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Four small orange raisin scones with one gently split open
Family Recipe HQ

Small-Batch Orange Raisin Scones Without Cream

Four small orange-raisin scones made with cold butter and milk. Keep the dough cool, cut clean wedges and allow time for both chilling and cooling.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
Chilling and cooling 25 minutes
Total Time 58 minutes
Servings: 4 scones
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Flour mixture and orange zest
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour 120 g
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar 25 g
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon fine salt
  • 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
Cold butter, fruit and milk
  • 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter 28 g; cut into small cubes
  • 1/4 cup raisins 40 g
  • 1/4 cup cold whole milk 60 ml; plus 1–2 teaspoons only if needed
For the tops
  • 1 teaspoon milk For brushing
  • 1 teaspoon coarse or granulated sugar Optional, for the tops

Equipment

  • 1 small baking sheet and parchment
  • 1 Mixing bowl
  • 1 pastry cutter Or use fingertips briefly
  • 1 Fine grater
  • 1 sharp knife
  • 1 wire cooling rack
  • 1 kitchen scale or measuring cups and spoons

Method
 

Make small batch orange raisin scones without cream
  1. Line a small baking sheet with parchment. Set an oven rack in the middle. Keep the butter and milk chilled until needed.
  2. Rub the zest into the sugar in the bowl. Add the flour, baking powder and salt, then whisk or stir thoroughly. Make sure the baking powder is evenly distributed.
  3. Add the butter cubes. Cut them into the flour with a pastry cutter, or rub quickly with your fingertips. Stop when the mixture has small flakes and a few pea-sized butter pieces. It should not become a greasy paste.
  4. Stir in the prepared raisins, then pour in the ¼ cup milk. Fold with a fork or spatula just until shaggy clumps form. Squeeze a little dough together: it should hold. If dry flour still falls away, add another teaspoon of milk and reassess.
  5. Tip onto a lightly floured surface. Press loose pieces together, then pat into a round about 5 inches wide and ¾ inch thick. Fold it in half once if needed to gather it, but do not knead repeatedly.
  6. Cut into four equal wedges with a sharp knife, pressing straight down. Transfer to the lined sheet with about 1 inch between pieces. Refrigerate for 15 minutes while heating the oven to 400°F / 200°C.
  7. Brush the tops lightly with the separate teaspoon of milk, then sprinkle the optional sugar evenly over the wedges. Bake for 16–20 minutes, until the tops and bottoms are lightly golden and the sides look set rather than wet.
  8. Transfer to a rack and wait 10 minutes before splitting. Serve warm, when the outer edges have a little crispness and the middle has settled.

Notes

Timing: Allow 15 minutes for preparation, 15 minutes for refrigeration, about 18 minutes for baking within the 16–20-minute range, and 10 minutes for cooling: approximately 58 minutes total. The 25-minute additional-time field combines chilling before baking and cooling afterward.
Fruit preparation: Wash and dry the orange before zesting only its colored peel. If the raisins are hard, soak them in hot water for 5–10 minutes while measuring the other ingredients, then drain and blot well. Do not add the soaking water to the dough.
Milk: Start with ¼ cup of cold milk in the dough. Add only 1–2 extra teaspoons if needed for the dry flour to hold together. Use the separate teaspoon to brush the tops. This recipe contains wheat, milk and butter.
Storage: Keep fully cooled scones airtight at cool room temperature for up to 2 days, or freeze individually for up to 2 months for best quality. In a hot or humid kitchen, freeze portions you will not eat promptly. Warm thawed scones gently at 300°F / 150°C, checking to avoid drying them out.