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Nothing brightens up a morning quite like these homemade Lemon Cream Scones! These pillowy-soft cream scones strike the perfect balance between sweet and citrus, with a tangy lemon glaze that makes them absolutely irresistible. They’re the kind of breakfast treat that makes you want to linger over your coffee just a little bit longer!
These lemon cream scones are one of my favorite treats! They are incredibly tender with a flaky texture and bright citrus flavor that makes them so irresistible. They’re the kind of breakfast treat that feels fancy but doesn’t require any complicated techniques or hard-to-find ingredients – just good butter, fresh lemons, and a light touch with the dough.
Whether you’re hosting a weekend brunch, planning a baby shower, or just want to make a regular Saturday morning feel special, this lemon cream scones recipe is perfect for the occasion. Plus, since the dough can be made ahead and frozen, you can always have them ready to pop in the oven when guests drop by or when you’re craving something special with your morning coffee or afternoon tea!
Nikki’s Recipe Rundown
- Taste: The bright, tangy lemon goes perfectly with the rich, butter scone!
- Texture: Tender and flaky with slightly crispy edges, topped with a smooth, glossy glaze.
- Ease: Scones require a simple mixing technique that even beginners can master!
- Pros: This lemon scones recipe is quick to make, uses basic pantry ingredients, can be made ahead, and creates an impressive presentation.
- Considerations: Keeping the ingredients cold and not overworking the dough is crucial for the best texture.
- Recipe Repeatability: These scones are simple enough for regular weekend baking but special enough to never feel ordinary, so you might just find yourself making them all the time!
Ingredients Needed for Lemon Cream Scones
- Flour: All-purpose flour works great for scones!
- Granulated Sugar: Regular, granulated sugar is all you need to add just the right amount of sweetness.
- Salt: Salt is necessary to balance the flavors.
- Baking Powder: This is essential to help the scones have more lift in the oven!
- Butter: It is important to use very cold butter here! It will create flaky layers and help the scones rise in the oven, too.
- Whipping Cream: Whipping cream adds moisture and creates a tender crumb.
- Lemon: You will need both lemon zest and juice to lend that lemony flavor!
- Glaze: To make the simple lemon glaze, combine powdered sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice!
- Sanding Sugar: I love to top my lemon scones off with some yellow sanding sugar for added decoration and texture, but this is totally optional!
How To Make the Best Lemon Cream Scones
✱ Be sure to see the recipe card below for exact ingredients and full recipe instructions!
Step 1 | Combine Dry Ingredients & Butter
In a large bowl, mix together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, salt, and baking powder.
Using your fingers or a pastry cutter, rub the cold butter into the flour mixture until it forms large flakes. Stir in the lemon zest and refrigerate the mixture.
Step 2 | Make Scone Dough
In a separate bowl, whisk together the whipping cream and fresh lemon juice.
Add this to the flour mixture, stirring gently to combine.
Turn the mixture out onto a lightly floured surface. Use your hands to bring the dough together—it will be crumbly at first but should form a cohesive dough as the butter softens slightly. If needed, add an extra tablespoon of cream, lemon juice, or milk.
Step 3 | Chill & Divide
Pat the dough into a disc approximately 8 inches (20 cm) in diameter. Transfer the disc to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Chill the dough in the refrigerator while preheating the oven to 400°F (200°C).
Once chilled, cut the dough into 8 equal wedges.
Step 4 | Bake, Glaze & Enjoy
Bake for 20 minutes, or until the scones are light golden brown. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and transfer the scones to a wire rack to cool for about 5 minutes.
While the scones cool slightly, prepare the glaze by mixing the powdered sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice until smooth. Drizzle the glaze generously over the scones. If desired, sprinkle with sanding sugar for an extra touch of sparkle.
Allow the glaze to set for a few minutes before serving.
Recipe Tips
- Keep everything cold! For super flaky scones, you need to use cold butter, cold cream, and even chill your bowl if your kitchen is warm. And don’t skip chilling the dough before slicing and baking!
