Air Fryer English Scones Recipe
This Air Fryer English Scones Recipe is easy to follow, uses simple ingredients, and comes together in no time. The scones turn out soft and fluffy inside with a golden, lightly crisp exterior—just like traditional oven-baked scones but with less effort.
Using an air fryer speeds up the process, making these classic treats perfect for a last-minute breakfast, afternoon tea, or a quick homemade snack. Serve them warm with clotted cream and jam for a traditional touch, or enjoy them with butter for a simple, everyday treat.
Please continue scrolling down to find the recipe card below, which contains the complete list of ingredients with measurements, detailed recipe instructions, additional notes, and nutritional information.
Why Make Scones in an Air Fryer?
The air fryer isn’t just for crispy fries and roasted vegetables—it’s also great for baking. Traditional scones require a hot oven, but an air fryer speeds up the process while delivering the same delicious results.
Benefits of Using an Air Fryer for Scones
- Faster Cooking Time – No need to preheat a full-sized oven. The air fryer heats up quickly and bakes scones in minutes.
- Even Baking – The circulating air ensures an even, golden finish without the need to rotate trays.
- Energy Efficient – Uses less electricity than an oven, making it a great option for small batches.
- Perfect Texture – Achieves a light, fluffy interior with a slightly crisp exterior.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Flour – Self-raising flour works well for this recipe, but you can also use plain or all-purpose flour. Simply add 1 teaspoon of baking powder and ½ teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda to achieve a similar result.
- Butter – Slightly softened unsalted butter works great!
- Sugar – Cater or granulated sugar to add a touch of sweetness to scones.
- Vanilla paste – I use organic vanilla bean paste or extract for a deep and delicious vanilla flavor. I don’t recommend using artificial vanilla.
- Milk – Semi-skimmed or full fat milk mixed with a few drop of lemon juice helps to bind the dry ingredients together.
How to Make Air Fryer English Scones
Important Note
Before you start cooking, note that times may differ among air fryers. I develop my recipes using a Cosori 6.8 air fryer. If you’re using a different air fryer, view my recipes as a general guide and tweak the cooking time—add a bit more or cook slightly less as needed.
This Air Fryer English Scones Recipe is extremely easy and to achieve the best results, you need to follow these simple steps:
Mix slightly warm milk, lemon juice, and vanilla paste in a bowl, set them aside.
Place self raising flour, baking powder, sugar, and butter in a bowl of a food processor. Blitz on high speed for 7-8 seconds until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.
Pour the milk mixture and currants over the flour and blitz for another 7-8 seconds until the mixture turns into a dough ball.
To make the scones traditional way without a food processor, place the flour, baking powder, butter, and sugar in a large bowl. Rub the butter in flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture along with the currants and stir gently until just combined.
Transfer the dough onto a clean surface and knead gently for a few seconds. Avoid over mixing to keep the scones tender.
Lightly dust the dough with flour and gently roll it out to a 1-inch (2½ cm) thickness.
Use a round cutter (or a glass) to cut out the scones. Gather any scraps, reshape the dough, and cut out more scones.
Quick Tip!
I used a 2½-inch (6½ cm) cutter, which yielded six scones.
Preheat the air fryer to 392°F (200°C) for a couple of minutes. Place a sheet of parchment paper in the air fryer basket. Arrange the scones in a single layer, leaving space between them. Brush the tops with a little milk for a golden finish.
Air fry for 8-10 minutes until lightly golden and puffed up. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool slightly before serving.
Expert Tips From the Chef
- Stir just until the dough comes together. Overworking it can lead to dense scones.
- Leave space between the scones so the air can circulate evenly. If needed, bake in batches.
- Preheat your air fryer for a couple of minutes before placing the scones.
- The dough should be soft and sticky, so avoid adding extra flour when kneading or rolling it out.
- For even rising, press the cutter straight down and lift it without twisting. Dip the cutter in flour to prevent sticking, and clean off any dough buildup.
- When brushing the tops, avoid letting any liquid drip down the sides, as this can affect the rise.
Serving Suggestions
These scones taste best when warm and freshly baked. Here are some ways to enjoy them:
Traditional Style – Serve with clotted cream and homemade strawberry jam for a classic afternoon tea experience.
Butter and Honey – A simple yet delicious combination.
Cheese Scones – Skip the sugar and vanilla, and add shredded cheese for a savory version.
Storage and Reheating
If you have leftovers, keep them fresh with proper storage.
- Room Temperature – Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
- Refrigerate – Keeps well for about 4-5 days in an airtight container.
- Freeze – Wrap tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before reheating.
How to Reheat:
- Air Fryer – Heat at 320°F (160°C) for 2-3 minutes.
- Oven – Bake at 300°F (150°C) for 5-7 minutes.
- Microwave – Warm in 10-second intervals, though this may soften the texture.
Recipe FAQs
Avoid overmixing the dough, and don’t add too much flour when rolling it out. Also, keep an eye on the cooking time to prevent overbaking.
No, flipping isn’t necessary. The hot air circulates evenly, baking them from all sides.
Preheating is recommended for even baking, but if your air fryer heats up quickly, you can skip it. Just add a minute or two to the cooking time.
Did you make this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out! Please give us a five-star rating and leave a comment below.
I hope you enjoy the process of preparing this Air Fryer English Scones Recipe just as much as you enjoy eating them! 🙂
Bon appétit!
Air Fryer English Scones Recipe
Ingredients
- 175 g self raising flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 45 g unsalted butter (cut into cubes and slightly softened)
- 1½ tbsp sugar
- 90 ml milk (warm)
- ¼ tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 15 g currants (optional)
- 1 tbsp milk (to glaze)
Instructions
- Mix slightly warm milk, lemon juice, and vanilla paste in a bowl, set them aside.
- Place self raising flour, baking powder, sugar, and butter in a bowl of a food processor.
- Blitz on high speed for 7-8 seconds until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.
- Pour the milk mixture and currants over the flour and blitz for another 7-8 seconds until the mixture turns into a dough ball.
- To make the scones traditional way without a food processor, place the flour, baking powder, butter, and sugar in a large bowl. Rub the butter in flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture, add the currants, and stir gently until just combined.
- Transfer the dough onto a clean surface and knead gently for a few seconds. Avoid over mixing to keep the scones tender.
- Lightly dust the dough with a little flour and gently roll the dough out into a 1 inch (2½ cm) thick round.
- Use a round cutter (or a glass) to cut out scones. Gather any scraps, reshape, and cut out more scones. I used 2½ inch (6½ cm) cutter and it gave me 6 scones.
- Preheat the air fryer to 392°F (200°C) for a couple of minutes. Place a sheet of parchment paper in the air fryer basket.
- Arrange the scones in a single layer, leaving space between them. Brush the tops with a little milk for a golden finish.
- Air fry for 8-10 minutes until lightly golden and puffed up.
- Transfer to a wire rack and let cool slightly before serving.
Notes
- Stir just until the dough comes together. Overworking it can lead to dense scones.
- Leave space between the scones so the air can circulate evenly. If needed, bake in batches.
- Preheat your air fryer for a couple of minutes before placing the scones.
- The dough should be soft and sticky, so avoid adding extra flour when kneading or rolling it out.
- For even rising, press the cutter straight down and lift it without twisting. Dip the cutter in flour to prevent sticking, and clean off any dough buildup.
- When brushing the tops, avoid letting any liquid drip down the sides, as this can affect the rise.
