Easy Lemon Raspberry Scones
Start your morning with some delicious lemon raspberry scones. They are buttery, yet fluffy, with tart raspberries in every bite! Top each scone with a lemon glaze and you have the perfect breakfast treat or sweet snack.
Lemon raspberry scones are a refreshing breakfast pastry perfect for spring mornings. Made with raspberries and lemon zest, the tart natural flavors complement the buttery scone. The lemon glaze on top adds a nice citrus touch (I use it for my lemon poppy seed scones too!) I love eating one of these scones with my coffee in the morning or as an afternoon snack.
Why you will love this recipe
- Just sweet enough. I only use 1/4 cup of sugar in my scones, which is less than the average American scone, but slightly more than its traditional English counterpart. I think it’s just right!
- Flavorful. The combination of tangy lemon with tart and sweet raspberries is simply delicious (just like lemon raspberry muffins).
- The best texture. I’ve perfected the scone texture by using the right ratio of heavy cream, cold butter and only one egg.
- Easy to make. It really doesn’t take much to make a good scone. This recipe breaks it down into easy-to-follow steps with expert tips along the way.
- Make ahead tips included! You can make the dough ahead of time and bake the scones later. This is ideal if you’re entertaining!
Ingredient Notes
- Raspberries: I suggest frozen raspberries because they keep their shape better when mixed into the dough. Keep the berries frozen until ready to use in the recipe.
- Lemon juice and zest: Use fresh lemon for the best citrus flavor and tangy taste.
- Heavy cream: Cold heavy cream makes a rich and flavorful scone.
- Egg: To help bind the ingredients, I always use one large egg in my scone recipes.
- Unsalted butter: Cold butter is grated into small pieces to help disperse it in the flour mixture. Use unsalted since salt is added separately to help activate the baking powder.
- Baking powder: This leavening agent helps the scones rise. Make sure it is aluminum-free and not expired for best results.
- Confectioners’ sugar: Also known as powdered sugar, this is whisked with lemon juice to make the glaze.
Recipe Variations
Add nuts, such as almonds, walnuts or pistachios, to the dough when mixing in the berries. I suggest about 1/2 cup roughly chopped nuts.
Add chocolate. Dark chocolate chips or white chocolate chips pair well with raspberries too. You could also melt the chocolate and drizzle it on top of the scones! If you like raspberries with chocolate, try this raspberry chocolate tart next.
Make mini scones. For smaller portions, divide the dough into two disks and cut each disc into 6 triangles. This will yield 12 smaller scones—perfect for hosting brunch or afternoon tea! Baking time will be about 12 to 14 minutes.
Try different berries! This recipe also works with blueberries, blackberries or chopped strawberries.
How to make lemon raspberry scones
- Whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and lemon zest.
- Cut butter pieces into the flour mixture using two forks or a pastry cutter. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, mix the wet ingredients: heavy cream and egg.
- Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients. Mix just until combined. Do not over-mix. Stir in the frozen raspberries.
- Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and shape into an 8-inch round disk. Cut the disk into 8 triangles.
- Place triangles onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and transfer to the refrigerator while the oven preheats to 400 F.
- Bake for 18 to 22 minutes or until the edges are turning golden brown.
- Make the icing. Whisk together confectioners’ sugar and lemon juice. Drizzle over the scones and serve.
Expert Tips
Keep all the ingredients cold. This is the most important thing when it comes to making scones. It helps create a light and fluffy texture with a buttery taste. Be sure the raspberries stay frozen until you’re ready to mix them in (I do the same trick for my cherry scones).
Weigh your ingredients using a kitchen scale. This guarantees accurate measuring. If you don’t have a scale, spoon and level your flour into the measuring cup (don’t pack it down).
Don’t overwork the dough. You want the butter barely cut into the flour mixture. It’s okay if you still see butter pieces. When shaping the dough, work quickly so the dough stays cool and gluten doesn’t form. This helps creates a flaky texture with a tender crumb.
Keep the scones in the refrigerator while the oven preheats. This guarantees that the dough is cold when it goes into the oven and prevents the scones from spreading on the cookie sheet.
Make sure the oven is hot! I like to wait 5 minutes after the oven preheats to make sure it’s truly at the proper temperature. This helps make steamy air pockets in the scones for a fluffy texture!
Make ahead and storage tips
Make ahead: The scone dough (the whole disc or triangles) may be wrapped in plastic wrap and stored in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours. The triangles may also be frozen for up to 3 months.
