These Hot Cross Scones are a speedy alternative to baking the real thing, yet they have all the familiar spice and flavours you want from a Hot Cross Bun.

Heady with spices and studded with sultanas, these scones simply need a generous spread of butter.

Pop the kettle on, make a cuppa and devour this home-baked Easter treat.

I’ve simply iced a cross on these scones, for the photos – they are Hot Cross Scones after all – but they don’t really need it to be honest. I just wanted to make them look more festive!

They were a bit of baking inspiration for me over the weekend, I really wanted to make some hot cross buns but I was limited with time so I whipped these up before Sunday dinner, making the most of the hot oven.

I had made a trial batch the day before, experimenting with spelt flour, but they didn’t rise very well.

I loved the flavours however, so I switched back to an all-white flour batch and they were perfect.

They do look a wee bit wholemeal-ly but that’s down to the spices and the light muscovado sugar I’ve sweetened them with.

If you wanted to make the crosses a little more permanent then you could lay little thin strips of shortcrust pastry over the scones before you baked them. 

I wanted a quick bake so I iced them after they had cooled. Totally up to you!

Hot Cross Scones

Makes around 12 scones.

• 450 g self-raising flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 slightly heaped tsp mixed spice
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 100 g unsalted butter, cubed
• 75 g light muscovado sugar (or light brown sugar)
• 100 g sultanas
• 275 g milk (approx)

Preheat oven to 220ºC / 424ºF / gas 7.

Sift the self-raising flour, baking powder, salt and mixed spice into a large mixing bowl.

Add the cubed butter and rub to crumbs with your fingertips. Alternatively, pulse together in a food processor.

Stir in the light muscovado sugar and the sultanas.

Add most of the milk (you may not need all of it, you may need a spot more) and cut it into the mixture using a table knife, then switch to your hands to bring the dough together. As with all scones, try not to over work the dough.

Roll out on a lightly floured work surface to 2 cm thick.

Use a 6 cm fluted cutter to stamp out the scones. Don’t twist the cutter in the dough or you’ll end up with a lopsided scone.

Transfer to a baking sheet and bake for around 12 minutes in the preheated oven until risen and golden.

Cool on a wire rack.

Ice once cool if needed: mix icing sugar with a little splash of cold water or lemon juice to make icing thick enough to drizzle crosses over the scones.

Serve with butter and eat fresh.

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Try these posts:

Hot Cross Bun Crown. A plaited crown of spiced fruited bread, a perfect Easter centerpiece.

Simnel Cupcakes. Light fruit cupcakes filled with hidden marzipan and topped with 11 little marzipan balls.

Oaty Easter Cookies. A simple oat cookie studded with mini eggs.

Hot Cross Buns The real thing, and oh so much better than buying them from the supermarket!

Cheese and Onion Super Scones a delicious savoury scone, perfect for picnics!

By Rachel A Davis  

Are you tempted with these scones? How would you serve them?