Super Soft Lemon Scones with Lemon Glaze

Lemon cream scone with lemon icing dripping around it and fresh lemon wedges in background.

4.52 from 29 votes

Super Soft Lemon Scones with Lemon Glaze

These Lemon Scones are made with cream for the softest scones ever! They are perfectly tender, fluffy, and glazed with a sweet lemon icing for an extra layer of zesty flavor. With this recipe you won't ever end up with dry, bland, or crunchy scones - just a sweet treat to share for breakfast, parties, and more!

Prep Time20

Cook Time18

Total Time38

Course: Breakfast, Brunch

Cuisine: American

Servings: scones

Calories: 307kcal

Author: Borrowed Bites

Ingredients

Lemon Scones

3 cups flour
⅔ cups sugar
4 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup butter cut into ½ tablespoon cubes and very cold
1 large egg
¾ cup heavy cream (plus more if needed) very cold
1½ tablespoon lemon zest from about 2 lemons
1 teaspoon vanilla

Lemon Icing

1¼ cups powdered sugar
¼ cup half and half or heavy cream
1 tablespoon lemon zest from about 1 lemon
¼ teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. This will not work with a hand mixer, but can be done in a food processor instead of a stand mixer.
3 cups flour, ⅔ cups sugar, 4 teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon salt
Add the very cold butter to the flour mixture and mix on medium-low (or pulse if using food processor) until the mixture becomes fine crumbs.
1 cup butter
In a separate small bowl combine the egg, cream, lemon zest, and vanilla. Add to the flour mixture and mix on low (or pulse) until the dough comes together, adding more cream 1 tablespoon at a time if needed, until it is moist and mostly holds together (see picture).
1 large egg, ¾ cup heavy cream (plus more if needed), 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1½ tablespoon lemon zest
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead 4-5 times. Then use your hands to pat into a rectangle ½ inch thick. It should be roughly 11 inches long and 8 inches wide.
Using a sharp knife or bench scraper, cut the scones into 16 triangles. First cut the dough in half lengthwise, then in half widthwise. Cut each of the 4 sections into 4 triangles (see picture in post).
Place on prepared sheet pans and bake for 15-18 minutes, or until lightly golden on the bottom and the tops look dry.
While the scones are baking, combine the glaze ingredients in a bowl.
1¼ cups powdered sugar, ¼ cup half and half, 1 tablespoon lemon zest, ¼ teaspoon vanilla
Once finished baking, allow scones to cool for 5-10 minutes on the sheet pan. Then place on a cooling rack. Once cool, drizzle with glaze and serve.
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Notes

Tips & Tricks

- Avoid overmixing and overworking the dough. Handle it gently to keep that flaky texture.

- Use very cold butter and cream. This will help the dough rise and make the scones fluffy.

- Don't overbake them. They are done when they are golden on the bottom and the tops look dry. They will continue cooking slightly on the sheet pan while cooling.

- To make circle scones, use a biscuit cutter. For mini lemon scones, cut the triangles smaller and adjust the baking time as needed (they will puff and rise larger than the size you cut them).

Storage Instructions

They are best served fresh, but if you have leftovers store them in an airtight container for 1-2 days. For longer storage, see the freezer instructions below.

Make Ahead Instructions

You can make these ahead and store in the fridge for up to a day before baking. In our experience they lose their shape more when baking after refrigeration, but they still taste amazing! When you store them, make sure to keep them well covered in plastic wrap to prevent them from drying out.

Freezing Instructions

You can freeze unbaked lemon scones after being cut into wedges. Freeze on a flat cookie sheet, then wrap tightly in plastic wrap and store in a zipper bag. Bake straight from frozen, adding a few more minutes to the baking time.

You can also freeze baked scones. For best results freeze as soon as possible after they have baked and cooled (skip the glaze). Freeze for 3-4 months, then thaw at room temperature and add fresh glaze.

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