Scones with jam and cream for afternoon tea – what is there not to love!!!? And a batch of scones made with this 3 Ingredient Lemonade Scones Recipe might just be the answer to the easiest and tastiest scone you’ve ever made.
3 Ingredient Lemonade Scones Recipe
The recipe really does use just three ingredients. So the scones cost about $2 a batch to make. They are quick and easy, they are fabulous for cooking with kids, and they can be cooked in either the oven or the slow cooker.
What? Why on earth would you want to cook scones in a slow cooker?!! Well, I can think of a couple of reasons…
Reason #1. Baked goods cooked in the slow cooker are incredibly moist.
Reason #2. Baking in the slow cooker means I can pop these in just after lunch and they will be deliciously warm just in time for school pick up and afternoon tea!
Reason #3. Baking in the slow cooker is fabulous if your oven is out of action, or if you feel like baking but don’t want to heat up the house. But no matter how you cook them, I think you’ll enjoy this recipe for Lemonade Scones.
So what are the three ingredients you will need for this lemonade scones recipe? Lemonade, self raising flour and thickened cream…that’s it!
You’ll find the complete recipe below but for those who are cooking in a slow cooker, here are a few tips;
- Line the slow cooker with baking paper. Place the scones inside slow cooker so that they are touching.
- Place a tea towel under the lid of the slow cooker as the scones bake. The tea towel stops the condensation that forms under the slow cooker’s lid from dripping down onto the scones. People have raised concern with me about this but as the tea towel is nowhere near an open heating element I have no problem with it. That being said, I work from home so our slow cooker is rarely left unattended.
You may find that scones cooked in the slow cooker are missing the same golden top of oven baked scones but the delicious, crusty base sure makes up for it!
However you cook them, serve warm with jam and cream for a delicious afternoon tea treat!
Ingredients
- 3 cups self raising flour, plus a little extra
- 1 cup lemonade
- 1 cup of thickened cream
- Jam and cream for serving
Instructions
- If baking in the oven, preheat oven to 180ºC (fan forced). If cooking in the slow cooker, turn onto high to preheat.
- Sift flour into a large mixing bowl.
- Add cream and lemonade and mix to combine. Finish mixing with hands, adding a little extra flour if the mix is particularly sticky - beware however, you DO want the dough to stay slightly tacky.
- Turn out onto a well floured board and knead minimally - don't over handle. Flatten or roll to approximately 2-2.5cm thickness and cut out rounds with a glass or scone cutter.
- If oven baking, place scones onto a lined baking tray so that they are lightly touching. Brush with a little milk and bake until golden brown, approximately 15 minutes.
- If slow cooker baking, line the slow cooker with baking paper. Place scones inside slow cooker so that they are touching. Place a tea towel under the lid of the slow cooker and bake for 1 1/2 hours.
Notes
- When cooked in the slow cooker, scones may not have the same golden top of oven baked scones but the delicious, crusty base more than makes up for it.
- The tea towel under the lid stops the condensation that forms under the slow cooker’s lid from dripping down onto the scones. People have raised concern with me about using a tea towel in this way but as it is nowhere near an open heating element I have no problem with it. That being said, I work from home so our slow cooker is rarely left unattended. Use your best judgment.
For more ideas for baking with kids, check out these family friendly recipes;
Christie Burnett is a teacher, presenter, writer and the mother of two. She created Childhood 101 as a place for teachers and parents to access engaging, high quality learning ideas.
FAQs
Baking tips for making the perfect scones
The colder the better when it comes to scones, we recommend a chilled bowl and pastry cutter too. Use pastry flour: This will create a noticeably lighter scone. However, self-raising flour works just as well and creates a higher rising scone that holds its shape nicely.
What to avoid when making scones? ›
5 Mistakes to Avoid When Baking Scones
- Using anything but cold ingredients. The secret to the flakiest scones is to start with cold ingredients — cold butter, cold eggs, and cold cream. ...
- Only using all-purpose flour. ...
- Overmixing the dough. ...
- Not chilling the dough before baking. ...
- Baking them ahead of time.
