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Home » Recipes » Single Serving Breakfast

By Joanie Zisk Published: Jan 31, 2020 · Updated: Apr 30, 2021 · This post may contain affiliate links · Please read my disclosure

Small Batch Lemon Poppy Seed Scones

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lemon scones | one dish kitchen

Buttery Lemon Poppy Seed Scones Recipe - these delicate lemon scones are topped with a sweet lemon glaze. This wonderful small batch recipe yields 4 perfectly sweet scones.

One lemon glazed scone on a plate near a cup of coffee.

These tender lemon scones are light and buttery and perfect to enjoy with coffee or tea. They're easy to make and the ingredients used are ones you very likely already have in your pantry.

Scones are buttery baked treats that are similar to biscuits. Although they've increased in popularity, they still are thought of as a fancy breakfast or something to be served at a formal high-tea.

Actually, scones are very easy to make. Once the dough is formed, the dough is divided into pieces and baked in the oven.

Why This Recipe Works

  • These scones are extra buttery and delicious!
  • They have sweet crumbly edges and soft, tender centers.
  • The scones are topped with a delightful lemon glaze.
  • They're so easy to make.

RELATED: 20 Single Serving Breakfast Recipes Worth Waking Up To

Three scones topped with a white glaze and lemon zest on a baking sheet next to a half of a lemon.

Ingredient Notes

See recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.

  • Flour: 1 cup of all-purpose flour is the standard amount of flour needed for homemade scones. You will also need a small amount for your hands and for dusting your work surface
  • Baking powder and baking soda: These ingredients give the scones a little lift.
  • Salt: Adds flavor.
  • Sugar: I recommend using 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar.
  • Poppy seeds: Lemons and poppyseeds go so well together. A little goes a long way so I recommend using 1 tablespoon. Poppy seeds can be found in the spice aisle of most grocery stores.
  • Butter: Use 4 tablespoons of cold, salted butter. Make sure to keep the butter in the refrigerator until you are ready to use it. Cold butter is essential in making the best tasting scones. It ensures the scones will be flaky with crisp edges.
  • An egg yolk: 1 egg yolk is all that's needed in this recipe. It adds flavor and structure. See below for ways to use the leftover egg white.
  • Milk: Use any percentage cow's milk (whole, skim, 1%, or 2%). You can also use almond milk, half & half, or cream instead.
  • Lemon juice and lemon zest: For incredible lemon flavor!

For the lemon glaze

  • Powdered sugar: Use ½ cup of powdered sugar.
  • Heavy cream or milk: Although I use 2 tablespoons of heavy cream or heavy whipping cream in my scone glaze, you can use half & half or milk instead.
  • Lemon juice: 1 teaspoon of lemon juice adds a wonderful flavor to the glaze.

See below for ways to use leftover ingredients.

RELATED: Empty Nest Recipe Ideas - The Joy Of Cooking For Two

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How To Make This Recipe

  1. In a mixing bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, sugar and poppy seeds. Using a pastry blender, a fork or your fingertips, work the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolk, milk, lemon juice and lemon zest.  Pour into flour mixture and stir until just combined.
  3. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface.  Knead very lightly and form a circle. (Add a little more flour to the dough if the dough becomes too sticky to handle).
  4. Cut the dough into 4 wedges and place them on the baking sheet. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.

RELATED: Small Batch Clotted Cream Recipe

A scone topped with white glaze cut in half on a white plate next to a cup of tea.

Expert Tips

  • The trick to making perfect scones every time is to make sure your ingredients are cold. Don’t take the butter, milk or eggs out of the refrigerator until you are ready to make scones.
  • Don’t overwork the dough. Once you add in the liquid (eggs, milk, etc.) stir the dough very little to combine. Remember to handle the dough as little as possible. Over-mixing the dough will lead to scones that are rather chewy instead of light and flaky.
  • I am often asked if skim milk or low-fat milk can be substituted for higher fat milk or cream. The short answer is yes, but the scones will be dry and hard. Keep in mind that the higher the fat content, the more tender the scones will be.

Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients

If you have any ingredients left over from this lemon scone recipe, you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:

Egg white

  • Meringues
  • Two Vanilla Cupcakes
  • Two Chocolate Cupcakes
  • Coconut Macaroons

Lemons

  • Lemon Garlic Chicken
  • Lemon Bars
  • Lemon Blueberry Muffin
  • Lemon Meringue Pie
  • Lemon Custard

Poppy Seeds

  • Poppy Seed Dressing

Frequently Asked Questions

How Do I Store Lemon Scones?

This lemon scone recipe yields 4 delightful scones. They keep well in the refrigerator but are best eaten in a day or so after baking them.

Can I Freeze Lemon Scones?

Yes, you can! Make and shape the dough into scones and freeze them on a baking sheet, then transfer the frozen unbaked scones to a zip-top bag, and bake them straight from frozen, adding a couple of minutes to the baking time.

What To Serve With Lemon Scones

  • Lemon Curd
  • Jam

Other Small Batch Scone Recipes

  • Strawberry Scones
  • Ham and Cheese Scones
  • Triple Chocolate Scones
  • Apple Cinnamon Scones
  • Cranberry Orange Scones
  • Peach Scones

RELATED: The Best Small Batch Cookie Recipes

For more information on the cooking and baking dishes I use in our “recipes for one”, please visit our FAQ page.

