Kid-friendly Create-Your-Own Scones Recipe - Sticky Fingers Cooking
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Recipe: Create-Your-Own Scones

Recipe: Create-Your-Own Scones

Create-Your-Own Scones

by Erin Fletter
Photo by M.Somchai/Shutterstock.com
prep time
20 minutes
cook time
25 minutes
makes
6-12 servings

Fun Food Story

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Create-Your-Own Scones

Most things in life are more or less similar to baking cakes. Just roll with them! We’ve found that making scones with kids is one of the easiest recipes to cook with them. What we love about this recipe is that it doesn’t require perfection to turn out okay. The kids are so proud of their work that by the time they slap a little cream onto their scones, they think they taste the best! So if they slightly over-measure a cup of flour or it looks like they are overworking the dough (their hands are lighter than ours), don’t fret. Give them some creative space and see how they do!

Happy & Healthy Cooking,

Chef Erin, Food-Geek-in-Chief

Fun-Da-Mentals Kitchen Skills

  • bake :

    to cook food with dry heat, as in an oven.

  • brush :

    to apply a liquid, like melted butter or marinade, to a pan or a food.

  • chop :

    to cut something into small, rough pieces using a blade.

  • fold :

    to gently and slowly mix a light ingredient into a heavier ingredient so as not to lose air and to keep the mixture tender, such as incorporating whipped egg whites into a cake batter or folding blueberries into pancake batter; folding is a gentler action than mixing or whisking.

  • measure :

    to calculate the specific amount of an ingredient required using a measuring tool (like measuring cups or spoons).

  • mix :

    to thoroughly combine two or more ingredients until uniform in texture.

  • preheat :

    to set an oven to the desired temperature a few minutes before cooking, so it reaches that temperature by the time you place the food in it.

Equipment Checklist

  • Oven
  • Oven mitt
  • Baking sheet
  • Parchment paper
  • Cutting board
  • Kid-safe knife
  • Large mixing bowl
  • Dry measuring cups
  • Measuring spoons
  • Liquid measuring cup
  • Wooden spoon
scale
1X
2X
3X
4X
5X
6X
7X

Ingredients

Create-Your-Own Scones

  • 2 to 2 1/4 C all-purpose wheat or white flour **(for GLUTEN ALLERGY sub gluten-free flour blend with xanthan gum)**
  • 3 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 2 T + 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 C heavy whipping cream **(for DAIRY ALLERGY sub 1 can full-fat coconut milk)**
  • Add-in options (choose at least 4, watching for allergies): pure vanilla extract, chopped fruit (dried, frozen, or fresh), chocolate chips, shredded coconut, cinnamon, lemon zest, candied ginger

Food Allergen Substitutions

Create-Your-Own Scones

  • Gluten/Wheat: Substitute gluten-free flour blend with xanthan gum for all-purpose flour in Scones.
  • Dairy: Substitute 1 can full-fat coconut milk for 1 1/2 C heavy whipping cream in Scones.

Instructions

Create-Your-Own Scones

1.
intro

"Halò" (Ha-low)! ("Hello" in Scottish Gaelic!) You'll be making scones today, which originated in Scotland! Kid chefs will choose about 1 tablespoon total add-ins (in whatever combination they like) for each scone.

2.
preheat + measure + mix

Preheat the oven to 400 F, then make your scone dough! To a large mixing bowl, measure and add 2 cups flour, 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt. Mix together. Next, add 1 1/2 cups of heavy whipping cream. Mix with a spoon until all bits of flour disappear, but don’t overmix! If dough is too sticky, add up to 1/4 cup more flour. Set aside the dough.

3.
choose + chop + mix

Now for the really fun part! Have kids choose their creative add-in ingredients: dried, frozen, or fresh chopped fruit, herbs, chocolate chips, shredded coconut, cinnamon, lemon or orange zest, candied ginger, etc. in any combinations they like. They can chop and mix together their add-in ingredients.

4.
divide + fold + flatten

Divide the dough into about 12 pieces. Sprinkle some flour onto a clean, flat surface (like a cutting board or countertop) for each child. Have kids add their creative ingredients and fold them into their dough pieces with their hands. Then they can flatten their scones with their hands.

