My boyfriend brought home a container of those super soft and tiny two-bite scones from the grocery store the other day (yeah, he’s an enabler) and as I was enjoying one I noted just how similar the texture was to my new favorite 5-ingredient freezer biscuits. They’re soft, deliciously light, and almost melt in your mouth. I knew instantly that I had to try to make those little two-bite scones myself.
To make them a bit sweeter than the regular biscuits I added some powdered sugar, which also helped give them that melt-in-your mouth texture. For the lemon flavor, I stuck to a hefty dose of fresh lemon zest, which gives a beautifully fresh lemon flavor without making them sour. I used the juice to make a simple lemon glaze, whose sweet-tart flavor provided a wonderful contrast to the rich scones.
And I’ve made two batches of these scones in the past week, so yeah, they’re dangerous!!
Yes, You MUST Use Heavy Cream.
And one more note. As with the 5-ingredient biscuits, you must use heavy cream for these. You absolutely need the high fat content (35-38%) of heavy cream to get the correct texture. So, no trying to substitute half-and-half, almond milk, or anything like that. Heavy cream or no go. (And if you need more information about the difference between half-and-half, light cream, and heavy cream, check out this article.)
Lemon Poppy Seed Two-Bite Scones
Servings 18 piecesIngredients
- 1 fresh lemon ($0.30)
- 1.25 cups all-purpose flour ($0.13)
- 1/2 tsp salt ($0.02)
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar, divided ($0.15)
- 2 tsp baking powder ($0.08)
- 2 tsp poppy seeds ($0.20)
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream ($1.83)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Use a small-holed cheese grater or a zester to remove the zest from the lemon, then squeeze the juice into a separate bowl. You'll need about 1 tsp of zest and 1 Tbsp juice.
- In a large bowl, stir together the flour, salt, 1/4 cup powdered sugar, baking powder, poppy seeds, and 1 tsp lemon zest. Make sure these ingredients are well combined.
- Stir the cream into the dry ingredients until a shaggy ball of dough forms. The dough will be fairly sticky. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, divide it into three pieces, and shape each piece into a disc (about 3 inches diameter). Cut each disc into six triangles.
- Arrange the cut scones on the prepared baking sheet. Bake the scones for about 15 minutes, or until they just begin to barely turn golden brown on top.
- While the scones are baking, place the remaining 1/2 cup powdered sugar in a bowl. Stir in about 1 Tbsp lemon juice, or just enough to form a thick glaze.
- When the scones have baked, remove them from the oven, let them cool, then drizzle with the prepared lemon glaze.
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Nutrition
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How to Make Lemon Poppy Seed Scones – Step by Step Photos
Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Zest and juice a lemon. In a large bowl stir together 1.25 cups all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup powdered sugar, 1/2 tsp salt, 2 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp of the lemon zest, and 2 tsp poppy seeds. Stir the dry ingredients together very well.
Add one cup of heavy cream.
Stir them together until it forms a sticky biscuit-like dough.
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, divide it into three pieces, and form each piece into a 3-inch diameter disc. Cut each disc into six pieces (I tried four at first, but they were too big). I used a bench scraper to cut them, but a large chef’s knife would also work.
Place the cut scones on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Bake for about 15 minutes, or just until they barely start to turn golden on top.
While the scones are baking, prepare the lemon glaze. Place the remaining 1/2 cup powdered sugar in a bowl and add about 1 Tbsp of the lemon juice, or just enough to form a thick glaze.
A couple of mine got a little TOO brown, but they were still fantastic. The second batch was all more like the scone on the bottom left. They’re moister when they’re less brown.
Wait for the scones to cool, then drizzle the glaze over top. Enjoy! They’re REALLY good with coffee, BTW. ☕️
My son & I made these for a mother’s day brunch for tomorrow. We are already whipping up our 2nd batch because we are eating too many today! Thanks for the easy, delicious recipe. I have always been intimidated by trying to bake them myself!
This was so easy to make and it turned out exactly like the photo.
Beth, have you made this type of scone into a savory version? Like ham & cheddar?
Nope, but now I want to! :)
These are so easy to make and so delicious! Perfect with a cup of tea!
Love these mini scones! I’ve made them twice now and both times I’ve added a touch (1/8 cup?) more flour – it may be because I’m baking at a higher altitude. Pro-tip, add half to a full teaspoon of freshly grated ginger to the glaze for a nice zesty kick!
Such an easy recipe that you can whip up really quickly – but super delicious! This is now my favorite thing to throw together when company is coming over to have sitting on the counter to munch on.
I made this and the bisquits vegan by using rich thick coconut cream from full fat canned coconut milk. It worked wonderfully. Great to try if you just can’t use milk products.
Thank you for the input! I was going to give this a try with coconut milk as well!!
These look good! However, I had a question. Can this truly be called a scone since it has no butter? I have never seen any scone recipe without butter and know scones are known for the melted pockets of butter in them. I actually make scones frequently and was just puzzled by the name “scone” when it looks like a sweet biscuit. But, I don’t presume to be the expert so thought I’d ask.
These are meant to replicate those “two-bite scones” that you can purchase in the grocery store (places like Whole Foods, Winn Dixie, etc.). Using cream instead of butter in scones is quite common, especially in other parts of the world. “Scone” is like “biscuit” or “dumpling” in that it can take very different forms from one place to another. :)
Not to mention that if you beat that cream long enough, it will separate, creating butter
I love lemony things, right down to my water. These were delicious. However, they were very soft, more like a biscuit. How could I adjust the recipe to make them a little firmer, and more scone-like without being hard and dry like store-bought scones?
Thanks for ALL of your recipes, your website and cookbook are faves!!
No problem. These were meant to be like those little tiny fluffy two-bite “scones” that you can sometimes find at a grocery store. For a more crumbly scone I would use a butter-milk combo instead of heavy cream. I would try my Lemon Blueberry Scones recipe, but without the blueberries (and add some poppy seeds).
These are so good! I have made two batches since the recipe was posted. For my second time around, I wanted them to be a little sweeter and a little more lemony, so I added another half 1/4 c. of powdered sugar, made the tsp. of lemon zest a hearty, rounded tsp., and added 1/2 tsp. of lemon extract. Instead of icing, before baking I brushed with milk and sprinkled raw sugar crystals on top. :-) Next time, I may up the sugar still and go for 1 tsp. lemon extract, but that’s just my taste!
Just made these and took my first bite. Fluffy and delicious. If I had known how easy and yummy these are, I would have made them sooner. Thank you for another great recipe!
I’m definitely going to have to try this recipe! I’ve never seen one for scones this easy. I think I might try some basil in mine :-)
Tried these yesterday–love that it’s a small batch, perfect for my currently 2 person family, although had grandson been here after school, they would have disappeared in a flash. I plan to try them soon in other flavors–maybe cranberry walnut with chopped craisins and walnuts
Awesome recipe, if you’re like me and don’t have heavy cream in your fridge I used 3/4 a cup of milk with 1/3 cup butter, mixing in a mason jar until there’s a 1″ or less layer of soft butter. Wasn’t sure if that was how you make the substitution but they came out great, the texture was like irish soda bread. Gonna try again with orange
These are SO GOOD. I just made a batch using a blood orange instead of a lemon, and without poppyseeds, and I am nearly burning myself eating a tester, but it’s worth it. I haven’t added the glaze yet because they’re still hot, but I’m sure it will take things to yet another level of excellence. I will also probably be making another batch this week…despite the fact that I live alone. :P