Lemon Poppy Seed Scones with Freshly Milled Flour

These lemon poppy seed scones are tender, buttery, and filled with bright citrus flavor in every bite. Made with fresh milled flour, a touch of poppy seed crunch, and a sweet lemon glaze, they’re a beautiful homemade treat for breakfast, brunch, or an afternoon tea.

Why This Flour Blend?

To make an all purpose flour blend we want a moderate amount of protein for texture and mild grains so the flavor is not overpowering. I use equal parts Hard White, Soft White and Spelt. Khorasan can be substituted for Spelt without needing to adjust the hydration.

Using a mix of soft white wheat, hard white wheat, and Spelt or khorasan flour gives these scones a tender yet structured crumb. Soft white wheat lends softness and a delicate flavor, hard white adds strength and chew, and durum or khorasan contributes a subtle nuttiness and golden hue. This blend creates a scone that’s flaky, tender, with a little crunch in every bite!

Step-by-Step Instructions

Prepare Your Ingredients

Start by placing the butter, still wrapped, in the freezer for at least 30 minutes or until frozen solid. This is key to achieving flaky, tender scones.

In a medium sized bowl, combine the sugar, buttermilk and the egg. Set aside in the refrigerator to keep cold.

Mill your grains on the finest setting and chill the flour in the freezer for about 10 minutes. Keeping ingredients cold helps create a flaky texture.

 Mix Dry Ingredients

In a large bowl, whisk together your flour, baking powder, and salt until well combined.

Incorporate the Butter

Using a cheese grater, grate the frozen butter directly into the flour mixture. Stir occasionally to prevent the butter from clumping and to coat the grated pieces with flour. This step is crucial for that tender, flaky crumb.

Combine Wet and Dry

Pour the chilled wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Using a spatula, gently fold everything together until just barely combined, no dry flour should remain. Be careful not to overmix, as this can toughen the scones.

For small batches: Add your fillings now. If you are making more then 6 scones, I recommend the log rolling method of shaping below.

Chill the Dough

Cover the dough and chill it in the fridge for 15 to 30 minutes. This allows the flour to fully hydrate and the dough to firm up, making it easier to handle.

Turn the dough onto a clean surface and roll it into a 1/2-inch thick rectangle. Cut into four squares, stack them, and press back into a rectangle. This simple lamination step creates those flaky layers.

Shape the Scones

For small batches: Press into an 8-inch round disk. Using a floured bench scraper or sharp knife, cut each round into 6 pie-shaped wedges. Place the wedges on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them slightly apart.

If you are doing a large batch of scones you can shape them a bit differently. Instead of pressing them into circles, press into a rectangle about 4-inches wide and 1.5-inches thick. The length is going to be determined by the size of your batch.

Note: with the log roll method, the ends will be about half the width of a normal scone. You can either have some tasty end cuts, press the two ends together into a larger but not as pretty scone, or taper the ends as you squash it. I prefer to taper it.

Place on a baking sheet and freeze for at least 30 minutes, or up to 3 months for make-ahead convenience.

For long term storage, vacuum seal or use a freezer bag with as much air removed as possible.

 Bake

When you are ready to bake, preheat your oven to 400°F. Brush the tops with cream and bake from frozen for 20–25 minutes, until golden brown.

Make the Glaze

While the scones cool, whisk together the powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth. Add more juice a few drops at a time to reach your desired drizzle consistency.

Drizzle the glaze generously over the cooled scones. The lemon glaze is the perfect balance of tart and sweet to brighten up your scones!

Tips for Success

• Keep everything cold: Cold butter and chilled dough are essential for flaky scones.
• Don’t overmix: Mix until just combined to keep the texture light.
• Storage: Best stored frozen unbaked. For already baked scones; store scones in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days or freeze for up to a month.

Final Thoughts

These lemon poppy seed scones bring together the wholesome richness of fresh milled flour, bright lemon zest, and that perfect poppy seed crunch for a treat that’s as nourishing as it is delicious. Whether you’re starting your day with one alongside coffee or sharing them at brunch, they freeze beautifully for busy mornings and always deliver bakery quality results at home.

Happy Baking!

If you try this recipe, I’d love to hear how it turns out. Feel free to share your photos and tips in the comments below!

Lemon Poppy Seed Scones with Freshly Milled Flour

Recipe by Katelyn from Grain to TableCourse: Appetizers, DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Intermediate

Servings

6

scones

Prep time

1

hour 

Cooking time

20

minutes

Total time

1

hour 

25

minutes

These lemon poppy seed scones are tender, buttery, and filled with bright citrus flavor in every bite. Made with fresh milled flour, a touch of poppy seed crunch, and a sweet lemon glaze, they’re a beautiful homemade treat for breakfast, brunch, or an afternoon tea.

Ingredients

• Scones:

• 100g soft white wheat

• 100g hard white

• 100g spelt or Khorasan

• 12g baking powder (1Tbsp)

• 3g salt (1/2tsp)

• 1/2 tsp poppy seeds

• 1 stick butter, frozen

• 99g sugar

• 125g buttermilk

• 1 egg

• Zest of 1 lemon (about 1 Tbsp)

• Glaze:

• 1/2 c powdered sugar

• Juice of 1 small lemon (about 1 Tbsp)

Directions

• Mill your wheat on the finest setting. If desired, sift out the bran and germ for a lighter texture. Chill in the freezer until cold.
• In a bowl, combine sugar, buttermilk, egg and lemon zest. Place it in the refrigerator to stay cold.
• Combine the cold flour, baking powder, salt and poppy seeds.
• Grate the frozen butter into the flour mixture, tossing gently as you go to coat the pieces evenly.
• Add the sugar, buttermilk, beaten egg and zest mixture, mixing very briefly, just until the dough comes together. Be careful not to overmix.
• Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.
• Turn the dough onto a clean surface and pat it into a 1/2-inch rectangle. Cut into four squares, stack them, and press back into a rectangle. This simple lamination step creates those flaky layers.
• Press the dough into a circle about 8 inches across. Cut it into six pie shaped wedges. Alternatively, use the log shaping method.
• Place on a baking sheet and freeze for at least 30 minutes, or up to 3 months for make ahead convenience.
• When ready to bake, preheat your oven to 400°F. Brush the tops with cream and bake from frozen for 20–25 minutes, until golden brown.
• Glaze
• Combine the glaze ingredients, adjusting the juice to reach the desired consistency. Drizzle over the cooled scones. Enjoy!

Notes

• **If you are making a large batch of scones I recommend doing the log shaping method in the step by step instructions above. This will allow you to shape all the scones at once instead of making multiple circles.
• All Purpose Flour Blend. To make an all purpose flour blend we want a moderate amount of protein for texture and mild grains so the flavor is not overpowering. I use equal parts Hard White, Soft White and Spelt. Khorasan can be substituted for Spelt without needing to adjust the hydration.
• Long Term Storage. Place the scones onto a baking sheet or silicone mat after shaping. Freeze for 30 minutes. Transfer from the baking sheet to freezer bags and remove as much air as possible or vacuum seal.

*nutrition facts are an estimate and should not be used to make medical decisions.