Zesty Meyer Lemon Cream Scones

Refreshing, sweet, and wonderfully tangy, these Meyer Lemon Cream Scones are your perfect escape from the mid-winter blues, offering a burst of sunshine in every bite!

Embrace the Promise of Spring with Bright Citrus Flavors

As the calendar pages turn towards mid-February, a familiar longing for warmer days and vibrant greenery begins to set in for many of us. The crisp air and quiet stillness of winter hold their own charm, but there’s a unique stir-craziness that accompanies the tail end of the season. We find ourselves yearning for the melodic chirping of birds, the gentle unfurling of spring blossoms, and the simple joy of spending time outdoors under a warmer sun. The countdown to spring truly feels like a race against time, with only about 30 days to go until nature bursts back to life.

While we eagerly await the full embrace of spring, there’s a delightful way to infuse your home with its hopeful essence: through baking. Incorporating bright, cheerful citrus fruits into your culinary creations is a fantastic antidote to the lingering chill and muted colors of winter. And when it comes to citrus, few fruits offer the unique charm and versatility of the Meyer lemon. This is precisely why these Meyer Lemon Cream Scones are the perfect treat to bake right now, bringing a refreshing zest that revitalizes both your palate and your spirits.

Discover the Magic of Meyer Lemons: A Baker’s Secret Ingredient

At the heart of these irresistible scones lies the star ingredient: the Meyer lemon. Far from your ordinary lemon, the Meyer lemon is a fascinating hybrid, believed to be a natural cross between a traditional lemon and either a mandarin or a common orange. This unique lineage imbues it with a distinctive flavor profile that sets it apart and makes it a favorite among chefs and home bakers alike. Visually, Meyer lemons are often rounder than their more common Eureka or Lisbon counterparts, boasting a thinner, smoother skin that ranges from a deep yellow to an almost orange hue when fully ripe. Their zest is incredibly aromatic, releasing a sweet, floral fragrance that is simply captivating and far less sharp than regular lemon zest.

But it’s the taste that truly distinguishes them. Meyer lemons are notably sweeter and significantly less acidic than regular lemons, with a more complex, almost herbaceous and floral undertone. This milder acidity makes them incredibly forgiving and delightful to use in both sweet and savory dishes, without the puckering intensity sometimes associated with standard lemons. In baking, this means you can achieve a wonderfully balanced citrus flavor that is bright and refreshing, yet subtly sweet and fragrant, allowing the delicate notes of the fruit to shine through without overpowering other ingredients. They are primarily available during the colder months, typically from late fall through early spring, making them the ideal ingredient to combat those winter blues and bring a much-needed touch of sunshine and vibrancy to your kitchen during the greyest months of the year.

Crafting the Perfect Homemade Meyer Lemon Cream Scones

There’s something incredibly comforting and satisfying about a batch of freshly baked scones, especially when infused with the bright flavors of Meyer lemons. These Meyer Lemon Cream Scones are no exception, offering a tender crumb and a heavenly aroma that fills your home, promising a delightful treat. The secret to truly exceptional scones lies in a few key principles, which, once mastered, will elevate your baking to new heights and ensure consistently perfect results. The first and most crucial tip is to always use **cold ingredients**, especially butter. Cold butter, cut into small cubes, prevents it from fully incorporating into the flour mixture too quickly. Instead, it creates tiny pockets of steam as it bakes, which are responsible for those desirable flaky layers and tender texture that define a perfect scone. Avoid the temptation to use softened or room temperature butter; it will lead to a dense, cake-like texture rather than the light, airy flakiness we aim for.

Another vital aspect in scone making is to **handle the dough as little as possible**. Overworking the dough develops the gluten, making the scones tough and chewy rather than tender and delicate. Gently bring the dry and wet ingredients together until just combined, allowing the mixture to remain slightly crumbly before forming it into a cohesive mass. A light touch is your best friend when making scones. The inclusion of rich heavy cream in this recipe is not just for moisture; it also adds a luxurious richness and contributes significantly to the scone’s tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture, making them incredibly satisfying.

While many traditional scone recipes call for shaping the dough into a large circle and then cutting it into wedges or triangles, for this particular recipe, we’ve opted for a charming alternative. By gently rolling out the dough and using a 2-inch biscuit cutter, you create uniform, perfectly portioned round scones. These smaller, elegant rounds are absolutely ideal for several reasons. They offer just the right amount for a delightful accompaniment to your morning coffee, an indulgent afternoon tea break, or even a light dessert. Furthermore, the aesthetic appeal of these neatly cut rounds adds a touch of bakery-quality sophistication to your homemade treats, making them as pleasing to the eye as they are to the palate. This method also ensures more consistent baking, as each scone is the same size and thickness.

