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Learn the process of how to make lemon scones that are soft, fluffy, and moist! These lemon scones are tender and flavorful and topped with a tangy lemon glaze! Pin it for Later »

Lemon scones with lemon glaze

Lemon Scones Overview

What are Scones?

Scones fall into the category of baking known as quick breads. Quick breads are bread like products that are leavened with baking soda and/or baking powder instead of yeast, meaning they can be made quickly.

Lemon scones with lemon glaze

Scones are very similar in texture to American style butter biscuits. Biscuits and scones have the same mixing method and similar ingredient.

The main difference between biscuits and scones are that scones include an egg and often a little bit of sugar. Scones tend to be slightly less flaky in texture than biscuits and often include sweet add-ins like raisins or blueberries.

Lemon Scones Tips, Tricks, & Techniques

  • One of the most important part of making the best lemon scones that are flaky in texture is to use very cold butter and cream. This helps the scones puff up in the oven.
  • It is also very important to mix as little as possible to keep the scones soft and fluffy. If you mix too much you can overdevelop the gluten and create dense and dry scones.
  • These lemon are made with my basic scone recipe. This recipe can be used to make any flavor of scones including blueberry scones, cranberry orange scones, or chocolate chip scones.

How to Lemon Scones

Ingredients measured out for lemon scones

Lemon scones are quite easy to make. The mixing method used to make scones that are fluffy, tender, and moist is the biscuit mixing method. If you follow this method, you will not have dense or dry scones.

Step 1: Combine All of the Dry Ingredients

Dry ingredients for Lemon scones

Place all of the dry ingredients for the cranberry scones in a large mixing bowl and whisk them all together. This recipe has a large quantity of baking powder, which will help keep the scones very tender.

Step 2: Cut the Butter Into the Dry Ingredients

It is very important that your butter is very cold for your scones. This will create the flakiness in the scones.

Cube the cold butter and then use a pastry cutter, or a fork, to cut the fat into the dry ingredients for the scones. You want to cut the fat in until it is the texture of coarse meal.

Step 3: Mix in the Liquid Ingredients

Add the cold cream into the bowl and stir the ingredients together until just combined. You want to be careful to not stir too much here or you will overdevelop the gluten and create dense and tough scones.

The batter dough will look shaggy and sticky. That’s okay! Stir only a few times until everything is just starting to come together.

Step 4: Lightly Knead the Dough

Scone dough on a countertop being brought together in a ball

Lightly knead the dough just about 4 turns. This will help build a little structure in the scones and will help bring the dough together.

Step 5: Form the Dough

Scone dough in a round shape cut into 8 trianges

Lightly flour your hands and pat the lemon scone dough out to about 1″ thick circle. Use a sharp knife to cut the dough into 8 triangles.

Step 6: Bake the Lemon Scones

Raw scone triangle brushed with cream about to be baked

Transfer the dough onto a parchment lined baking sheet and brush with a little more cream. You can also sprinkle a little sanding sugar over the top if desired. Bake the scones until golden brown.

Lemon Scone FAQ

  • Can you make lemon scones with buttermilk?: Yes! You can use either heavy cream, half and half, or buttermilk for these lemon scones. Buttermilk will make the scones slightly more tangy.
  • Can you freeze lemon scones?: Yes, you can freeze lemon scones! Once the scones have cooled completely, place them in a freezer ziplock bag and freeze for up to 3 months. To refresh, warm in a 300 F (148 C) oven for about 10 minutes or until warmed through.
  • What makes the best lemon scones?: The best lemon scones are made using the biscuit mixing method which keeps the scones light and fluffy. It is important to keep the ingredients very cold and to mix as little as possible.

 

Lemon scones with lemon glaze
Yield: 8 Scones

Lemon Scones with Lemon Glaze

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes

These lemon scones are soft, tender, incredibly tender and topped with a sweet lemon glaze.

Ingredients

For the Lemon Scone Dough

  • 2 cups (240 gr) all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup (100 gr) granulated sugar
  • 1 TBSP baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick, 112 gr) very cold, unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
  • 1 large egg, cold
  • 1/2 cup very cold heavy cream, half and half, or buttermilk (plus more for brushing the tops)
  • 1 TBSP (15 ml) lemon juice
  • 1/2 TBSP lemon zest
  • turbinado sugar or sanding sugar (optional)

For the Lemon Glaze

  • 1 cup (120 gr) powdered sugar
  • 1 TBSP grated lemon zest
  • 2-4 TBSP (30-59 ml) lemon juice

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 425 F (220 C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
  2. In a large bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt, until well combined.
  3. Add the pieces of cold butter into the dry ingredients. Cut the butter into the dough using a pastry cutter or a fork until the texture or coarse meal.
  4. Lightly whisk together the heavy cream (or half and half or buttermilk), the egg, lemon zest, and lemon juice together. Add the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients and stir just until combined. Do not over-mix.
  5. Lay the dough out on a lightly floured work surface and lightly knead with a lightly floured hand about 4 times. Be gentle so that you do not overwork the dough. Pat the dough out to an 8 or 9 inch circle (about 1 inch thick) and cut into 8 triangle shaped pieces.
  6. Gently transfer the scones onto the prepared baking sheet. Brush lightly with cream and sprinkle liberally with turbinado sugar or sanding sugar, if desired.
  7. Bake at 425 F (220 C) for 12-15 minutes until golden brown. Allow the scones to cool completely before glazing.
  8. To make the lemon glaze by whisking the powdered sugar and lemon zest with the lemon juice little by little until you have a thick but pour-able consistency.
  9. Store leftovers completely cooled in an airtight container for up to 2 days. OR wrap cooled scones in plastic wrap or in a ziplock freezer bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Refresh in the oven at 300F (150C) until warmed through

Notes

This recipe is an adaptation of my Basic Scone Recipe

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© Bettie
Cuisine: Breakfast / Category: Biscuits & Scones