These lemon scones have a crusty exterior and they’re tender and flaky on the inside. They are rich and buttery but balanced by the bright and floral lemon. The dough is loaded with lemon zest and after baking, the golden crusts are drizzled with a zingy lemon glaze.
You Only Need One Bowl for These Lemon Scones!
Scones are generally quick and easy to make, and this recipe is no different. They mix up in just a few minutes by hand and use only one bowl. The only special equipment you need is a fine grater for zesting the lemons. If it’s Sunday morning and you only just now realized that you’d like something special for brunch, these lemon scones might just save your morning.
Tips and Tricks for Flaky, Tender Scones
The best scones are buttery and flaky with a crisp exterior and tender crumb. To ensure your scones come out as flaky and tender as possible, try these tips:
You want to use very cold butter diced into 1/2-inch cubes. If you have time you should cut the butter and freeze it for at least 30 minutes before mixing the dough.Avoid overmixing the dough. The dough should be pretty crumbly and it’s absolutely fine if there are a few floury or dry spots. If you overmix the dough, the scones can get tough and will lose some of their flakiness.For the flakiest scones that won’t lose their shape as much during baking, chill the shaped scones in the freezer before baking for at least 15 minutes while the oven preheats.
Add Some Add-Ins
These lemon scones are bright and buttery on their own, but if you want to (step it up a notch), feel free to add some mix-ins.
Berries: such as blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries. Add 1 1/2 cups of fresh or frozen berries to the dough. Be gentle when folding in the fruit, as the berries can get squished, and dye your scones. For this reason, I prefer to use frozen berries in my scones. Don’t thaw the frozen fruit.Poppy seeds: For classic lemon poppy seed scones, add 3 tablespoons of poppy seeds along with the dry ingredients in method step 2. You can also sprinkle some poppy seeds into the lemon glaze before it sets.Almonds: For a nutty crunch, sprinkle some toasted flaked almonds onto the glaze before it sets.
Serving Suggestions
There’s no better accompaniment to scones than your favorite warm beverage. Serve these scones for breakfast or brunch just as they are with a cup of tea or coffee. They would also pair well with a slathering of your favorite jam. Or go all out with some sweet and tangy lemon curd.
We Got Brunch Covered With These Scones!
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Finely grated zest of 3 lemons 1/2 cup (100g) sugar 3 cups (360g) all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 1 cup (227g) unsalted butter, cold, cut into 1/2-inch cubes 1 large egg, cold 2/3 cup (120ml) buttermilk, plus extra for brushing the scones
For the lemon glaze
1/2 cup (57g) powdered sugar 2 tablespoons lemon juice
Add the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda and whisk to combine. If you don’t have a pastry blender, use the tips of your fingers to squish the butter into the flour, pressing and breaking the butter into pea-sized pieces, but flat, not in chunks. Place the wedges on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them at least 1-inch apart. Use a pastry brush to brush the tops of the scones lightly with buttermilk. Did you love this recipe? Give us some stars below!
