Lemon Poppy Seed Scones

I made these scones right when my family got home from vacation - so as much as we were bummed to be home, this sweet treat brightened our spirits! We all had one when they were still warm and they were perfect, but they were just as good after chilling in the fridge over night! I found this recipe on Annie's Noms, you can find it HERE!

Start by mixing 2 1/2 cups of all purpose flour, 1/4 cup of granulated sugar, 2 1/2 Tablespoons of poppy seeds, 2 teaspoons of baking powder and a pinch of salt together in a medium mixing bowl.

Zest 2 small lemons (or one large one) and mix the zest into the dry ingredients.

Use your hands to press 1/2 cup of cold, cubed butter into the dry ingredients. The dough should begin to be a little crumbly.

Use a wooden spoon to mix in 2 lightly beaten eggs, 2 Tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice and 2 or 3 Tablespoons of milk. You will need to judge the amount of milk needed based on the consistency of the dough - it shouldn't be too sticky & there should be a few crumbly bits!

Once your dough is combined, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and pile the dough onto the parchment. Form the dough into a circle that is about a half inch thick. Use a butter knife to cut the scones into 8 equal pieces.

*I put a little flour on top of my scones, because my dough was a little too sticky. The scones still turned out great and the flour brushed off easily!

Use a spatula to pull the triangles apart and spread them out across the baking sheet.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and bake the scones for 10 -12 minutes until they are browned on top and puffy. My scones needed about 5 minutes longer until they were fully cooked. I recommend checking your scones after 10-12 minutes but they will likely need a little longer in the oven!

Let the scones cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool completely. I could not wait for them to cool completely, I let them cool for about 10 minutes then I just poured the icing right over the tops! The icing will hold to the scone better if you wait until they're completely cool. But it if you are impatient, like I am, it will still work just fine!

For the icing, combine 1/2 cup of icing sugar and 1 or 2 Tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice in a small mixing bowl. Use a spatula to drizzle the icing over the top of each scone & enjoy!

LEMON POPPY SEED SCONES
yield: 8 scones

ingredients
for the scone...
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 1/2 Tablespoons poppy seeds
2 teaspoons baking powder
pinch of salt
zest of 2 small lemons (or 1 large lemon)
1/2 cup butter, chilled & cubed
2 Tablespoons lemon juice (freshly squeezed is best!)
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2-3 Tablespoons milk
for the glaze...
1/2 cup icing sugar
1-2 Tablespoons lemon juice (freshly squeezed)

directions
1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, poppy seeds, baking powder, salt and lemon zest.
2. Crumble in the cold, cubed butter with your fingers. Once the butter is pressed in, the mixture should be coarse and crumbly.
3. Use a wooden spoon to mix in the lemon juice and the eggs. Add the milk in 1 Tablespoon at a time, and judge whether or not to add more based on the consistency of the dough. The dough should be smooth and a little crumbly - not too sticky!
4. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and pile the dough onto the center of the baking sheet. Shape the dough into a circle about a half inch think. If the dough is a little sticky, sprinkle some flower over the top of the dough.
5. Cut the scones into 8 wedges, then use a spatula to pull each triangle away from the circle and spread them out across the baking sheet.
5. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and bake the scones for 10-12 minutes. The scones should be puffy and golden brown on top. They will likely need a little more time in the oven, but I recommend checking them after 10-12 minutes!

As usual, let me know if you have questions! See you tomorrow!