- Avoid overworking the dough – less mixing means more tender scones. The more you work and touch the dough, the more risk you have of melting the butter and creating dense scones!
- If you’d like, you can brush the tops with cream before baking for a deeper golden color.
Variations and Substitutions
- Add-ins: You can add different add-ins for a twist like fresh blueberries or dried cranberries or poppy seeds!
- Citrus: Replace lemon with orange or lime for a different citrus twist.
- Cream: Use half-and-half if you don’t have heavy cream
- Glaze: For less lemon flavor and a more sweet flavor profile, make a vanilla glaze by replacing the lemon juice and zest with about 1 teaspoon vanilla and water.
- Gluten-free: Use your favorite gluten-free flour blend in place of the all-purpose flour. Just make sure it has a 1:1 ratio to regular flour.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can! Pulse the dry ingredients and butter together until crumbly, then add the wet ingredients and pulse until just combined. Be very careful not to overmix the dough!
Yes! Shape the scones, wrap well, and freeze for up to 3 months. Bake directly from frozen, adding 2-3 minutes to the bake time.
You can substitute the heavy whipping cream with whole milk or half-and-half, though the flavor will be slightly less rich.
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Storage
Storage: Leftover scones can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. To refresh, warm them in a 300°F oven for 5-7 minutes.
Freeze: Unglazed scones freeze beautifully for up to 3 months – just glaze them after reheating.
What to Serve with Lemon Cream Scones
These lemon cream scones are perfect for breakfast or afternoon tea, pairing beautifully with a dollop of clotted cream, softened butter, or lemon curd! Fresh berries or a spoonful of your favorite jam (like my strawberry jam) would also be a great option.
Personally, I love to serve these scones alongside a cup of hot tea, freshly brewed coffee, or a foamy cappuccino!
Other Recipes to Try
- Savory Croissant Breakfast Casserole
- Banana Bread Recipe
- Blueberry Coffee Cake
- Blueberry Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
- Mini Lemon Cheesecakes
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Lemon Cream Scones
Ingredients
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon (2.5 g) salt
- 4 teaspoons (16 g) baking powder
- ¼ cup (60 g) unsalted butter, very cold
- ¾ cup (180 ml) whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) fresh lemon juice
- zest of 1 1/2 lemons
Glaze
- 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar
- zest of 1/2 lemon
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) fresh lemon juice
- 2-3 tablespoons (30-45 g) sanding sugar, optional
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, salt, and baking powder.
- Using your fingers or a pastry cutter, rub the cold butter into the flour mixture until it forms large flakes. Stir in the lemon zest and refrigerate the mixture.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the whipping cream and fresh lemon juice. Add this to the flour mixture, stirring gently to combine.
- Turn the mixture out onto a lightly floured surface. Use your hands to bring the dough together—it will be crumbly at first but should form a cohesive dough as the butter softens slightly. If needed, add an extra tablespoon of cream, lemon juice, or milk.
- Pat the dough into a disc approximately 8 inches (20 cm) in diameter. Transfer the disc to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Chill the dough in the refrigerator while preheating the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Once chilled, cut the dough into 8 equal wedges. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the scones are light golden brown.
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven and transfer the scones to a wire rack to cool for about 5 minutes.
- While the scones cool slightly, prepare the glaze by mixing the powdered sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice until smooth.
- Drizzle the glaze generously over the scones. If desired, sprinkle with sanding sugar for an extra touch of sparkle.
- Allow the glaze to set for a few minutes before serving.
Want to Save this Recipe?
Enter your email below & we’ll send it straight to your inbox. Plus you’ll get great new recipes from us every week!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Soulfully Made.
Notes
- Use very cold butter for the flakiest scones. You can even freeze the butter and grate it directly into the flour mixture.
- Avoid overworking the dough to keep the scones light and tender.
- Letting the dough chill before baking helps the scones hold their shape and enhances their texture.
- For an extra golden top, brush the scones lightly with cream before baking.
Nutrition Information
Nutritional Disclaimer
Soulfully Made is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.
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