Easy Lemon Scones Recipe (So Soft!) - Crazy for Crust (2024)

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Scone can be hard to make: they can be dry or tasteless. But these Lemon Scones have a secret ingredients which will blow your mind. This ingredient adds both flavor AND keeps the scones pillowy soft.

Easy Lemon Scones Recipe (So Soft!) - Crazy for Crust (2)

Table of Contents

  • Super Soft Lemon Scones
  • Ingredients in Lemon Scones
  • How to make Lemon Scones
  • Mini Lemon Scones Recipe Recipe

Super Soft Lemon Scones

If you’re tired of scone recipes that turn out dry and flavorless then you need to try this recipe. These scones are FLUFFY and SOFT and have a TON of lemon flavor! So, you ask, what is the secret to this scone recipe? The lemon flavor in the scone comes from instant pudding mix.

I love adding the pudding mix because it keeps them soft. I’ve had some scones that are so dry they could be used as sandpaper, but I like a cakey soft scone, and this recipe produces that. They also stay soft for days because of the pudding mix.

Easy Lemon Scones Recipe (So Soft!) - Crazy for Crust (3)

Ingredients in Lemon Scones

  • Unsalted butter: I recommend unsalted butter – it needs to be cold. Cold butter creates chunks in the dough which, when baked, creates that soft flakiness you want in a biscuit or scone.
  • Instant lemon pudding mix: Makes the scones soft and tasty.
  • Heavy cream or whipping cream: Essential for keeping them soft – the fat content of heavy cream keeps the moisture in the scones.
  • Zest from one large lemon: Lemon zest adds some natural lemon flavor.

How to make Lemon Scones

  • Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
  • Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add diced cold butter and cut in with a pastry cutter until the butter is worked in and the mixture is crumbly. Stir in the pudding mix.
  • Place the creamer, egg, vanilla, and extract in a measuring cup. Whisk to combine. Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the wet. Stir with a fork until just combined (there may still be some dry ingredients in the bottom of the bowl).
  • Turn out the dough onto a cutting board. Knead the dough a few times until the mixture comes together and is smooth. Cut the dough in half. Form each half of the dough into a disk that’s about 1-2” thick. Slice each into 8 wedges, for a total of 16 mini scones.
  • Place scones on prepared cookie sheet, 1-2” apart. Bake for 8-11 minutes, or until the bottoms are just golden brown. Cool completely before glazing.
  • To make the glaze: whisk all ingredients in a small bowl. Drizzle over scones. Let set for a few minutes before serving or stacking.
Easy Lemon Scones Recipe (So Soft!) - Crazy for Crust (4)

Easy Lemon Scones Recipe (So Soft!) - Crazy for Crust (5)

Expert Tips

  • Start with a fork then use your hands to bring the dough together. Don’t knead it like bread, be gentle.
  • If you want to add something extra, fold in fresh blueberries or white chocolate chips. 1 cup for each.
  • Let the scones sit for a few minutes after pouring the glaze on.

FAQs

Why do you use heavy cream for scones?

Using heavy cream keeps the scones soft.

Can you make these normal size?

If you want the scones smaller, after you knead the dough, divide it in half and form each half into a disc. Cut them into mini wedges and then bake them.

Can you freeze scones?

You can! Make sure they are sealed in a bag or container. Freeze for up to 3 months.

Easy Lemon Scones Recipe (So Soft!) - Crazy for Crust (6)

Mini Lemon Scones Recipe

4.23 from 49 votes

These Mini Lemon Scones are full of lemon flavor with a secret ingredient: pudding mix! They stay soft for days and are the perfect scone recipe.

Yield 16 scones

Serving Size 1 scone

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Ingredients

  • 2 cups (248g) all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 6 tablespoons (84g) cold unsalted butter diced
  • 1 box 3.4 ounces instant lemon pudding mix
  • ½ cup (118ml) heavy cream or whipping cream
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Zest from one large lemon

For the glaze:

  • ½ cup (57g) powdered sugar
  • Pinch salt
  • 1-2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

  • Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add diced cold butter and cut in with a pastry cutter until the butter is worked in and the mixture is crumbly. Stir in the pudding mix.

  • Place the creamer, egg, vanilla, and extract in a measuring cup. Whisk to combine. Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the wet. Stir with a fork until just combined (there may still be some dry ingredients in the bottom of the bowl).

  • Turn out the dough onto a cutting board. Knead the dough a few times until the mixture comes together and is smooth. Cut the dough in half. Form each half of the dough into a disk that’s about 1-2” thick. Slice each into 8 wedges, for a total of 16 mini scones.

  • Place scones on prepared cookie sheet, 1-2” apart. Bake for 8-11 minutes, or until the bottoms are just golden brown. Cool completely before glazing.

  • To make the glaze: whisk all ingredients in a small bowl. Drizzle over scones. Let set for a few minutes before serving or stacking.

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

Want extra lemon flavor? Add 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract with the vanilla.

Recipe Nutrition

Serving: 1scone | Calories: 146kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 32mg | Sodium: 81mg | Potassium: 102mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 255IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional information not guaranteed to be accurate

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Author Dorothy Kern

Did you try this recipe? Click the stars to rate the recipe below

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Last Updated on September 9, 2023

Easy Lemon Scones Recipe (So Soft!) - Crazy for Crust (11)

Dorothy Kern

Welcome to Crazy for Crust, where I share recipes that are sometimes crazy, often with a crust, and always served with a slice of life.

