A three-ingredient scone recipe using lemonade, cream, and self-raising flour yields light, fluffy scones without butter, milk, or eggs. The secret is carbonated lemonade, costing just £1.
The Unexpected Ingredient
Chef Carina of Recipes by Carina regularly relies on an unexpected ingredient costing just £1 to produce the fluffiest, most pillowy scones imaginable. The secret ingredient is carbonated lemonade, such as Sprite or 7UP, not the traditional cloudy variety.
"It might seem like magic, but mixed with just self-rising flour and cream, these three ingredients create the most delicious light and fluffy scones and also the easiest scones you will ever make," Carina explained. Unlike conventional scones, which require cold butter to be rubbed into flour before milk is added, this method simply brings together lemonade, cream, and self-raising flour.
How It Works
The cream fulfils the same role as butter in the recipe, coating the flour while becoming gloriously "light and fluffy" courtesy of the carbonated lemonade. If lemonade isn't available, these scones can be made with sparkling water and a couple of tablespoons of sugar. Still water or still lemonade won't work as substitutes, since the carbonation is essential for the scones to rise correctly.
Those seeking a lower-fat alternative can replace the cream with full-fat Greek yoghurt or buttermilk. Both substitutes contain considerably less fat than cream, meaning the finished scones will be noticeably less rich.
How to Make Easy Three-Ingredient Scones
According to the chef, here's what you'll need to make 12 scones. If you don't have self-raising flour, you can use plain flour with baking powder instead.
Ingredients
- 500g of self-raising flour
- 300ml of double cream
- 300ml of carbonated lemonade
Method
Begin by preheating your oven to 220°C or 200°C for fan and/or Gas seven. Line a baking tray with non-stick baking paper and set aside. To make the dough, tip the self-raising flour into a large mixing bowl. Add the double cream and lemonade, then carefully combine everything using a wooden spoon.
Avoid overworking the mixture — stir just until the flour is fully incorporated and the dough appears soft and slightly rough. Lightly dust your work surface with flour, turn out the dough and pat it into a rectangle approximately four centimetres thick. This proved to be the trickiest stage, as the dough turned out far too wet and sticky, requiring a substantial amount of additional flour to achieve a more workable consistency. Cut into scones using a cutter or a sharp knife.
Gather and re-shape any offcuts to make extra scones. Place the scones on the prepared tray and lightly brush the tops with a little milk. Bake for 20–25 minutes, until puffed up and golden. Leave to cool before serving.
My Verdict
These scones were undeniably light, fluffy and wonderfully soft. However, on my next attempt, I would incorporate additional flour (roughly 200g more) to make the dough easier to handle without kneading. My scones also failed to rise as much as anticipated. This may well have been down to my own mistake, but to be on the safe side, I would incorporate some baking powder.
They made for a thoroughly enjoyable treat, though as someone with a particularly sweet tooth, I would also throw in sugar, salt and vanilla extract to amplify the flavour. That said, these scones were thoroughly tasty, straightforward to prepare, and proved to be a real hit in my household.
