to a bread consistency as the kneading activates the gluten. It freezes well as a dough just thaw before use. It keeps in the fridge as a dough in plastic bag 3-5 days and gets better each day.
Thanks for sharing this Scott.
sounds like a good recipe.
I’d like to give this a try.
I had made these for years, using soda water. (with soda water from my soda stream machine, so even easier) Essentially they more closely resemble an American style biscuit, so they can be eaten as a side with soup etc. If I want them sweeter, I’ll add a little sugar mixed with the flour.
Wondering if you have a gluten free version. It looks wonderful and I would love to try gluten free.
I don’t sorry Jacqui – GF flour doesn’t quite work as well here! N x
Hi Nagi
Will it work with light thickened cream?
I have used ginger beer instead of lemonade for a delicious twist
Genius Susan – I love this idea!! N x
Can you use almond flour?
Not for this recipe sorry Gayle, it won’t work. N x
Beautiful beautiful Thank you
Fabulous scones … have made the 4 times they’re deliciously light and scrumptious!
Have been using this no fail recipe for probably 20 years. Only thing I do differently is I don’t knead at all, just bring together and shape to an even thickness and then cut. The not twisting and not touching the sides as little as possible does make a difference…. Also my fave is homemade lemon curd and cream for serving!
Happy Mother’s Day (Australia)! These scones were lovely. Experimented with one half with jam on bottom & cream dolloped on top and other half the other way around. Equally as nice as the other so sitting on the fence 🤷♀️
I love this Karen!!! 🙂 N x
I made these today and they were the best thank you
Absolutely fantastic! Easy as! Turned out great!! Everyone wanted more!!
Can they be frozen and reheated?
I had the same problem as Angela. It came out as one royal sticky messy blob! This even after I added about another half cup of flour. Didn’t dare to add more. I scooped them up and made smaller blobs on my baking tray. They baked fine and tasted yummy!
But Nagi, I’m really curious. What went wrong? Do we keep adding flour till we can knead the dough? Will the scones become heavy? Help!
Hi Nagi. LOVE your recipes!
I saw on a different site that you could refrigerate or freeze your scones and bake later. Do you think this would work. Doing a fundraiser and will need lots on the day.
Thanks. Judy
Hi do i store scones at room temp or place in fridge? Thanks!
I store mine at room temp, they will however, last longer in the fridge. Just microwave to soften before serving 🙂 N x
They never last long enough to go stale 😉
Just made the Lemonade scones, OMG utterly delicious! Why would you follow any other recipe, these are so easy to make and are light and fluffy. Totally recommend
I’m so glad you enjoyed them Mary!! N x
Hi, i would like go ask where i can buy cream for the scone topping? Or how do i make it? Thanks!
Hi LG, it’s simply thickened cream which has been whipped! N x
Hi, does the lemonade have to be cold or room temperature?
Hi Wendy, room temp would be better here 🙂 N x