In the past, we’ve published a round up of our best scone recipes – and these almond & lemon scones need to be added to the top of that list.
The recipe produces scones that are delicious, light and airy. Perfect as part of an afternoon tea.
Also, I think I’ve nailed the method for achieving scones with maximum lift. Make sure you’re using self-raising flour that hasn’t been hanging around for ages, getting a little stale. Chance would be a fine thing, in these Covid times! In addition, don’t overwork the pastry; it needs to just about hold together.
And another thing, don’t press the dough down too firmly or thinly before you begin cutting the circles; you want it to be about 5cm tall. When pressing the (floured) cutter down into the pastry, don’t twist it side to side; you want a clean, even cut.
Follow all these steps and you’ll have tall, well-risen scones!
Our serving suggestion: butter, clotted cream and a fruit preserve such as a blueberry conserve or mixed berry jelly. Of course, lemon curd would be absolutely perfect too!
Click here or on the image below to save this almond & lemon scones recipe to Pinterest

Almond & lemon scones
Ingredients
- 30 g/1oz golden caster sugar
- grated zest of a lemon
- 310 g/11oz self-raising flour plus extra for dusting
- ¼ tsp fine salt
- 40 g/1½oz ground almonds
- 100 g/3½oz unsalted butter diced
- 120-130 ml/4-4½ fl oz whole milk plus 2 tbsp to glaze
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 220ºC/425ºF/Gas mark 7
- Sift the flour into a large mixing bowl
- Stir in the salt, almonds, 15g/½oz of the sugar and lemon zest
- Rub in the diced butter until the mixture resembles soft sand
- Use a blunt knife to quickly mix in 120ml/4 fl oz milk, bringing it all together with cool hands once a shaggy dough forms. (Add the extra 10ml/½ fl oz milk, if needed, to form a dough that's soft but not sticky)
- Tip onto a lightly floured surface and knead briefly until uniform. Bring together into a disc and roll out to about 4cm/1½" thick
- Flour a 6-7cm/2½" cookie cutter and stamp out 6 rounds, gently reshaping and re-rolling the dough as needed
- Brush the scones with milk, scatter with the remaining 15g/½oz caster sugar and swiftly transfer to the hot baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until golden and risen
- Cool on a wire rack
