Lemon sourdough scones recipe - Ninnescah Made (2024)

Say goodbye to dry, tasteless scones! These flaky and moist sourdough scones are bursting with bright lemon and an elegant drizzle of sunshiny glaze. Keep reading, friend. I'm going to show you my best sourdough scones, but let's make'em bright, sunshiny lemon!

Oh, and these are both a discard starter recipe OR you can make this sourdough scone recipe with extra active starter! We like to keep things flexible over here!

Taadaaa! Here's how to make lemon scones!

Why this recipe works

Lemon might be my favorite flavor combination of all time. And stir in that into a tender, moist, flavorful scone and you have yourself a morning treat that will knock everyone’s socks off! Scone recipes are cool because once you figure out your basic scone recipe, it's just a matter of doctoring it up with your favorite add-ins. I've compiled a list and stuck it in the 'variations' part of this post if you could use some inspiration!

But we also need to talk about how these scones come together with minimal ingredients and are sprinkled throughout with zest in every bite. These sourdough lemon scones would be perfect for a baby shower brunch, Easter breakfast, or afternoon tea. I promise every single person will be asking you for the recipe!

What to serve with scones

If you are in charge of breakfast or brunch, I have plenty of trusty recipes to serve with scones! I like to make things ahead of time so that I'm not rushed, so here is my best hostess menu that won't have you stuck in the kitchen all morning.

1. Venison Sausage Breakfast Casserole: This is a potato, egg, sausage and cheese recipe that can be mixed up the night before and popped in the oven the next morning.
2. I like to make a few quick breads or muffins to go with my scones. My current obsession is Cranberry Cream Cheese Bread or Blueberry Cream Cheese Muffins. They are so good!
3. We're gonna need a juice, too. I love making a spritzer by mixing cranberry juice with sprite or seven up. Here's my Homemade Cranberry Juice recipe if you want to make it from scratch!
4. Asparagus Puff Pastry is a savory dish that looks ultra fancy, but is super easy to make! The only downside is that this is best served fresh out of the oven, so go ahead and have your bacon pre-cooked and everything prepped the night before to make it come together faster.

What ingredients do you need to make lemon sourdough scones?

When I think of the best scones, I picture a sweet grandma wearing a floral apron pulling them out of her vintage oven (it’s a whole aesthetic for me) because they are so simple and comforting. Nostalgic? You only need9basic ingredients, a big bowl and your hands to make them! No stand mixer or fancy tools required.

I prefer to makes cones using a pastry blender or pastry cutter (or use a cheese grater to finely chop the frozen butter). My hands and a wooden spoon work just about better because the less you work the dough, the more tender your scones will be! If you want to make these less ‘vintage grandma’ and more ‘21st century,’ use your food processor!

• Lemons: Yes, shocker, right? Just kidding. Pick lemons that have a glossy, yellow peel. We are zesting these, so grab a few that look as fresh and unblemished as possible. We are going to use these lemons for their juice, zest and in our sweet and tart lemon glaze.
• Sourdough starter:This can be a sourdough starter discard, aka the hungry portion you take out before feeding, or active starter. This recipe is very flexible, so don't stress about it. Whether you use an active sourdough starter or discard sourdough starter, it's gonna come out great!
• Butter:Butter is the key to a tender and moist scone, so make sure you are using a high quality and full fat one! Also be sure that your butter is right-out-of-the-fridge cold. Sometimes I even chop mine into tiny pieces and then throw it in the freezer for ten minutes. Pockets of cold butter are what will give your scones that amazing, buttery texture.
• Sugar: These scones get a lot of tartness from the lemon, so they do need a little added oomf from a small amount of sugar.
• Heavy cream:cream will bind your scones together and give them that silky, melt in your mouth texture! Keep a little bowl of extra on hand in case you need to add more while shaping.
• All Purpose flour:It’s basic, but works great! My favorites are Jovial All-Purpose Einkorn, The Food Nanny All-Purpose Kamut or just plain organic all purpose flour from the store.
• Baking Powder:Be sure you are using baking powder and not baking soda. All you need is 3 teaspoons to get the perfect rise! And also make sure that it isn't old, because if your powder has been in the pantry (opened) for more than 3-6 months, it might not actually work anymore. Bummer!
• Salt:All baked goods need a bit of salt for balance. I promise you won’t be making salty cones!
• Last but not least, let's set aside a teeny tiny amount of milk for brushing the top of the scones. You can also just use a bit of heavy creamy mixed with equal parts water. I'm not adding this as an official ingredient, because it's more of a garnish, really. This will give your sourdough discard scones their beautiful golden brown color.

