These Lemon Poppyseed Scones are spring in a bite. These scones are topped with a simple lemon glaze that adds extra oomph to the lemon flavor, adding to brightness to every bite. Incredibly easy to make and with minimal cleanup, these scones are the citrus-packed and delicious.
First things first, Happy Easter! This is the second year now where the holiday is looking a bit different than it used to, but that doesn’t mean that we have to give up all our favorite food traditions. I will happily eat brunch on a small scale any Sunday. When I think of Easter meals with the family, my mind always goes straight to brunch and straight to scones.
Speaking of scones, let’s talk about these Lemon Poppyseed Scones. The flavor is a classic for a reason. Lemon in desserts is just impossible to beat. It’s bright and zingy, and isn’t that what you want on an early spring day? Something that just pairs well with the sunshine and the temperatures that tell you the planet is beginning to warm up?
These scones start with rubbing the lemon zest into sugar, pulling the oils and releasing more of the bright lemon flavor. All the dry ingredients get mixed together in a large bowl before adding in the zesty sugar. Then, the butter is rubbed into the dry ingredients until every piece is coated in flour. I like to leave a few larger pieces of butter while rubbing most of it into small, nearly pea-sized, chunks. Once all of that is incorporated, you mix together the wet ingredients in as separate bowl or cup before pouring them into the dry and using a spatula or a wooden spoon to pull it all together. Cut the dough into 8 triangles and chill until the butter is cold and firm. These bake up in 20-22 minutes.
Once cooled, whisk together the ingredients for the glaze. You could get fancy and pipe the glaze over the top, but I wanted as much of that sharp lemon as I could get and literally just take a spoon and pour the glaze over each scone until the tops are completely covered. Let the glaze set before finally digging in and enjoying.
| Prep Time | 15 minutes |
| Cook Time | 20-22 minutes |
| Passive Time | 30-90 minutes |
| Servings |
scones
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- 70 grams granulated sugar
- 3 Tbsp lemon zest (about 3 medium lemons)
- 350 grams all purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
- 1 Tbsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 Tbsp poppy seeds
- 113 grams unsalted butter cold and cubed
- 200 mL milk
- 1 egg large
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp lemon extract
- 300 grams powdered sugar
- 60 mL lemon juice (about 1 1/2 medium lemons)
- 1-2 Tbsp milk
Ingredients
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- Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a small bowl, use your fingers to rub the lemon zest into the sugar. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cardamom, baking powder, salt, and poppy seeds. Pour in the sugar and lemon zest and mix to combine.
- Add the cold and cubed butter to the bowl, and using either your finger tips to rub the butter into the dry ingredients or a pastry cutter, rub in the butter until you have mostly small, pea-sized pieces of butter with a few larger pieces remaining.
- In a measuring cup, whisk together 200 mL milk, 1 egg, vanilla extract, and lemon extract. Create a small hole in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. Using a wooden spoon or a rubber spatula, fold until the dough begins to come together. Use your hands to roll the dough into a ball.
- Turn the dough out on a lightly floured surface and flatten or roll it out into a circle about 1" high and 7" across. Cut into 8 triangles and place on the lined baking sheet; place the baking sheet in the freezer. Allow the dough to chill and firm up for 10-20 minutes.
- Bake on the center rack for 5 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 350°F and bake for an additional 15-17 minutes until the bottom and edges begin to turn a golden brown and the top of the scone has firmed up. Remove from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack. Cool completely before glazing.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and lemon juice. Add the milk 1 Tbsp at a time until you reach the desired consistency. It shouldn't be too thick and should be smooth and pourable. Place the wire rack over a baking sheet covered with parchment or foil to catch any drips. Using a spoon, spoon the glaze over the scones until the top is covered and the glaze begins to drip down the sides. Leave to set. Enjoy!