Freezing: After you have cut the dough into triangles, individually wrap them in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months. Baked scones may also be frozen for up to 3 months. Store in an airtight container or freezer bag to prevent freezer burn. Defrost in the refrigerator before reheating at 350 F for 10 minutes.
Baking from frozen: Place the scones (unwrapped) on a baking sheet while the oven preheats, about 15 minutes. This will give them a little time to defrost. Baking time will be about 2 minutes longer.
Storage: Scones are best if they are eaten the day they are baked. However, they will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, I have tried this, but the fresh berries tend to bleed their juices. This can cause the dough to be more wet and pink in color. They will still taste delicious though!
Use cold ingredients, don’t overwork the dough and bake at a high temperature.
Use enough cream to hold the dough together and avoid over-baking the scones. An egg also helps make a rich and tender texture.
A fresh cup of coffee or hot tea is best with scones. Some butter, jam or clotted cream works well as a spread on the breakfast pastry.
The aluminum in the baking powder reacts with the acidity in the berries causing the scones to turn blue.
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Get the Recipe: Lemon Raspberry Scones
Ingredients
Raspberry Scones
- 2 cups (250 g) all purpose flour, plus more for dusting work surface
- ¼ cup granulated sugar, plus more for sprinkling on top
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon zest
- 4 Tablespoons frozen unsalted butter, grated
- ¾ cup (180 ml) cold heavy cream, plus more for brushing on top
- 1 large egg, cold
- ⅔ cup frozen raspberries
Lemon Glaze
- ½ cup (60 g) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and lemon zest.
- Use a box grater to shred butter into small pieces (it’s best if the butter is frozen). Alternatively, cut butter into small 1/4-inch pieces. Add butter to flour mixture and cut butter into the mixture by using a pastry cutter or your hands.
- In a separate bowl or measuring cup, whisk together heavy cream and egg. Pour the heavy cream mixture into flour mixture.
- Use a wooden spoon or silicone spatula to mix ingredients together until large dough crumbles form (avoid over mixing!) Stir in frozen raspberries just until incorporated.
- Use your hands to form dough into a loose ball. If the dough is too dry and doesn’t come together, add another Tablespoon of cream. If the dough is too wet (like cookie dough), add another Tablespoon of flour. Transfer dough ball to a floured work surface and press into an 8-inch round disc. Use a bench scraper or sharp knife to cut dough into 8 triangles.
- Place scones on prepared baking sheet. Brush them with cream and sprinkle with additional sugar if desired. Place baking sheet in the refrigerator to keep the scones cold while the oven preheats (about 15 minutes).
- Preheat oven to 400° F. Once the oven beeps, wait 5 more minutes so ensure it is at 400 and hot!
- Remove scones from the refrigerator and transfer them to the oven. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. Let scones cool on the pan for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
- For the glaze, whisk together confectioners’ sugar with lemon juice. Spoon over scones and serve warm or at room temperature.
16 Comments on “Easy Lemon Raspberry Scones”
These look absolutely delicious, especially for afternoon tea! In my opinion lemon and raspberry is a definite winning combination. Also beautiful photography too!
These scones look divine! Love all that icing drizzled!
These look fantastic! Scones is a major weakness of mine
Beautiful photography! I wonder if using fresh raspberries would result in a soggy scone?
~Julie
Hi Julie! No soggy scones here, just bursts of sweet and tarty flavors.
Wonderful photography and the recipe sounds delicious! I love the brightness of the lemon with the richness of the raspberry. I teach cooking classes, just here locally at the grocery store. They are all free classes. Would you mind if I used your scone picture and baked this for a class at the store?
Hi Dana – Thank you for asking. This is my recipe so anywhere it is used requires credit. Would would have to put my company name (If You Give a Blonde a Kitchen) on the printed photos and recipes.
Thank you, for the prompt reply! Sure, that’s definitely reasonable, its a great website and recipe! Cheers, Dana.
wow these scones are perfection the tartness of the raspberry with the sweetness of the glaze goes so well, I loved making these scones
Oh my goodness are these good! I am in love! Nothing better than a quiet morning a cup of coffee and these scones! So yummy!
The winter morning is looking so dreary nowadays, and this batch of lemon raspberry scones is just the perfect breakfast to chase away the blues! They look so good, smell so good, and taste so good. 🙂
Such an awesome combination to making these scones. Delicious and a must try option. I love the flavors.
I love the combination of lemon and raspberry together and these look delicious.
These turned out amazing! Thank you, will be adding this to my recipe rotation