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
Rather than mixing the ingredients together, use a technique called “cutting”. Use a flat-bladed knife or a palette knife and cut it (or pull it) through your ingredients when you add the wet ingredients so they are just barely incorporated. Don't overwork the dough.
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.
Is it better to make scones with butter or oil? ›
(A fat is saturated when it is solid at room temperature, like butter, margarine or shortening.) Light Scones contain just 0.3 gram of saturated fat, and 3.6 grams of total fat. In baking, you can generally substitute half the amount of oil as the butter or margarine called for.
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.
What is the secret to making scones rise? ›
Once you've cut out your scone shapes, flip them over and place upside down on the baking tray. This will help them rise evenly and counteract any 'squashing' that happened when you cut out the dough. Perfect scones should rise to about 2 inches high.
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.
Does scone dough need to rest? ›
The explanation is simple: As with other doughs, including pizza dough, resting lets scone dough's gluten relax completely, so that it doesn't snap back during shaping or baking.
Why are scones bad for you? ›
They are typically extremely high in calories from the heavy butter and cream. And, although scones with fruit might seem healthier, most are even higher in calories and still high in saturated fat. Steer clear of scones.
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.
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.
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.
Is heavy cream or buttermilk 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.
Do you put cold or hot butter in scones? ›
Butter must be COLD from the very start to when the dough enters the oven. The cold butter melts upon entering the oven and the water content in butter evaporates in steam. As the steam escapes, it bursts up and creates that beautiful tall, flaky, fluffy texture.
What does egg do in scones? ›
Salt: A pinch of salt enhances the overall flavor of the scones. Butter: Make sure the butter is frozen before you incorporate it into the dough for the flakiest results. Milk: Milk lends moisture and flavor. Egg: An egg adds moisture and helps bind the scone dough together.
What makes a good quality 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.
Why aren t my scones light and fluffy? ›
Some common reasons for dense scones are not using enough baking powder, overworking the dough and not baking with the oven at the correct temperature.
Why do my scones spread out and not rise? ›
You may have used too little raising agent or over handled the dough before it was baked. The oven may have been too cool.
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.