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Made these scones today using orange and lemon zest and orange juice in the icing. THE BEST EVER! Thank you for a great recipe!
Pamela
Once upon a time I posted a recipe for a recipe that I didn’t personally make.
That’s because
- These citrus scones appeared on my kitchen table in a magic Welcome Home basket a few days ago, and they are so heavenly, so buttery-moist and just a little crumbly, that I can’t not share.
- I am not ready to bake my own things yet. Eating baked things that others make for me: y-e-s, yes, yesyesyes. But baking in my own kitchen would require me to think and plan and buy baking stuff, and considering that I just drove a car for the first time in a year and photographed these 2 single remaining scones on paper plates (the only thing from the kitchen not still in a box), I don’t think I’m quite there. But again. The eating.
- I have an amazing baker in my family and her name is My Sister. Except her real name is Kristin and she’s cute as can be. This is my thank you letter to her and my love letter to her scones.
You guys? Even if you don’t love scones, just try these. Because something about the texture of these is so perfect. Look at that first picture again —> hello perfect scone crack. I mean literally, the crack through the middle. Isn’t that some sort of prerequisite for awesome scones? I wouldn’t know because I don’t make awesome scones, but Kristin does, and hers have a scone crack, and I couldn’t love it more.
She loosely based the recipe on one from our hometown church cookbook and then added her own zing, zest, pinch of Kristin, like she does. They turned out just buttery enough, so they were almost soft, but still sturdy enough to kind of break pieces off and dunk in coffee. And the glaze dries gorgeously on the top and gives it the most perfectly subtle citrus sweetness. I had mine topped with the two best scone toppings in the history of life: butter and honey. And a big ol’ morning mug of coffee. And then another one, and repeat for one week.
If scones aren’t your thing, yoooouuuu still have to try them. But if you want to bake other cute things like Kristin, go back in time to her Fruit Pizza. I posted the recipe on Pinch of Yum even though layering fruit in beautiful designs is not the kind of thing I am really good at. Right now Kristin is single-handedly keeping this little bloggy alive. I think I owe her some lentils.
Hey. Butter and honey. Don’t forget.
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My Sister’s Citrus Scones
- Total Time: 42 minutes
- Yield: 8 1x
Description
These citrus scones that my sister makes are the best homemade scones I’ve ever had. Perfect with a cup of coffee and drizzled with a light citrus glaze.
Ingredients
For the Scones
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup butter, cut into small pieces
- 3/4 teaspoon lime zest
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 cup buttermilk
For the Icing
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- juice of one lemon, juice of one lime
- 1/2 teaspoon almond flavoring
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
- Cut in butter to the flour mixture and then add the zest and buttermilk. Stir until just combined.
- Drop by spoonfuls onto lightly greased baking sheets, or form dough into a 1-inch thick circle and cut sections like pie pieces.
- Bake for 12 minutes. Cool completely.
- Whisk icing ingredients together in a small bowl until smooth. Drizzle icing over cooled scones.
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 12 mins
- Category: Breakfast
- Cuisine: English
Keywords: citrus scones, scone recipe, citrus glaze
Hi, can these scones be frozen?
Thanks
For sure, Laura!
Made this and didn’t have almond extract so substituted with vanilla extract. These were divine! Can’t wait to make these again.
What can I substitute buttermilk with? Is sour cream a good substitute and amount to use?
We haven’t tried subbing sour cream here, but this post about making your own buttermilk should work as a replacement.
Made these scones today using orange and lemon zest and orange juice in the icing. THE BEST EVER! Thank you for a great recipe!
Just wanted to say thank you for sharing this recipe! I made a maple pecan version and it was AMAZING!!! I love when you try a recipe for the first time and it actually lives up to the hype!
Can I freeze the scones!
We don’t see why not! 🙂
No egg??
No eggs in this one!
Should the butter be cold, like when making pie crust, or room temp?
Cold butter works best in scones. 🙂
K, googled citrus scones yesterday to make sometime this weekend and tried this recipe first. YUM. We just had them for breakfast. I love citrus flavors in pretty much anything and spend a week in Ireland this spring so have been loving some scones at home to remind me of my trip. This recipe is great, easy, fast (when you have a family to feed that matters) and I will totally be making them again!
🙂
Jen
I’m so glad you liked it Jen!
Our family loves scones so when I came across this recipe recently, I just had to try them. This is our new favorite recipe! So light and the citrus flavor just screams summer! Love, love, love!
Love hearing that Mary! I’ll have to let my sister know. 🙂
I just made these….SO delicious. The texture and flavor were perfect. Thanks!
Yay! Summertime favorite!
Scones are SO my thing! I’m definitely making these tomorrow morning – thank you to your sister for such an awesome recipe!
Yay! Enjoy!
what a sweet sister to share scones in a welcome home basket…and anything with a glaze…ahhh…
Beautiful! Cant wait to try these!
Your sweet sister is VERY talented!! I have been going nuts over that fruit pizza since I first saw it (about forever ago). So beautifully decorated! And these scones look incredible. I’m just getting into scones. Never really liked them that much but wow – these look to die for!
She knows and loves your blog and someday I am going to make you two meet.
I love scones and those look amazing! I just wish your sister would drop them off to my house. 😉
You have the sweetest sister! I wish my family members baked for me… But I was the only one born with a baking-addicting-gene, so breakfasts, desserts, and birthdays usually fall on my shoulders. (Not that I mind!) But we’re BIG citrus and scone fans, so the combination of the two just might make it to our table someday soon!
And welcome home!!
How much baking powder? I’m in the middle of making them!
Ah! How did they turn out? I totally missed the baking powder on the ingredient list – it should be 2 1/2 tsp and 1/2 tsp. for the baking soda. Sorry about that. I need to slooow down!
Your sister is gorgeous! And very talented it seems. Perhaps you should nudge her into starting a blog to showcase all her delicious baked goods? Now that’s an idea ;).
I know! I told her I would hire her to start managing the baking section of POY. Part joke part serious. 🙂 We’ll see…
I love seeing so many scones around now. These look so delicious!
How much baking powder?
2 1/2 tsp. There was a typo! Should be fixed now. 🙂
Thank you sister Kristen!! I love scones. Yours sound awesome. 😉
Looks like Kristin needs a baking blog! Someone should help her with that! 🙂
Hahaha! Agreed.
Funny, I had scones today. Except mine were topped with the proper Cornish topping of Strawberry Jam & Clotted Cream (that cream is a super thick, deliciously tasty style of cream from Cornwall, UK). Proper ‘ansum (that’s Cornish for ‘Jolly Tasty’)
Janie x 🙂
Cute! and I looove the sound of jam and clotted cream.
Totally digging these, and your sister is the cutest! Momma must be proud to have two great cooks!!