Drop Scones (Scotch Pancakes)

Drop Scones also known as Scotch Pancakes are the perfect weekend breakfast. These perfectly light and fluffy pancakes are great for breakfast, brunch or as a tea time treat.

Drop scones are something I grew up with living in Ireland. We usually had them as a tea time treat, and sometimes for breakfast. My weekends these days always include pancakes, I make them most Sundays for my daughter. It really wouldn't be the weekend if there wasn't some kind of pancake for breakfast! When I make these drop scones I usually add a little cinnamon, lemon zest and vanilla to the mixture. I know it's not traditional but hey we like to shake it up sometimes. I serve these with an apple and blackberry compote, stacked high with a drizzle of honey and a dollop of Greek yoghurt.

How to Make Drop Scones with Compote - Step by Step

1. Make the compote - This takes a little longer to make than the pancake, so start by making this first. Add the apples and blackberries to a pan along with the sugar and vanilla. Leave it to simmer over low heat for about 20 minutes. Make sure and keep an eye on it and stir it often.
2. Dry Ingredients - Add all the dry ingredients to a large mixing bowl, then stir that and make a well in the centre.
3. Wet Ingredients - Add the egg, the vanilla extract and a third of the milk. Start whisking that in. I use a large balloon whisk for this.
4. Batter - Slowly whisk in the remaining milk. Whisking in the milk slowly should give you a smooth batter. Melt the butter in a non-stick pan then carefully pour that into the batter and whisk it in.
5. Compote - The compote should be done now, so remove that from the heat. Pour it into a bowl to serve with the drop scones.
6. Cook the drop scones - Heat a little butter in the pan then pour about 2 tablespoons of the batter into the pan. Once you see bubbles in the batter then flip the pancake and cook the other side for 2 to 3 minutes. Repeat for each pancake.

Tips for Making the Best Drop Scones

• I always sift the dry ingredients into the bowl. So that's the flour, sugar, baking powder and cinnamon. This will help with keeping your batter lump free and add some air to the batter.
• Slowly whisking in the milk will ensure you have a lump-free batter. I use full-fat milk and free-range organic eggs. I also use salted butter.
• Don't overcrowd the pan! Depending on the pan you use I would make 3 of these at a time. If you are making these on an aga you may be able to cook more in one go.
• To get perfectly round drop scones, hold the tablespoon vertically as you pour the batter onto the pan.
• You can keep these warm in the oven if you want. They are best served straight from the pan though.

Making Ahead and Storing

You can make the batter the day before if you need to. Keep the batter covered in the fridge until you are ready to make them. Remove the batter from the fridge then give it a whisk to wake it up. You can also make the apple and blackberry compote up to 3 days ahead. Again keep this covered in the fridge. You can use any leftover compote for porridge, it's also great with yoghurt and some crumbled walnuts. The compote can be eaten warm or cold. You can also combine all the dry ingredients and keep in an airtight jar for up to 3 months. Just add the wet ingredients when you are ready to make the scones.

Can I freeze Drop Scones?

Technically, you can freeze pancake batter but I think you would get better results from freezing the cooked drop scones. Freezing the batter may result in a difference in texture due to the baking powder. If this doesn't bother you then to freeze the batter, pour it into a zip lock freezer bag, make sure you remove any air from the bag then pop it in the freezer for up to a month. Defrost the batter in the fridge before making the drop scones. Remember to label the bag. To freeze cooked drop scones, leave them to cool then place them on a tray, place the tray in the freezer for a couple of hours then transfer to a freezer-friendly container. These will keep for up to a month. You can cook these from frozen. To cook from frozen preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Place the drop scones on a baking tray, cover the tray tightly with foil. Bake for about 10 minutes until the pancakes are warm all the way through. Test one pancake to make sure they are warm all the way through.

Need More Tasty Breakfast Ideas?

• Smashed Avocado on Toast 
• Baked Eggs Florentine
• Poppy Seed Buttermilk Pancakes 
• Whole Wheat Banana Muffins
• Garlic Mushroom Bruschetta