Sweet and Simple Lemon Lavender Scones in Under 20 Minutes

Downton Abbey/Jane Austin fans, we are going to reunite today with a bit of tea and scones! This past fall when the Downton Abbey movie was being released, my mom went wild crazy hosting a Downton Abbey tea. So we needed to come up with gorgeous and still delicious Lemon Lavender Scones for her friends! These were a huge hit with the gals and we are all still talking about them months later. 

Lemon Lavender Scones with a cup of tea or coffee makes reading a book or sitting outside with the birds chirping a little extra special. Seriously, can’t you see yourself reading a classical book and snacking on one of these scones? Since they are so simple, you can whip these up after you order your culinary lavender!

So, if you are hosting a tea, bridal shower or baby shower, these will be a gorgeous addition to your tablescape. Don’t forget to make a batch to give to mom on Mother’s Day for an extra special treat. You could easily fill a gorgeous basket with them, some tea and a new book for an unforgettable Mother’s Day Gift.

🥣 What is Culinary Lavender 

🍋 Ingredients

Scones are such a fun and pleasant way to start the day or enjoy a treat at brunch. Let’s talk about the main ingredients you will need to create your own batch.

Lemon: You will need some lemon zest for the scones themselves as well as in the homemade lemon glaze. It is a fantastic ingredient that will give you some zesty flavor.

Culinary Lavender: I know I discussed the lavender, but it’s truly what takes these scones over the edge into excellent!

Sugar: You will need regular granulated sugar for the scones, as well as, confectioners sugar for the glaze. Both give you a subtle sweetness that is perfect with the scones.

🥄 Instructions

I assure you, once you make a batch of these scones, you will no longer be intimidated by making them. I know we all hear “scones” and take a step back like there is some extra special magic that is needed to bake these. There really isn’t…so let’s get started! 

Start with the cold butter and flour and mix with a pastry cutter or a slow setting on the mixer. You can use the back of a fork in a pinch. I tried that years ago and it’s a huge pain and I didn’t like the results but if you need to do it, you can.

Add flour, sugar, baking powder, lemon zest (this is the time to leave that out if you only want Lavender Scones), baking soda, lavender and salt in a bowl. Gently combine. 

Once you start mixing, you are looking for the mixture to become little pebbles. These are little round pieces of butter that are mixed with the flour. 

In a separate bowl, add the eggs and milk and gently combine with the flour mixture. Just mix it until it forms the dough. You don’t want to overmix. 

🍽️ Using a Scone Pan

🍴 Cutting the Scones

🍽️ Drop Scone Method

If you are using the the drop scone method, you should have about 12 scones, so divide the dough evenly. Cook 12-15 minutes at 400 degrees. 

After you remove them from the oven, allow them to cool and make the icing. Don’t apply the icing to warm scones or it will just drizzle right off of the scone and not stick. 

🥘 Make the Icing for the Scones

Combine the confectioner’s sugar, milk and lemon zest and mix well. Drizzle on top or dunk the tops in the icing. Allow to gently harden and serve. 

🥄 How to Make the Shapes/Alternatives 

I swear by my scone pan, but don’t be afraid to use other methods to make your scones. If you choose to buy the scone pan, they last FOREVER. I have had mine for over 10 years and it looks brand new. Plus I love that they look so stinkin’ adorable. But, there are other options out there for you if you don’t want to spend the money.

1. Freehand cut the dough into triangles. The dough should be about ¾” -1” thick. Use a kitchen knife to freehand cut the dough into triangles. If they are slightly “off” looking, dip them in more icing and look at that – they are now gorgeous! 
2. Use a biscuit cutter. Simply roll out the dough into about a ¾- 1 inch thick dough. Then using your biscuit cutter, tap it gently in a little flour and cut out circular scone shapes. I tap in flour about every second or third cut.
3. “Drop scone” method. This works great and they look more like biscuits. Just drop some of the dough on a baking sheet and put it in the oven.  They will look like a rustic biscuit, but taste like a scone. These are casual and don’t feel stuffy. They are an awesome option if you are in a hurry or you don’t have the pan or biscuit cutter. Everyone can make scones! 

🥣 Baking Tips and Tricks

There are a couple of tips that will make sure you have the best scones when they come out of the oven.

1. Butter – Just like when you make biscuits, make sure that your butter remains very cold. For this tip, I prep my butter early and even cut it into very small pieces and then put it back in the refrigerator again. There is no residual heat left in the butter and it only takes a few minutes. 
2. Don’t overwork the dough – You should mix it until it is completely combined, but then STOP. Mixing it longer will allow it to warm up and it won’t be as fluffy. 

🍴What to Serve with These 

I love to serve plain softened butter with my scones, but you can also serve Lemon Curd. At my local Wegmans, it is found in the aisle with international goods and other special branded foods. Trader Joes sells it and I have seen it at Aldi too. Frankly, I order mine as I can’t handle the amount of time wasted driving around to find it. 

🍽️ How to Store 

Store these in a sealed container for 3-4 days. After that, they will get a little on the “iffy” side and I don’t want them to harden or mold. Remember, there is sugar mixed with milk in the icing that can become questionable if left out too long! I prefer to store them in the refrigerator for up to a week with no problem. 

🥘 Can I Freeze Scones 

Absolutely! This is perfect! I freeze them on a sheet pan for 8-12 hours and then wrap them up 1-2 times in Press and Seal and stored in a gallon freezer safe ziploc bag. You can keep these up to 6 months if you store them correctly. 

Take them out the night before and if needed, zap them in the microwave for 30-45 seconds. 

🍋 If you are hosting a tea or shower, here are a couple of other easy and gorgeous desserts you can whip up in no time! 

Quick and Easy Blueberry Puff Pastry Tart – If you need something to whip up really fast that is impressive, this is it! I promise you that your guests will want the recipe for this one. Plus, you can create this one real fast knowing it will shine. 

Blueberry Lemon Muffins with Crumbly Toppings – These are the “over the top” muffins you expect to buy at a coffee shop. These are impressive for holidays or events like a shower when you want something a little extra special.

How to Peel and Dry Lemon Peels – You can learn how to peel and dry your own lemon peels a couple of different ways and then use those lemon peels in this recipe in place of the fresh.