Is there a proper way to eat a scone at afternoon tea? Yes — there is a traditional method many follow. Below is a clear, step-by-step guide to enjoying a scone the correct way, with simple etiquette tips and practical pointers so you can look and feel comfortable at tea.
Scones at Afternoon Tea
Afternoon tea comes with a few unspoken rules, and scones have their own etiquette. Below you’ll find a straightforward rundown so you know what to do when a warm scone arrives at your place setting.
One small note about pronunciation: some say “scon” (rhyming with gone) and others “scone” (rhyming with own). Both are used in different regions; in the United States you’ll most often hear it pronounced to rhyme with “own.”
Note from Jee
At etiquette school in Switzerland I was taught to break off small pieces of a scone. After sharing a video of that method online, many people in the UK said it differed from how they eat scones. During a series of afternoon teas in London I observed the local approach and have updated this guide to reflect the etiquette commonly seen there.
Step-by-Step Guide
Step 1: Place the scone on your plate and put a small amount of clotted cream at the side using a knife. Clotted cream is typically shared, so scoop only a modest portion to start. You can return for more jam and cream once you’ve eaten what’s on your plate.
Step 2: Add jam using a separate utensil from the one you used for the clotted cream to keep flavors and serving etiquette tidy.
Step 3: Split the scone in half horizontally with your hands. Traditional afternoon tea scones are round and are designed to be easily split where they have a natural break. Scones are intended to be eaten with your hands, so it’s perfectly acceptable to break it apart directly.
Step 4: Use your knife to take a bit of clotted cream from the plate and spread it on a bite-sized portion of the scone, not over the entire half at once. Some prefer jam first then cream (Cornish style), while others prefer cream then jam (Devon style). Choose whichever you like—both are traditional.
Step 5: Use the same knife to add jam on top of the clotted cream if that is your chosen order. Apply jam to small portions as you go rather than spreading it over the entire scone half in one go.
Step 6: When you’ve used the knife, set it down on your plate with the blade facing you and the handle to the right. Avoid placing used utensils back on the tablecloth. Take a bite, then repeat the process—adding more cream and jam to each bite-sized portion as needed.
One etiquette faux pas to avoid is making a “scone sandwich” by pressing the two halves together with cream and jam in between. It’s better to top small pieces as you eat.
Related
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- Afternoon Teas in London, Ranked
- Difference Between Afternoon Tea and High Tea
- 21 Afternoon Tea Etiquette Rules
- How Afternoon Tea Works