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These heavenly, melt-in-your-mouth Lemon Raspberry Scones are not only ridiculously delicious, they're also ridiculously easy and come together so quickly!
Have you ever (mistakenly) tried to trick yourself into thinking that something enticingly delicious was "safe" in the freezer? That you wouldn't be tempted by it if it was tucked away somewhere in Siberia? That's exactly what happened to me with these Lemon Raspberry Scones.
After taking pictures of these crazy good scones, I packaged up a few plates to take to friends. Not trusting myself (or Scott), I wrapped up the rest and quickly stashed them in the freezer. Not the kitchen refrigerator-freezer, mind you, but rather the one in the farthest corner of the garage, the one that takes a bit of effort to get to. You know, "out of sight, out of mind", as the old saying goes.
So much for earnest plans. After spending the last 30 minutes editing (in other words, "staring" at) the pictures for this post, I succumbed to the enticement and meandered (well, probably more honest to say, raced) out to the garage. It only took about 30 seconds in the microwave to remove the chill and restore every bit of deliciousness... oh my!
If you're frowning at me a bit, from the other side of this screen, you need to know that I did this more for you than for me. Simply because I really wanted to be able to describe just how incredible these little sweet confections are. How else am I supposed to write this post?
Oh goodness! Now I have a problem with my nose growing... Brother! That means that there's no way I can hide my indiscretion from Scott. Yikes! Busted again!
Seriously, these Lemon Raspberry Scones are melt-in-your-mouth delicious and amazingly irresistible. One friend commented after the first bite: "Oh my goodness, I've never tasted a scone anything like this, SO... delicious!"
Ridiculously easy!
The awesome thing is that they're as easy as they are delicious. We call it Ridiculously Easy around here. We have lots of recipes with this special little classification but, in order to take on that description, they have to live up to very specific guidelines. You can read more about these guidelines in this post but my nutshell definition is "Recipes that make you look like a kitchen rock star with minimal effort on your part."
A brilliant technique
This Ridiculously Easy Lemon Raspberry Scones recipe incorporates one of my favorite little kitchen tricks. I didn't come up with this technique myself but discovered it on the Cook's Illustrated site. They figured out that instead of having to “cut” the butter into the flour mixture (the classic biscuit/scone method), you could get the same results by simply combining very cold cream (or buttermilk in the case of biscuits) and warm butter, resulting in “globules” of butter suspended in the buttermilk (see picture below).
This lumpy mixture is then combined with the dry ingredients to form little pockets of butter that produce steam when the butter melts which creates little air pockets. The final result is tender flaky scones, with much less work when using this method! 🙌
Do you have to use heavy cream to make these Lemon Raspberry Scones?
Yes and no. I know that most everyone is trying to watch their calories these days. Because of that, I actually tried these scones with buttermilk instead of heavy cream that has significantly more calories and fat. Honestly, it's just not the same.
The scones were good with buttermilk, but not GREAT. They were more like raspberry biscuits. While there's nothing to turn your nose up about biscuits, they just weren't the same as melt-in-your-mouth crazy-good scones. So, in my humble opinion, if you're in the mood for some fabulous scones, use the real-deal ingredients and just plan to get a little extra exercise after breakfast or brunch!
A simple glaze
These scones aren't super sweet so the lemon glaze is, what I call, the crowning glory. It's a simple combination of powdered sugar, fresh lemon juice and milk or half and half. Just stir it up while the scones bake, let them cool slightly and glaze away!
A wonderful recipe to have in your breakfast/brunch collection
These Lemon Raspberry Scones will be sure to steal the show at any breakfast or brunch gathering. They're perfect for easy entertaining because you can make and bake them ahead then either freeze or serve fresh. Another option is to make the dough the night before, portion it out onto a sheet pan and refrigerate. In the morning all you have to do is bake these delightful sweet treats and... breakfast is served!
Put these scones on your "must make" list. Just learn a leasson from me though: don't even dream for a minute that you can hide them from yourself in the freezer!
Cafe Tips for making these Ridiculously Easy Lemon Raspberry Scones
- I use fresh raspberries to make these scones. Frozen berries tend to bleed more into the batter and make it an unattractive purple color.
- Break each raspberry in half with your fingers and distribute them over the dough. Then gently mix the dough. You want the raspberries to break up a bit, but you don't want the batter to turn pink.
- If your cream mixture doesn’t form the “clumps” or “globules”, your cream probably wasn’t cold enough. You can stick the whole mixture in the freezer for another 5-8 minutes, then stir with a fork and you should see the clumps.
- You don’t want to overmix scone dough. However, you do want to make sure all of the flour at the bottom of the bowl is incorporated into the dough.
- Be sure to refrigerate the scones for at least 15 minutes before baking. This helps the butter to chill again which creates tender scones. It will also help the scones to keep their shape.