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68 Comments

  1. does the zest go in the scones or in the glaze?

    Reply
    1. I put them in the scones, but you can add to the glaze if you want (I usually don’t, I don’t like the little threads when eating it)

      Reply
    2. can I use fresh made lemon curd instead of the pudding mix

      Reply
      1. I have not tried that

        Reply
      2. how much?

        Reply
      3. Did the recipe change? I’ve made these scones several times and today while reviewing the recipe, it used to call for Sweet Cream Coffee Creamer but now is calls for heavy cream or whipping cream.

        Reply
        1. You can swap the coffee creamer for the cream in the recipe!

          Reply
        2. I’ve made these a lot throughout the years and it’s always a hit! They are scrumptious 🤤

          Reply
        3. When do you add the zest?

          Reply
          1. With the dry ingredients

            Reply
          2. I’m going to use these yummy scones for a Sip & See brunch. Can they be made ahead of time and frozen before adding the glaze?

            Reply
            1. Yes!

              Reply
            2. This is a very easy recipe. They are delicious. The texture is more like cake. What is the calorie count?

              Reply
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Easy Lemon Scones Recipe (So Soft!) - Crazy for Crust (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret of making good scones? ›

Baking tips for making the perfect scones
  • Use cold or frozen butter: For a better rise, preferably use cold butter or even frozen butter. ...
  • Use pastry flour: This will create a noticeably lighter scone. ...
  • Mix the butter into the flour: If you don't start by mixing the flour and butter, your scones can fail to form properly.
Nov 14, 2022

What to avoid when making scones? ›

5 Mistakes to Avoid When Baking Scones
  1. Using anything but cold ingredients. The secret to the flakiest scones is to start with cold ingredients — cold butter, cold eggs, and cold cream. ...
  2. Only using all-purpose flour. ...
  3. Overmixing the dough. ...
  4. Not chilling the dough before baking. ...
  5. Baking them ahead of time.
May 1, 2019

What is the best flour for scones? ›

Use all-purpose flour for a higher rising scone that holds its shape nicely, both in and out of the oven. To make more delicate, lower-rising, cake-like scones, substitute cake flour for all-purpose flour.

Why aren't my scones light and fluffy? ›

Overworking the dough: when you overwork your dough, your scones can come out tough and chewy, rather than that desired light, crumbly texture. The trick is to use light pressure and only the work the dough until it just comes together.

Is it better to make scones with butter or oil? ›

(A fat is saturated when it is solid at room temperature, like butter, margarine or shortening.) Light Scones contain just 0.3 gram of saturated fat, and 3.6 grams of total fat. In baking, you can generally substitute half the amount of oil as the butter or margarine called for.

How to get scones to rise higher? ›

To ensure taller scones, start with a thicker dough disc and place the scones on a tray with sides, allowing them to slightly touch one another. This arrangement encourages the scones to push against the pan and each other, promoting height.

Is heavy cream or buttermilk better for scones? ›

Heavy Cream or Buttermilk: For the best tasting pastries, stick with a thick liquid such as heavy cream or buttermilk. I usually use heavy cream, but if you want a slightly tangy flavor, use buttermilk.

Is it better to sift flour for scones? ›

Don't forget to sift!

Be sure to double or even triple sift your flour, as it takes away the clumps in the flour allowing for more air pockets in the scone dough - the result being a fluffier and more crumbly scone.

How thick should scone dough be? ›

It is far better that the scone mixture is on the wet side, sticking to your fingers, as the scones will rise better. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and flatten it out with your hand, or use a rolling pin, to a thickness of 1-2 cm (1/2 – ¾ inch).

Why did my lemonade scones not rise? ›

Overmixing: Overmixing the dough is the most common mistake people make with scones. It can lead to tough scones that don't rise well. Mix the ingredients until just combined. Using flat or expired lemonade: Fresh and fizzy lemonade helps with the rising process.

How do you keep scones soft? ›

If you want a soft top on your scones, brush with milk seven minutes into the cooking time. Or you can wrap them in a clean tea towel straight from the oven.

Why do my scones go flat in the oven? ›

Placing a dough in a cool oven that then slowly heats up actually affects the rising agent. Make sure your oven is at the right temperature you will be baking the scones at before you put them in. Also having an oven that is too hot or too cold will affect the baking of your scones immensely.

What are the qualities of a perfect scone? ›

Among the myriad baked goods in the breakfast pastry canon, scones are uniquely delicious in their humble simplicity. The best scones have a crisp, slightly caramelized exterior and a tender, buttery, just-sweet interior. They can be dressed up with a glaze, studded with fruit or nuts, or gently spiced.

What is the best raising agent for scones and why? ›

As well as the raising agent in the flour, baking powder adds a bit of lift to scones. Baking powder is a convenient choice as it is a ready-mixed leavening agent, generally made of bicarbonate of soda and cream of tartar (usually some cornflour too).

Why do my scones spread out and not rise? ›

First, make sure you're using fresh baking powder, one that has been opened less than 6 months ago. Also, if you knead the dough too much, the scones won't rise as tall. Knead gently, and just enough to bring the dough together. Adding more flour also prevents the dough from rising as high, so only dust lightly.

Why are my scones heavy and dense? ›

Over-kneading your dough will result in scones and biscuits that are tough, dense, or rubbery. The longer you knead the dough, the stronger the gluten network will be. We want just enough gluten for the scones to hold their shape, but not so much that we sacrifice the light and flaky texture.

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