Lemon Buttermilk Scones with Lemon Glaze

These Lemon Buttermilk Scones are light and fluffy are bursting with lemon flavor, then drizzled with the most incredible tangy lemon glaze.

Scones are one of my favorite things to bake because they’re so fast and easy and the end result is always amazing. I love having a good scone with my coffee in the morning, it’s just the perfect way to start the day. These scones are perfect for any of my fellow citrus lovers out there, especially topped with my drool worthy lemon glaze and topped with perfectly sugared lemons.

These scones are heavenly, buttery fluffy scones. However, there’s not a lot of butter in them, but the buttermilk makes them so perfectly crumbly and light. When you make scones you want to make sure you don’t over knead the dough, all you need to do is knead it 4 or 5 times, a gentle touch is all they need.

Lemon Buttermilk Scones

Don’t be scared of scones, making them or eating them. This easy recipe includes lots of fresh bright lemon and a bit of buttermilk to ensure they’re perfectly cooked and delectably tender. They’re such a filling little breakfast that won’t leave you feeling sugar buzzed or carb sluggish for the rest of the day. This hand held treat is so loaded with flavor and wonderful texture that I’m sure you’ll be craving this recipe for years to come.

Why Buttermilk?

Let’s talk about the buttermilk in these scones because the buttermilk plays a very important role here. First of all, the buttermilk will add complexity and depth to your scones. It’s what makes them super soft and light and what keeps them from browning too quickly so that you end up with scones that are baked perfectly, inside and out!

Ingredients In Lemon Buttermilk Scones

Detailed measurements and instructions can be found on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page.

Scones

• Flour – Regular all purpose works just fine for this recipe.
• Sugar – We want just plain white granulated to achieve our crisp, clean sweet flavor.
• Salt – It’s super important to ensure all of our baking is properly seasoned.
• Lemon – We want the zest from approximately 2 lemons.
• Egg – 1 yolk is all that we need.
• Buttermilk – This will ensure our scones are super tender and have great volume.
• Vanilla – Vanilla extract will really set this whole recipe off, it’s like a secret weapon flavor enhancer.
• Butter – Unsalted as we want to control the sodium content of our dish.

Lemon glaze

• Icing sugar – This finely ground sugar dissolves easily and is perfect for icing and glazes. Don’t be tempted by the granulated used earlier, it will give your glaze a gritty texture.
• Lemon juice – Just a bit more of the fresh stuff for us lemon fiends.
• Salt – We’ll want to season our glaze ever so slightly.
• Milk – Used sparingly to thin out the glaze if need be.
• Corn syrup – This ingredient will add some syrupy sweetness and great consistency.

How To Make Lemon Buttermilk Scones

Detailed measurements and instructions can be found on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page

1. Preheat the oven: To 400 F degrees.
2. Combine the wet and dry ingredients, separately: In a large bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and lemon zest. Whisk to combine everything. In a small bowl whisk the egg yolk, buttermilk and vanilla extract together.
3. Form the dough: Add the butter to the flour bowl, and using a pastry blender, cut in the butter to make small pea sized pieces. Add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture and stir until the dough pulls together. Lightly flour a work surface and dust your hands with flour.
4. Prepare scones for the oven: Transfer the dough to the work surface and knead it gently about 5 time. Shape the dough into a ball, then flatten it into a disk that’s about 3/4 of an inch thick and about 8 inches in diameter. Cut the disk into 8 wedges of equal size. Place the wedges onto a baking sheet.
5. Bake the scones: Bake them for about 20 minutes or until golden. Transfer the scones to a cooling rack.
6. Make the lemon glaze: To make the lemon glaze, add the confectioners’ sugar to a bowl. Add the corn syrup, milk, lemon juice, pinch of salt and start whisking until smooth. Add more milk until the glaze is runny but still thick.
7. Finish the scones: While the scones are cooling drizzle them generously with the glaze then garnish with more lemon zest.

Want To Make Sugared Lemon Slices?

It’s easy and I highly recommend them! Take your scone, rip a piece off, drizzle some more glaze over them, put a sugared lemon slice over the scone piece then pop it in your mouth. I’m just saying, it’s heavenly!!

1. Cut 2 lemons into thin slices. Mix 1 cup of sugar with 1 3/4 cups water in a large skillet over medium heat until the sugar dissolves.
2. Place the lemon slices in the skillet in a single layer, and simmer very gently, not letting the mixture come to a boil. Turn the lemon slices occasionally and cook for about 30-45 minutes.
3. Remove the pan from the heat, and lay the lemon slices on a sheet lined with parchment paper. Allow them to cool for 1-2 hours.

How To Zest A Lemon

Lemon peel contains even more nutrients than the fruit of this fruit, offering numerous benefits to the body so let’s figure out how to incorporate them into this dish!

Prepare the lemon: If you’re not using organic lemons, I recommend washing them in warm water using a clean sponge. Warm water melts the wax layer that protects the fruit and dissolves any chemicals with which it has been sprinkled.

