Zesty vegan lemon poppy seed scones with a buttery, flaky crumb and a delicious lemon glaze. Ideal for breakfast or an afternoon snack!
These Vegan Lemon Poppy Seed Scones are your new best friend. Ever had one of those mornings where you’re just dying for a treat that's both zesty and indulgent? We've got you covered hun! These scones have got this fresh lemon flavour that pairs perfectly with the slight crunch of poppy seeds. I can picture it now as I'm writing, biting into a warm scone, the lemon glaze dripping just so – it’s the perfect start to any day, if you ask me.
First time I had lemon poppy seed scones was at a quaint little café up North. I remember the weather was horrid – typical British rain – but that first bite was like sunshine. I’ve been obsessed ever since, and of course, had to create a vegan version. If you’re a fan of my classic vegan scones or the blueberry ones, you’re in for a real treat with these.
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What are Vegan Lemon Poppy Seed Scones?
Alright, let’s break it down. Scones are a classic British baked good, often enjoyed with a cup of tea. They’re kinda like a cross between a biscuit and a cake – not too sweet, slightly crumbly, and perfect with a spread of vegan butter or jam. The ones in this recipe are more like an American scone, which tend to be sweeter and packed with fruit or other add-ins and topped with a glaze or icing. Traditionally, they’re made with flour, butter, and milk, but we’re shaking things up with my Vegan Lemon Poppy Seed Scones.
These scones have a unique twist – the fresh lemon flavour and poppy seeds make them stand out. And since we’re making them vegan, we’re using non-dairy milk and vegan butter, so they’re completely plant-based without losing any of that classic scone goodness.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Let’s talk ingredients. You’ll need the usual suspects like plain flour (or all-purpose flour, if you’re in the US), baking powder, and sea salt. We’re adding in poppy seeds for that delightful crunch and lemon zest for the zing. Cold vegan butter is key for that crumbly texture. For the wet ingredients, grab some lemon juice, lemon extract, vanilla extract, and some vegan yoghurt. In a pinch, your favourite non-dairy milk can replace the yoghurt – almond, soy, or coconut milk will all do the trick.
For the Scones:
- Plain flour (all-purpose flour)
- Baking powder
- Fine sea salt
- Poppy seeds
- Caster sugar (superfine sugar)
- Lemon zest, finely shredded
- Vegan butter, cold and cubed
- Vegan yoghurt, refrigerated, unflavoured, and unsweetened
- Lemon juice
- Lemon extract
- Vanilla extract
- Plant milk (unsweetened and unflavoured)
- Demerara sugar
I’ve got the full recipe listed at the bottom of the page in the recipe card, so scroll down if you’re in a hurry!
How to Make This Recipe
Making these Vegan Lemon Poppy Seed Scones is a breeze. Here’s a simple breakdown, but don’t forget to check the full recipe at the bottom for all the details:
Prep and Mix the Dry Ingredients: Preheat your oven to 200°C (fan/convection) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large mixing bowl, sieve together the plain flour, baking powder, fine sea salt, and poppy seeds. In a small bowl, rub the caster sugar and lemon zest together until fragrant, then mix it into the flour mixture. Add the vegan butter (be sure to use cold butter) and use a pastry cutter or your fingers to create a coarse meal.
Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, mix the vegan yoghurt, lemon juice, lemon extract, and vanilla extract. Pour this wet mixture into the dry mixture and stir until a shaggy scone dough forms. Be careful not to over mix.
Shape and Bake the Scones: Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, pat it into a disc, and cut into triangles (you'll need a sharp knife or a bench scraper). Arrange on the prepared baking sheet, brush with plant milk, and sprinkle with Demerara sugar. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown.
Cool and Glaze: Let the scones cool on a wire rack. Mix the simple lemon glaze ingredients in a small bowl and drizzle over the cooled scones. Serve with lemon zest and poppy seeds, and store any leftovers in an airtight container.
How to Use Lemon Zest in Baking
Lemon zest is a game-changer in baking. First of all, always use unwaxed lemons to avoid any nasty pesticides. I'd also advise using a microplane grater when zesting your lemons, since it creates fine shreds which melt into the batter more easily.
But most importantly, instead of just chucking the zest in with the wet ingredients, try rubbing it into the sugar first. The abrasion of the coarse sugar releases all those essential oils, making your scones burst with fresh lemon flavor. For best results, always combine lemon zest with lemon extract and fresh lemon juice in your recipes, to guarantee those bright lemon flavors in every bite. I recommend this technique with bakes like my vegan lemon drizzle cake and my blueberry lemon cake!
