Scottish Potato Scones

A simple recipe for traditional Scottish potato scones with step-by-step photos and printable recipe. Includes the history of potato scones (also known as tattie scones) and how to cook them for the best results.

Vegan cooked breakfast with potato scones including veggie sausages, baked beans and mushrooms


Do you have a leisurely Sunday morning? 

Do you take the time to make a special breakfast? Something a bit more special than those rushed week morning meals.

Perhaps you make a full cooked breakfast? Like this traditional cooked Scottish breakfast with potato scones.

We do.

We have a very relaxed start to the day on a Sunday. We wake up a little later than usual (if we 're lucky), then we take our time to get ready for the day.

Starting with a hearty breakfast, including potato scones.


I like to cook us something a bit more special for breakfast on a Sunday in contrast to our rushed attempts at breakfast during the week.

I'm sorry to say only my son eats a proper breakfast (usually porridge) before school, while we rush around getting ready.

That boy wakes up hungry!

Sometimes the boy and I will make pancakes at the weekend or we might just have (baked) beans on toast. However our favourite Sunday breakfast is a full cooked breakfast.

There are so many things you can include in a cooked breakfast, but one of our favourite parts of a cooked breakfast are potato scones or as we call them here in Scotland tattie scones.

We sometimes just pick up a packet at the supermarket, but if we have leftover potatoes in the fridge we make our own as they are so easy and quick to make.

Let me tell you a bit more about tattie scones, show you  how to make them with step-by-step photos, then I'll take you through some options for a full vegan cooked breakfast.

The full recipe with measurements and printable recipe is further down.


Scottish Potato Scones in a full cooked vegan breakfast with sausages, baked beans and mushrooms


Potato scones are a traditional Scottish flatbread made with leftover potatoes. They are nothing like our teatime cakes which are also called scones

Although they are type of quick bread, then are unleavened, so no yeast.

To pronounce them correctly they should rhyme with gone.

They are available in supermarkets and bakeries across Scotland, but the recipe goes back much further and was a way of cheaply stretching out leftover potatoes.


Potato scones or tatties scones as they are usually referred to in Scotland are an old-fashioned flatbread which were originally made in crofts on a girdle hung over a fire.

A girdle. griddle or girle is a metal (usually iron) plate with a hooped handle, which would be hooked over an open fire and used for baking. 

They were commonly used for baking oatcakes or tattie scones.

Potatoes like oats have always been a staple crop in Scotland and part of family meals, from breakfast through to dinner.

Using leftover porridge oats to make oatcakes and leftover potatoes to make potato scones was a frugal way to use up leftovers and make food go further when money was tight.

Today potato scones are usually cooked in a frying pan or cooker top girdle or flat plate.


Potato scones are simple to make with a few basic ingredients.

They are made from leftover potatoes, butter (or dairy free spread), flour and salt.

The flour used can be plain flour or plain flour with a pinch of bicarbonate of soda for a bit of a rise in the scone. They can also be made with self-raising flour.

Potato scones are usually made from whole, cooked potatoes. They can be made with mashed potato, but the texture isn't as good when they are made with leftover mashed potatoes.

They can be made while the potatoes are still warm or from cold leftover potatoes.


Potato scones were traditionally shaped and cooked in a round, then cut into triangles.

Most shop-bought potato scones still keep this traditional shape.

The potato dough can also be cut into circles with a cookie cutter.


Fresh potatoes scones

Fresh potato scones can be cooked on a cooker top flat plate, gridle or in a frying pan. 

Once they are cooked, they can be reheated under a grill (broiler), in a frying pan or in the oven.

Ready made potato scones

Can be heated in a toaster, under a grill (broiler) or in a frying pan.


For the best potato scones look for a floury potato. They have a fluffy, but drier texture which is perfect for potato scones. Maris Piper, Desiree and King Edward are all good floury potatoes. 

The bags of generic white potatoes sold in supermarkets can also be used.

You want to avoid waxy potatoes such as baby potatoes, Charlotte potatoes, Jersey Royal and Anya potatoes. These are best served in salads or steamed or boiled as a side dish.

If you are using up leftover mashed potatoes, you may struggle if you've added a lot of milk or butter (veggie or vegan) to the mash.


Step one

Scottish Potato Scones - step one - Place just boiled potatoes in a bowl with dairy-free spread, some self-raising flour and season well with salt and pepper.


Step two

Scottish Potato Scones - step two photo - potato dough

Mash until smooth with a potato masher. Bring the potato mixture together with clean hands and if it needs a little more flour to make it into a dough, just knead it in a little at a time.

Different potatoes have different water yield, so some take a little more flour.

You want to end up with a soft dough.

Step three

Scottish Potato Scones - step three photo - roll potato dough

Dust a board or clean work surface with flour. Try not to get it all over yourself like I did. Now rolling pin at the ready!

Step four

Scottish Potato Scones - step four photo - cut potato dough

Roll out the dough. If you feel it's too soft, you can pop it in the fridge for 20-30 minutes to firm up, then roll it out.