Overmixing: Overmixing the dough is the most common mistake people make with scones. It can lead to tough scones that don't rise well. Mix the ingredients until just combined. Using flat or expired lemonade: Fresh and fizzy lemonade helps with the rising process.
What is the best raising agent for a scone? ›
The two come in combination as bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) is an alkaline and needs the addition of an acid, such as cream of tartar, to create the carbon dioxide that causes the scones to rise. The amount of cream of tartar - 4 1/2 teaspoons - is correct.
Which flour is best for scones? ›
Use all-purpose flour for a higher rising scone that holds its shape nicely, both in and out of the oven. To make more delicate, lower-rising, cake-like scones, substitute cake flour for all-purpose flour. Reduce the liquid in the recipe by 1 to 2 tablespoons, using just enough to bring the dough together.
Is it better to make scones with butter or oil? ›
For example, if you substitute oil for butter or margarine, you can significantly reduce the amount of saturated fat in your baked goods. This streamlined recipe for Light Scones uses just 3 tablespoons of canola oil, which contains a fraction of the saturated fat found in butter or margarine.
Is buttermilk or cream better for scones? ›
Heavy Cream or Buttermilk: For the best tasting pastries, stick with a thick liquid such as heavy cream or buttermilk. I usually use heavy cream, but if you want a slightly tangy flavor, use buttermilk.
How long should you rest scones before baking? ›
Recipes for scones sometimes provide a make-ahead option that involves refrigerating the dough overnight so it can simply be shaped and then popped into the oven the next day. But now we've found that resting the dough overnight has another benefit: It makes for more symmetrical and attractive pastries.
How to make scones rise higher? ›
To ensure taller scones, start with a thicker dough disc and place the scones on a tray with sides, allowing them to slightly touch one another. This arrangement encourages the scones to push against the pan and each other, promoting height.
What happens if you put too much baking soda in scones? ›
Too much baking soda will result in a soapy taste with a coarse, open crumb.
It is far better that the scone mixture is on the wet side, sticking to your fingers, as the scones will rise better. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and flatten it out with your hand, or use a rolling pin, to a thickness of 1-2 cm (1/2 – ¾ inch).
Why do my scones go flat and not rise? ›
Why Are My Scones Flat? Expired leavening agents. Your baking powder and/or baking soda could be expired. Most scone and biscuit recipes call for quite a large amount of leavening, and if either are expired, your scones simply won't rise to beautiful heights.
What happens if you don't put baking powder in scones? ›
If we were to whip or steam the scones, they wouldn't retain their flakiness, and wouldn't rise as much as they would with baking powder. That leaves yeast. Yeast just needs some water and sugar to start producing carbon dioxide.
Is baking soda or baking powder better for scones? ›
You can use baking soda if you've added an acidic ingredient to the dough (e.g. buttermilk, vinegar, lemon juice). Use baking powder if you have not added anything acidic.
Should you sift flour for scones? ›
Don't forget to sift!
Be sure to double or even triple sift your flour, as it takes away the clumps in the flour allowing for more air pockets in the scone dough - the result being a fluffier and more crumbly scone.
Should you chill scone dough before baking? ›
Not chilling the dough before baking: to really ace your scones, it helps to chill your dough again before it's baked. Using cold ingredients does help, but your hands will warm up the dough when you're working with it and the extra step of chilling will help you get the best result.
What are the qualities of a perfect scone? ›
The best scones have a crisp, slightly caramelized exterior and a tender, buttery, just-sweet interior. They can be dressed up with a glaze, studded with fruit or nuts, or gently spiced. Whichever route you go, we're here to help you achieve scone perfection. These are F&W food editor Kelsey Youngman's favorite tips.
Why aren t my scones light and fluffy? ›
Add some extra baking powder/soda, they might not have raised enough. If your scones barely rise in the oven, reconsider the amount of water you've added. You might want to add more. Otherwise, increase the amount of baking powder/soda.
Christie Burnett is a teacher, presenter, writer and the mother of two. She created Childhood 101 as a place for teachers and parents to access engaging, high quality learning ideas.