Lemon Poppy Seed Scones

Mother’s Day is Sunday, I hope everyone is remembering this! Mother’s Day is one day that I never forget, not because I’m a mom, but my birthday falls right around the special day. Last year my birthday was on Mother’s Day and this year it’s the day after. There are pros and cons to sharing my birthday on the same day I celebrate my mom. The good part is we get to have a double celebration. I made her brunch last year and she cooked me a birthday dinner. Two parties in one day, I’m all for that! The downside is sometimes it’s more fun to have your special day all to yourself instead of having to share it, I’m sure she might feel this way too sometimes, I hope that doesn’t sound selfish. It’s strange buying someone a gift and cooking them a fancy meal when it’s your birthday, but hey my mom cooked, cleaned, and bought me things everyday for 18 years! I’m pretty sure I’m in debt to her for the rest of my life. This is the first year I won’t be spending Mother’s Day with my mom since I was born. I’m kind of sad actually. I wish she was going to be up here in Colorado so I could make her the most wonderful brunch. At the top of the list of things I would make her would be these wonderful Lemon Poppy Seed Scones.

When I was still living in Arizona, every weekend my mom and I would go out for latte or cappuccino after I finished my long run and she did her classes at the gym. Along with the much needed cup of caffeine we would usually share a scone. We both love a good scone. I love the flakey tender middle and that crisp crust on the outside. Add a delicious glaze or a sprinkling of turbinado sugar on top and I’m in love! Since my mom and I won’t be together this year I wanted to share this Lemon Poppy Seed Scone recipe with her and we can both enjoy one with a cup of coffee and think of each other even though we are miles apart.

I chose to make these scones lemon because I know how much my mom loves lemon desserts, plus they are one of my favorites as well. I added poppy seeds to the scones because for one, I love the little crunch they give, and two the little black speckles looks so pretty. I kept the scones simple and brushed the tops with a little milk and topped them with crunchy sweet turbinado sugar. The sugar makes the tops of the scones sparkle slightly, making them all that much more of a bright sunny treat! For everyone out there who is spending this Mother’s Day with their mom, enjoy it, and make her feel extra special for everything she has done for you. If you can’t be with your mom this Mother’s Day, bake or cook up something special that reminds you of her, I know I’ll be enjoying one of these Lemon Poppy Seed Scones with my coffee and hopefully talking to her on the phone as I eat it.

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Yield: 8 scones

Lemon Poppy Seed Scones

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Flakey scones full of lemon flavor, the perfect addition to your next brunch!

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 3 T. granulated sugar
• 1 1/4 t. baking powder
• 1/4 t. baking soda
• 1/4 t. kosher salt
• 1 T. poppy seeds
• 2 T. lemon zest
• 5 T. cold unsalted butter, cubed
• 1/4 cup plain non fat Greek yogurt
• 3/4-1 cup buttermilk
• 1 t. vanilla extract
• Turbinado sugar for sprinkling on top (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat mat
2. In a large bowl whisk together the flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, poppy seeds, and lemon zest.
3. In a smaller bowl whisk together the Greek yogurt, buttermilk, and vanilla.
4. Add the cold cubed butter to the dry ingredients and work it in with a pastry blender or your fingers until it resembles course crumbs.
5. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and fold together just until combined, don't over mix the dough.
6. Dump the dough out onto a floured surface and knead it a couple times just until it comes together.
7. Form the dough into a rectangle about 3/4-1 inch thick and cut the dough in half lengthwise and then in half.
8. Cut each quarter of the dough diagonally so that you have 8 triangles.
9. Place the scones on the lined baking sheet and brush the tops with a little milk.
10. Sprinkle the tops with turbinado sugar.
11. Bake in the 400 degree oven for 14-16 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and they are slightly golden.

Notes

To keep the bottoms of the scones from getting too brown I place the lined cookie sheet on top of another cookie sheet so that I have double the thickness.

This recipe was slightly adapted from The Joy of Baking