Classic and crumbly Meyer Lemon Poppy Seed Scones. The sunshine sweet lemon glaze makes them irresistible!

Lemon Poppy Seed Scones

When it comes to breakfast, I’m a creature of a habit. I like eggs, fruit, and coffee. Morning after morning, it’s my jam!

And yet, last week I found myself deep in the trenches of a breakfast rut. Not feeling inspired by my usual fare, I decided it was high time to add a few new options to our morning menu. I’ve got some really good stuff coming up (!!!), starting right now, with these Meyer Lemon Poppy Seed Scones.

Flavored with fresh meyer lemons and loaded with toothy poppy seeds, these lemon scones are sweet, simple, and perfect for shaking up you breakfast routine. They also make an excellent choice for snacking and dessert. Can you tell I’m smitten with these scones or what?!

P.S. If you’re wondering if you can use regular lemons instead of meyer lemons, the answer is YES!

Meyer lemons just happen to be in season here – and they’re beautiful to bake with – so I went with that variety. Use what you can find!

How to make Lemon Poppy Scones

There are two parts to this recipe: the meyer lemon poppy seed scones and the fresh meyer lemon glaze. For the scone base you’ll need flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, granulated sugar, poppy seeds, meyer lemon juice AND zest, butter, an egg, full-fat sour cream, and lemon extract. You’ll also need a little egg, milk, and sugar for the egg wash topping.
The simple glaze is made up of  meyer lemon juice, zest, lemon extract, confectioners’ sugar, and a tiiiiiny pinch of salt. If you’re new to baking with lemon extract, I highly recommend – and absolutely LOVE – Watkins pure lemon extract; it’s 100% natural, doesn’t contain any yucky artificial flavors, colors, or additives, and actually tastes like real lemons!

Now. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: the key to tender, flaky, bakery style scones is COLD BUTTER. Cold, cold, cold!

Why cold butter? Glad ya asked! Cold butter is an essential ingredient to creating scones that are flaky, just slightly crumbly, and tender. When it comes time to add the butter into the dough, you should resist working with your hands if possible, since body heat will quickly melt the butter. Instead, use a pastry cutter or two forks. My favorite method is grating the butter then quickly working it into the dough with two forks.

To cut the scones, simply grab a large knife and slice the circle into 8 even triangles. Remember: scones are forgiving treats, so don’t beat yourself up if they look a little… rustic. The key is to work quickly and try not to handle the dough too much. If you find your dough is warm and/or sticky, pop it back into the fridge or freezer for a few minutes and let it chill, then get back to work.

Humble enough for a quick grab-and-go weekday breakfast, yet fancy enough to be the star of weekend brunch, this recipe for meyer lemon poppy seed scones is one you’ll want to hold onto 😉

More Lemon Poppy Seed Recipes:

• Blueberry Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
• Lemon Poppy Seed Biscotti Dipped in White Chocolate
• Ultimate Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
• Greek Yogurt Meyer Lemon Poppy Seed Pancakes with Brown Butter Lemon Glaze 
• Blueberry Hand Pies with Lemon Poppy Seed Crust

If you try this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment below and don’t forget to snap a pic and tag it #bakerbynature on Instagram! Seeing your kitchen creations makes my day. ♥

Meyer Lemon Poppy Seed Scones

Ashley Manila

Moist yet crumbly, my lemon poppy seed scones are bursting with sunshine sweet flavor. The creamy lemon glaze puts them over the top!

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Course Breakfast

Cuisine British

Servings 8 scones

Ingredients

 

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (be sure you don't pack your flour)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup poppy seeds
• 2 teaspoons meyer lemon zest
• 1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, VERY cold and cut into tiny pieces
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup full-fat sour cream
• 3 tablespoons meyer lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract

For the egg wash:

• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1 teaspoon milk or water
• 2 tablespoons sugar, for sprinkling

For glaze:

• 2 tablespoons meyer lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon meyer lemon zest
• 1/4 teaspoon lemon extract
• 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
• Tiny pinch of salt (1/8 teaspoon or less)

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 400°(F). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
• In a large bowl combine the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, granulated sugar, poppy seeds, and lemon zest; mix well to combine.
• Cut the butter into small cubes then work it into the mixture (using your fingers, two forks, or a pastry cutter) until it resembles a coarse meal.
• In a small bowl whisk together the egg and sour cream, beating smooth before quickly stirring in the lemon juice and lemon extract. Add to flour/butter mixture and use a fork to stir everything together until just moistened.
• Empty the loose dough out onto a clean, lightly floured work surface, then shape the dough into an 8-inch circle. *You may need to knead the mixture a few times to get it to a workable texture.
• Cut the dough into 8 wedges and carefully transfer them to the prepared sheet, placing them 2" apart.
• Lightly brush each scone with the egg wash, then sprinkle the tops with sugar.
• Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until light golden brown.
• Allow scones to cool for 10 minutes on the baking sheet. In the meantime you can make your glaze.

For the glaze:

• In a small bowl whisk together the lemon juice, lemon extract, confectioners' sugar, and salt. Drizzle over semi-warm scones and serve at once.

Notes

Feel free to use regular lemons instead of meyer lemons.

Tried it and loved it?Snap a picture and share it with me on Instagram @Bakerbynature and by using the hashtag #BakerByNature