From the Kitchen of Jenna McGregor

Brewed Awakenings Spring Sunshine Scones

Image of lemon scones and mug of coffee on table

Jenna put this on the spring menu and they sold out in minutes. They have been called the best gluten-free baked good Mr. Ellison has ever tasted—and that’s saying a lot coming from such a discerning food critic.

⏱ Prep Time: 30 minutes | Cook Time: 20 - 25 minutes minutes | Cool Time: 1 hour | Yield: 8 scones ✅ Gluten-Free | ✅ Celiac-Safe

Ingredients

Scones

300g (about 2 cups) gluten-free flour (Jenna uses a 50/50 mix of Antimo Caputo and King Arthur Measure for Measure Gluten Free flour

100g (1⁄2 cup) granulated sugar

14g (1 tbsp) baking powder, certified GF

7g (1/2 tsp) baking soda

1⁄2 tsp fine salt

Zest of 2 lemons (zest first, then juice)

113g (8 tbsp) cold unsalted butter, frozen

125g (1⁄2 cup) buttermilk, plus more for brushing

1 large egg

25g (2 tbsp) fresh lemon juice

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Fluffy Lemon Frosting

softened butter

powdered sugar

fresh lemon juice

whole milk or cream

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Bloom the zest. Combine sugar and lemon zest in a large bowl. Rub together with

your fingertips until fragrant and the sugar looks pale yellow. This blooms the lemon oils

into the sugar and makes a HUGE difference in flavor.

2. Add dry ingredients. Whisk flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl. Add to

the lemon sugar and stir to combine.

3. Grate in the butter. Using a box grater, grate frozen butter directly into the flour

mixture. Mix / fold gently with your a spoon to coat the butter shreds in flour. Work fast—

keep everything cold.

4. Mix wet ingredients. Whisk buttermilk, egg, lemon juice, and vanilla in a small bowl.

Pour over flour mixture and stir gently with a spatula just until a shaggy dough forms. Don’t overwork it.

5. Lamination / fold. Transfer dough to parchment-lined baking sheet and form into a rough

rectangle. Fold in half vertically, pat down gently. Fold in half again horizontally, pat down. Fold one final time

—three folds total. This creates layers. If dough gets sticky, refrigerate a few minutes between folds.

6. Shape and chill. Form into a 6-inch square about 1 inch thick—no thinner than 3⁄4 inch or they’ll spread flat.

Refrigerate uncovered for at least 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 400°F.

7. Cut and top. Using a sharp knife, cut into 4 squares and cut each square into 2 wedges (cut into quarters, then halve

each quarter). Separate slightly on the pan. Brush tops with buttermilk or cream and sprinkle with sanding sugar.

8. Bake. Bake at 400°F for 22–26 minutes until golden on edges and set in center. *Start watching them at the 15 minute mark as ovens vary and they can

go from almost done to burnt quickly. Cool in pan 10 minutes, then transfer to wire rack. Cool completely before frosting—at least 20 minutes.

9. Make the frosting. This is all about technique. Start with 3 TBSP of very soft butter. Whip it in a bowl by hand with a spoon or whisk (Jenna uses a spoon).
Add powdered sugar ¼ c. at a time. You will get a very thick paste like texture. Add lemon juice 1 tsp. at a time to taste. Jenna likes to add about 1 tsp of

heavy cream at the end. then she whips it with her spoon or whisk until it’s fluffy. Smooth onto the tops of your completely cooled scones and enjoy!

Love this recipe? It was first featured in the April 18, 2026 edition of the Maple Grove Gazette—the weekly dispatch from Jenna's corner of the world, posted right here every Saturday morning. Come back each week for the latest.

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