Muffins + Scones

Flaky Lemon White Chocolate Scones

Freshly baked lemon white chocolate scones on baking sheet with a knife.

I have a bag of lemons and blood oranges in my refrigerator. Maybe it’s the Minnesota in me, but March and April can drag here, and bright, tart citrus is a welcome addition to the snow covered yards. After years filled with brief moments of blissful warm followed by weeks of dreary cold rain mixed with snow, I don’t trust this ‘second’ spring we often find ourselves in. So, the citrus stays a little bit longer.

White Chocolate In Scones?

There are some who believe that chocolate does not belong in scones, ever, but I respectfully disagree (and have a similar opinion regarding sprinkle scones and chocolate chip scones). While I love fruit in scones, like my Double Apple Scones and Raspberry Scones ), sometimes a hit of chocolate is just what is needed with a steaming cup of coffee. And white chocolate and lemon is a beautiful match. Make sure to cut the white chocolate into small pieces, because it doesn’t melt as easily as regular chocolate.

How I Make My Scones

I have made many scones over the years, and have finally settled on this recipe with a buttery scone base, crème fraîche, and an extra egg yolk for rich flavor and tenderness.

This scone recipe includes folding the dough over several times to create multiple flaky layers, which helps the scones bake up tall and lofty. A drizzle of icing to the scones while still warm helps keep the scones stay tender for hours after baking.

Using A Stand Mixer For Scones Makes Thing Easier

This recipe calls for a pastry cutter, but you can make these scones in a stand mixer. I prefer to use a stand mixer when I can in my baking – after decades of baking, I’ve developed wrist issues and find it helps keep that pain at bay. I mix the butter to the size of small peas in the mixer, then use a spatula to incorporate the wet ingredients and white chocolate. However, if you don’t have a stand mixer or don’t want to use it here, follow the directions for the pastry cutter.

Freshly baked lemon white chocolate scones on baking sheet with a knife.

Lemon White Chocolate Scones

Servings: 8 scones
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
These tender scones have delicious layers infused with fresh lemon juice and white chocolate. Finished with a lemon icing.
Sarah Kieffer
5 from 3 votes
Print Pin Rate

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup [65 g] granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons lemon zest
  • 2 1/4 cups [320 g] all-purpose flour*
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
  • 1/2 cup [120 g] sour cream or creme fraiche
  • 1/4 cup [60 g] fresh lemon juice
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cut into 12 pieces
  • 2 ounces [55 g] white chocolate, chopped into small pieces
  • Heavy cream for brushing

Lemon glaze

  • 1 1/2 cup [180 g] confectioners' sugar
  • 2 to 4 tablespoons [30 to 60 g] fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

Instructions

  • Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 400F [200C]. Stack two sheet pans on top of each other and line the top sheet with parchment paper (this helps keep the bottoms of the scones from browning too quickly).
  • In a large bowl, combine the sugar and lemon zest with your hands, rubbing the zest into the sugar. Add the flour, baking powder and salt, and whisk to combine.
  • In a medium bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk together the sour cream or creme fraiche, lemon juice, egg, egg yolk, and vanilla.
  • Add the butter to the dry ingredients and use a pastry cutter to cut in the butter until the flour-coated pieces are the size of peas. Add the wet ingredients and fold with a spatula until just combined. Add the white chocolate, gently folding it into the dough.
  • Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead four to six times, until it comes together, adding more flour as necessary if the dough is sticky. Pat the dough gently into a square and roll into a 12 in [30.5 cm] square (again, dusting with flour as necessary). Fold the dough in thirds, similar to a business letter. Fold the short ends of the dough in thirds again, making a square. Transfer it to a floured sheet pan or plate and place in the freezer for 10 minutes.
  • Return the dough to the floured surface, roll it into a 12 in [30.5 cm] square, and fold it thirds, Place the dough seam-side down and gently roll the dough into a 12 by 4 in [30.5 by 10 cm] rectangle. With a sharp knife, cut it crosswise into four equal rectangles, then cut each rectangle diagonally into two triangles. Transfer the triangles to the prepared sheet pan.
  • Brush the tops the triangles with a little heavy cream, making sure it doesn't drip down the sides, and sprinkle the tops generously with sugar. Bake for 18 to 25 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, until the tops and bottoms are light golden brown. Transfer the sheet pan to wire rack and let cool for 5 minutes before glazing.

For the glaze

  • While the scones are baking, in a medium bowl, whisk together the confectioners' sugar, 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice, and the melted butter until smooth. Add more juice, 1 tablespoon at a time, to thin the glaze to your preferred consistency.
  • Pour the glaze over the tops of the scones and use the back of a spoon to smooth the tops. Let set before serving. Scones are best eaten the same day they are made.

