Lemon lavender scones blend bright citrus with a gentle floral note for an easy weekend bake. I got the just-right lightly crisp edges and a tender, warm crumb that smells like fresh spring mornings.
This recipe resolves challenges like tough texture, uneven rising, and fading flavor, ensuring delightful scones in a quick and simple process.
I’ve tackled crumbly dough and faded lavender flavor many times, but this easy lemon scones twist keeps each piece tender and fragrant. I worried about overworking the dough (classic my own mistake), yet these never turn tough.
These work because you prep in about 15 minutes and pop them in the oven for just 18 minutes, so you get a soft inside and slight golden top. The chilled dough helps them hold shape, which means no flat batches on busy mornings.
If you love lemon treats in the morning, you might also try Gluten Free Lemon Zucchini Bread as a sweet, tangy companion to these scones.
Table of contents
Dietary Considerations
- This recipe is not gluten-free, keto, or low-carb due to all-purpose flour.
- The recipe contains butter and cream, so it is unsuitable for dairy-free diets.
- The recipe contains butter, cream, and egg, so it is unsuitable for vegan diets.
- The recipe is vegetarian.
- The recipe is nut-free.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Light, flaky layers: Chilled butter cut into flour forms thin sheets that puff up into soft, airy scones when baked for about 18 minutes at 400°F.
- Bright lemon zing: Zest from one lemon plus a tablespoon of juice brings a fresh citrus note that cuts through the buttery crumb without overwhelming it.
- Subtle lavender aroma: Dried lavender buds steep briefly in heavy cream so each scone holds a gentle floral hint that fills the kitchen as it bakes.
- Quick morning prep: Mixing, shaping, and baking wrap up in about 30 minutes so you can pull warm lemon lavender scones from the oven with minutes to spare.
Perfect Lemon Lavender Scones
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cool Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 18 minutes
- Total Time: 53 minutes
- Yield: 12 scones 1x
- Category: breakfast
- Method: baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: vegetarian
Description
Lemon lavender scones blend bright citrus with a gentle floral note for an easy weekend bake.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, lightly sifted (substitute with measure-for-measure gluten-free flour)
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar (coconut sugar can be used for a lower glycemic index)
- 1 tablespoon baking powder (aluminum-free recommended)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted cold butter, cubed
- 2 teaspoons dried culinary lavender, gently crushed
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest from unwaxed lemons
- 2/3 cup heavy cream, chilled (plain yogurt can be substituted)
- 1 large egg, brought to room temperature
- 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar for topping
Instructions
- Begin by cutting the unsalted cold butter into small cubes. Incorporate this into the flour mixture until it resembles small, pea-sized pieces. Keeping both the butter and the dough chilled is key to achieving the tender, flaky layers in your lemon lavender scones.
- Add dried lavender into the flour mixture, massaging it lightly so that each bud gets evenly coated. This method spreads the floral flavor without crushing the lavender, avoiding any potential bitterness in your scones.
- Zest the unwaxed lemon directly over the flour and lavender combination. This step captures the lemon oil, ensuring a bright aroma fills the scones. You can always store any extra lemon zest in your freezer for future use.
- In a small bowl, whisk the chilled heavy cream and the room-temperature egg until they are pale and well combined. Pour this mixture into your dry ingredients, stirring just until the dough holds together. Taking care not to overmix will keep your scones light.
- Transfer the shaggy dough onto a lightly floured surface, and gently press it into a circle about one inch thick. Fold the dough over onto itself once to create layers. This adds a lovely flakiness without stressing the gluten content.
- Place the dough disc onto a baking sheet and refrigerate it for about 20 minutes. This helps the butter firm up again, allowing the scones to hold their shape and puff up properly while baking.
- Before baking, brush the top of the dough with a little cream and sprinkle the turbinado sugar over it. Bake the scones in a preheated oven at 400°F for 15 to 18 minutes, until they’re lightly golden and enticingly fragrant.
Notes
- Sift flour lightly before measuring to avoid packing it, ensuring your scones are airy.
- Cold butter is crucial; it should come straight from the fridge to maintain proper texture.
- Always use food-grade culinary lavender for safety and flavor.
- This adds a pleasing crunch and caramelization on top but can be skipped if desired.
- Follow each step to avoid overworking the dough, which can lead to a tougher texture.
