I’m excited to share my Lemon Scones Recipe: tender, soft, flaky scones studded with coconut and finished with a sweet lemon glaze and toasted coconut topping that make a lovely breakfast or brunch treat.
I came up with these Toasted Coconut Lemon Scones after getting a craving that would not quit. I started from a familiar Starbucks Lemon Scones Recipe in my head but kept tinkering until the crumb felt wrong in a good way.
The toasted shredded coconut adds a nutty crunch and the lemon zest pulls everything bright, like it wakes the whole thing up. I burnt one batch, forgot to chill the dough, and still liked the result, so yeah theyre forgiving.
If you care about novelty more than perfection this Lemon Scones Recipe might surprise you.
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour brings structure, mostly carbs and some protein, not much fiber, helps scones rise.
- Unsalted butter adds rich flavor and fat, gives flaky texture, high in calories though.
- Toasted shredded coconut gives crunch and toasty flavor, adds fiber and healthy fats, slightly sweet.
- Lemon zest and juice bring bright acidity and fresh aroma, adds tang, vitamin C but not much calories.
- Granulated sugar sweetens and browns crust, mostly empty carbs, use sparingly if watching sugar.
- Heavy cream makes dough tender and rich, adds fat and some calories, keeps scones moist.
- Egg and vanilla bind the dough, add protein, help rise and color, vanilla adds warm scent.
Ingredient Quantities
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup (67 g) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 6 tablespoons (85 g) cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 3/4 cup (60 g) shredded coconut, lightly toasted, divided (some in dough, some for topping)
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest (about 2 lemons)
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream, plus a little extra for brushing
- 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar for the glaze
- 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (for the glaze)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
How to Make this
1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment. In a dry skillet over medium heat toast all of the shredded coconut, stirring, until lightly golden, 3 to 5 minutes; let cool and set aside 1/4 cup for the topping and use the rest in the dough.
2. In a large bowl whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt and the lemon zest, then stir in the toasted coconut reserved for the dough.
3. Cut the cold, cubed butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with some pea sized bits (use a pastry cutter, two knives, or your fingertips — frozen butter grated on a box grater works too). Keep the butter cold, don’t let it melt.
4. In a small bowl whisk the egg with 1/2 cup heavy cream until combined. Pour into the flour mixture and gently fold with a fork until a shaggy dough forms; if it’s too dry add 1 to 2 tablespoons extra cream. Don’t overmix, you’ll make tough scones.
5. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, gently pat or press into a roughly 8 inch circle about 3/4 inch thick. Use a sharp knife or bench scraper to cut into 8 wedges, transfer wedges to the prepared sheet leaving a little space between them.
6. Brush the tops with a little extra heavy cream and sprinkle the reserved 1/4 cup toasted coconut over the scones.
7. Bake until golden and firm to the touch, about 15 to 18 minutes. Let cool on the pan for 5 minutes then transfer to a rack to cool more.
8. While the scones cool make the glaze by whisking the powdered sugar with 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice and the 1/2 teaspoon vanilla until smooth; add more lemon for thinner glaze or more sugar to thicken.
9. Drizzle or spread the glaze over warm or cooled scones, sprinkle a little extra toasted coconut on top if you want, and let the glaze set a few minutes before serving.
10. Tip: keep everything cold and handle the dough as little as possible for tender, flaky scones. If you want extra lemon punch fold a tiny bit more lemon zest into the glaze.
Equipment Needed
1. Oven and a baking sheet lined with parchment paper
2. Dry skillet or frying pan for toasting the coconut
3. Large mixing bowl plus a small bowl for the egg and cream
4. Whisk and a fork for whisking and gentle folding
5. Pastry cutter or two knives or a box grater to cut or grate cold butter
6. Measuring cups and spoons (or a kitchen scale if you like grams)
7. Microplane zester for the lemons
8. Sharp knife or bench scraper to cut the scone wedges
9. Pastry brush and a cooling rack for finishing and cooling
FAQ
Toasted Coconut Lemon Scones Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- All-purpose flour: swap for a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend that contains xanthan gum (250 g AP flour = 250 g GF blend). The texture will be a bit more crumbly, so handle the dough gently and chill it a little longer before baking.
- Cold unsalted butter, cubed: use cold solid coconut oil by weight (85 g coconut oil). If you dont want extra coconut flavor use refined coconut oil. Freeze the oil 10 minutes before cutting in, the scones may be slightly more tender.
- 1/2 cup heavy cream: replace with 1/2 cup whole milk plus 2 tablespoons melted butter, or just use 1/2 cup half-and-half. The crust wont be quite as rich so brush tops with a bit more milk for color.
