Recipe: Meyer Lemon Scones

Meyer lemons, a hybrid of regular lemons and mandarin oranges, are smooth and mellow, with a flavour that’s wonderful both in and drizzled over biscuits or scones. If you want to add blueberries (or any other berry), toss in ½ to 1 cup fresh or frozen (don’t thaw them) after you’ve rubbed in the butter and lemon zest. If you want to swap in a regular lemon, which is more acidic, add the zest of one, and split the juice between the milk and drizzle.

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 Meyer lemons
• ½ cup butter, cut into chunks
• ¾ cup milk or half and half
• 1 large egg
• Extra milk or cream, for brushing (optional)
• Coarse or turbinado sugar, for sprinkling (optional, but recommended)
• ½ cup icing sugar

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 425˚F. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Zest the lemons and add it along with the butter, then blend with a pastry cutter, fork or your fingers until the mixture is crumbly.
2. Squeeze the juice of one of the lemons into a measuring cup and add enough milk to make ¾ cup. Add the egg and stir with a fork.
3. Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients and stir until the dough comes together. Gather it into a ball and pat it out into a square or rectangle about 1 inch thick on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cut into squares or rounds, gathering up the scraps (if you have any) and re-rolling them gently.
4. Arrange the scones about 1 inch apart on your baking sheet and, if you like, brush the tops with a little cream and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden.
5. Meanwhile, whisk together the juice of half the remaining lemon with the icing sugar, adding a little more sugar if necessary (this will depend on the juiciness of the lemon), until you have a drizzling consistency. Use a fork to drizzle over the warm scones. Makes about 8 scones.

Hot Tip

Shape your scones the night before and keep them in the fridge overnight for weekend morning baking.

This recipe was originally published in the January/February 2025 print issue of Western Living magazine.