Belinda Jeffreys’ Fluffy Buttermilk Scone Recipe

There’s something deeply nostalgic about a freshly baked batch of scones, and in this recipe, Belinda Jeffreys captures that feeling beautifully.

Inspired by her mother, affectionately known as Cooee, these fluffy buttermilk scones carry the warmth of spontaneous hospitality—where an unexpected guest was never a disruption, but an invitation to create something special.

Cooee had a gift: she could slip into the kitchen and, almost as if by magic, return moments later with a basket of warm, tender scones wrapped in a crisp tea towel. Served with homemade strawberry jam, softly whipped cream and neat triangles of butter, it was a simple ritual elevated to something memorable. This recipe honours that tradition, effortless, generous, and utterly comforting, perfect for recreating a timeless afternoon tea at home.

Images and text from The Baker’s Book edited by Ruby Goss, photography by Rochelle Eagle, illustrations by Beci Orpin. Murdoch Books RRP $45.

Ingredients

• 3 cups (450 g) self-raising flour
• 1 cup (150 g) whole-wheat self-raising flour
• ¼ cup (55 g) caster (superfine) sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 180 g (6¼ oz) chilled, unsalted cultured butter, finely diced
• 200 g (7 oz) sultanas (golden raisins) or roughly chopped, pitted dates (optional)
• 2 cups (500 ml) buttermilk or milk kefir
• plain (all-purpose) flour, for dusting
• To serve butter, or jam and softly whipped cream

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 180°C/350°F fan-forced (200°C/400°F conventional).
2. Dust a heavy baking tray with flour and set it aside. (If you don’t have a heavy baking tray, you can use a lightweight one, but line it with a double thickness of baking paper so the bottoms of the scones don’t burn.)
3. Combine the flours, sugar and salt in a large bowl.
4. Mix them together with a hand whisk for 1 minute so they’re thoroughly combined and aerated.
5. Scatter the little chunks of butter over the top, and use clean fingers to rub the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs. (If you like, you can mix the dry ingredients and cut in the butter using a food processor, then transfer the mixture to a large bowl.)
6. Add the sultanas or dates and toss them about so they’re well coated. Now make a well in the centre. Pour in the buttermilk and stir it in very lightly until the mixture starts to come together into a somewhat sticky dough.
7. Dust a work surface with flour and turn the mixture out onto it.
8. Knead gently until just combined – don’t overdo this or the scones will toughen.
9. Pat the dough out into a round about 4 cm (1½ inches) thick.
10. Dip a scone cutter (the one I use is 5.5 cm/2¼ inches in diameter) or a small tumbler into some flour to prevent the dough sticking to it, then stamp out the scones, dunking the cutter back into the flour before each one.
11. Gently knead together any scraps and cut them again.
12. Snuggle the scones close together on the prepared baking tray and dust them very lightly with flour.
13. Bake for about 20 minutes, until golden.
14. Remove them from the oven and wrap immediately in a clean tea towel (dish towel).
15. Leave for 5 minutes, then serve with butter or lashings of jam and cream.

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