Gin & Lemon Scones

Ingredients

• 250 gself-raising flour
• 50 g, plus a little extra for greasing the tinunsalted butter
• 30 gcaster sugar
• 1/2 tspbaking powder
• 1/4 tspsalt
• 1/2 lemon, zest onlylemon
• 140 mlgin
• 50 gicing sugar

Instructions

1. 1

   Heat the oven

   Preheat the oven to 220°C, or 200°C for a fan oven.

2. 2

   Prepare the tray

   Lightly grease a baking tray with butter, unless you are using a non-stick baking mat.

3. 3

   Rub in butter

   Put 250 g self-raising flour in a large bowl. Cut 50 g butter into cubes and rub it into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.

4. 4

   Add the flavourings

   Finely grate the zest of half a lemon into the flour mixture. Add 30 g caster sugar, 1/2 tsp baking powder and 1/4 tsp salt, then mix them through evenly.

5. 5

   Bring dough together

   Make a well in the centre and add 140 ml gin, reserving a tablespoon or two if you like. Mix gently with your hands until the dough comes together; add a little of the reserved gin if dry flour remains at the bottom of the bowl.

6. 6

   Shape the scones

   Transfer the dough to a work surface and pat it into a flat circle about 1 1/2 inches thick, without using a rolling pin. Cut it into 6 wedges with a sharp knife, or use a round cutter if preferred.

7. 7

   Bake the wedges

   Place the wedges on the prepared tray and bake for 12–15 minutes, until they sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.

8. 8

   Cool completely

   Take the scones out of the oven and transfer them to a cooling rack. Leave them to cool completely.

9. 9

   Ice the scones

   Once cool, put 50 g icing sugar in a bowl and mix in 1 tsp cold water. Add more water a drop at a time until the icing falls from a spoon slowly; if it becomes too runny, mix in a little more icing sugar. Drizzle it over the scones with a spoon.

What are gin and lemon scones?

Scones are a familiar part of British baking, often served at afternoon tea. This version keeps the basic flour-and-butter dough but uses gin to bring it together, with lemon zest for a bright, fragrant note.

The wedges are shaped by hand rather than rolled, then finished with a simple icing drizzle. That makes them easy to portion and gives the lemon and gin flavours a sweet finishing touch.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 317 calories, 4g protein, 43g carbs, 7g fat.

The flour and sugar provide most of the carbohydrate, while butter contributes much of the fat; the recipe contains only a small amount of protein. To balance a scone, serve it with fruit and a protein-rich accompaniment such as yoghurt.

The flour and butter

Self-raising flour: it already contains raising agents, while the small extra amount of baking powder is included in the recipe. Rub in the butter until there are no large pieces and the mixture looks like breadcrumbs.

Cold butter: working it in with your fingertips helps keep the mixture crumbly. Use a light touch so the butter does not become warm and greasy.

Bringing the dough together

Gin: add it to the well in the dry ingredients and mix only until the dough comes together. The recipe suggests holding back a tablespoon or two to help gather any flour left in the bowl.

Gentle mixing: avoid kneading the dough. Too much handling can make the scones less tender, so stop as soon as there are no dry patches.

Shaping and checking doneness

Shape: pat the dough into a circle about 1 1/2 inches thick rather than rolling it out. Cut it into 6 wedges with a sharp knife, keeping the cuts decisive.

Doneness: bake at 220°C, or 200°C fan, for 12–15 minutes. The recipe's cue is a hollow sound when a scone is tapped on the bottom.

Making the icing

Start thick: mix 50 g icing sugar with 1 tsp cold water, then add more water one drop at a time. The finished icing should drip slowly from a lifted spoon rather than run straight off.

Cool first: wait until the scones are completely cool before drizzling. Warm scones can make the icing run off instead of leaving a visible finish.

Serving with tea

Serve the scones once the icing has set, alongside a pot of tea or coffee. Their lemony sweetness also works well with fresh berries.

For a more filling spread, offer them with yoghurt or a little fruit on the side. Keep the serving simple so the citrus and gin notes remain the focus.

Recipe notes & tips

• Keep the butter cool while rubbing it into the flour.
• Reserve a little gin to gather up any dry flour at the bottom of the bowl.
• Mix the dough only until it comes together.
• Pat the dough into shape instead of using a rolling pin.
• Check the scones from 12 minutes onwards, as oven timing can vary.
• Add water to the icing a drop at a time to avoid making it too runny.

Variations

• Round scones: use a round cutter instead of cutting the dough into wedges.
• Extra lemon: add a little more lemon zest for a stronger citrus note.
• Lemon drizzle: replace some of the icing water with lemon juice for a sharper finish.
• Plain finish: leave off the icing for a less sweet scone.
• Fruit pairing: serve with fresh berries for a fruity accompaniment.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Overworking the dough: mix only until it comes together to help keep the scones tender.
• Using a rolling pin: pat the dough into a circle so it keeps its shape and thickness.
• Adding all the gin at once: reserve a tablespoon or two in case you need it to gather dry flour.
• Making the icing too thin: add water drop by drop and stop when it drips slowly from a spoon.
• Icing warm scones: cool them completely first so the drizzle stays on top.
• Baking by time alone: use the hollow-sounding tap as the recipe's doneness check.

How to store

Once fully cool, store the scones in an airtight container at room temperature and eat within 2 days. Warm them briefly in a low oven if you prefer them heated; the icing may soften.

Frequently asked questions