If you’ve ever set out to make pillowy, tender scones and were left with dry and crumbly ones instead, you need to try using cold butter to prevent too much gluten from developing.

Before adding milk or cream to your batter, add very cold (or frozen) butter to slow down gluten development, and mix with a pastry cutter or fork instead of your hands.

You can refrigerate your pastry cutter or fork beforehand so that the butter stays extra cold. If you use frozen butter, use a cheese grater to shave it into the dry ingredients.

Once butter is in, add your wet ingredients, making sure that they’re cold. Mix until everything just comes together enough that you can flip the dough without it falling apart.