A note about butter. We love shredding the butter for scone recipes because it gives the final product great texture. We like to wrap the butter wrapper around the end of the butter when shredding it with a box grater: It gives a better grip, acts as a small buffer between your hands and the blade, and stops the butter from melting as quickly. You can also shred butter using the shredder attachment of a food processor, or you can cut the butter into small cubes and cut it into the dough using a pastry blender (just like in a biscuit recipe!) If you cut the butter in with a pastry blender rather than shredding it, your scones will be a bit flakier (more like a biscuit-y texture). 

Adjust the amount of milk if necessary. If you measure your flour by weight (with a kitchen scale)  the amount of milk in this recipe should be just about perfect. If you measure your flour by volume (with cups), you may find you need an extra Tablespoon or two of milk to help the dough come together. If it's especially humid outside, or if you cut the butter into the dough (instead of shredding it) you might need a tiny bit less milk than the recipe calls for: start with just 1/2 cup milk and add a Tablespoon at a time as necessary.

Adjust the shape and size of your scones. Shape your dough into a large square and cut it into thirds from top-to-bottom and side-to-side to form nine square scones if you like. Make mini scones by shaping dough into two or three smaller rounds before cutting, or add a splash of milk to the dough for a looser consistency that's perfect for drop scones. If you adjust the size of your scones, just remember to adjust the baking time as needed!

To keep scones taller or stop them from spreading as much, place them in the fridge for 20 minutes (or the freezer for 10 minutes) before baking. 

Why the lemon extract? We tested this recipe with a ton of different lemon flavor combos. When we used just lemon juice, you had to use a LOT in order to get the lemon-forward flavor we wanted (and using that much lemon juice messed with the texture of the final product quite a bit!) This combination of lemon juice, lemon zest, and a splash of lemon extract gives these scones the perfect lemon-forward flavor without compromising on texture. You can use additional lemon juice instead of the lemon extract if you need to: the scones will still taste great, but the lemon flavor will be much more mild.

Additions and Substitutions. Use chopped walnuts, pecans, or pistachios instead of poppyseeds. Add fresh ginger, fresh berries, cherries, or dried cranberries for a boost of flavor. For vegan scones, use cold coconut oil instead of butter and coconut milk or almond milk instead of dairy milk. Use milk or cream instead of lemon juice in the glaze if you want less lemon flavor.

Storing and Freezing. These scones are best eaten the day they're baked! Store leftover scones in an airtight container on the counter for 1-2 days, or in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. We don't recommend adding glaze or icing to scones you plan to freeze, as the texture can warp a bit in the freezer.