I'm too impatient for that and use it as soon as the dough is made. Use a cookie cutter or a cup to cut out your potato scones.

Step five

Scottish Potato Scones - step five photo - frying the potato scones

Fry the potato scones. 

You don't need a lot of oil, just a spray of olive oil or rapeseed oil on the pan. 

I fried mine in a grill pan, but you can use a frying pan if you like.  

Give them a few minutes each side until golden and crisp on the outside. Serve with your favourite cooked breakfast ingredients.

Scottish Potato Scones with a cooked veggie breakfast


A cooked breakfast is a filling comfort meal that sets you up for the day. You won't need any lunch after it. 

Choose your favourite selection from the list below and tuck in.

  1. Veggie sausages (we like Linda McCartney), well cooked
  2. Potato scones (of course)
  3. Baked beans
  4. Mushrooms (seasoned well as they cook)
  5. Sliced tomatoes (grilled or fried)
  6. Fried potatoes (slice cold boiled potatoes and fry until golden and crisp on the outside)
  7. Toast (buttered with dairy-free spread)
  8. Fried bread (toast but fried, mmmmmm!)
  9. Wilted spinach, seasoned with black pepper and nutmeg
  10. Scrambled tofu

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potato scones

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vegan cooked breakfast on a black plate including potato scones, mushrooms, baked beans and vegan sausages


These potato scones are fairly low in calories and fat.


Perfect if you are following a low calorie diet like the 5:2 diet.

The nutrition and calories are worked out on a third of the mixture which makes three potato scones.

For a low calorie, high protein breakfast, brunch or lunch, serve them with bakes beans.


Creamy Blueberry, Banana and Coconut Porridge

For a tasty and filling week day breakfast, try my creamy blueberry, banana and coconut porridge. It is heavenly and will keep you going right through until lunchtime.

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Scottish, vegan
Yield: 9 scones
Scottish Potato Scones

Scottish Potato Scones

Potato scones are a staple part of a Scottish cooked breakfast. Made simply from just a few ingredients including potatoes. They are soft and fluffy on the inside and crisp and golden on the outside.
Prep time: 5 MCook time: 10 MTotal time: 15 M


  • 1 large baking potato (or other white
  • potatoes - approx 280g ), quartered and boiled or steamed until soft
  • 1 tbsp dairy-free spread (or butter)
  • 2-3 tbsp self-raising flour
  • a good grinding of salt and pepper
  • a spray of oil for frying


  1. Mash the potatoes with the dairy-free spread (or butter) and some of the flour until smooth. Bring together in the bowl with your hands. Add extra flour if it needs it. You are looking for a soft dough. If you feel it is too soft, you can chill in the fridge.
  2. Flour a board and roll out the potato dough with a floured rolling pin until it is about half a centimetre thick.
  3. Cut into triangles or use cookie cutters/a cup to cut out circles. Re-roll any leftover dough cut until you have used all the dough.
  4. Spray a grill pan or frying pan with a little oil, heat and then fry the potato scones in a couple of batches until golden and crisp.
  5. Serve as part of a cooked breakfast.
  6. Enjoy!


You can cook potatoes especially to make potato scones or use leftover potatoes.
These will keep in the fridge for a couple of days in an airtight container on kitchen paper to soak up any moisture.
If you have leftover cooked potato scones you can heat the next day in a toaster or under the grill.
Fat (grams)
Sat. Fat (grams)
Carbs (grams)
Fiber (grams)
Net carbs
Sugar (grams)
Protein (grams)
Sodium (milligrams)
Cholesterol (grams)
Created using The Recipes Generator


  1. I have to admit that we're not good about making big weekend breakfasts. They always sound like a good idea, but become a huge mess in our small kitchen. My husband would love these, though. Yum!

    1. Oh no, you should, it is worth a bit of mess and my tip is you cook, but insist he cleans up. It's all about team work. You could also make the scones the night before, to say so much work in the morning.

  2. We'd call them potato pancakes, but whatever name they are, they look so tasty and great way to have a more substantial breakfast! One question though, is dairy free spread a butter substitute? It looks like it in your great step by step photos, but I'm not completely sure. :)

    1. A yes I can see why and yes dairy free spread is a butter substitute. It's basically a margarine.

  3. Goodness I would eat every single thing on that plate! I love how you've shared so many ideas for a vegan breakfast! All delicious and filling!!

  4. This looks super fun, so easy, and I bet they are total crowd pleasers! I need to give these ago… Thanks for the recipe inspiration!

    1. Oh yes they are always popular. I hope you try them :)

  5. step 6, eat!! YUMMO!!!

  6. These look like amazing breakfast!!I can’t wait to try it !!Love your food photography as well, Thanks for sharing!!!

  7. I always make extra mashed potato so I have it all ready for the next day.

  8. I'm American, but I do cooked breakfasts for my British husband. He loved these, so I will add them to my repertoire. Thank you :)

