Lemon Sugar Scones
Lemon sugar scones are light and tender, with a delicate and natural lemon flavor. Perfect for nibbling alongside your favorite cup of tea.
Do you know what the most rewarding part of having a recipe blog is? It’s when someone tells you that they’ve made your recipe and more than that, they loved it! This is one of the best feelings in the world. Serious warm fuzzies! Recently I had the pleasure of someone stopping me at the grocery store to tell me that they’d made my cranberry orange scones over the holiday. Not only that, but that her daughter in law, whom thought she hated scones, even loved them. It really made my day.
You know, I can understand people thinking they don’t like scones. Sometimes they get a bad rep. If you’ve ever had a dry, crumbly commercially made scone you know what I’m talking about.
However, homemade scones are completely different. Done right they are light and tender, slightly crisp around the edges, but moist and flavorful on the inside. They are one of my favorites and I even have a Pinterest board dedicated to only scones recipes!
Here are a few of my favorite scone recipes to try:
- Strawberry Lemon Scones
- Eggnog Scones
- Caramel Apple Scones
- Blackberry Cream Cheese Scones
- Instant Oatmeal Scones
Did you know that in different parts of the world scone is pronounced differently? Some pronounce it scone like rhymes with tone, while others pronounce scone as rhymes with gone.
I know that I just posted lemon crinkle cookies last week, but this time of year is great for baking with lemons. For one, lemons and other citrus are on sale! But also, I find lemon flavor cheerful and bright. Who doesn’t need a little cheer in the dead of winter?
Lemon Sugar Scones
Ingredients
- 2 3/4 cup flour
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 Tablespoon lemon zest
- 3/4 cup cold butter (cut into small pieces)
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 2 Tablespoons melted butter
- 2 Tablespoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large mixing bowl combine the first 6 ingredients. Add the butter and cut it in with a pastry blender or fork until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the milk and lemon juice. Stir until just moistened.
- Turn the mixture out onto a floured surface and knead the dough 4-6 times, just until the dry ingredients are well incorporated and the dough is easy to shape.
- Pat and shape into a round 1 inch thick and approximately 8 -9 inches in diameter. Cut into 10 wedges and place onto a baking sheet, separating the wedges slightly.
- In a small bowl, mix together the remaining melted butter, sugar, and lemon zest. Use a pastry brush to evenly brush the topping over each scone.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 14-16 minutes or until the bottom edges have lightly browned.
Nutrition
Helpful hint; While lemons and lemon juice don’t freeze well, lemon zest does. So when you have a recipe that calls for fresh lemon juice, go ahead and zest your lemon first and put it in the freezer. Then you’ll have it ready to go the next time a recipe calls for zest. One medium sized lemon will give you approximately 1 tablespoon of zest and a few tablespoons of lemon juice.
These were sooo yummy. I made them with my son this morning and we devoured them for breakfast. We had them again tonight for dessert. Yum yum! I would love to feature them on my website as a “pin win” if that is ok. I would track back to your site of course.
I’ve been looking for a good scone recipe for a while now! Thanks for the recipe! 🙂
Julia, you should pop over to my Pinterest account if you are looking for scones recipes. I have a board that is nothing but scones.
Getting that kind of feedback from one of your readers is such a pleasure! I love it when they take photos of what they’ve made and share them! You can’t go wrong with scones — and this recipe sounds perfect for my visiting family this weekend!
I agree, it really is the best! Makes it feel like all the work of keeping up with the blog is worth it when you get that kind of feedback.
I’ve only made scones a couple of times but these look amazing! Lemon is such a refreshing flavor!
Scones are one of my favorite things to bake. Something about the process, cutting in the butter and then shaping them just seems so quaint and homey. Hope that you’ll enjoy this recipe Liz.
Great minds think alike! I have lemon sugar scones coming up on my blog…I make a lemon sugar shortbread that inspired them ~ now I’ll have to try your recipe, they look just beautiful!
Same Sue, I’d love to try your recipe when it’s posted!
I’ve only made scones a couple of times but these look amazing! Lemon is such a refreshing flavor!
I’ve only made scones a couple of times but these look amazing! Lemon is such a refreshing flavor!
I’ve only made scones a couple of times but these look amazing! Lemon is such a refreshing flavor!
I’ve only made scones a couple of times but these look amazing! Lemon is such a refreshing flavor!
I’ve only made scones a couple of times but these look amazing! Lemon is such a refreshing flavor!
I’ve only made scones a couple of times but these look amazing! Lemon is such a refreshing flavor!
I’ve only made scones a couple of times but these look amazing! Lemon is such a refreshing flavor!
I’ve only made scones a couple of times but these look amazing! Lemon is such a refreshing flavor!
Hi Amy,
Me again lol. It’s funny how often I click on a recipe and it’s one that came from you. I made the lemon sugar scone recipe yesterday and husband says they taste salty. I didn’t even put the salt in. So I’m curious about your use of equal parts baking powder and baking soda. Most of the recipes for scones that I have call for little to none in the baking soda department. Now is it possible I put double baking soda??? Of course lol.
Thanks,
Janet
Hi Janet,
Galldarnit, I’m sure sorry the scones didn’t turn out the way that you’d hoped! I know how frustrated I get when I try a new recipe and then it doesn’t turn out. After I saw your comment, I dug out my recipe notes (I keep hand-written notes on each recipe as I work on them) to make sure that I hadn’t accidentally typed something in wrong when I put it on the blog. Then I made another 2 batches of scones exactly as written except one with unsalted butter and one with regular butter to make sure I hadn’t noted that part in the recipe incorrectly, but they both turned out exactly as they should. My 5 taste testers couldn’t tell the difference between the unsalted butter version and the salted butter version. I’m sorry that your husband didn’t think the scones tasted right.
Please let me know if there’s any other way I can be of assistance!
Thanks so much,
Amy
This makes my mouth water! I love scones so may have to try this one. Seriously, why don’t you move closer to me so I can just be your taste-tester?
Looking forward to hearing how you like these ones Kathie!