Fried Scones (aka: Utah Scones)
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Light and fluffy Fried Scones – Utah style – served with honey and powdered sugar. So easy to make and dangerously tasty!
Want more tasty ideas? Head to my Easy Fried Yeast Donuts, Mini Cinnamon Rolls, and Blueberry Scones next!
This recipe comes with a bit of an ironic story. When I was younger my family moved to Utah from California. Every year after that I would fly out to visit my cousin Jeanette and stay with her family for a few weeks during the summer. Sometimes my brothers would come too. My Aunt Paula made scones every time we came to visit and I tell ya, my brothers and I could put. them. away.
The ironic part of this story is that because my mother never made them, and the only place I ever ate them was during the summer on our trips to the coast, in my mind these were “California scones”. In my college years I realized that a lot of people around here were familiar with these fried scones. I thought that was strange that so many people here in Utah had tried my Aunt Paula’s California scones. Only a couple of years ago did I put the rest of the puzzle together. My Aunt Paula is actually from Utah originally so she took the recipe with her to California – not the other way around! Honestly, I have no idea who the first person was to ever make a fried scone, and there’s no telling where they lived so really these could be Indiana scones, they could be Paris scones, who knows.
That being said – around here, they are known as “Utah Scones”. So for the sake of this post, we’re gonna stick with that. If you’re from Indiana and your great great great grandpappy invented the fried scone – you lucky duck you must be so proud! Let me know so that I can properly call these Grandpappy’s Indiana Scones.
Regardless of their origin, the bottom line here is that these are insanely good in that way that indulgent fried foods always are. No, I don’t suggest you make fried scones your daily breakfast routine, but every once in a while you’ve gotta live a little and fried scones for breakfast is living. These are golden, soft and puffy-fluffy pillows of joy that will make you cry they’re so wonderful. You can top them with butter, honey-butter, syrup, chocolate sauce, or just about anything else your little heart desires – our favorite is honey and powdered sugar! Yumm-o.
More Recipes to Try
- Blueberry Cream Cheese French Toast Muffins – creamy, fruity, and perfectly sweet.
- Pumpkin Scones with Maple Glaze – the perfect fall treat for breakfast, brunch, or an afternoon coffee break.
- Cinnamon Roll Ups – skip the yeast and enjoy bakery-style cinnamon rolls in a fraction of the time.
When you make this recipe, snap a photo and tag me on social – I love connecting with you and seeing what you’re up to in the kitchen!
Fried Scones (aka: Utah Scones)
Ingredients
- 1 cup hot water
- 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
- ⅓ cup oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup sugar
- 3 ½ cups flour
- 1 egg, beaten
- 2 quarts oil, for frying
- toppings, see notes
Instructions
- Mix 3 tablespoons of warm water with yeast adding a pinch of sugar. Set aside for 10 minutes (mixture will rise and foam).
- While yeast is rising, combine hot water, oil, salt, and sugar in a large bowl.
- Add egg to the yeast mixture and mix well. Add the egg/yeast mixture to the oil/sugar mixture. Stir well.
- Gradually add flour stirring well after each addition. Knead the dough as it stiffens until you get a doughy, elastic consistency ( about 5 minutes)
- Place dough in a well-greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Let dough rise for about 30 minutes or until double in size.
Frying Directions
- Line cooling racks or plates with paper towels. Fill a large sauce pan with 2 inches of oil and heat to 350-375 degrees Fahrenheit over medium-high heat.
- Meanwhile, punch down dough and divide into 12 balls. Roll out a piece of dough on a lightly floured surface into 1/4-inch thick circles or squares. Use your fingers to stretch out the balls of dough.
- Carefully place two or three balls of dough in the oil and fry until golden brown on each side (about 1-2 mins). Transfer to paper towels to drain. Repeat until the dough is all fried.
- Serve hot with honey butter, butter, syrup, or powdered sugar. Our favorite is honey and powdered sugar!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
*Original recipe source: Bakerette <— Visit this site for great instructions on how to prepare these scones ahead of time.
Hot water and yeast should not be in the same recipe. Against my better judgment, I followed the recipe exactly. The hot water killed my yeast culture and the dough did not rise. Not only am I out the cost of the ingredients and the hour I waited for the dough to rise, but now I have to go out for breakfast instead of having my Birthday celebrated at home. Update the recipe. Warm water would work just fine. I wish I would have listened to myself.
What is the serving size on which the nutritional information is based?
It’s per serving 🙂
Can you store left over dough IN fridge and cook fresh daily
You can make scone dough up to three days ahead. Shape into 3/4″-thick disks, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate until ready to cut and bake.
Do I heat 1 cup of water and use 3 Tbps. of it for the yeast and 13 Tbsp. of it for the sugar/oil? Or do I actually need 1 cup hot water PLUS 3 Tbsp hot water? Thanks
Sorry for the confusion. You would heat up 1 cup of water, use 3 tbsp and then mix the rest in in step 2. Hope you enjoy this recipe! 🙂
ah haha! I grew up in Utah and thought that fried scones were the only scones. Fast forward 10 years at a university in Boston coffee shop, “where are the scones?” Those aren’t scones. Finally I know why. So I made a bunch. What to do with extra dough?
Haha that’s great. I hope you enjoy these! 🙂 If you have a little bit of dough left you can just make more scones. Or if you have quite a bit left you can freeze it for about 3-4 weeks.
Will the dough still feel sticky? I kneaded a little over 5 minutes and its still somewhat sticky.
Do you have to cover the dough while it rises?
No, you don’t have to.
Thee absolute best scone recipe I have ever made!!! It was rainy and we were in the mood for some chicken noodle soup and scones. This was incredible, and tasted just like the famous Utah scones I have had as well.
Thank you for your kind review! Sounds like a rainy evening well spent 🙂
I am from Utah too and I love these scones. Do you think they would keep well overnight so I could take to work the next day?
Yes, these should last a couple days.
I love your recipes. I’m making Utah scones right now.
Thank you! 🙂 I hope you love this one too!