They're known by many different names...Utah Scones, Indian Fry Bread, Deep Fried Scones, or even Pan Fried Scones. No matter the name, this sweet treat is addictingly delicious! This recipe is easy, made without yeast, and requires no rise time!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- If you're looking for the type of scone with soft, chewy insides and crispy outsides, this is it!
- A delicious scone dripping with melted butter and honey cannot be beaten!
- Quick and easy recipe! No yeast! No waiting for the dough to rise! Just whip up, cut out, and fry!
Ingredient Notes
- Flour - Just regular all-purpose flour.
- Baking Powder - The baking powder is an important ingredient in this recipe. Baking powder activates with heat. That's why this recipe calls for the milk added to the dry ingredients to be warm. Baking powder is also the reason the scones puff up in the hot cooking oil. Baking powder is what makes yeast unnecessary as well.
- Cooking Oil - I have olive oil pictured, but you can use whatever oil you prefer to fry your scones. You could use vegetable oil, canola oil, peanut oil, or even shortening.
How to make
- Pour oil of your choice into a deep frying pan, electric skillet, or other deep pan to roughly 1 ½ inches to 2 inches of oil deep.
- Heat oil over medium heat to approximately 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- While the oil is heating, measure the flour, salt, and baking powder into a large bowl.
- Carefully heat the milk in the microwave for 30-45 seconds. The milk should be warm but not hot. Think baby's bath water warm.
- Combine milk with the dry ingredients and mix with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until a sticky and somewhat fluffy dough comes together.
- Dump the sticky dough onto a well-floured cutting board, baking mat, or flat surface.
- Sprinkle with flour, and knead just a couple of times so the dough isn't sticky to the touch anymore but still a soft dough.
- Don't go overboard with the kneading. The warm milk has activated the baking powder, and over-kneading with deflate the dough and make the scones tough.
- Pat the dough out into a rectangle shape about ¼ inch thick with your hands, as it's easier than using a rolling pin.
- You can use a biscuit cutter if you want round scones, I personally just use a pizza cutter to cut out squares or rectangles so I don't have to overwork the dough by having to re-roll it out.
- I get roughly 12 pieces of dough.
- Brush off excess flour from the dough pieces before carefully placing them in the hot oil.
- Add more scone dough pieces to the frying oil to fill the pan without overcrowding.
- Use tongs to turn the scones over once the bottoms are golden brown.
- Once golden brown on both sides, remove the hot scones with tongs and place them on a paper lined with paper towels to absorb the excess oil.
- Serve these Utah-style scones hot with butter, honey, or powdered sugar!
Recipe FAQs
What's the difference between scones and fry bread?
There's not a lot of difference except for what they're served with, in my opinion. When I hear scones, I think of fried bread dough with butter and honey. When I hear fry bread, I think of Navajo tacos with ground meat and cheese.
Why do Utahns call fry bread scones?
Honestly, I have no idea. Just one of our regional quirks.
What should I serve with my scones?
Butter and honey are my go-to because they're right in the cupboard, but flavored butters are seriously the way to go! Try some Easy Honey Butter, Cinnamon Honey Butter, or even some Raspberry Butter!
Related Recipes
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Fried Scones Recipe
They're known by many different names...Utah Scones, Indian Fry Bread, Deep Fried Scones, or even Pan Fried Scones. No matter the name, they are addictingly delicious! This recipe is easy, made without yeast, and requires no rise time!
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ Cups Flour
- 1 ½ Tbs Baking Powder
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 ¼ Cups Warm Milk
- Oil for frying
Instructions
- Pour oil of your choice into a deep frying pan, electric skillet, or other deep pan to roughly 1 ½ inches to 2 inches of oil deep.
- Heat oil over medium heat to approximately 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- While the oil is heating, measure the flour, salt, and baking powder into a large bowl.
- Carefully heat the milk in the microwave for 30-45 seconds. The milk should be warm but not hot. Think baby's bath water warm.
- Combine milk with the dry ingredients and mix with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until a sticky and somewhat fluffy dough comes together.
- Dump the sticky dough onto a well-floured cutting board, baking mat, or flat surface.
- Sprinkle with flour, and knead just a couple of times so the dough isn't sticky to the touch anymore but still a soft dough.
- Don't go overboard with the kneading. The warm milk has activated the baking powder, and over-kneading with deflate the dough and make the scones tough.
- Pat the dough out into a rectangle shape about ¼ inch thick.
- You can use a biscuit cutter if you want round scones; I personally just use a pizza cutter to cut out squares or rectangles so I don't have to overwork the dough by having to re-roll it out.
- I get roughly 12 pieces of dough.
- Brush off excess flour from the dough pieces before carefully placing them in the hot oil.
- Add more scone dough pieces to the frying oil to fill the pan without overcrowding.
- Use tongs to turn the scones over once the bottoms are golden brown.
- Once golden brown on both sides, remove the hot scones with tongs and place them on a paper lined with paper towels to absorb the excess oil.
- Serve these Utah-style scones hot with butter, honey, or powdered sugar!
Notes
- Flour - Just regular all-purpose flour.
- Baking Powder - The baking powder is an important ingredient in this recipe. Baking powder activates with heat. That's why this recipe calls for the milk added to the dry ingredients to be warm. Baking powder is also the reason the scones puff up in the hot cooking oil. Baking powder is what makes yeast unnecessary as well.
- Cooking Oil - I have olive oil pictured, but you can use whatever oil you prefer to fry your scones. You could use vegetable oil, canola oil, peanut oil, or even shortening.
- Nutritional Disclaimer
Nutrition
Calories: 96kcalCarbohydrates: 20gProtein: 2gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0.5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.03gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 4mgSodium: 199mgPotassium: 49mgFiber: 0.5gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 42IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 154mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Randy Bewley
Hey, good recipe. I had to add quite a bit more flour to get to a soft dough that wasn't sticking to everything, but came out great. Maybe start with "packed tightly " 2¼ cups. Everything else was great. Had to fight for the last one.
Tina
As a fry bread maker I know the reason these are scones is the liquid is milk and not warm water. Some fry breads will have powdered milk as an ingredient but the liquid is always water. Hope that clears things up.
Jeff
Love scones and these rate at the top
Angela
I know these as Indian Fry Bread and they are incredible! My kids went crazy for them. Thanks for the great recipe!
Sue
I adore scones and have never heard of this recipe, can't wait to try!
Renee | The Good Hearted Woman
(Aaaah...give me a minute; I'm having a Sconecutter flashback.) These scones are delicious!! We especially love them slathered with honey-butter!
Tavo
Nice! I really enjoyed making these scones! I had the ingredients handy and thought, why not? De-LI!
Anjali
I remember getting fried scones at the fair when I was a kid but never knew how to recreate that recipe at home! I can't wait to try your version soon - it brings me back to my childhood!
Tracy Dall
Would you be able to convert this for an air fryer? Looks super yummy!!
mindeescookingobsession
Hmmm....I don't know that they would turn out well in an air fryer.
Brandon
This is the exact recipe I was looking for! Thank you for posting this. We just made them and my whole family loves them!
mindeescookingobsession
You're welcome!!!