Lemon Poppy Seed Scones Recipe

A hand lifting a lemon poppy seed scone off of a plate.

5 from 2 votes

Lemon Poppy Seed Scones Recipe

Lemon Poppy Seed Scones are bright and full of zesty lemon flavor. These simple scones are crispy on the edges and soft in the centers, and they go great with your morning cup of coffee!

Course Breakfast, Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword lemon poppy seed scones, petite lemon scones

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 15

Total Time 45

Servings scones

Calories 300kcal

Author Sue Ringsdorf

Ingredients

For the scones:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (300 grams)
1/3 cup sugar (66 grams)
1½ Tablespoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons poppy seeds
3 Tablespoons lemon zest - from two large lemons
1/2 cup unsalted butter - frozen and shredded
1 large egg
3/4 cup buttermilk (169 grams)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

For the icing:

2 Tablespoons lemon juice - freshly squeezed
1 cup sifted powdered sugar

Instructions

Shred the butter. Use a box grater to shred FROZEN butter. You’ll need to place the butter in the freezer beforehand to make this easy to do. Place the shredded butter back in the freezer until ready to use in the scones.
Prep the lemons. Use a microplane grater to zest two large lemons. Squeeze one of the lemons for the lemon icing.
Combine dry ingredients. In a mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients – flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, poppyseeds, and lemon zest. Use a spoon to combine well.
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (300 grams), 1/3 cup sugar (66 grams), 1½ Tablespoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 Tablespoons poppy seeds, 3 Tablespoons lemon zest
Cut in the frozen butter. Add the frozen shredded butter to the dry ingredients and use your hands to combine, pressing the butter into the ingredients.
1/2 cup unsalted butter
Add wet ingredients. Combine the buttermilk, egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Use a fork to mix well. Then pour the wet ingredients into the dry and use a spoon to stir.
3/4 cup buttermilk (169 grams), 1 large egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Bring scone dough together. You’ll need your hands to finish bringing the scone dough into a rough ball.
Slice scones. Place scone dough round on a lightly floured surface. Then use a knife to slice the dough into 10 equal-sized triangles. Transfer the scone shapes to two parchment-lined baking sheets.
Bake scones. Bake scones in a preheated 375-degree oven for about 15 minutes, or until slightly browned on top. Transfer baked scones to a wire rack to cool.
Make icing. Combine the sifted powdered sugar with two tablespoons of fresh lemon juice and stir to mix until smooth. Adjust consistency as needed.
2 Tablespoons lemon juice, 1 cup sifted powdered sugar
Add icing. Drizzle the scones with the lemon icing.

Notes

Recipe Tips:

Have the frozen butter shredded and in your freezer ahead of time.
Keep the wet ingredients cold until ready to use.
Prep workspace so you can bake scones as soon as they're formed (to keep them cold).
Measure ingredients carefully to ensure a crumbly texture. I often use my digital scale.
Use plenty of flour on your work surface so the scone dough doesn't stick.

Nutrition