For examples of the dishes used at One Dish Kitchen, please visit our Store page.

If you’ve tried these lemon scones or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.

If you take a picture please tag us on Instagram (@onedishkitchen) we’d love to see!

RELATED: 15 Easy Dessert Recipes For One

lemon scones | one dish kitchen

Small Batch Lemon Poppy Seed Scones

Easy recipe for Small Batch Lemon Poppy Seed Scones topped with a sweet lemon glaze. The perfect amount for anyone cooking for one or two.
5 from 4 votes
Print Pin Rate
See the post above for expert tips,
FAQs and ways to use leftover ingredients.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Cooling: 10 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Course: Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine: British
Servings: 4 scones
Calories: 339kcal
Author: Joanie Zisk

Video

Equipment

  • Baking sheet

Ingredients

  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
  • ¼ cup salted butter , cold - cut into small pieces
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • ¼ cup milk
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest

FOR THE GLAZE

  • ½ cup powdered sugar , sifted
  • 2 tablespoons heavy cream , or milk
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Heat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
  • Line a baking sheet with silpat or parchment paper.
  • In a mixing bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, sugar and poppy seeds.
  • Using a pastry blender, a fork or your fingertips, work the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolk, milk, lemon juice and lemon zest.  Pour into flour mixture and stir until just combined.
  • Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface.  Knead very lightly and form a circle. (Add a little more flour to the dough if the dough becomes too sticky to handle).
  • Cut the dough into 4 wedges.
  • Place the wedges onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.
  • Let cool on baking sheet for a minute, then transfer onto wire rack.

TO PREPARE THE GLAZE

  • In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, cream and lemon juice until smooth.  Spoon over the tops of cooled scones.

Notes

Expert Tips
  • The trick to making perfect scones every time is to make sure your ingredients are cold. Don’t take the butter, milk or eggs out of the refrigerator until you are ready to make scones.
  • Don’t overwork the dough. Once you add in the liquid (eggs, milk, etc.) stir the dough very little to combine. Remember to handle the dough as little as possible. Over-mixing the dough will lead to scones that are rather chewy instead of light and flaky.
  • I am often asked if skim milk or low-fat milk can be substituted for higher fat milk or cream. The short answer is yes, but the scones will be dry and hard. Keep in mind that the higher the fat content, the more tender the scones will be.
Nutrition Facts
Small Batch Lemon Poppy Seed Scones
Amount Per Serving (1 scone)
Calories 339 Calories from Fat 126
% Daily Value*
Fat 14g22%
Saturated Fat 8g50%
Cholesterol 80mg27%
Sodium 297mg13%
Potassium 199mg6%
Carbohydrates 48g16%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 22g24%
Protein 5g10%
Vitamin A 420IU8%
Vitamin C 3.9mg5%
Calcium 129mg13%
Iron 1.9mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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About Joanie Zisk

Joanie Zisk is the creator of OneDishKitchen.com, the number one go-to site for single serving recipes. The aim of One Dish Kitchen is to inspire individuals with access to single serving recipes that will enable them to enjoy the preparation of a meal that will nourish both body and soul. Her website is filled with hundreds of easy, flavorful recipes that are tailored for those cooking for one. Joanie is the author of "The Ultimate Cooking For One Cookbook" and her recipes and food photography have been featured in various publications including, TODAY.com, Huffington Post, Real Simple, Self.com,Women’s Day, Buzzfeed, and others. Come say hello and follow Joanie on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram and LinkedIn.

Reader Interactions

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Elaine Bonadies says

    May 05, 2021 at 10:04 am

    These scones are easy and delicious!

    Reply
  2. Letha says

    June 02, 2020 at 11:29 am

    Easy to make and baked up nice. Bottoms burnt just a bit, and I took them out at 11 minutes. Next time, I’ll bake 10 minutes max. I am going to add a bit more lemon zest and juice to both the batter and the glaze as I felt it needed just a little more lemon for my taste. Thanks for the fabulous recipe.

    Reply
    • Joanie Zisk says

      June 02, 2020 at 3:04 pm

      I'm so glad you enjoyed the lemon bars - thanks so much for your feedback.

      Reply
  3. Yana says

    October 08, 2018 at 11:36 am

    Beautiful presentation of the scones! I will need to try this recipe asap.

    Reply
  4. Ginger Masters says

    July 15, 2018 at 9:21 am

    I didn't have poppyseed so I used the next closest thing, blueberries! Came out wonderful! Made them for Mother's Day and my daughter who has travelled throughout the UK said they were the best she's ever had.

    Reply
    • Joanie Zisk says

      July 16, 2018 at 1:39 pm

      I bet those blueberries were a wonderful addition. I'm definitely going to add blueberries to my scones next time. Thank you so much for letting me know you enjoyed the recipe, I'm so happy you and your daughter enjoyed them.

      Joanie

      Reply
  5. Renee says

    July 19, 2017 at 9:27 am

    I'd love if I had a few of these sitting in my kitchen right now. I love lemon poppyseed!!

    Reply

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