5.
brush + bake

Brush each scone with whipping cream and sprinkle with sugar. Arrange scones on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for about 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown on top! Top with Creative Whipped Cream and Mashed Fruit Jams!

Surprise Ingredient: Flour!

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Photo by WiP-Studio/Shutterstock.com

Hi! I’m Flour!

"Happy Baking, Friends! I'm Flour, and I'm a VIP (Very Important Powder)! I'm really quite useful (and humble). You can use me to make breads, cakes, cookies, crackers, crumpets, doughnuts, muffins, pancakes, pasta, waffles, and more. (Which is your favorite?) I can coat vegetables and meats before frying them in oil, and you can combine me with a fat to make a roux to thicken sauces and gravies. You can even make play dough and glue with me. Can you see now why I'm a VIP?"

History 

  • Around 8,000 to 15,000 years ago, people discovered that they could crush wheat seeds between simple grindstones to make flour. 
  • When you grind cereal grains, beans, seeds, or roots (like cassava), they become a powder, resulting in flour. Some of the grains besides wheat that can be ground into flour are rye, buckwheat, barley, corn, oat, and rice. Other foods used to make flour are potatoes, acorns, mesquite, cassava, soybeans, garbanzo beans (or chickpeas), amaranth, and even bananas! 
  • Flour is the primary component of bread, and bread is a staple in many countries. Therefore, sufficient amounts of flour are critical, which has caused major economic and political issues at various times throughout history. 

Anatomy & Etymology

  • Before grains are ground into flour, they are whole pieces taken from a plant. 
  • Each kernel of wheat consists of three parts: the coarse outer bran layer (which contains most of the fiber), the germ, and the endosperm. The endosperm stores the grain's starch, a carbohydrate that the body uses to create energy. Other foods that contain starch are potatoes, pasta, and rice.
  • Whole-wheat flour is the result of grinding or milling the whole grain. It contains all three parts of the kernel—bran, endosperm, and germ.
  • White flour has been refined or polished and bleached to remove the bran. As a result, white flour has less fiber than whole-wheat flour and fewer nutrients, too.  
  • The word "flour" is originally a variant of the word "flower." Both derive from the Old French "fleur" or "flour," literally "blossom," and figuratively "the finest" (of the milled grain). 

How Flour is made

  • Flour is made in nearly every country in the world. 
  • First, farmers plant wheat seeds, and plants begin to grow. Then, when they are ready to harvest, farmers collect them with giant machines called combines. 
  • Combines cut, separate, and clean the wheat at the same time. The grain must be completely dry before storing, so farmers don't harvest it when it's rainy. 
  • Then, they transfer the flour to a mill (a building where grains are ground into flour), where a miller will oversee the grinding of the wheat grain into flour.
  • One whole wheat grain makes over 20,000 particles of flour!

Nutrition

  • Flour contains protein and is a significant source of carbohydrates.
  • Carbohydrates are a direct source of energy for the body. Our bodies first have to make some changes to the carbohydrates, but then they are quickly converted to energy by our cells.
  • Fiber helps to keep our intestines happy, feeding the good bacteria in our gut. Whole-wheat, unbleached flour is an excellent source of fiber.
  • Whole wheat contains essential nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, healthy fats, protein, and fiber.
  • Organic, unbleached flour is the healthiest.
  • Wheat-free and gluten-free flours are vital to people who have celiac disease, wheat allergies, or gluten intolerance (or non-celiac gluten sensitivity). Varieties of gluten-free flours include those made from: almonds, amaranth, buckwheat, corn, garbanzo beans (or chickpeas), millet, quinoa, rice, sorghum, soybeans, and teff. 

 

History of Scones!

