How To Make Scones Using A Cast Iron Skillet
I have been wanting to write a post for some time now about how to make scones using a cast iron skillet. About a month ago Mark and I, along with about 10-12 people, made over 1000 scones. We served them to all the people who walked in the Mayor’s Walk event, courtesy of the St. George, Utah Exchange Club. It’s a civic club that helps the community in many ways, with all volunteers helping make our community a better place to live.
It was so fun to see people from all over the world come and participate in the St. George, Utah Marathon. The family members of the runners get to enjoy scones, juice, and milk after participating in the Mayor’s Walk.
Who Doesn’t Like Scones?
We get to see all different age groups enjoy each other’s company while munching on homemade scones. I must give a shout-out to Mr. Staheli (I wish I had caught his first name during the scone frying), he has been providing the stoves and cast iron pans for years.
He brought this HUGE rectangular pan he was using to fry the scones, he said he made it 30 years ago out of steel. Oh man, do I want one of those! I asked him if he knew anyone who made them, and he said no. But he did mention I should buy the 17-inch Lodge cast iron skillet available at most camping-type stores. He said it was much easier to lift than the HUGE rectangular steel pan.
I’ve been scouring the antique stores and garage sales and online to see if I could find a large frying pan to make scones outside on a propane Camp Chef stove like this one: Camp Chef Explorer Series EX-60LW 2-Burner Modular Cooking System, Black
. I settled on the skillet Mr. Staheli suggested: Lodge L17SK3 Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet, 17-inch
The cool thing about bread dough is all the things you can make out of it. My daughters grew up on scones with canned peaches. We usually fixed them every Sunday night. Oh, you have to have honey butter with them or jam. Maple syrup works great as well.
Linda’s Easy White Bread Recipe
- 1 cup warm milk
- 2 tsp. SAF instant yeast
- 2 tsp. dough enhancer (optional)
- 1 egg
- 1/8 cup oil-I use olive oil
- 3/4 tsp. sea salt
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup warm water
- 3 to 3-1/2 cups white bread flour
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I start with a Bosch bread mixer, although you could make this in a bowl. I put the yeast, warm water, salt, oil, and sugar in the bowl.
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I then add the eggs and lightly mix them in the Bosch so the egg does not “cook”.
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Then I add the warm milk and flour slowly. I continue to add flour until the bread dough pulls away from the sides of the Bosch bowl.
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Then knead the dough for about 7-8 minutes. I place the dough in a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap.
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Let the dough rise until it's double the original size. Then punch down the dough and make it into loaves and place these in greased pans (this recipe makes two-1-pound loaves).
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I let it rise once again (using the same plastic wrap) until doubled in size.
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Remove the plastic wrap and bake them at (350°F) = (176°C) degrees for 27-30 minutes. I lightly butter the tops of each loaf after baking and remove them from the pans.
HOW TO MAKE SCONES aka Fry Bread
- I start with a very large skillet and heat the oil one to two inches deep until I can spritz a few drops of water into the oil ever so carefully, then I know it’s hot enough.
2. You will start with one ball of dough about the size of a tennis ball, maybe a little smaller, but bigger than a golf ball.
3. Then mash the dough with the palm of your hand on a greased countertop and use a rolling pin to roll the dough from the center out. You keep rolling from the center out until they are very thin.
4. Then place them in the hot oil really carefully because the oil will splatter. Here’s the deal, yes, it’s a big mess, but I’m talking about memories right now.
5. Adults and kids always love hot scones. You fry them until they are golden brown, and turn them over to cook the other side until that side is golden brown too.
How To Make Scones
Here is a YouTube showing how I make scones: How To Roll Out The Scones by Food Storage Moms
Honey Butter
- 1/2 cup softened butter
- 1/4 cup honey-I only use pure raw honey
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Whip the softened butter with a hand mixer until fluffy and slowly add the honey to blend together. Chill until ready to use.
I hope you take an afternoon and make scones for your family. Oh, and with the honey butter, they are delicious. Life is so good!
Linda, I have made these for years but called them sopa pia, or indian fry bread. This year I made them using frozen bread dough I had in the freezer for about 6 months and liquid crisco oil I bought from the store the day before. After making two dozen I stored them in cloth bags for my husband and son to take hunting the next day. They told me they tasted different this year and brought half of them home. The ones they brought home after only one week were clearly rancid. I threw them away and had to wash the bags 8 times before I felt I could use the bags again. I believe that the oil we are buying now is different. What kind of oil did you use to fry your scones in? Have you ever had them go rancid so fast?
Hi Sharon, this really concerns me if you bought the liquid Crisco oil the day before. I used Crisco vegetable oil as well. Most oils only store for 6-12 months. Coconut oil has a longer shelf life. Why on earth would the sopa pia’s (I remember calling them that too!) go rancid? I wonder if the flour was rancid when you made them 6 months ago? Or if you bought the dough frozen did it pick up the taste of the freezer? I pulled out some frozen Rhoad’s dough I had for about a year that I use for Monkey bread when my grandkids come and it went bad. It wouldn’t even raise to make the Monkey bread. Just thinking out loud here. If the oil was just purchased and the date on the bottle is not expired it has to be the dough. That is really too bad because the hunters would have loved them! Dang! I am assuming it is the dough. Check your bottle of Crisco, does it smell rancid? Hugs! Linda
Hi Linda. I grew up calling them scones too. I love them. My kids love them. My son loved them so much that for many years he volunteered to cook them for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners instead of dinner rolls. I have had a bad craving for scones for the past couple of weeks. Must satisfy that craving! What good timing for your post. Thank you.
Hi Cindy, I’m so glad to hear that you grew up eating scones like this! What a great idea to make these for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners instead of rolls. Have fun making them, life is good with a scone and some honey butter! Linda
When I was growing up, my mother baked her own bread. On baking day, she made “dough gobs”! She pinched a ball of the risen dough and deep fried it. Then, we bit a small opening on the fried bread and filled the ball with jam or honey. Sometimes she rolled the fried balls in cinnamon sugar but generally we just had them with honey or jam.
I think the principal is the same but mom didn’t roll the dough out before frying.
Hi Leanne, oh my gosh, I have got to try this! My mouth is watering! My daughters and grandkids would love these!!! Thank you so much for the idea! Linda
Thanks for this post. It is so awesome!! My Mom didn’t roll her dough out either & we called it fried bread. She would pinch off some dough & stretch it, then put it in the grease to fry. Oh how we loved them!! You have brought back so many memories!!
I read the above reply to your post. We made biscuits on a fat willow stick by stretching dough, not too thin & wrapping it around the stick. Pulled it off when done & filling it full of jam. Other things can be used but our family preferred jam. Mama made lots of bread, I’m from a family of 10 with my grandfather, cousins & friends always being there.
Love your ideas & all of the help you give. May you be blessed for all the sharing & helping of others that you always do.
Hi LaRene, Oh my gosh, I can picture the stick with the bread dough over the fire! My mouth is watering just so you know, girlfriend! I have got to do that with my grandkids the next time they come here. I LOVE it! Hugs, Linda