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overhead shot of lemon buttermilk scones on a cooling rack
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4.59 from 48 votes

Lemon Buttermilk Scones

These Lemon Buttermilk Scones are light and fluffy are bursting with lemon flavor, then drizzled with the most incredible tangy lemon glaze.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Course: Breakfast, Brunch
Cuisine: American
Keyword: lemon buttermilk scones, scones
Servings: 8
Calories: 310kcal

Ingredients

For Scones

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • cup sugar granulated
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 3 tablespoon lemon zest from about 2 lemons
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 tablespoon butter unsalted

For Lemon Glaze

  • cups confectioners sugar same as icing sugar or powdered sugar
  • 1 tablespoon corn syrup light
  • 1 tablespoon milk plus more as needed
  • 2 tablespoon lemon juice freshly squeezed
  • teaspoon salt

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400℉.
  • 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.

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.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 310kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 39mg | Sodium: 220mg | Potassium: 241mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 34g | Vitamin A: 216IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 115mg | Iron: 2mg