Grate the lemon: Wipe the lemons well after they have been washed and grate them on the smallest holes of your grater. You must be careful that the white and bitter part of the shell is not grated so change where you are zesting often. If you look at the lemon and see you have hit any white parts you’ve zested too far.

Tips For Making The Best Scones

1. The key to flaky scones is cold butter. Try placing the butter into the freezer for 5 minutes before cubing. And be sure not to over mix with your hands otherwise it will melt too much.
2. To ensure you’re using a good lightened amount of flour without sifting, scoop up a cup full of flour and gently shake it back out into your bag. Then gently re-scoop the air sifted flour and level gently with your finger. You’ll find it makes quite a difference!
3. If regular milk is all you have on hand keep in mind that you can make your own quasi buttermilk by adding 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice per cup of milk.

Storing Lemon Buttermilk Scones

Since these scones contain dairy, store them in the fridge for up to 3 days. These can also be easily frozen! Freeze for up to 3 months. Wrap them in plastic wrap individually then place them in a ziploc bag. The spread will not freeze well but it will last in the fridge for 3 – 4 days.

Storing Lemon Glaze

The glaze can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.

More Delicious Breakfast Treats To Try:

• Banana Buzz Scones
• Lemon Blueberry Scones
• Strawberry Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Apple Cinnamon Scones
• Classic Pancakes
• Easy Waffles
• Banana Fritters
• Pancake Muffins

Looking for more recipes? Follow on... My Newsletter Pinterest Facebook Instagram

Lemon Buttermilk Scones

4.55 from 33 votes

Prep: 15 mins

Cook: 20 mins

Total: 35 mins

Author: Joanna Cismaru

Serves: 8

Print Pin Rate

These Lemon Buttermilk Scones are light and fluffy are bursting with lemon flavor, then drizzled with the most incredible tangy lemon glaze.

Ingredients

For Scones

• 2 cups all-purpose flour2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup sugar granulated1/3 cup sugar granulated
• 1 tbsp baking powder1 tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt1/2 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp lemon zest from about 2 lemons3 tbsp lemon zest from about 2 lemons
• 1 egg yolk1 egg yolk
• 1 cup buttermilk1 cup buttermilk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 tbsp butter unsalted3 tbsp butter unsalted

For Lemon Glaze

• 1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar same as icing sugar or powdered sugar1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar same as icing sugar or powdered sugar
• 1 tbsp corn syrup light1 tbsp corn syrup light
• 1 tbsp milk plus more as needed1 tbsp milk plus more as needed
• 2 tbsp lemon juice freshly squeezed 2 tbsp lemon juice freshly squeezed
• 1/8 tsp salt1/8 tsp salt

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 400 F degrees.
• In a large bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and lemon zest. Whisk to combine everything.
• In a small bowl whisk the egg yolk, buttermilk and vanilla extract together.
• Add the butter to the flour bowl, and using a pastry blender, cut in the butter to make small pea sized pieces.
• Add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture and stir until the dough pulls together. Lightly flour a work surface and dust your hands with flour.
• Transfer the dough to the work surface and knead it gently about 5 time. Shape the dough into a ball, then flatten it into a disk that's about 3/4 of an inch thick and about 8 inches in diameter.
• Cut the disk into 8 wedges of equal size. Place the wedges onto a baking sheet.
• Bake them for about 20 minutes or until golden. Transfer the scones to a cooling rack.
• To make the lemon glaze, add the confectioners' sugar to a bowl. Add the corn syrup, milk, lemon juice, pinch of salt and start whisking until smooth. Add more milk until the glaze is runny but still thick.
• While the scones are cooling drizzle them generously with the glaze then garnish with more lemon zest.

Recipe Notes

1. To make the sugared lemon slices that you see in the photos:
2. Cut 2 lemons into thin slices. Mix 1 cup of sugar with 1 3/4 cups water in a large skillet over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Place the lemon slices in the skillet in a single layer, and simmer very gently, not letting the mixture come to a boil. Turn the lemon slices occasionally and cook for about 30-45 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, and lay the lemon slices on a sheet lined with parchment paper. Allow them to cool for 1-2 hours.
3. Since these scones contain dairy, store them in the fridge for up to 3 days. These can also be easily frozen! Freeze for up to 3 months. Wrap them in plastic wrap individually then place them in a ziploc bag. The spread will not freeze well but it will last in the fridge for 3 – 4 days.
4. Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used.

Nutrition Information:

Calories: 311kcal (16%)Carbohydrates: 60g (20%)Protein: 5g (10%)Fat: 6g (9%)Saturated Fat: 4g (25%)Cholesterol: 39mg (13%)Sodium: 220mg (10%)Potassium: 225mg (6%)Fiber: 1g (4%)Sugar: 34g (38%)Vitamin A: 215IU (4%)Vitamin C: 4mg (5%)Calcium: 113mg (11%)Iron: 2mg (11%)

Course:Breakfast, Brunch

Cuisine:American

Keyword:lemon buttermilk scones, scones

Tried this recipe? Rate it belowtag @jocooks on instagram and hashtag it #jocooks!