A Date with Tradition: The Perfect Date Scone Recipe
No high tea is truly complete without a freshly baked scone.
Simple in appearance yet surprisingly difficult to perfect, the humble scone has long been a cherished part of the traditional high tea experience. Served warm and accompanied by rich cream and flavourful preserves, a good scone strikes the perfect balance between a light, fluffy interior and a beautifully golden exterior.
The secret to a great scone lies in quality ingredients, gentle handling, and baking them fresh. Overworking the dough can result in a heavy texture, while careful preparation helps create the soft, airy crumb that scone lovers seek.
Of course, there is also the age-old debate: cream first or jam first? While opinions differ depending on where you are in the world, we believe there's no wrong answer—only the joy of enjoying a freshly baked scone exactly the way you like it.
At The Cupcake Co, our scones are baked fresh and served as part of our high tea experience, alongside a selection of handcrafted sweet and savoury treats. They may be one of the simplest items on the stand, but they are often the most memorable.
Traditional Date Scones Recipe
There's something wonderfully comforting about a warm date scone fresh from the oven. Perfect with butter, jam or a dollop of cream, they're a timeless afternoon tea favourite.
Ingredients
3 cups self-raising flour
1/4 cup caster sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
80g cold butter, cubed
1 cup chopped dates
1 cup milk
1 egg
Extra milk for brushing
Method
Preheat your oven to 200°C (180°C fan-forced) and line a baking tray with baking paper.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar and cinnamon.
Rub the butter into the flour mixture using your fingertips until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.
Stir through the chopped dates.
In a separate jug, whisk together the milk and egg.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently mix until a soft dough forms. Take care not to overmix.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently pat it out to about 3cm thick.
Use a round cutter to cut out scones and place them close together on the prepared tray.
Brush the tops lightly with milk.
Bake for 12–15 minutes or until risen and golden.
A Baker's Tip
The key to light, fluffy scones is handling the dough as little as possible. Mix only until the ingredients come together and avoid twisting the cutter when cutting your scones, as this can prevent them from rising evenly.
Serve warm with butter, strawberry jam and cream, and of course, a freshly brewed pot of tea. The perfect excuse to slow down and enjoy a little afternoon indulgence.