Photo by DronG/Shutterstock.com
  • Scones (either rhyming with "Jones" or "Johns") are fluffy, buttery quick breads made from wheat or oatmeal that were invented in Scotland. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the word "scone" was first mentioned in 1513. Before the mid-1800s, when baking soda and baking powder were invented and later popularized, bakers made scones with burnt seaweed, sour milk, and acidic fruits (such as currants), which acted as the rising agents. The dough was wrapped in cabbage leaves, cooked over hot coals, and later over a griddle on a wood-burning stove. 
  • The baking of scones evolved to use baking powder, baking soda, and buttermilk, and they are usually baked in ovens. You can serve sweet or savory scones for breakfast, but you can also have them in the afternoon with tea or coffee. In Britain, they are served daily with the traditional clotted cream for the English tradition of "afternoon tea."
  • Some say the word "scone" comes from the Dutch word "schoonbrood," which means clean (or fine, white) bread, while others argue it comes from the town of Scone, where the Kings of Scotland were crowned at the Stone of Destiny.

Let's Learn About Scotland!

Photo by Alexey Fedorenko/Shutterstock.com
  • Scotland is a country in Europe, at the northern end of the island of Great Britain, and is part of the United Kingdom, along with England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.  
  • Scotland is made up of over 700 islands! These include the Orkney, Shetland, and Hebrides archipelagos (island groups).
  • Edinburgh is Scotland's capital city and is famous for Edinburgh Castle. Glasgow is the largest city. 
  • Scotland is home to much wildlife, including seals, mountain hare, ptarmigan, stoats, and the golden eagle. 
  • The national animal of Scotland is the mythical Unicorn, loved for its purity and strength. 
  • The thistle is a national symbol of Scotland!  
  • In Scotland, people drive on the left-hand side of the road!  
  • Scotland has a unique culture with traditions like bagpipes, kilts, tartans, and highland dancing.
  • Two sports invented in Scotland are golf and curling. Golf first appeared in the 15th century and curling in the early 16th century. Scottish settlers to Canada brought curling with them, where it has become very popular.
  • Archaeological evidence suggests that the first indoor toilets were possibly built in 3,000 BCE in a Neolithic settlement on Mainland, the largest of the Orkney Islands.
  • Scotland was the first country worldwide to educate both boys and girls, beginning in the 17th century.
  • Scottish dishes are well-known for their peculiar names: Forfar Bridie (meat pie), Cock-a-leekie (soup), Collops (thin meat slices), Crappit heid (stuffed boiled fish head), Arbroath smokie (smoked haddock), Partan bree (seafood soup), Rumbledethumps (potato, cabbage, and onion dish), and Skirlie (oatmeal side dish).  
  • The most infamous Scottish dish is "Haggis," a savory pudding. It is usually made with sheep's 'pluck' (heart, liver, and lungs) that is minced and combined with onion, oatmeal, suet, spices, and salt, then mixed with stock, and traditionally boiled in a casing of the animal's stomach for about an hour.

What's It Like to Be a Kid in Scotland?

  • In addition to Haggis, kids may eat "Neeps and Tatties" (mashed turnips and potatoes). Some popular sweets are Shortbread biscuits (cookies); Scottish Tablet, a medium-hard sugary confection made with sweetened condensed milk, sugar, and butter; and Irn-Bru, a carbonated soft drink.
  • Scottish kids may play football (soccer), rugby, curling, golf, tennis, cricket, shinty (similar to field hockey), and ice hockey.
  • Scotland is full of places to hike and lochs (lakes) and castles to visit. On the Isle of Skye, Fairy Glen is a popular place for kids to explore. Its name comes from the unusual land formations on the hills. 
  • Kids can ride the Harry Potter Train (actually the Jacobite Steam Train) that runs from Fort William to Mallaig in the Scottish Highlands. The train crosses the Glenfinnan Viaduct, which was seen in a Harry Potter movie when the Hogwarts Express crosses it.

THYME for a Laugh

What did the yeast say to the bag of flour? 

Come on! We knead to be serious!

That's Berry Funny

What did the cherry give to the chocolate cake on Valentine’s Day? 

Flours!

THYME for a Laugh

What are the most powerful biscuits in the universe?

The Infinity Scones!

Lettuce Joke Around

Have you heard of the rock-and-roll band that every baker in town talks about?

They call themselves the Rolling SCONES!

That's Berry Funny

What do bakers give their moms on Mother's Day? 

Flours!

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