raspberry-lemon scones

prep: 10 MINUTES | bake: 15 TO 20 MINUTES | total: 30 MINUTES | makes 8 SCONES

A good scone is my favorite breakfast pastry—I’ll take one over a muffin or doughnut any day. I say “good” because scones are often dry and tasteless—but not mine!

SCONES

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

1 tablespoon baking powder

½ teaspoon kosher salt

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

Grated zest of 1 large lemon

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cut into ¼-inch cubes

1 cup heavy cream, plus 1 tablespoon for brushing the scones

½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

½ teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries (see Note)

LEMON GLAZE

1 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted

2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (2 large lemons)

1 Make the scones: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a large baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.

2 In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

3 In a small bowl, combine the granulated sugar and lemon zest and rub with your fingers until fragrant. Add the sugar mixture to the dry ingredients and whisk until combined.

4 Using a pastry blender or by rubbing the mixture between your pointer finger and thumb, cut the cold butter into the flour mixture. Mix until the mixture resembles a coarse meal with a few pea-sized butter lumps. Try to work quickly so the butter stays cold.

5 In a small bowl, whisk together the 1 cup cream, vanilla, and lemon juice. Pour the liquid ingredients over the flour mixture and stir with a spatula until the dough begins to form. Don’t overmix. Gently fold in the raspberries.

6 Transfer the dough to a floured work surface and gently knead by hand just until it forms a ball, about 1 minute. Don’t overwork the dough. Pat the dough into a 1-inch-thick disc and use a sharp knife to cut the disc into 8 even triangular scones.

7 Arrange the scones on the prepared baking sheet. Using a pastry brush, brush the scones lightly with the 1 tablespoon cream. Chill the scones in the freezer for 20 minutes before baking. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the scones are golden brown on the bottom and around the edges. Let the scones cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

8 Make the lemon glaze while the scones cool: In a small bowl, whisk together the confectioners’ sugar and 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice until smooth. Add up to another tablespoon lemon juice if the glaze is too thick.

9 Drizzle the glaze over the cooled scones. You can store the glazed scones in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, but these are best the day they’re made.

NOTE: I prefer frozen raspberries to fresh because they hold their shape better. Fresh berries will get a little smashed, but you will get a pretty pink color in your scones. Also feel free to use blueberries instead.