Glazed Lemon Scones - Preppy Kitchen (2024)

Moist, buttery, and perfectly sized, Lemon Scones with lemon glaze will be your new go-to pastry for breakfast, brunch, snacks, and special occasions. These scones have a light golden brown crust and a tender and satisfying crumb. The lemon and vanilla flavors in the scone are made even sweeter with a freshly made lemon glaze that’s drizzled on top just before serving!

Lemon scones are beginner-friendly pastries that are easily mixed by hand, made with common pantry staples, and come together quickly. All you’ll need for this easy scone recipe is a pastry cutter or two forks to work in the butter (or just use your hands!), and you’ll be on your way to beautiful homemade scones. It’s easy to shape the dough before cutting it into triangles and brushing them with buttermilk to create a crisp exterior. For more scone recipes, try my blueberry scones, pumpkin scones, or chocolate scones.

What You Need to Make This Recipe

Lemon – this recipe packs in a citrusy flavor using both fresh lemon zest and fresh lemon juice. It’s easiest to zest the lemon before cutting it, so start by zesting followed by juicing.

Butter – cold butter is key to flaky scones. Cube the unsalted butter and keep it chilled in the refrigerator until just before working it into the flour mixture.

Buttermilk – slightly tart buttermilk makes the best lemon scones and balances well with the citrus. If you don’t have this ingredient, learn how to make buttermilk by stirring together milk and lemon juice or vinegar.

Leavening – a combination of baking soda and baking powder gives the lemon scones just the right lift for a pastry that’s tender and never flat. For perfectly risen pastries, always check the expiration date of the baking soda and powder before baking.

How to Make Lemon Scones

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Zest the lemon with a citrus zester or microplane into a large bowl. Add the sugar to the lemon zest and massage the mixture with your fingers to release the oils from the zest. The sugar will become light yellow in color.

2. Add the all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda to the lemon sugar and stir to combine.

3. Use a pastry blender or fork to cut the cold butter into the flour mixture until the pieces are pea-sized or smaller. You will know it’s ready when the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients: ½ cup of the buttermilk, egg, and vanilla extract.

5. Pour the buttermilk mixture in with the dry ingredients and stir to form a shaggy dough.

6. On a lightly floured surface, turn the dough out of the bowl, and knead it once or twice to combine. Press the dough together using the palms of your hands to form a disc that is about ¾ inch thick and about 7 to 8 inches in diameter.

7. Cut the dough into 8 equal triangles using a bench scraper or floured sharp knife.

8. Transfer the scones to the prepared baking sheet, leaving space between each scone. Brush the top of the dough with the remaining tablespoon of buttermilk. Bake for 20-25 minutes, rotating the pan once, until puffed and light golden brown. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool for 20 minutes.

9. In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and salt, to form a smooth glaze.

10. Drizzle each scone with glaze and serve warm.

Pro Tips For Making The Best Lemon Scones

• Glaze 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.
• Keep the butter cold. Cold butter is best for scones because it helps create flaky yet tender layers. After cubing the butter, return it to the refrigerator until you are ready to cut it into the flour mixture.
• Don’t overwork the dough. Scone dough does not require much kneading to come together, and it is best to handle the dough as little as possible and gently press it together. Overworking the dough causes additional gluten to form and may also warm the butter too much, both of which will lead to a dense texture.
• Refrigerate the dough if you aren’t immediately baking it. If your oven is still preheating or you are timing multiple components of your meal to be ready simultaneously, pop the tray of unbaked scones in the refrigerator instead of letting them sit at room temperature. Warm dough will overspread and not rise well.
• To make ahead, freeze the dough. Place the cut scones on a baking sheet lined with wax paper or parchment paper just far apart enough so they aren’t touching. Freeze until solid, about 1 hour. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap or store in an airtight freezer container.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you’ve tried this lemon scones recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!