Gluten Free Lemon Poppy Seed Scones

It's no secret we love breakfast foods!  Every weekend when I wake up before my family, I check the kitchen for ingredients that can be turned into a special weekend breakfast.  This gluten free lemon scone recipe was born from just such a time.  I needed lemons for a recipe and they were all out of singles, so I had to buy a big bag.  With too many lemons on hand, we obviously needed a lemon breakfast.  I hope you enjoy them as much as we did!

How to make lemon poppy seed scones

First, whisk together all of your dry ingredients in a large bowl:  gluten free 1:1 flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, lemon zest and poppy seeds.

Second, incorporate your butter.  You can either cut it in using a fork or pastry cutter.  I prefer to shred the butter with the box grater and then freeze it, so it’s easy to mix in quickly.  You ultimately want pea size pieces of butter that are completely coated in flour. You need to work quickly to keep the butter as cold as possible.

Finally, whisk your egg and yolk in a separate bowl until frothy.  Add the other wet ingredients to the egg (honey, milk and lemon juice).  Add the liquid a little at a time to the dry ingredients to make sure the dough does not become too wet.  With any biscuit/scone dough the amount of liquid used will not be absolute.  It’s all about stopping when the dough is shaggy looking and barely holding together.  If the dough feels wet and stick on your hands then it is too wet.  Adding too much liquid is far more difficult to correct than having a dough that’s too dry.  So definitely err on the side of less liquid here.

Once the dough has come together in a shaggy mess, dump it onto your work surface. Do not flour the surface.  I simply use a piece of parchment paper to avoid sticking.  Resist the urge to knead the dough, that will make the scones turn out tough and deflate the rise.

Gently pat the dough into a small round paddy about 1-inch thick. cut the circle into 8 wedges (like pizza slices) and place them on a parchment lined baking sheet leaving only ¼″-½″ between the scones.  Being closer together will help with the rise during baking.  Place your prepared scones in the refrigerator for 30 minutes and then brush the tops with the leftover liquid before baking.  Take care not to coat the sides.  Bake in a hot oven and enjoy!

How do you get scones to rise and be more fluffy?

The key to light fluffy scones is in the handling of the dough.

1. Keep the butter as cold as possible.  Cold butter coated in flour melts in the oven to release steam.  The steam is what gives your dough the extra rise.
2. Make sure not to add too much liquid.  If the dough is too wet it will become dense and the rise will be affected.
3. Gently handle the dough once the liquid has been added.  As soon as baking powder becomes wet, it’s bubbly reaction begins.  Any forceful pressing will deflate the much needed air bubbles in the dough.
4. Taking care not to twist your biscuit cutter when making circles.  If you twist, you will seal the edges and they won’t grow in the oven.
5. Perforated placement on your baking sheet.  The scones being close together but not touching helps them rise taller during baking.
6.  Make sure to bake until the scones are done.  If you’re unsure, you can quickly remove the top from a center scone.  If the inside looks doughy it needs more baking time.  If it looks done then they are ready.  If you under bake your scones, they will deflate once you take them out of the oven.

Can you freeze lemon poppy seed scones?

You can definitely make scones ahead of time and freeze them to bake or eat later.  You have two options:

1. Freeze the unbaked scones on your baking sheet for at least and hour, then place into a freezer bag or storage container.  When you’re ready to bake, that them overnight in the refrigerator, then bake as instructed.
2. Freeze already baked scones.  After they have cooled, place them into a freezer bag or airtight storage container.  When you’re ready to eat, thaw at room temperature for 30 minutes to 1 hour, then reheat at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

If you love lemon, check out these other great recipes!

Gluten Free Lemon Poppyseed Waffles

Gluten Free Lemon Poppyseed Muffins

Gluten Free Dairy Free Lemon Pound Cake

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