What makes a scone...?

If you do a search via the top of the page, using the word 'Scone',  you'll find lots and lots of recipes and opinions on scones.

I'm Scots, I don't think I've ever cooked a scone for more than 12-15 minutes - 20 minutes would seem a long time for a 1.5 inch round scone.

Scones need the lightest of mixes - putting the mix through a food processor is the very LAST thing one should do!

I cut in my butter like a pie-dough, have no eggs, and only use buttermilk as the liquid ingredient, and---------

I give the dough two double folds, just like puff pastry.

I can hear those from "across the pond" screaming at me, but I do have light and flaky scones.

In anay case, I'm of he opinion that having a prouct that compares to Staw-buks or  target is something to avoid, not recreate...

Using the food processor isn't that bad of a tool, if you have the expensive one than you will have the bread hook attachment.

Re food processors:  The sharp blade will work to cut the butter into the flour, just like you can use it for pastry.  And you just like with pastry, you can then pour in the liquid ingredients and give the blade a very quick pulse to combine, before turning out onto a board for whatever final touches you need to get a coherent dough.

But yikes, no dough hooks.  Unless you really do want little hockey pucks.  If you prefer dense and dry, I would reduce the leavening, take out the egg, and leave them for a day or two ...  

What I learned from my Scots and English forbears was made quickly, with the fingertips, from flour butter baking powder salt and milk.  It was a Sunday morning treat, but also something good for about an hour out of the oven, warm, crisp outside and soft inside -- you could save some in a tin to eat later, but they weren't that good cold.  I was surprised when they started turning up in starbuckses and the like 20 years back, because I had never thought of them as a durable pastry.