Sweet and crumbly with a slightly tart lemon icing, my Lemon Drop Scone recipe could not be easier. I use buttermilk in these scones rather than the traditional heavy cream to give a nice tangy flavor that is very complimentary to the lemon. An added benefit to using buttermilk is that the acid not only acts to tenderize the gluten in the flour but it also interacts with the baking soda creating carbon dioxide that causes the scones to rise higher and lightens the texture. With a moist crumbly texture similar to a muffin, you’ll have a difficult time not eating the entire batch yourself!
Drop Biscuits vs Scones
- Drop Biscuits are a savory, crumbly type of quick bread very popular in the Southern United States. Most often served as a side with fried chicken or as a breakfast item smothered in a crumbled sausage and cream gravy. Typically made with buttermilk, they have a moist crumbly texture and are great with the addition of cheddar cheese and herbs, like my Cheddar Herb Buttermilk Biscuits.
- Scones are a lightly sweetened, drop biscuit that can include the addition of dried fruits, nuts, and icing. Originating in the United Kingdom, scones are typically made with heavy cream or milk and are served with fruits or jams.
How to Pronounce Scone
In U.S. English, its pronunciation rhymes with ‘tone’. However, the Scone originated somewhere in the United Kingdom and depending on the region of England, Ireland, Wales or Scotland, it could rhyme with either ‘gone’ like ‘skawn’ or ‘tone’ like ‘skown’. My family comes from Northern England in Lancashire, so we pronounce it ‘skawn’.
Forget to buy Buttermilk?
Buttermilk is one of those things we do not have in the refrigerator unless we have planned on it well in advance. Luckily, I have a very simple Buttermilk Substitute recipe for just such an occasion. Because you can’t make my Lemon Drop Scone recipe without it! Or for that matter, buttermilk pancakes, buttermilk biscuit, Cornbread recipe or My Mom’s Cornbread Dressing, etc. etc.
Here is my Lemon Drop Scone recipe:
Lemon Drop Scones
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 Cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1 Tablespoon Baking Powder
- 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1 Teaspoon Salt
- 1/4 Cup Granulated Sugar
- 8 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter 1/4-inch cubes, frozen
- 1 Egg
- 1 Egg Yolk
- 1 Cup Buttermilk
- 1/4 Cup Lemon Juice
- 4 Lemons Zest Only
Lemon Icing
- 3-4 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
- 1 Cup Confectioners Sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F
- Dice cold butter and place in the freezer while combining other ingredients
- Beat eggs and combine with wet ingredients
- Combine all dry ingredients
- Add butter and wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, mix by hand, do not over mix
- Use an ice cream scoop and place the batter on a parchment lined sheet tray
- Bake for 14-15 minutes until just set, do not over bake
Lemon Icing
- Combine confectioners sugar with half of the lemon juice, combine and add additional sugar until the icing is just liquid enough to pour easily
- Place Lemon Drop Scones on a wire cooling rack over parchment
- Drizzle each scone with icing
Scones with Devonshire Cream
Authentic Devonshire Cream or Clotted cream, I’ve heard it described as “either the creamiest butter you’ve ever had or the butteriest cream you’ve ever had”. Impossible thick, creamy and luxurious, on fresh Scones, with Roasted Strawberries, or Blueberry Compote, it’s quite possibly the best thing you’ve ever had in your life. No exaggeration, haha.
Thank you for visiting my Food Blog. I hope you enjoy my Lemon Drop Scones recipe. Please come back and visit again soon! Bon appetit, Steven
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