What Is the Difference Between Scones & Crumpets?

Scones and crumpets are bread snacks popular throughout Europe, particularly in Britain. There are many similarities between the two. Despite their similarities however, there are some very distinct differences that separate scones from crumpets.

Scones and crumpets have different beginnings from one another. Scones are a flaky pastry whose origin dates back to the 1500s in Scotland, while Crumpets are likely to be Welsh in origin. The earliest known crumpet recipe was in British entrepreneur Elizabeth Raffald's cookbook "The Experienced English Housekeeper" in 1769.

Scones and crumpets both can use butter, jam and other spreads for flavour. However, scones can also incorporate fruit into the actual batter for an alternative flavour, while crumpets do not use fruit in this manner. Crumpets also tend to have a bland flavour.

Scones are made from dough that includes baking soda but not yeast. Crumpets are made from batter that does include yeast but not baking soda. Dough tends to have a more solid consistency than batter, resulting in scones being more dense and crumpets having a spongy texture. The spongy texture of crumpets helps them to absorb butter more efficiently.

You can serve both scones and crumpets warm. However, you can also serve scones cold.