Notes

  • Throughout my recipes posted on this website, 1 cup of flour equals 142g. Please note that 1 cup of flour can range anywhere from 120g to 142g, depending on the baker or website. I found that after weighting many cups of flour and averaging the total, mine always ended up around this number. Weighing your flour instead of using cup measurements is the surest way to get the result I intended when developing the recipe.
  • Reply
    Nancy
    Saturday, May 24, 2025 at 12:35 pm

    5 stars
    Had some seedless lemons & some white chocolate bars hanging around and spotted this scone recipe! A match made in heaven!Every scone I maker of yours is delicious! I think it’s the 12 ounces of butter!I found some Irish wheat flour in the freezer! Thank you for making this Saturday special!

  • Reply
    Marcia
    Friday, December 13, 2024 at 2:17 pm

    Can we freeze the scones before baking?

    • Reply
      Sarah Kieffer
      Thursday, December 19, 2024 at 9:48 am

      Yes! Freezing the scones works well. They can be held in the freezer for up to 1 week.

  • Reply
    Brandi Lee Hoffmann
    Wednesday, August 21, 2024 at 7:00 am

    I’ve been reading through your scone recipes they sound lovely. Regarding the butter, have you tried grating frozen butter? Curious to know if you have and your opinion on the outcome of both methods. #Minnesotanative

  • Reply
    Annie
    Tuesday, January 17, 2023 at 8:41 pm

    5 stars
    These were amazing! My husband, a white chocolate skeptic, called them “otherworldy”–pretty high praise! They were so tender, as all your scones are, and the lemon flavor was perfect with the white chocolate.

  • Reply
    Karen Stoeckle
    Tuesday, February 23, 2021 at 8:53 am

    These are so delicious! You are definitely the scone Queen! I love your pumpkin ones too! I’m trying the creme fraiche ones next!!!!

  • Reply
    de_dietrich
    Wednesday, May 20, 2015 at 7:24 am

    This scones looks delicious! I would love to try them some day:)

  • Reply
    Natalie | Paper & Birch
    Monday, May 4, 2015 at 9:41 pm

    Lemon and white chocolate? this sounds divine!

  • Reply
    Julie
    Sunday, May 3, 2015 at 1:17 am

    Oh, if only to have a memorized scone recipe 🙂 I also struggle to get white chocolate in baked goods at levels that ‘make sense’ and with other ingredients that are surprising and unique. Thanks for the tip!

  • Reply
    Nik@ABrownTable
    Thursday, April 30, 2015 at 12:35 am

    Sarah, these scones look lovely. Citrus is perhaps one of the best things about winter that I wish would continue throughout the year. Erin’s book looks gorgeous and I can’t wait to check it out!

  • Reply
    Naomi
    Wednesday, April 29, 2015 at 9:16 am

    So gorgeous as usual. I love a good scone and these look delicious and perfectly textured!

  • Reply
    Amber Harding
    Wednesday, April 29, 2015 at 5:56 am

    Wow, I was surprised to see how well lemon’s acidity combines with the softness and thickness of the chocolate. I love the end result in my oven!

  • Reply
    Meghan
    Wednesday, April 29, 2015 at 12:50 am

    I am the same exact way about spring. Today was the first day I actually felt any sort of notion of it. April air is far too heavy to be considered ‘spring’ in my book.

    And, these scones; they sound so lovely. Scones are the one thing I can’t seem to get down. They always end in a dry, crumbling mess. But maybe between you and Erin, this’ll be the recipe that comes out alright. (I have a hard time believing that lemon and white chocolate could go wrong.)

  • Reply
    Jessica @jessicatom.com
    Tuesday, April 28, 2015 at 11:13 pm

    mmmm… bright and *soulful*. Love it, Sarah!

  • Reply
    Abby
    Tuesday, April 28, 2015 at 9:07 pm

    Oh, how lovely, Sarah. Beautiful photos, and I adore the white chocolate + lemon combination. xx

  • Reply
    Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar
    Tuesday, April 28, 2015 at 5:01 pm

    I love this flavour! So delicious looking!

  • Reply
    Kelsi | Savour the Sweet
    Tuesday, April 28, 2015 at 4:48 pm

    I totally don’t blame you for being skeptical about the arrival of spring! I was too confident far too early. The past couple of days, in eastern Canada, we’ve been going through some extremely cold wet days, and it snowed all day yesterday.
    These scones sound beautiful – I’m not generally a white chocolate fan, but I think that the brightness of the lemon would really lighten them up!
    By the way, can I just say that your ability to slice, well, pretty much anything, is spot on? Random note, haha!

  • Reply
    Shelly @ Vegetarian 'Ventures
    Tuesday, April 28, 2015 at 3:07 pm

    I feel that ‘thing’ you speak of for scones – perhaps it’s a Midwest thing. : )
    Also, loving Erin’s new book as well! I’ve made the fried rice but may have to move onto the scones recipe next!

5 from 3 votes (1 rating without comment)

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