- You can make these scones several hours ahead of time. Just scoop them up onto your sheet pan, cover with plastic wrap and pop the whole tray into the refrigerator. When ready to bake, transfer to the oven and bake as directed. They will take a minute or two longer to bake.
- You can also make these Lemon Raspberry Scones and freeze them, unbaked. Pull as many as you want out of the freezer and bake as directed, adding about 3-5 minutes extra to the total baking time. You want to look for a pretty golden brown color.
- I use a medium size retractable ice cream/cookie scooper to scoop up consistent sized scones. A medium size scoop will yield about 12 scones. If you use a larger scoop the yield will be closer to 8.
- Scoops are also super helpful for lots of other recipes. I really like this set of scoopers that includes a small, medium and large size.
- I spray my cookie scoop with non-stick cooking spray which makes scooping up the scones really easy.
- This recipe calls for lining a sheet pan with parchment paper. This is optional, but is nice for easy cleanup. I love these pre-cut parchment paper sheets. They come in a flat box for easy storage, are perfect for cookies, scones, biscuits, cake, etc. and a box will last forever.
- This batter is quite thick. You’ll want a sturdy spatula or wooden spoon to stir it. At first, it might seem like all the flour mixture will not be incorporated, but keep going. All of a sudden it will be all mixed in. Don’t be tempted to add more liquid.
- You may not need all of the icing and some of it will drip onto the foil or sheet pan.
Thought for the day:
When I consider your heavens,
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which you have set in place,
what is mankind that you are mindful of them,
human beings that you care for them?
Psalm 8:3&4
What we're listening to for inspiration:
If you enjoyed this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review! It’s so helpful to other readers to hear your results, adaptations and ideas for variations.
These heavenly, melt-in-your-mouth Lemon Raspberry Scones are not only ridiculously delicious, they're also ridiculously easy and come together so quickly!
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 8 tablespoons butter
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 6 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- zest of 1 medium size lemon
- ½ cup fresh raspberries
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoon milk or half and half
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
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Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper (you'll need 2 sheet pans for smaller scones). Set an oven rack on the middle level of the oven. Measure 1 cup heavy cream and place in the freezer while proceeding with the recipe. (You want the cream to be in the freezer 10-15 minutes.)
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Place butter in a microwave safe bowl, cover with a paper towel and heat on high for 1 minute. If not completely melted, return to microwave for 10 second intervals till melted. Set aside to cool a bit while prepping other ingredients.
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Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, lemon zest and salt in a medium-size bowl. Stir to combine.
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After heavy cream has been chilled in the freezer for 10-15 minutes, combine it with the melted butter. Stir with a fork until butter forms small clumps or globules (see the picture above in the post).
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Add butter/cream mixture to dry ingredients and stir with rubber spatula until all flour is incorporated and batter pulls away from sides of bowl. The batter will be very thick, like a cookie dough. Don’t over mix it, but you do make sure all the little flour bits are incorporated.
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Break each raspberry in half and sprinkle them evenly over the top of the batter. Stir once or twice, gently to mix the berries throughout the dough.
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Spray a cookie scooper (see notes above) or large spoon with non-stick cooking spray. Scoop up scones in mounds onto prepared pan. When you scoop, try to get some of the raspberries into each portion. Space the scones at least 2-inches apart to allow for some spreading.
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Refrigerate scones for at least 15 minutes or up to an hour. If you don’t have room for 2 sheet pans in your refrigerator, put them all on one to chill. Then separate before baking.
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Bake for 18-22 minutes or until light golden brown. Transfer to a wire cooling rack.
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While the scones are baking, make the lemon glaze. Combine the powdered sugar, milk (or half and half) and lemon juice in a medium-size bowl. Whisk well until smooth to make a thick, but spoonable glaze. (If glaze is too thin, add a bit more powdered sugar, if too thick add add a little more cream.)
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Place a sheet pan or piece of foil under the cooling rack and spoon the glaze over scones to cover completely, allowing any excess to drip onto the sheet pan or foil.
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If you can wait, let scones sit for 15 minutes to let glaze set before serving.
See Café Tips above in the post for more detailed instructions and tips.
Dina Adornetto says
Hi Chris, I've made many of your scones, from the plain ones to the ones with fruit. They are always a sensation. I actually have a few in the freezer unbaked. My question is for how long can you keep scones in the freezer? I'd like to make these for a women's tea party for our Church and because I have other goodies to bake and can't bake all in two days, could these freeze well over a month, pull them out of the freezer, bake them and glaze the day before the event? Thanks much. Dina
Lindsay @ The Café Sucre Farine says
Hi Dina, a month should be fine! Just make sure they are packaged well. They are best baked the day you want to eat them if possible.
Rosalie Kreh says
Hello again. I’m not sure my first request went through. I am planning on opening a tea room and would love to use your scone recipes. Could you please send me the printable labels for the blueberry and cranberry and plain scones. Thank you and I love your scripture verses.
