Meyer Lemon Mascarpone Scones
Light and fluffy scones, enriched with creamy mascarpone cheese and spiked with bright Meyer lemon.
This can be a tough time of year for a dessert blogger.
Everyone’s all into their New Year’s resolutions, their fitness, their detox cleanses. At the very least, we’re sick to death of fatty, sweet carbs. Myself included!
But for some reason, breakfast seems to be the last holdout for the sweet tooth. Maybe because we can justify it in our minds, that we need the carbs to power us through our high-intensity workouts.
Whatever the case may be, these scones are worth the extra 10 minutes on the treadmill. They are light as air, but with that melt-on-your-tongue creaminess only mascarpone can offer. And the mouth-puckering tartness from the Meyer lemons cuts right through it all, with a clean brightness that somehow feels virtuous.
If you aren’t familiar with Meyer lemons, they are a hybrid between a lemon and a mandarin orange.
So, they have the look of a lemon…
But they are less sour. The flavor is a little more floral, and a little sweeter. You may never wish to bite into the flesh of a fresh lemon, but a Meyer lemon is much more palatable.
These scones utilize both the zest and the flesh of the fruit. You’ll just want to cut away the bitter pith.
The less you handle the scone dough, the better. Much like pie crust, a scone should go into a hot oven, and the dough should be as cold as possible. It will look very lumpy.
A fat pinch of clear sparkling sugar gives them some added sweetness and crunch, and makes for an elegant adornment.
Meyer lemons are at the peak of their season right now, so be sure to snatch them up when you see them at your local market. You are going to love the way their bright flavor plays against the rich butteriness of the creamy mascarpone cheese.
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Meyer Lemon Mascarpone Scones
Ingredients
- 3 Meyer lemons
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup (100 g) + 1 tablespoon granulated sugar,, divided
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup (56.25 g) mascarpone cheese,, cold
- 4 tablespoons (59.15 g) unsalted butter, (half a stick), cold
- 1/2 cup (118.29 ml) milk, (I used lowfat)
- clear sparkling sugar, , for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
- Zest 2 of the lemons and set the zest aside.
- Cut the remaining peel and pith away from the lemons, and dice the flesh into ¼” pieces.
- Place in a small bowl, sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of the sugar, stir to coat, and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, place the flour, remaining sugar, baking powder, salt, and reserved lemon zest, and stir to combine.
- Cut in the mascarpone and butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
- Add the lemons and milk, and stir until just barely combined.
- Gather the dough into a ball, place on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and press to a thickness of about 1 inch.
- Cut the scones into 6 equal wedges, and space them approx. 1 inch apart.
- Sprinkle with clear sparkling sugar.
- Bake for 16-18 minutes, or until slightly golden on the tops and around the edges.
I really need to get my hands on some meyer lemons! I don’t think they sell them where I live, unfortunately. These photos are beautiful, Allie, and the scones look phenomenal. I need to learn some food styling tips from you.
Ha ha you are too kind, Nancy, and your pics are pretty stellar too so I’m sure I could learn a thing or two from you too 😉
These look amazing, I can smell the yumminess from here! Definitely pinning, can’t wait to make and share with some friends!
Aw, thanks Pamela! I hope you and your friends enjoy! And thanks so much for pinning 😉
I’ve never had meyer lemon, now I have a reason to look out for them. Beautiful, and I love your little teapot. Pinned 🙂 Also, great idea for the mascarpone in the scone, I bet it makes them so tender. I only every buy it to make Tiramisu…gotta get out of that box!
Oh ya, I love mascarpone in tiramisu, but I also use it in my pasta dishes sometimes. It’s so good! And thanks for noticing the teapot- it belonged to my late grandmother so it’s very special <3
I love Meyer lemons!! and scones!! Definitely going to try these. Thanks for sharing this recipe! Love your blog.
Thank you so much, Kelly! Aren’t Meyer lemons just so special? And I’ve been feeling really into breakfast lately… I’m so glad you agree! Thanks so much for reading, and for the sweet comment 😉
The idea of using marscarpone is fantastic! I can just imagine the wonderful silky texture that the cheese adds to the scones, different from cream and butter but equally delicious.
Thanks Nora! I did it on a whim after I accidentally bought more than I needed. It was great with the lemon and it did give a different kind of flavor and texture. I’m so glad you liked! Have a great weekend, friend!
You are so right Allie! Somehow citrus makes everything “lighter” and these scones look like perfection! Soo beautiful – pinned!
Thank you Trish! I just can’t get enough citrus lately, and I’m way into breakfast foods for some reason. So glad you enjoyed and thank you for the pin!
Beautiful photography !
I love scones, but never made them with mascarpone. It think they would taste even better with it!
I really liked the added richness they gave! And it seemed to make the scones even lighter… Thanks so much for the kind words, Sketched Chef!
Hi Allie! These look so delicious! I love anything with lemon in- I also have some mascarpone hanging around, so I might just have to try this recipe out! 🙂
That’s awesome, Jess! I love lemon too, especially at this time of year! I hope you enjoy the scones, and thanks so much for reading and for the sweet comment!
Allie, these look SO worth the extra ten minutes on the treadmills! Lemon anything speaks to my heart and in scone form, I am just dying!
Thank you Amy! I hope your holiday season was lots of fun and your new year is off to a great start! <3
Oh my GOD! These scones look absolutely divine.
I’ve been craving lemon so much lately but not cake, so this is exactl the kind of recipe that I was looking for.
Can’t wait to bake these, I know they’re going to be a hit! Pinning!
Thank you so much, Graham! I’m so happy you enjoyed the post and thank you for sharing on Pinterest. I’m with you, it’s all about lemons right now, but I’m totally over cake, lol! These are great because the creamy mascarpone offsets the tart lemon, and that crunchy sugar on top is so yummy! Thanks again for reading and for the positive feedback 😉
these sound amazing!
Ha ha they are not too shabby, Dina! I’m so glad you liked, thanks for the sweet comment 😉
I’m trying to track down some Meyer Lemons here in the UK but the only store I’d heard sells them has sold out! 🙁 These scones sound delicious, I could never be tied of sweet, sugar filled recipes!!
Ha ha, thanks, