Air Fryer Treacle Scones are a quick and easy Scottish bake adapted to make in your air fryer. The rich flavour of black treacle (molasses) and hint of spice makes them irresistable.
What are Scones?
Scones are a Scottish round or triangular quick bread, that is a bread made without yeast. Traditionally scones would be made with oats and baked on a stone or iron girdle (griddle) over the fire. Now they are made with wheat flour and oven scones have become more popular than the original girdle scone. And now Air Fryer Scones are becoming a popular way to bake them too.
Are Scones Scottish?
It is believed that scones originated in Scotland in the 16th century and can be traced back to a similar quick bread called a bannock. Bannocks are an oat based flatbread that is often cooked on a griddle and cut into farls. Treacle Scones are very much a Scottish treat, however although they are still available in bakeries they are less often on the menu in cafes and tea rooms.
Scones are now most often associated with Devon and Cornwall cream teas. Jam and clotted cream were originally served on sweet yeasted bread rolls called Devon or Cornish splits.
The advent of the railways meant more people could easily travel to enjoy the sights in Devon and Cornwall. This increased number of visitors and put pressure on the bakeries and tea rooms who found that they could knock out a batch of scones much more quickly than the yeasted splits which need time to rise.
Why make Air Fryer Treacle Scones?
Treacle Scones are a delicious quick bread and ideal as a snack. And it’s so easy to make a small batch in your air fryer. Scones bake best in high heat so the circulating heat in the air fryer helps to ensure they bake evenly all over.
Your air fryer heats up much more quickly than a full-size oven, due to the smaller size and the fan. And cooking in an air fryer is about half the cost of cooking in a standard oven.
What is an Air Fryer?
An air fryer is a bit like a mini oven. However, the element is only at the top of the air fryer and it uses a powerful fan to circulate the heat. This combination of intense heat and circulation means that food cooks quickly.
Air fryers were originally sold for their ability to create ‘fried’ food with less fat. However, the air fryer has developed and more people are recognising the potential to cook and bake all kinds of foods in this way.
What kind of Air Fryer do I need to bake Treacle Scones?
You will need the kind of air fryer that has temperature control as well as a timer and no paddle. Otherwise, any air fryer brand should do the job very well.
My air fryer is a model with a pull-out square drawer and it needs to be pre-heated before use. I also have an oven type air fryer and both of them make good scones. If you have a different kind of air fryer you may need to adjust the timing or temperature by a minute or two either way.
What ingredients do I need to make Air Fryer Treacle Scones?
You only need a few standard baking ingredients to make Air Fryer Treacle Scones. Here is what you will need:
- self-raising flour
- baking powder
- butter
- soft brown sugar
- salt
- ground ginger
- black treacle (molasses)
- milk
A full list of the ingredients and the required quantities is found in the recipe card at the end of this article.
What is treacle?
Black treacle is a dark sticky syrup that is a by-product of the sugar refining process. Treacle is best known as an ingredient in bakes like gingerbread. It is also used to make sweets like liquorice and treacle toffee.
Is molasses the same as treacle?
Molasses is similar but not the same as black treacle. It has a stronger, bittersweet flavour and a dark, almost opaque appearance. It is also generally thicker than treacle.
Can I use molasses in this recipe for Air Fryer Treacle Scones?
You can use molasses, however if you can get black treacle then I would recommend using this for the best result.
Is golden syrup the same as treacle?
There can be some confusion about ‘treacle’, because in some parts of the UK golden syrup is known as treacle. It’s mostly used in relation to the dessert Treacle Tart. In this recipe I use black treacle rather than golden syrup.
I don’t have any self-raising flour, can I use plain (all purpose) flour?
If you don’t have self-raising flour you can make it at home using plain (all-purpose flour) and baking powder.
This recipe uses 150g self-raising flour therefore you need to add one and a half teaspoons baking powder to plain (all-purpose) flour. This gives you self-raising flour, you will still need to include the additional baking powder as listed in the recipe.
Can I use baking spread instead of butter?
You can use baking spread to make Air fryer Treacle Scones. You can also use other vegetable spreads as long as they are full fat. Spreadable butter and low-fat spreads are not suitable as they contain a high proportion of water that will affect the recipe.
What can I substitute for soft brown sugar?
If you don’t have any soft brown sugar, then you can use white caster or granulated sugar and add one extra teaspoon of treacle to the scones.
What kind of milk can I use for Air Fryer Treacle Scones?
I use whole milk or semi-skimmed milk in these scones. However, you can use any milk that you have in the fridge.
Although I have not tried plant milk in this recipe, there is no reason why it should not work just as well as dairy milk. I recommend that you try out different types of plant milk to find your own favourite as the flavour and richness of the milk will influence the taste of the scones.
Can I make Air Fryer Treacle Scones ahead of time?
Scones are best eaten the same day you make them. If you want to get ahead then I recommend that you make up the scone mixture to the breadcrumb stage and store it in the fridge in an airtight container until you plan to make your scones.
You can store the mix in the fridge for up to 3 weeks. The scones only take 11 minutes to bake so it’s great to have some scone mix ready to go.
Can I freeze Air Fryer Treacle Scones?
Scones freeze really well and it’s an ideal way to store baked scones. Let the scones cool completely on a cooling rack before freezing them in a freezer-proof container or freezer bag.
You can store them for up to 3 months without deterioration. Defrost them on a cooling tray covered with a clean tea towel. Or use the defrost setting on your microwave.
Can I make more than four scones?
I can fit four scones into my air fryer. If you have a larger air fryer then you may be able to fit in more scones. Simply double the recipe for 8 scones or triple the quantities for 12 scones.
Can I make round treacle scones?
Traditional Treacle Scones that are baked on a girdle are usually triangular in shape. However, if you prefer to make round scones then simply cut them out with a cookie cutter. I have made these scones both ways and it makes no difference to them baking.
You can cut out rounds from the scone dough with a 6 cm (2 1/2 in) cookie cutter. Do not twist your scone cutter as this seals the edges of the dough and stops the scones from rising. Press straight down and lift, if you dust the cutter with flour it will lift off easily.
Can I bake treacle scones in my oven?
Yes, bake your scones in the oven at 200C (400F) Fan for 10 minutes. If you are making a large batch of scones then use my Treacle Scone recipe which is created for oven baking.
Tips for making great scones in your air fryer
- Rub the butter or baking spread thoroughly into the flour, the result should look like fine breadcrumbs
- Do not overmix. Gently bring together the mixture and roll or pat it into a thick round before cutting out the scones.
- Keep practising! When my husband first started to make scones the first two batches were very good but it took him until the third bake before they were perfect.
Safety Note
Do not put the baking parchment into the air fryer when preheating your air fryer. The paper will rise up with the air circulation and burn on the heating element. Once the air fryer is preheated it is safe to put in the parchment and place the scones on top. The weight of the scones will hold down the paper and it is perfectly safe.
Vegetarian
Air Fryer Treacle Scones are suitable for vegetarians.
Gluten Free
This scone recipe contains wheat flour and is not suitable for a gluten-free diet.
For more information regarding any dietary information provided on this website, please refer to my Nutritional Disclaimer.
How should I serve Air Fryer Treacle Scones?
Scones are a quick bread so are ideal to serve with breakfast or brunch. You can really eat them any time and they make a great snack to keep you going between meals.
I like to serve scones when they are still slightly warm from the air fryer. Split them open and spread generously with butter. My husband also likes to eat his treacle scone with cheddar cheese and the combination of sweet and savoury is really delicious!
Serve Treacle Scones with jam or marmalade
Treacle scones can also be paired with jam or marmalade which goes really well with the treacle flavour. I particularly like to serve Rhubarb and Ginger Jam with these scones as this brings out the spice.
More Air Fryer Scone Recipes
SEE ALL MY AIR FRYER RECIPES
Air Fryer Treacle Scones
Equipment
- Air Fryer
- medium bowl
- Measuring spoons
- measuring jug
- Pastry brush
- weighing scales
- knife
- baking parchment
- Cooling rack
Ingredients
- 150 grams (1 cups) self-raising flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 40 grams (3 tbsp) butter
- 25 grams (2 tbsp) soft brown sugar
- 1 pinch salt
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- 2 tsp black treacle molasses
- 60 ml (¼ cups) milk
Instructions
- Weigh 150 g (1 cup) self-raising flour into a medium bowl and add ½ tsp of baking powder. Cut 40 g ( 3 tbsp) of butter into small cubes and add to the flour mix.
- Rub the butter gently through the flour with your fingers until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs.
- Add 25g (2 tbsp) soft brown sugar, pinch of salt and ¼ tsp of ground ginger. Mix gently togther with a spoon or your fingers.
- Preheat the Air fryer if required.
- Measure the 2 tsp treacle (molasses) into a jug with two tablespoons of milk from the 60 ml (¼ cup). Heat in the microwave for 20 seconds and stir to mix the treacle into the milk. If it's not combined then return it to the microwave for a further 20 seconds. Then add the remaining milk to the jug.
- Add the treacle milk to the flour and butter mix.
- Bring the mixture together with a knife and once a soft dough begins to form use your hands to form it into a ball.
- Dust the work surface with a little extra flour and pat the dough out into a flat round disk about 2 cm (1 in) deep and aproximately13 cm (5 in) diameter.
- Cut a cross into the scone dough with a blunt knife creating 4 triangular scones.
- Put a piece of baking parchment in the base of your air fryer and place the four scones on top. Brush the tops of the scones with a little milk and a pastry brush.
- Set the airfryer at 185C and bake the scones for 11 minutes.
- Remove from the air fryer and cool for 5 minutes on a cooling tray/rack.
- Serve warm with butter, jam or cheese.
Lesley Garden says
I love your recipe for oven baked treacle scones so had to try your air fryer version. Really happy with how they came out they were delicious.
Cat says
I’m a big fan of your oven treacle scones so knew I had to try these. They didn’t disappoint – absolutely delicious!
Chloe says
I’d only ever tried treacle scones at a buffet afternoon tea on a cruise ship and to be honest I wasn’t convinced at the time. It wasn’t the most highly flavoured of food on that boat mind so I’m pleased I gave them another whirl because these were absolutely beautiful. And like your others, extremely successful in the air fryer!
Janice Pattie says
Thank you. I’m delighted you had another try and enjoyed the treacle scones.