The Essential Lemon Glaze: A Zesty Finishing Touch

While the Meyer Lemon Cream Scones are utterly delicious on their own, the simple yet impactful lemon glaze truly elevates them to an extraordinary level. This perfect crowning glory enhances both the flavor and the visual appeal of each scone, making them truly irresistible. The glaze is a harmonious blend of sifted confectioner’s sugar, fresh Meyer lemon juice, and a touch of Meyer lemon zest. Sifting the confectioner’s sugar is a small but important step that ensures a smooth, lump-free glaze, giving your scones a professional and polished finish. It prevents any grainy texture, creating a delicate, creamy consistency.

The combination of both juice and zest in the glaze is intentional and crucial for maximizing flavor. The fresh Meyer lemon juice provides the essential liquid base and a concentrated burst of tangy-sweet lemon flavor, offering that refreshing kick. Meanwhile, the finely grated Meyer lemon zest contributes vibrant citrus oils and an aromatic complexity that a plain juice glaze simply can’t match. These oils hold the true essence of the lemon’s fragrance and depth, adding another layer of bright flavor. As the warm scones cool slightly, generously drizzling them with this vibrant, zesty glaze allows it to set beautifully, creating a delicate, crackly shell of intense lemon flavor on top. Each bite offers a delightful contrast: the tender, buttery scone beneath, and the sweet-tart, glossy glaze on top, culminating in an exquisite sensory experience. It’s a flavor combination that will undoubtedly leave you wanting more and makes these scones an unforgettable treat.

As you savor these delightful Meyer Lemon Cream Scones, let their bright, refreshing flavors transport you. They’re more than just a baked good; they’re a little promise of the vibrant spring season that’s just around the corner, a culinary beacon of warmer, brighter days ahead. Enjoy your baking journey, relish the incredible flavors, and let these scones bring a little sunshine and joy into your day. Have a wonderful weekend, and here’s to thinking SPRING!

Meyer Lemon Cream Scones Recipe

Author: Mary Ann Dwyer

Servings: 18 scones

Prep Time: 20 mins | Cook Time: 12 mins | Total Time: 32 mins

Print Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1 Tbsp. Meyer lemon zest (about 2 Meyer lemons)
• 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup heavy cream, plus a little extra for brushing tops of scones before baking
• For the Lemon Glaze:
• 1 cup confectioner’s sugar, sifted
• 1 tsp. Meyer lemon zest
• 3 Tbsp. Meyer lemon juice

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius).
2. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or a large mixing bowl, using a pastry blender or your fingertips), combine the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, kosher salt, and Meyer lemon zest. Whisk together thoroughly to ensure all dry ingredients are well distributed.
4. Add the cold unsalted butter cubes to the dry ingredients. Mix on low-speed until the mixture resembles coarse meal with some pea-sized crumbs. If mixing by hand, cut the butter into the flour mixture until it reaches this consistency.
5. Slowly add the 1/2 cup heavy cream and the large egg. Mix on low-speed (or stir by hand) until the dough just begins to come together and forms a thick clump. Be careful not to overmix, as this can lead to tough scones.
6. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Gently knead it just a few times until it forms a cohesive ball.
7. Roll the dough out evenly into a large rectangle, approximately 1/2 inch thick.
8. Using a 2-inch biscuit cutter, cut out approximately 18 round scones. Rework any scraps gently to cut out additional rounds, if needed, but avoid overworking.
9. Place the cut scone rounds on the prepared baking tray. Lightly brush the tops of the scones with a little extra heavy cream for a golden finish.
10. Bake in the preheated oven for 12 minutes, or until the tops are lightly golden brown and the scones are cooked through.
11. To prepare the Lemon Glaze:
12. In a small bowl, combine the sifted confectioner’s sugar, 1 tsp. Meyer lemon zest, and 3 Tbsp. Meyer lemon juice. Whisk until the mixture is completely smooth and free of lumps. The consistency should be pourable but not too thin.
13. Once the scones are slightly warm (not hot), drizzle the lemon glaze generously over them. Let the glaze set for a few minutes before serving.