See recipe card for quantities.

Instructions for lemon sourdough scones

1. Preheat oven to 400℉ and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, chop the butter. Place both bowls in the freezer for ten minutes. Keeping the ingredients cold will help to produce a thick, fluffy and buttery scone.
3. Use a pastry cutter to cut the butter into the dry ingredients until it resembles coarse sand. If the butter begins to feel warm, pop the mixture back into the fridge for ten minutes.

4. Add the heavy cream, sourdough discard, zest, lemon juice and vanilla to the bowl and stir with a fork until just mixed.

5. Turn the dough onto the parchment lined pan and shape it into a disc that is about 9 inches. This does’t need to be perfect, but a consistent thickness is key. I use my hands instead of a rolling pin to keep from smashing down the dough which would make my scones flat. Cut with a sharp knife or bench scraper into wedges. Separate the wedges to 2” apart.

6. Place a small amount of cream in a bowl and brush the tops of the lemon sourdough scones with the cream. Bake at 400℉ for about 20-25 minutes, depending on your oven. The scones should be just beginning to brown along the edges and a toothpick inserted into the center of a slice comes out clean.

7. Allow the scones to cool on a wire rack. While the scones are cooling, it’s time to make the glaze. In a small bowl, whisk together the milk, lemon juice, zest, powdered sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Drizzle over cooled scones.

8. Enjoy! Scones will keep at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 days and can be frozen for up to a month!

If you make this recipe, please leave a comment below! This provides helpful feedback to both me and other readers. For more delicious recipes from scratch and homesteading tips, follow me on instagram @NinnescahHomestead

Recipe

How to make scones that are not dry

Unfortunately, I must admit that I have made dry scones on occasion. It’s always so disappointing when you put a fresh, hot scone on a plate (and are probably still staring at a sink full of dishes from making said scone) and it’s flavorless, dry, dense or just overall meh. Despite this recipe being super low maintenance and simple, it really is just right. Stick to the plan, and you won’t be sorry! Pay close attention to the tips, because that is where the magic happens.

If you are shaping your lemon sourdough scones and they feel very crumbly and aren't holding together, add a little milk, heavy cream or water, one teaspoon at a time until the dough ball holds together. Likewise, if the scones are too wet, use less cream or add a little flour.

Long fermented scones

Long-fermenting scones is easy. You can mix up the scones, shape them into a disc, wrap it in plastic or put it in an airtight glass container and put it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The longer they are in the fridge, the more the sourdough starter will long ferment the dough.

Variations & Optional add-ins

Orange scones:Instead of using lemon juice and zest, use orange zest and juice! Cutees, mandarins, navel oranges or even grapefruit would all work!

Sourdough blueberry scones:Make the recipe as written, then fold in ½ cup of fresh, freeze dried or frozen blueberries with the wet ingredients. If you have access to freeze dried blueberries, you can also add a tablespoon of powdered freeze dried blueberries to the glaze to make it a pretty shade of lavender.

Chocolate chip sourdough scones:Instead of adding the lemon juice and zest, leave it out. Fold in ½-3/4 cup of chocolate chips with the wet ingredients and finish the recipe as written. Use melted chocolate chips or shaved chocolate instead of a glaze on top.

How to store scones

​The best way to store scones is in an air tight container, preferable glass, on the countertop for 1-2 days. They are still edible for up to 5 days, but they won't taste as flaky or fresh. Make ahead and freeze in an airtight container or ziploc bag for up to a month.

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