Lindsay @ The Café Sucre Farine says
Hi Rosalie, we only have labels for the blueberry scones at this time but we will be happy to send them your way.
Heather says
Hello Chris!
I am making these for our church's spring brunch this sat. the 18th. Because of my health, I may need to make these the night before and store them properly. Will they still be as moist and fresh in the morning?
Thank you,
Heather
Lindsay @ The Café Sucre Farine says
Hi Heather, is there any way you can make them and freeze them the night before and then bake them from frozen in the morning? They really are best right after they are baked.
Nana_France says
Just tasted my first one from the batch I've made, they are tasty, and not too sweet. However, they didn't rise very well - I cooked them in two batches. One batch was chilled as recommended, the other was not chilled. When finished and iced, there's little or no difference. And they taste more like soft cookies rather than scones.
Chris Scheuer says
Hi, so sorry you had trouble with these scones. There are several reasons why they might not rise very well. One, could be your baking powder - is it fresh? The other could be that you just needed more flour. Flour can be the problem as everyone seems to measure a little differently. If you try them again I would add a tablespoon or more of extra flour.
You may be used to British scones which are dryer and meant to be enjoyed with clotted cream and jam. These are supposed to be more melt-in-your-mouth American-style scones.
Sarah says
These were delicious!! The recipe was easy to follow, and came out as expected. I didn't bake for the full time, but every oven is different so keep an eye on your scones while baking. Thank you for this lovely recipe, I will surely make these again!
Lindsay @ The Café Sucre Farine says
Thanks for letting us know, Sarah!
Kathy says
So much easier than any of the scone recipes I’ve used in the past and do so delicious!! I’ll never need another scone recipe again. Thank you!
Lindsay @ The Café Sucre Farine says
That's awesome, Kathy! Thanks for letting us know!
Karen says
Would I be able to make these ahead in the afternoon to the refrigeration part and then bake the next morning? I LOVE your scone recipes!
Chris Scheuer says
Definitely! That works really well!
diane says
I made these and I love the flavor and it was quite easy to make. However, after I made the dough, I put it in the refrigerator and it turned bluish. Any comments on this?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Diane, sometimes raspberries can add a bluish cast to dough. It's not unusual.
Audrey says
Weigh the flour. 2 cups should weigh 10 ounces. When I measured 2 cups, I had only 8 ounces. Weighing it give you a more accurate amount. These scones are absolutely amazing!
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks for your review, Audrey!
Barbara says
Can you still break them in half and spread with jam and cream?
Chris Scheuer says
They are very moist and tender, but yes you can do that, Barbara.
Shelby says
I made the scones and made half as the raspberry and half with frozen blueberries. They are amazing! I read comments about spreading too much. I think measuring the flour properly is so important. I gently scoop and level flour to ensure the correct amount is added to any recipe. The dough for these scones is very thick but the butter and cream mixture allows them to rise and be delicately moist. Chilling the scooped dough for about an hour also made a difference.
I would definitely make these again!
Chris Scheuer says
Thank you for letting us know, Shelby! So glad you enjoyed them.
Darlene S. says
These turned out delicious! Love the technique of putting the melted butter in the cold cream, worked like a charm!
I’ve been trying to duplicate the wonderful scones we had in Ireland and England. These just might be better!
Chris Scheuer says
Wonderful! Thank you for letting us know, Darlene!
Mimi says
Mine spread out. Do you think it was too much baking powder? A tablespoon is a lot
Chris Scheuer says
No, it's not the baking powder. It's either your butter (a higher water content) or the flour (it can vary greatly). Try adding an extra 2 tablespoons of flour.
Lynn says
I am not a big fan of zest. Can I substitute lemon juice or extract?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Lynn, lemon extract would be better as lemon juice could make the scones spread too much.
Karina Wright says
Excited by the tip, if nothing else. Because.... Because, at the tender age of 66, I have just become lactose intolerant and cream kills me. I don't know if it would in baked goods. Is there a sub you can recommend? Plain Greek yogurt, maybe?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Karina, it's the cream that makes these scones incredibly melt-in-your-mouth delicious. I haven't tried using a substitute for cream in this recipe. I hope you find a recipe that works for you!
Nana France says
Try unsweetened evaporated milk as a substitute for cream. I'm a bit like you in that I find cream very hard to digest, but have no issues with milk, butter and cheese, so the sub works for me. Must try this recipe soon too!
Lindsay @ The Café Sucre Farine says
Thanks, Nana!
Dawn Powell says
Hi! I just made these scones and they were soooo good! I substituted King Arthur 1:1 gluten free flour and used dried cranberries and some chopped pecans and they were amazing!!! I recently went gluten free, so this will definitely become one of my new favorite recipes.
P.S. I added a splash of vanilla to the glaze too! So so good! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Chris Scheuer says
Wonderful! Thanks for letting us know, Dawn!
Val Maner says
Did you soak your cranberries first or just put them in?