It mainly just makes them easier to cut when they're done because scones can be rather crumbly and such. Some people cute them first and bake the individual pieces. Scoring makes for a neat finished product. Keeps them from being crushed or broken when you're making triangles out of a circle piece of dough.

"Some people cute them first and bake the individual pieces."

That's how I do it. I start by hand forming a thick disk of dough. I like the surface to be rough so I usually have to rough it up with a fork. That makes nice brown bits all over the crust when it bakes. I sprinkle the disk with granulated sugar, cut it into eight separate wedges, and bake.

Jim

There are many methods for making scones. They can be rolled, shaped, or dropped. Scoring the dough is a method that aids in keeping the baked dough from cracking or shredding (blowing out the side of the dough) during baking. The cut should be fairly deep in the dough.

Helpful scone hint: Making scones is similar to making biscuits, and the same advice applies - keep mixing to a bare minimum so you don't over-develop the gluten. Keep kneading to a bare minimum.

-Grainlady

My scottish friend taught me to do as Jim suggested.... make a disk about 1-1/2 inches thick and cut into 8 wedges pulling them apart a bit; then bake as directed.

She also agreed with Grainlady's advice on not handling the dough any more than needed.

Also, have your oven totally preheated before even starting to mix the dough.

Pat the dough out to 1/2 inch or so thick. Cut into six or eight wedges and spread them out on a parchment covered cookie sheet.

As mentioned, the secret to a tender scone or biscuit is to not over work or over handle the dough.

Ann

Thank you all very much and Ann appreciate the picture. Alright I feel prepared now:)

Kate

Okay so this morning I made Scottish Oat Scones. I followed the advice of cutting the scones into individual pieces and pulling apart slightly to bake. They tasted good, successful first attempt I would say.

Inexplicably, they look nothing like Ann's scones however:) I have a ways to go yet but enjoyed making this recipe. Thanks again.

Kate

I assumed the scones in Ann's photo had not been baked, but I'm not sure.

Anyway, good scones can vary a lot in appearance. I wouldn't worry if yours looked different.

Jim

Thanks Jim. You now my recipe had two cups of oatmeal in it also giving the scones a really rustic feel. The dough was not something soft that you could knead or anything like that. Just mix ingredients and form into a circle. There wasn't much more shaping you could do per se. I think if I have a dough that's a little more refined if you will they will more closely resemble Ann's.

Have a good weekend.

Kate

Kate,

Would you post your recipe for oat scones? I've been wanting something like that for breakfast.

Jim

Ann_t's photo looks unbaked, I thought.
I figured she posted it to show how they appear before baking.

I made some Pumpkin Spice with Walnut scones the other day.
I wanted smaller "2-bite" scones, so I hand formed the dough into a rectangle.

Then scored it into squares.
Then scored each square diagonally.

I cut down to the cookie sheet I was baking them on,
but did not move them apart.

When baked, they came apart very nicely.

And I 'second' Jimster's request for the oat scone recipe.

Rusty

Yes, in Ann's photo the scones were ready to go in the oven.

Oh geez....now I want a scone! Good thing tomorrow is Saturday, I may find time to bake up a batch!

Linda

Kate,

Would you post your recipe for oat scones? I've been wanting something like that for breakfast.

Jim

Sorry Kate, I should have indicated that this was what the scones looked like ready to go into the oven.

Here is the baked version:

The Williams Sonoma catalog shows scones scored after cutting into triangles. The top is scored in a crisscross pattern. It's very attractive.
Almost as nice as Ann's.

Thanks everyone. Mmm, those scones look so yummy.

Here is a link to the recipe on allrecipes.com. Enjoy.

Kate

Here is a link that might be useful: Scottish Oat Scones