Tattie Scones a.k.a. the potato scone is a staple of every hearty Scottish breakfast. A delicious way to soak up all the yumminess on your plate and also renowned for soaking up the “morning after” effects, especially when served with a side of Irn Bru.
The best store bought tattie scones in Glasgow! 
Fresh & fluffier the first morning. 
Still delish on the 2nd morning.
Though they can be found in a 6 pack for a few cents in every corner shop you just can’t beat homemade tattie scones which are fluffier and just better tasting all around than the store-bought ones. Although these homemade tattie scones served as leftovers the next morning received more praise from my Scottish test group than the fresh ones did!? Partly due to the leftover potato scones gaining a bit of the familiar ‘rubberiness’ texture like in the fridge overnight like store-bought. And partly due to them just being really hungry the next morning. For store-bought potato scones definitely seek out McGhee’s Bakery Scones, the best coming out of Glasgow.
Jump to Recipe… a wee bit of history
A form of these traditional griddle cakes can be found in nearly every European culture’s food traditions. It’s evolution like most foods, is the result of a plentiful item (potatoes) being incorporated into traditional cooking methods. In the old days, the Scottish loved their potatoes and their griddles and potato scones would usually be whipped up after the heavier noon-time meal. They would later be eaten as a snack with a cup of tea. I use leftover mashed potatoes that I heat up and whip again but traditionally you would always use fresh mashed potatoes for the exact consistency. Potatoes from the Scottish region of Ayrshire are deliciously famous and fed an entire nation during World War II. If you’re a food history geek check out the great article on South Ayrshire History all about their famous potatoes.
… a regal recommendation
Lady Clark of Tillypronie, the Scottish Lady living on a fabulous estate in the Scottish Grampians, who was renowned for her vast collection of recipes of which most were printed posthumously in one of the most iconic cookbooks of the 19th century; she wrote describing how good homemade, hot and fresh potato scones can really be – turning the most elemental and simple of baked goods into something special – after she was served them at Balcaskie House in 1880: “Looking like very thin pancakes well browned, but soft, not crisp, and come up warm, in a warm napkin folded like a pocket to hold chestnuts. Scones to be triangular-shaped, i.e. a round, cut in quarters.
“If you wish these scones to be good and light, you must boil the potatoes expressly for them and not let them get cold after boiling, but use as soon as passed through a sieve. Add butter, flour, and salt, but no milk, as the moisture of the potatoes is sufficient. Mix up thoroughly; roll out; shape, cut, and bake on the girdle. Turn them once, to cook both sides.”
One of the greatest cookbooks on my wish list! 
Tillipronie House (probably early 20th c photo)
The quote from Lady Clark I found on a great Scottish Food Site called Scottish Food and Drink.
And for a really interesting rabbit-hole about Lady Clark check out the web page Lost Past Remembered , fully of facinating stuff!
Tattie Scone a.k.a. Potato Scone
Ingredients
- 1 pound cooked mashed potatoes fresh cooked and still warm better than cold.
- 1/2 to 1 cup flour **
- 1/4 stick butter (approximately) (1oz/25g)
- salt & pepper to taste
- OPTIONAL: diced scallions, diced ham, shredded cheese, onion granuals, garlic granuals
Instructions
- The key is to use warm mashed potatoes, don't add any extra milk than what you would in your regular mashed potatoes, and i would even hesitate using too much extra butter than what you would in your mashed potatoes.
- You'll add flour in gradually until the potatoes start to bind in a ball as you mix it with a spoon.
- Once your potatoes are a non-sticky mound, you could add your 'extras', like scallions or shredded cheese, or diced ham.
- Flour your surface and your rolling pin and then roll out small balls of the potato dough to a flat circle.
- Prick the flat cake with a fork, this will make them fluff a bit more (which is how i like them!)
- Make sure your frying pan or flat griddle is on high heat and add a little oil to the pan. I flour my spatula tip before trying to pick the potato cake up from the counter.
- Fry on each side until nice and dark golden brown. You can press on the cake once flipped to flatten a bit more and cook the gooey middle to your liking.
- Serve with butter, or even nice with a little real maple syrup (although not traditional)…. And to be truly a modern day Scot, must enjoy with a morning glass of Irn Bru! Enjoy!