Tips for Perfect Vegan Scones
- Use cold vegan butter: This helps create that lovely crumbly texture, since the butter doesn't melt into the dough completely.
- Don’t overwork the dough: It can make the scones tough, since it activates the gluten. Mix just until combined - you're looking for a shaggy dough!
- Chill the dough: Before baking, if you have time to chill the cut scones in the fridge for half an hour, you'll notice a huge improvement in texture and rise.
- Acidity is key: Use lemon juice or vegan yoghurt to react with the baking powder, giving the scones a better rise.
Vegan Lemon Poppy Seed Scones FAQs
Absolutely! Wrap the dough in plastic wrap or a ziplock bag and freeze for up to a month. Bake straight from frozen, just add a few extra minutes.
What if I don’t have poppy seeds?
No worries, you can leave them out or substitute with chia seeds for a similar texture.
Can I use other citrus fruits?
Yes! Orange or lime zest would also work beautifully.
How long do these scones keep?
Store them in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat slightly before serving.
Can I make these gluten-free?
You can try using a gluten-free flour blend (or almond flour or coconut flour), but the texture might be slightly different. Please let me know in the comments if you try this!
There you have it, folks – Vegan Lemon Poppy Seed Scones that are bound to brighten up any day, whether you eat them for breakfast or dessert! They’re easy to make and absolutely delicious. Don’t forget to take pictures of your creations and tag @schoolnightvegan on social media – I’d love to see how yours turn out!
If you’re hungry for more, check out my other lemony vibe recipes on the blog, like my Vegan Lemon Poppy Seed Cake or my delicious Vegan Lemon Pound Cake.
Vegan Lemon Poppy Seed Scones
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- small bowl
- Sieve
- Pastry cutter or food processor
- Parchment paper
- Large baking sheet
- Wire rack
- Whisk
Ingredients
For the Scones:
- 420 g plain white flour all purpose flour
- 3 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
- 100 g caster sugar superfine sugar
- Zest of 2 lemons finely shredded
- 120 g vegan butter cold and cut into cubes
- 100 g vegan yogurt refrigerated, unflavoured, and unsweetened
- 4 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoon plant milk any will do, just make sure it’s unsweetened and unflavoured
- 2 tablespoon Demerara sugar
For the Lemon Glaze
- 160 g icing sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For Serving
- Zest of one lemon
- 1 teaspoon poppy seeds
Instructions
To Make the Scones
- Preheat the oven to 200 °C (fan/convection). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Sieve together the flour, baking powder, sea salt, and poppy seeds in a large mixing bowl.420 g plain white flour, 3 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon fine sea salt, 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
- In a separate small bowl, rub together the caster sugar and lemon zest until the mixture becomes fragrant.100 g caster sugar, Zest of 2 lemons
- Whisk the zesty sugar into the flour mixture until well combined.
- Add the cold, cubed vegan butter to the flour mixture. Use a pastry cutter or two knives to cut the butter into the flour until no large lumps remain, then rub through with your finger tips. The mixture should resemble coarse crumbs with small, flat pieces of butter throughout. Alternatively, pulse together a few times in a food processor.120 g vegan butter
- In a measuring jug, stir together the vegan yogurt, lemon juice, lemon extract, and vanilla extract.100 g vegan yogurt, 4 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon lemon extract, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Stir together with a fork until a very shaggy scone dough forms. Be careful not to over mix.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and pat it into a roughly 20cm (8 inch) disc. Use a sharp knife to slice the disc into 6 even triangles.
- If baking later, wrap the sliced disc in plastic wrap or place it in a ziplock bag and freeze for up to a month.
- Arrange the scones on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them evenly. Brush the tops with plant milk and sprinkle with Demerara sugar.2 tablespoon plant milk, 2 tablespoon Demerara sugar
- Place in the oven and bake for 25 minutes (or 30 minutes if baking from frozen) or until risen and golden brown.
- Remove the scones from the oven and transfer them to a wire cooling rack. Allow them to cool for 10-20 minutes.
To Make the Lemon Glaze
- In a small bowl, whisk together the glaze ingredients.160 g icing sugar, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Once the scones are cooled, drizzle with the glaze mixture and leave to set for a few minutes.
To Serve
- Serve the Lemon Poppyseed Scones warm or at room temperature, topped with some fresh lemon zest and a sprinkle of poppy seeds.Zest of one lemon, 1 teaspoon poppy seeds
- Alternatively, slice and serve with a generous spoonful of vegan yoghurt and blueberry compote or your favourite jam on top.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat slightly in the oven before serving.
Inese
The recipe are super good.
Kelly
So good, made for my mum's birthday!