easy citrus scones

These easy citrus scones are the perfect accompaniment to a cuppa on a lazy afternoon.

Start by putting your flour and a stick of butter in the freezer the day before you plan to bake.

This recipe calls for grated frozen butter, which makes it so much easier to fully incorporate all of the ingredients. Working with cold flour also helps the scones retain their shape while baking. You can use a stand mixer, but working by hand is fine too.

Jump to Recipe

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and gather the dry ingredients.

• 2 cups of flour
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Stir these together in the bowl of a stand mixer.

In a small bowl, gently massage citrus zest into 1/3 cup sugar.

Use the zest of two large lemons, two oranges, three limes, or one grapefruit. Massage it into the sugar until it is evenly incorporated and the mixture resembles damp sand. Stir into dry ingredients.

A zester makes all the difference! This is the one I have, and it is one of my favorite kitchen tools (the image links to Amazon):

Grate one stick of frozen unsalted butter into the flour mixture.

On the lowest speed using the paddle attachment, mix until the butter pieces are evenly dispersed.

Using a fork, briskly mix together wet ingredients in the same small bowl used for the sugar and zest.

• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract

Then, with the mixer on low speed, slowly pour in the liquids. Mix just until blended, a minute or so.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface.

It will be crumbly, but work with it to bring it all together. Press into a round disk about the size of a dinner plate. Cut the dough into strips, each about two inches wide, and then cut each strip in a zig-zag pattern to create small triangles. I typically get 14 or 15 scones. The ones around the edges are a little irregularly shaped, but I find them charming.

Line a large baking sheet with parchment or spray with a nonstick spray. Arrange the triangles of dough on the sheet and bake for about 12 minutes.

Let them cool briefly, and then enjoy some with a cup of tea. Freeze leftovers until you’re ready to use them.

A note about lemons

I typically use two regular lemons in this easy citrus scones recipe because they are readily available at my grocery store. However, you might consider trying Meyer lemons. For your reference, I’ve listed some key differences between regular lemons and Meyer lemons:

• Meyer lemons are smaller and rounder, and they have a thinner, smoother skin.
• Meyer lemons have a slight orange hue, while regular lemons are bright yellow.
• Meyer lemons are sweeter, while regular lemons are more tart and acidic.

A note about salt

I’ve noticed a lot of recipes call for kosher salt rather than table salt. Has anyone else wondered about this? I decided to look into it, and I found two reasons why many chefs prefer kosher salt:

• Kosher salt isn’t iodized and doesn’t contain additives or trace minerals which may influence the flavor of the dish. For people who are sensitive to this, it might be a good idea to switch to kosher salt. However, we do need to have a little iodine in our diet; the recommended daily intake amounts vary with age and other factors. Table salt is one ready source of iodine to consider, but it can also be found in seaweed, fish, shellfish, eggs, dairy products, and some meat.
• Kosher salt has a larger grain, and it can be easier to control the amount sprinkled into a dish.

Variations on this recipe

There is already flexibility because of the different options for the zest. It would be fun to try other add-ins, such as dried blueberries, ginger, or culinary lavender. Those all pair well with citrus flavors. You could also experiment with other extracts. Let me know if you think of something different!

Try easy citrus scones with a cup of your favorite tea this afternoon!

Scones are special to me because of many wonderful memories with both my daughter and my mother. We’ve enjoyed sharing tea together over the years. I hope you enjoy them too!

You might also be interested in these posts:

• easy lettuce wraps
• easy salad ideas
• chocolate cake: an old family recipe
• using a grocery list template
• blueberry themed gift ideas

Fondly,

Crysti