Lemon Scone Recipe

A close up view of lemon scones with glaze drizzled on top on a lined sheet pan.

Quick and easy Lemon Scones are a lovely breakfast, brunch, or afternoon treat alongside a hot cup of tea. They’re fluffy on the inside with a perfectly crisp outer crust.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine British

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Cool Time 20

Total Time 50

Servings

Calories 298kcal

Author John Kanell

Ingredients

For the Scones:

⅓ cup granulated sugar (67g)
1 tablespoon lemon zest (about 2 lemons)
2 cups all-purpose flour (240g)
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon baking soda
½ cup cold unsalted butter cubed (113g)
½ cup plus 1 tablespoon buttermilk divided (135 mL)
1 cold large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Glaze:

½ cup powdered sugar (60g)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Pinch of salt

Instructions

For the Scones:

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, combine the sugar and lemon zest. Massage the mixture with your fingers to infuse the sugar with the lemon oils until the sugar color is light yellow. Stir in the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Using a pastry cutter or fork, cut in the cold butter until the pieces are no larger than the size of peas.
In a small bowl, whisk together ½ cup (120ml) of buttermilk, the egg, and vanilla. Add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture, and stir together using a fork or spatula until a shaggy dough forms. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead once or twice to bring the dough together. Press the dough into a 7½-inch round (about ¾-inch thick) disc.
Using a floured knife, cut the disc into 8 equal triangles and place them on the prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Brush the top of each scone with the remaining 1 tablespoon of buttermilk.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until puffed, and the tops are lightly golden, rotating the pan halfway through baking. Cool the scones on the pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes.

For the Glaze:

In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and salt until smooth. Drizzle glaze over warm scones before serving.

Video

Notes

A microplane is the best tool to zest the lemon. It’s great at getting just the zest, not the white pith, and makes the zest fine enough so that it doesn’t affect the texture of the scone. If you don’t have one, use the small holes of a box grater. You could also use a vegetable peeler to remove the zest (no white pith!) in strips, then finely mince it.
Glaze the scones using a pastry bag, zip-top bag, or fork. For a thin line of glaze, use a pastry bag, zip-top bag with a corner cut off, or fork to drizzle the glaze over each scone for a bakery-fresh look.
Serving: These scones are delicious with a smear of strawberry jam! They also make a great pairing with a breakfast casserole or Quiche Lorraine for a larger brunch spread.

Nutrition