- Shredded coconut, lightly toasted: swap for 1 cup chopped toasted almonds or macadamia nuts (gives a nice crunch) or use unsweetened coconut flakes 1:1 if you want similar coconut flavor but bigger pieces.
Pro Tips
– Measure flour right. Weigh 250 g if you can, otherwise spoon the flour into the cup and level it off. Dont pack the cup or youll get dense, dry scones.
– Keep the butter cold, really cold. Cube it and pop it back in the fridge or grate frozen butter on a box grater, work fast with your fingertips, and if the butter starts to soften chill the bowl a few minutes. Cold butter = flaky layers.
– Handle the dough as little as possible and cut cleanly. Pat it gently, press straight down with a sharp knife or bench scraper dont twist the blade, and if the edges smoosh or the dough feels sticky chill the whole disc 10 minutes before cutting so wedges hold their shape.
– Toast the coconut just to light gold and let it cool completely before adding to dough or topping, it keeps the texture crisp. For the glaze, whisk in extra lemon zest for a brighter hit and adjust thickness one teaspoon at a time, powdered sugar to thicken, lemon juice to thin; drizzle while scones are slightly warm so it sticks but not piping hot or the glaze will run off.
Toasted Coconut Lemon Scones Recipe
I'm excited to share my Lemon Scones Recipe: tender, soft, flaky scones studded with coconut and finished with a sweet lemon glaze and toasted coconut topping that make a lovely breakfast or brunch treat.
8
servings
394
kcal
Equipment: 1. Oven and a baking sheet lined with parchment paper
2. Dry skillet or frying pan for toasting the coconut
3. Large mixing bowl plus a small bowl for the egg and cream
4. Whisk and a fork for whisking and gentle folding
5. Pastry cutter or two knives or a box grater to cut or grate cold butter
6. Measuring cups and spoons (or a kitchen scale if you like grams)
7. Microplane zester for the lemons
8. Sharp knife or bench scraper to cut the scone wedges
9. Pastry brush and a cooling rack for finishing and cooling
Ingredients
-
2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
-
1/3 cup (67 g) granulated sugar
-
1 tablespoon baking powder
-
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
-
6 tablespoons (85 g) cold unsalted butter, cubed
-
3/4 cup (60 g) shredded coconut, lightly toasted, divided (some in dough, some for topping)
-
2 tablespoons lemon zest (about 2 lemons)
-
1 large egg
-
1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream, plus a little extra for brushing
-
1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar for the glaze
-
2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (for the glaze)
-
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment. In a dry skillet over medium heat toast all of the shredded coconut, stirring, until lightly golden, 3 to 5 minutes; let cool and set aside 1/4 cup for the topping and use the rest in the dough.
- In a large bowl whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt and the lemon zest, then stir in the toasted coconut reserved for the dough.
- Cut the cold, cubed butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with some pea sized bits (use a pastry cutter, two knives, or your fingertips — frozen butter grated on a box grater works too). Keep the butter cold, don't let it melt.
- In a small bowl whisk the egg with 1/2 cup heavy cream until combined. Pour into the flour mixture and gently fold with a fork until a shaggy dough forms; if it's too dry add 1 to 2 tablespoons extra cream. Don't overmix, you'll make tough scones.
- Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, gently pat or press into a roughly 8 inch circle about 3/4 inch thick. Use a sharp knife or bench scraper to cut into 8 wedges, transfer wedges to the prepared sheet leaving a little space between them.
- Brush the tops with a little extra heavy cream and sprinkle the reserved 1/4 cup toasted coconut over the scones.
- Bake until golden and firm to the touch, about 15 to 18 minutes. Let cool on the pan for 5 minutes then transfer to a rack to cool more.
- While the scones cool make the glaze by whisking the powdered sugar with 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice and the 1/2 teaspoon vanilla until smooth; add more lemon for thinner glaze or more sugar to thicken.
- Drizzle or spread the glaze over warm or cooled scones, sprinkle a little extra toasted coconut on top if you want, and let the glaze set a few minutes before serving.
- Tip: keep everything cold and handle the dough as little as possible for tender, flaky scones. If you want extra lemon punch fold a tiny bit more lemon zest into the glaze.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 75g
- Total number of serves: 8
- Calories: 394kcal
- Fat: 20.1g
- Saturated Fat: 10.8g
- Trans Fat: 0.38g
- Polyunsaturated: 1.5g
- Monounsaturated: 5g
- Cholesterol: 63mg
- Sodium: 330mg
- Potassium: 85mg
- Carbohydrates: 49.3g
- Fiber: 1.7g
- Sugar: 24.1g
- Protein: 4.6g
- Vitamin A: 312IU
- Vitamin C: 8.8mg
- Calcium: 26mg
- Iron: 0.68mg
