Date Scones

Name: Date Scones
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 22 min
Ingredients: 350 g (2 ⅓ cup) self raising flour; 1 tsp baking powder; 55 g (¼ cup) caster sugar; 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon; 85 g butter (chilled); 175 g (⅔ cup) milk; 2 tsp vanilla extract; 160 g dried pitted dates (finely chopped); 1 egg (beaten, to glaze)

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Classic old fashioned Date Scones made entirely from pantry staples... best served warm and slathered with butter!

A simple, foolproof, and irresistible morning tea or lunch box addition.

Made from the most basic baking ingredients, the classic date scone is an ever popular, guilt free treat, that's ready in less than half an hour!

For the ultimate morning tea, a warm date scone needs nothing more than a little butter slathered over the top - plus a batch can be prepped, baked and served in less than half an hour!

Looking for more yummy scone recipes?

My famous lemonade scone recipe is absolutely foolproof (plus you can easily adapt the recipe to make fruit scones).

For a savoury twist, my cheese scones are perfect for a quick and tasty lunch. I often serve them with a bowl of warm soup!

Why You're Going To Love This Recipe

A batch of freshly baked warm date scones makes a welcome morning tea option!

Classic - the humble date scone is, and will always be, a popular baking classic!
Budget friendly baking - whip up a batch of 9 large (or 18 small) scones using basic and economical baking ingredients.
Quick and easy - the less you mix the dough, the lighter the scones are, and baking time is less than 15 minutes!
Last minute solution - when you suddenly find that you have guests about to arrive, a batch of scones really is the quickest and easiest thing to make. With no special ingredients required, a batch of warm and buttered date scones is always appreciated!
Conventional and Thermomix - both simple methods are included in the recipe card below.

Melted butter on half a scone, served on a plate.

What You Need

If you have dates in the pantry, then you probably already have everything you need for a batch of these golden baked date scones.

Note: Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for the ingredients quantities and full detailed method.

Self-raising flour - also known as self-rising flour, this is a blend of plain (all purpose) flour and a raising agent. You can make your own by adding 2 teaspoon baking powder to every 1 cup of plain flour. See my homemade self-raising flour recipe.
Baking powder - used as a raising agent in baking. It's important to check the expiry on your baking powder and make sure that it is in-date otherwise it won't be as effective.
Caster sugar - also known as superfine sugar. Caster sugar is preferred in baking as it dissolves much easier than regular granulated sugar when mixed with other ingredients.
Ground cinnamon - adds a subtle touch of warm spice, complementing the dates perfectly.
Butter - use chilled butter. I use salted butter, but unsalted is fine to use as well.
Milk - full fat milk is recommended, however you could use a light milk if you prefer.
Vanilla extract - or vanilla essence. Use a good quality pure vanilla that has been extracted from the vanilla bean, such as Queen's brand, not a synthetically flavoured imitation vanilla.
Dates - dried pitted dates, finely chopped.
Egg - lightly beaten, used to glaze the scones prior to baking to give a shiny golden top.

All ingredients required set out on a bench top.

Equipment Required

Date scones can be made in different sizes and shapes, and by placing them close together in a baking tin, this helps them to rise!

Cake tin - I've used a square one, but you could also use a round cake tin, or a flat baking tray.
Mixing bowl and flat knife - a flat knife is the best way to bring the scone ingredients together.
Scone cutter - this is dependent on what size scones you want - a 5cm scone cutter will make about 9 large scones, or use a 3cm cutter for 18 smaller scones. If you don't have a scone cutter, you can simply cut the scones into squares or wedges using a knife.
Oven - make sure your oven is preheated to 200 degrees celsius (fan-forced) before baking your date scones. Scones need that high temperature and short baking time to be golden on the outside, whilst remaining soft and fluffy on the inside.

Overhead shot of a buttered date scone, cut in half.

Step By Step Instructions

Scones couldn't be any simpler, so enjoy these classic date scones next time you want an easy bake that everyone will love!

Note: Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for the ingredients quantities and full detailed method.

Step 1 - Prepare The Dry Mix

Preheat oven to 200 degrees celsius (fan-forced). Lightly grease a 20cm square cake tin and set aside.

Place the self raising flour, baking powder, caster sugar, cinnamon into a bowl.

Add the chilled butter and mix it through with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine crumbs, then make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients.

Dry ingredients mixed in a glass bowl, with a hollow made in the centre of the flour mix.

Step 2 - Add The Chopped Dates & Wet Ingredients

Add the chopped dates to the dry mix.

Chopped dates added to dry mix in a clear glass bowl.

Add the milk and vanilla extract to the well in the centre of the dry ingredients.

Milk added to the bowl with the flour and dates in.

Use a flat knife to gently mix the ingredients until just combined.

Dough mixture and a flat knife in a clear glass bowl.

Step 3 - Cut And Bake

Place the dough onto a lightly floured board.

With lightly floured fingers, press the mixture down to a thickness of 3cm (do not over-work the dough!)

Using a 5cm scone cutter, cut rounds from the middle working outwards, and place scones into the prepared cake tin (make sure that your scones are gently pressing up against one another as this will help them to rise).

Gently pat the remaining dough together and cut out extra scones.

When you've used all of the dough, brush the tops of the scones with the whisked egg and place into the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes.

When they're golden on top and cooked through, your date scones are ready!

Expert Tips

There's little that can go wrong with a batch of scones, but there's always a few extra tips for the very best results!!!

Serves - 9 large 5cm scones or 18 small 3cm scones (if making smaller scones, reduce the cooking time accordingly).
Use chilled butter, this prevents the butter melting prior to baking.
Don't over-mix the dough - over-mixing the dough leads to hard and tough scones. I recommend using a knife rather than a spoon to fold the mixture through.
Cutting the scones - the less you touch the dough, the softer and fluffier your scones will be. Just pat the dough down gently with your fingertips and then cut rounds using a scone cutter. Once you’ve cut as many rounds as you can, gently push the dough together and cut the remaining rounds.
Flour your cutter - dip your scone cutter lightly in flour between cuts to prevent the mixture sticking. If you don’t have a cutter, you can always just cut the dough with a knife.
Use a hot oven - make sure your oven is preheated to 200 degrees celsius (fan-forced) before cooking your scones. As they only take a few minutes to cook, you need that high temperature right from the start to give a golden crumbly crust on the outside, while keeping the inside beautifully soft and fluffy.
Place the scones slightly touching in the tin - this helps them to rise.
Storing scones - date scones are always best served on the day that they’re cooked but will last up to 2-3 days (you might like to reheat them slightly if you’re not serving them on the day). Alternatively you can freeze them for up to 3 months.

A close up of a batch of golden baked date scones.

FAQs

I don't like dates, can I swap them??

I'm not a huge fan of dates on their own either, yet give me a warm buttery date scone and I'm in love!
But if you really don't like dates, swap them with sultanas or dried apricot chunks for fruit scones, or omit the dried fruit altogether and make light and fluffy lemonade scones.

Why do you suggest a knife to fold ingredients together?

Using a knife allows you to gently fold the ingredients together without developing too much gluten. Mixing the dough this way is best as it avoids over-mixing, which can make the scones tough.

Why is it best to chill the butter for scone dough?

Soft butter can make the scones spread out, as it can melt in the dough prior to baking.
Chilling the butter makes the dough hold together better when cutting, and means that the butter melts during the baking process instead, releasing moisture to create a light and fluffy scone texture.

A cut and buttered date scone on a plate.

Dried dates are such a versatile and budget-friendly item to include in many baking recipes. From healthy slices to decadent desserts, and everything in between!