These easy 3-Ingredient Scones are the easiest scones you will ever make with simple ingredients, no eggs, no butter, and no milk.
All you need are basic pantry ingredients and 30 minutes to create delicious fluffy scones for breakfast.
Scone recipes usually contain eggs, butter, and milk.
This recipe is an easy scone recipe option, allergy-friendly, and made with:
- No butter
- No milk
- No eggs
- No sugar
How To Make 3-Ingredient Scones
In New Zealand, most people make 3-ingredient scones with flour, cream, and lemonade. They are called lemonade scones, and it’s high in sugar from the lemonade.
I used that basic recipe as an inspiration to make my own allergy-friendly scones without sugar, eggs, or dairy.
Ingredients
The three ingredients you need to make these light. and fluffy scones are:
- Self-rising flour – see below for an alternative option, using regular flour and baking powder.
- Sparkling water
- Soy milk or any milk you love, regular milk works too. I recommend focusing on regular milk, not low-fat or low-protein milk like almond milk. High-protein milk makes the crust crispy and keeps the crumb moist, as you expect from regular scones.
Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking tray with parchment paper and spray oil all over to prevent the scones from sticking to the surface. Set aside.
Making The Scone Batter
In a bowl, mix all the 3 ingredients and any add-ons you want from the list below to add texture or flavor.
Stir to combine until the batter gets consistent and sticky.
Transfer onto a floured surface and gently knead, adding the extra flour to avoid the dough sticking too much to your finger.
Stir in any toppings at this time, including chocolate chips, dried fruits, or nuts. See below for inspiration on the type of add-ons and quantities.
Cutting Scones
You can cut scones in two different ways.
The American way is the easiest way to make scones. It consists of cutting the scone dough into wedges from a large disc.
The English way uses a round scone cutter which takes a little more time.
First, shape the scone dough into a disc 1 inch thick and about 7 inches wide.
Transfer onto a baking sheet lined with oiled parchment paper.
I cut the dough into 6 wedges using a sharp knife. You should oil the knife blade to prevent the dough from sticking to the blade.
If you prefer, you can use round scone cutters as well. Use the leftover scone dough left after cutting shapes to reform a dough ball and cut extra scones from it.
Baking The Scones
Bake the scones on the center rack of the oven for about 15-20 minutes or until golden brown on top and a pick inserted in the center of the scones comes out clean.
Serving
Scones are served plain or with toppings depending on regional tastes.
Here we love to cut the scones halfway lengthwise and spread some of the below ingredients:
- Butter or whipped butter
- Coconut cream
- Heavy whipping cream
- Jam
- Lemon curd
- Peanut butter
You can also toast the scones in a bread toaster to add some crispiness to their crumb.
Taste And Texture
These scones are light, fluffy, and taste plain since they contain no sugar or flavoring. They are very nice to carry any food, sweet or savory.
Optional Flavors
This is a sugar-free scone recipe, plain with no added flavor or sugar.
To make the batter flavorsome, you can stir in the batter some of the below ingredients:
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla of extract
- 2-3 tablespoons of sugar
- 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup of chopped nuts, walnuts, dried fruits, or chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup of fresh fruits like berries – raspberries or blueberries are delicious in scones
- Lemon zest
Storage Instructions
These scones can be stored well at room temperature and wrapped in a clean kitchen towel.
They last 3 to 4 days, or you can freeze them in airtight containers and thaw them the day before at room temperature.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below I listed the answers to your most common questions about making scones.
What Can I Use Instead Of Self-Raising Flour?
You can replace the amount of self-rising flour with the same amount of all-purpose flour and add 2 ¾ teaspoons of baking powder.
Can I Add Raisins Or Chocolate Chips?
Absolutely, you can stir in 1/2 cup of your favorite nuts, fruits, dried fruits, or seed in the dough before baking.
Can I Make Savory Scones?
You can stir in 1/3 cup grated cheddar, 2-3 tablespoons of chopped chives, and a pinch of salt to make cheese scones with this recipe.
More 3-Ingredient Recipes
I love simple recipes made with minimal ingredients. Below are some other recipe ideas for you to try:
Have you made this simple scone recipe? Leave a comment or review below to connect with me!
3-Ingredient Scones
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cup Self-Rising Flour
- ½ cup Sparkling Water or lemonade for sweet scones
- ½ cup Milk of Choice I used soy milk
To knead the dough
- `1/3 cup Self-Rising Flour or regular white flour
Optional
- 2-3 tablespoons Sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
- In a mixing bowl, mix the three ingredients until a thick sticky dough forms. Add sugar now if you want a sweet scone otherwise, skip.
- Knead on a floured surface until the dough is soft and less sticky – it will stay a bit sticky and that's normal.
- Line a baking sheet with lightly oiled parchment paper and place the dough in the center of the paper
- Press down the dough in a 1-inch thick (2.5cm) round, about 7-inch (20 cm) wide.
- Use a sharp knife to cut the disc into 6 wedges. You can spread each wedge slightly to bake well on their sides.
- Brush top with milk and bake in the center rack of the oven for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.
- Cool down on a wire rack before slicing and serving.
Storage
- Store at room temperature, wrapped in a clean kitchen towel for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months and thaw at room temperature the day before.
Hi,
These scones sound so easy, but my question is, can you add dried cranberries to the mix? Are there any other additions if I do?
Absolutely any dried fruits will taste amazing! Read my post above I listed quite a few ideas for you.
Can i use just water, normally no sparkling water at home, tks
You will need some baking powder or they won’t be fluffy.
how much baking powder if no sparkling water available?
I didn’t try that so I am not sure, I would starts with 2 teaspoon baking powder
Would it work with whole wheat flour?
I am not sure, they may be a bit dry with wholewheat