Sourdough Lemon Poppy Seed Scones
These sourdough lemon poppy seed scones are delicate, flaky, and bursting with fresh lemon flavor. Each scone is lightly sweetened, balanced with a subtle crunch from poppy seeds, and finished with a sweet lemon glaze and fragrant zested sugar topping. Perfect for brunch, afternoon tea, or a special treat.
If you’re trying to use up some leftover sourdough starter or just want to enjoy some delicious tender scones, this recipe is a great choice. If you’re looking for more sourdough discard scone recipes, try these discard pumpkin scones, discard cranberry orange scones, sourdough apple cinnamon scones, or discard vanilla almond scones.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Great Use of Sourdough Discard: If you have leftover sourdough starter discard, these lemon scones will put it to good use! You can also use active sourdough starter if you prefer.
- Perfect for Breakfast, Brunch, or Snacks: Scones are great for those times when you want a quick breakfast or brunch. They would be a great side for this easy breakfast casserole. But they’re also perfect with tea or coffee.
Sourdough Lemon Poppy Seed Scones Tips
- When working the dough, use cold ingredients to help ensure the flakiness. Chilling the dough before baking helps keep the butter cold for maximum flakiness.
- Do not over mix the dough—gentle handling keeps the scones tender. But also don’t be surprised if it takes a little bit of time to get the flour mixed in. It’s easiest if you do a couple final kneads on a lightly floured counter before shaping the dough.
- When cutting the dough, make sure to cut straight down and don’t drag your knife through the dough. This will help the scones rise up straight instead of sliding to one side.
- While they taste wonderful on their own, a little butter, honey, lemon curd, or a berry jam would be wonderful served on the scones (especially if you omit the lemon glaze and sugar topping)
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Equipment
- mixing bowls
- measuring spoons
- bench scraper or sharp knife
- parchment paper
- baking sheet
- wire rack
- lemon zester
- whisk
Ingredients
Find the full list of ingredients, amounts, and instructions in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Flour: This recipe uses all-purpose flour.
- Sugar: White granulated sugar is used for the sweetener.
- Sourdough Starter: You can use active or discard sourdough starter.
- Butter: Butter helps give these sourdough lemon scones a flaky texture.
- Heavy Cream: Heavy cream gives the scones so much richness.
- Lemon: Fresh lemons give these scones such delicious lemony flavor.
- Baking Powder and Baking Soda: These are the leavening agents to help the dough to rise.
- Poppy Seeds: Poppyseeds go so well with the fresh lemon zest!
How to Make Sourdough Lemon Poppy Seed Scones
Here are the step-by-step instructions for making sourdough lemon poppy seed scones.
Step 1: Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper and set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, poppyseeds, and half of the lemon zest.
Steps 2 and 3: Using a pastry blender or your fingers, work the cold butter into the flour until pea-sized crumbs form.
Step 4: In a separate bowl, whisk together sourdough discard, heavy cream, and vanilla extract.
Steps 5 and 6: Gently stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just combined.
Step 7: Turn the scone dough onto a lightly floured surface and bring it together with your hands.
Step 8: Pat the dough into a 6 to 7-inch round, about 1 inch thick.
Step 9: Cut into 8 wedges with a bench scraper or sharp knife, and transfer to a the prepared baking sheet.
Step 10: Place the scones in the refrigerator for 15 to 20 minutes while preheating the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius). This helps with flakiness.
Step 11: Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until golden brown and baked through. Cool on a wire rack.
Step 12: Whisk powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth and thin enough to drizzle. Adjust the thickness of the glaze to your liking. To prepare the optional zested sugar topping, rub the remaining lemon zest into the granulated sugar with your fingers until fragrant.
Finish the scones: Drizzle the top of the scones with thin lemon glaze and sprinkle with zested sugar while the glaze is still wet.
How to Store
Although the sourdough apple scones taste best if eaten within the first day, you can store leftovers covered, at room temperature, for up to 3 days. Or store in the refrigerator for up to a week, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Make Ahead Instructions
You can freeze pre-baked or baked scones in a freezer safe airtight container for up to 3 months. To bake the unbaked frozen scones, follow baking instructions above, but add a few extra minutes to the baking time. To make ahead, you can follow the recipe up to step 9, where you cut the scones and put them in the freezer. Put them in an airtight container and freeze them for up to 1 month. When you’re ready to bake, remove them from the freezer and bake from frozen, adding a few extra minutes to the baking time.
Recipe FAQs
More Sourdough Scone Recipes
- Sourdough Vanilla Almond Scones
- Sourdough Apple Cinnamon Scones
- Cranberry Orange Sourdough Scones
- Sourdough Pumpkin Scones with Maple Glaze
If you make this recipe and enjoy it, please leave a comment with a 5-star recipe rating and let me know! Thank you!
Sourdough Lemon Poppy Seed Scones
Equipment
- Mixing Bowl
Ingredients
- 250 grams all-purpose flour about 2 cups
- 50 grams granulated sugar about 1/4 cup
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
- Zest of 1 large lemon divided
- 113 grams unsalted butter (1/2 cup) cold and cubed
- 120 grams sourdough discard 1/2 cup
- 120 grams heavy cream 1/2 cup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Glaze
- 60 grams powdered sugar 1/2 cup
- 1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
For the Zested Sugar Topping
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
Instructions
- Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, poppyseeds, and half of the lemon zest.
- Using a pastry cutter or your fingers, work the cold butter into the flour mixture until pea-sized crumbs form.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together sourdough discard, heavy cream, and vanilla extract.
- Gently stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just combined. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and bring it together with your hands.
- Pat the dough into a 6 to 7-inch round, about 1 inch thick. Cut into 8 wedges and transfer to the prepared baking sheet.
- Place the scones in the refrigerator for 15 to 20 minutes while preheating the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius). This helps with flakiness.
- Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until golden brown and baked through. Cool on a wire rack.
Make the Lemon Glaze
- Whisk powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth and thin enough to drizzle. Adjust the thickness of the glaze to your liking.
Optional Zested Sugar Topping
- Rub the remaining lemon zest into the granulated sugar with your fingers until fragrant.
- Drizzle the top of the scones with thin lemon glaze and sprinkle with zested sugar while the glaze is still wet.