- Scones are best enjoyed fresh, but you can store them in an airtight container for 1-2 days. Reheat briefly in an oven for a few minutes to restore their freshness.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 scone
- Calories: 200
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 25g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 30mg
Ingredient Notes
- All-purpose flour: Choose a good quality, lightly sifted for airy scones; dab extra flour on board to prevent sticking; gluten-free works measure-for-measure.
- Unsalted cold butter: Cube straight from fridge so pockets of fat yield flaky layers; vegan block stands in smoothly.
- Dried culinary lavender: Seek food-grade buds, not ornamental; gently crush to wake floral aroma; scale back if it overpowers.
- Lemon zest: Zest unwaxed lemons, scraping only yellow peel to dodge bitter pith; stash extra in freezer.
- Heavy cream: Go for 36% fat chilled to help bind quickly without overworking; plain yogurt can step in.
- Large egg: Bring to room temperature for even mixing and structure; lightly beaten yolk blends best; flax egg works for vegan.
- Turbinado sugar: Scatter on top for gentle crunch as they bake; its crystals caramelize nicely; regular sugar is fine if skipped.
Recipe Baking Tips
- If dough clumps at edges, before shaping, drizzle 2 tablespoons cold heavy cream and fold 4 times.
- When lavender flavor seems mild, midway through mixing, stir in extra 1 teaspoon dried lavender buds.
- For soggy bottoms, 18 minutes into baking, transfer scones onto a wire rack for final 2 minutes.
- If tops darken too fast, 12 minutes into baking, tent with 6-inch square foil to prevent overbrowning.
- When centers underbake, after 20 minutes in oven, rotate pan and bake 3 more minutes.
Serving Suggestions
Serve with herb yogurt dip and fresh berry compote bowl beside lemon lavender scones from my gluten-free lemon scone recipe. Offer gluten-free honey butter spread on side plate alongside rosemary tea or chamomile tea mug to accompany lavender scones recipe.
Use leftover lemon lavender scones cubes in strawberry salad recipe with spinach and candied pecans drizzled by balsamic vinaigrette dressing. Add scone croutons to Greek yogurt bowl with sliced figs and toasted almond flakes for quick brunch bowl idea recipe.
Top lemon lavender scones with honey lavender glaze teaspoon poured over scone halves then evenly dust powdered sugar across surface. Serve with lemon curd recipe dollop or raspberry compote recipe spoon on side platter to finish scone table display presentation.
Recipe variations
- You can use 2 cups of gluten-free flour blend instead of all-purpose flour for a lighter crumb and subtle earthiness and nutty undertones in flavor.
- Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 2 tablespoons honey to the dough for enhanced floral sweetness, complementing the 1 tablespoon lemon zest and lavender buds.
- Either heavy cream or whole milk can replace buttermilk in the dough, ensuring a tender, moist, freshly baked crumb, a recipe seen in Sourdough-Blueberry-Scones.
- If using a mini muffin tin, halve dough portions to yield 16 bite-sized scones; to double servings, mix 4 cups flour and 2 tablespoons lavender.
Save This Recipe!
How to Store?
To keep your lemon lavender scones fresh and delicious, follow these storage tips:
Room Temperature: Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 2 days. Avoid stacking to retain crumb texture and moisture.
Refrigeration: Place in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 5 days. Warm at room temperature 10 minutes before serving.
Freezing: Wrap in plastic wrap or foil, place in a freezer bag in freezer up to 3 months. Thaw before serving.
Other Recipes You’ll Love
- Gluten Free Oatmeal Zucchini Cookies
- Gluten Free Chocolate Chips Zucchini Bread
- Gluten Free Chocolate Zucchini Cake
- Gluten Free Zucchini Brownies
Yes. Lavender’s subtle sweetness and herbal undertones go well with lemon’s sharp citrus freshness, adding depth to dishes like scones or shortbread.
The secret of making good scones is keeping butter cold so it releases steam for flaky layers; freeze the dough before baking.
When making scones, avoid overmixing the dough (tough texture), using too much flour (dry scones), and warm butter (prevents flakiness).
The 15 minute rule for scones is baking them for 15 minutes in a hot oven, which yields well-baked scones about 99% of the time.
If you enjoyed this Perfect Lemon Lavender Scones or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks for visiting!
