It’s a fact universally acknowledged that scones are amazing. Be they simple or fancy they bring joy to the tea table wherever they appear. These treacle scones are full of flavour just so perfect to cozy up with alongside your favourite cuppa.
Treacle Scones
This is Halloween and apart from pumpkins (originally turnips for lanterns here in Scotland) and witches etc treacle scones are part of the Halloween traditions in Scotland. As kids we would have to try to bite the treacle scones (they were covered in the stuff) that were hung up in the kitchen as a Halloween party game.
Those were sticky times. These treacle scones are scones with treacle (molasses) backed within them. There’s a big difference here. You don’t end up wearing the sticky stuff and mine taste just great.
What is treacle?
Yes, I know, seems like a daft question to us in the UK. But to folks over in the US treacle is called molasses. There is a bit of confusion here. As the word Treacle is defined as any syrup made in the refining of cane sugar. This includes molasses. Golden syrup is is a lighter version of treacle. Real treacle is the rich dark almost black sugar syrup we buy here in the UK in lovely old fashioned tins.
I’m using treacle here, not golden syrup.
Simply scones
Treacle scones are so easy to make and part of our famed baking tradition in Scotland. This recipe is from my book Simply Scottish Cakes & Bakes where you will find a plethora of baked goodies that all hale from this part of the world. Here is another nice Autumnal/Winter type scone recipe for you, my spiced apple scones.
Afternoon tea
Scones are part and parcel of the traditional afternoon tea or the old word for such an event in Scotland was a cookie shine. Isn’t that lovely, cookie shine sounds so much more special than afternoon tea I think.
Anyway back to those treacle scones, they are easy to make just a simple scone recipe but you are adding in melted butter with treacle to the egg and milk mixture before you mix it into your breadcrumb like mix of flour, sugar and salt. Mix, knead just two times, roll out and cut into 8 circles to make your treacle scones.
The lowdown on these treacle scones
How long will they last? Scones are always better on the day they are made. However they will keep for a couple of days well wrapped or in a sealed tin. Warm them in the oven to liven them up a bit.
Can you freeze treacle scones? Yes, wrap well in clingfilm then pop into a labeled freezer bag and they will freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost thoroughly of course.
How do you serve them? Serve with butter and marmalade or just plain butter while they are still warm. Aah perfect with a nice big cuppa on a chilly day.
Fancy some more scones for your tea table. Then check these out;
Finally, if you try my recipe for treacle scones do please leave a comment/rating below. I love hearing from readers and reply to everyone. Want more Larder Love, then follow me on Instagram and Facebook and sign up for my weekly newsletter too.
TREACLE SCONES
Ingredients
- 225 g/8oz self raising flour
- 1 tbsp caster sugar
- Pinch salt
- 90 g/3oz chilled butter
- 1 egg
- 4 tbsp milk
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp mixed spice
- 1 tbsp treacle
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200C/400F and line a baking tray
- Sift the flour, salt and spices into a large bowl and make a little well in the centre
- Gently heat the butter with the sugar and treacle and stir till sugar has dissolved completely
- Let this cool a little before adding the egg and most of the milk (save a litte to glaze the scones before baking) then pour into the well made in the dry mix.
- Stir to combine to a soft dough
- Turn out on to a floured surface and knead once or twice
- Roll to 3-4cm thick (1 ½”) and using a round cookie cutter or small glass cut out rounds
- Place on prepared baking tray and brush with milk to glaze
- Bake for approx 12 mins till golden brown
- Makes approx 8 scones serve warm with butter
PIN ME FOR LATER
HI! I’m really looking forward to making these, but was wondering if you use aslack treacle or golden treacle syrup for these. I assume the golden syrup since aslack is more bitter tasting. Thanks!
Hi Laura
This is traditional black treacle, just 1 tablespoon. Golden syrup is different stuff completely. Hope this helps.
K x
These are delicious. I didn’t have any ground ginger so used ground cinnamon instead. Also added a bit of cream of tartar and bicarbonate of soda as some other treacle scone recipes suggest. Fabulous fresh out of the oven and they warm up again really well too. Will try without the extra raising agents next time.
Hi Kath
So glad they were such a success for you.
All best
K