This easy lemon poppy seed scone recipe is topped with a lemon glaze and is perfect for breakfast and brunch! They are light, fluffy, and full of delicious tart citrus flavor.
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If you are a fan of lemon, then you will love these flaky, tart lemon poppy seed scones! Bursting with lemon flavor and crunchy poppy seeds, these scones are perfect for breakfast or brunch with friends and family.
These scones are easy to make, come together in about an hour, and are amazing right out of the oven. The lemon glaze is definitely my favorite part!
Ingredients needed for these Lemon Poppy Seed Scones
Here are some notes on a few ingredients- please see the full ingredient list in the recipe card below!
- poppy seeds- obviously!! Poppy seeds add a nice crunch and flavor to these scones. Any brand will work.
- lemon zest & juice- I used about 2 large lemons in this recipe. If you are using smaller ones you might need 3 or 4.
- butter- I always use unsalted butter when baking, but if you only have salted butter you can omit or cut in half the salt that the recipe calls for.
- heavy cream- heavy cream is a must in this recipe! I wrote why you should use heavy cream below.
- powdered sugar- for the lemon glaze which comes together super easily.
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1: Mix together all the dry ingredients plus the lemon zest. To this add the cold, grated butter and cut with a pastry cutter or two works until you get a crumbly mixture.
Step 2: Mix together the heavy cream, egg, and vanilla and pour into the butter mixture, mixing until a crumbly dough starts to form. Dump this onto your counter or floured surface and gently shape it into a round disc.
Step 3: Cut the scones into 8 even triangles and place them onto a baking sheet. They need to be chilled so place them into the fridge for 20 minutes. Brush the tops with heavy cream and bake for 18-22 minutes (until lightly golden brown on the bottom).
Step 4: Make the glaze by whisking together all 4 ingredients until it's totally smooth. You can drizzle these overtop your freshly baked scones!
Frequently Asked Questions
Cold ingredients and not overworking the dough!! This is so key to make flaky scones. If your ingredients are warm, your scones will spread = less rise. I recommend using cold ingredients AND chilling your dough before baking. If you over-mix the dough, your scones will come out dense which is also something we don't want.
Cold (frozen) butter is key to making the perfect scones. Warm butter will lead to your scones spreading and losing their flaky, crumbly texture- not what we want! Grating your frozen butter is the easiest way to incorporate it into the dry ingredients and allows the butter to stay colder for longer.
Yes- the fat content in heavy cream is needed for flaky scones! Watery milk will lead to a flatter, less flavorful scone. I did not test this with other milk, but I've read that canned coconut milk makes a good non-dairy substitute (didn't test it though).
Healthy for your soul- yes ☺️
Tips and Tricks
- Use grated butter- this helps keep the butter frozen and mixes well in the batter!
- Make sure to measure your flour correctly- spoon and level is my favorite method. Use a spoon to fluff up the flour, then gently scoop it into your measuring cup without packing it. Then use the back of a butter knife to level it off.
- Don't over mix the scones- over-mixing the scone batter can lead to dense scones that don't rise well. Be sure not to over mix!
- Chill before baking- this is a necessary step because you want to make sure the butter you just mixed into the dough is cold before baking!
Storing & Freezing
These scones are best fresh out of the oven and the day of. They can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days and I would avoid glazing them before storing them. They can be frozen for up to 2 months.
If you want to make the dough and freeze it before baking, follow the instructions up until you cut them into triangles and then place them in a freezer-safe container or bag. Defrost by allowing them to sit at room temperature and then brush with heavy cream and bake.
Want to try more recipes?
- Bacon Cheddar Chive Scones
- Lemon Bars
- Banana blueberry muffins
- More scone recipes coming soon!
If you make this recipe, please leave a star rating and comment below! It's so helpful to my business as well as other bakers 🙂 thank you for supporting Bake & Bacon!
📖 Recipe
Lemon Poppy Seed Scone Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon of lemon zest about 1 ½ lemons
- ½ cup unsalted butter frozen & grated/cubed, (1 stick)
- ½ cup heavy cream cold
- 1 large egg cold
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
lemon glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice about 1 large lemon
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream or milk
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest about ½ lemon
Instructions
make the scones
- Preheat the oven to 375° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, poppy seeds, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest. Add the cold, grated butter to the mixture and cut in using a pastry cutter or two forks until you get a crumbly mixture.
- Whisk together the milk, egg, and vanilla and pour into the butter mixture. Mix until a crumbly dough starts to form (will be a bit sticky). Dump this dough onto a floured surface and shape it into an 8 inch round disc. Don't overmix it here.
- Cut your disc into 8 triangles and move to the baking sheet. Put them in the fridge to chill for 20 minutes. Once they are chilled, remove from the fridge and brush the tops with heavy cream or milk.
- Bake for 18-22 minutes or until lightly golden brown around the edges. Once done remove them from the oven and allow them to cool for 5-10 minutes before glazing.
make the glaze
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, lemon juice, heavy cream, and lemon zest until smooth. Pour this over the scones and enjoy!
Notes
- Use grated butter- this helps keep the butter frozen and mixes well in the batter!
- Make sure to measure your flour correctly- spoon and level is my favorite method. Use a spoon to fluff up the flour, then gently scoop it into your measuring cup without packing it. Then use the back of a butter knife to level it off.
- Don't over mix the scones- over-mixing the scone batter can lead to dense scones that don't rise well. Be sure not to over mix!
- Chill before baking- this is a necessary step because you want to make sure the butter you just mixed into the dough is cold before baking!
-
Storing & Freezing
- These scones are best fresh out of the oven and the day of. They can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days and I would avoid glazing them before storing. They can be frozen for up to 2 months.
- If you want to make the dough and freeze it before baking, follow the instructions up until you cut them into triangles and then place in a freezer safe container or bag. Defrost by allowing them to sit at room temperature and then brush with heavy cream and bake.
Nutrition
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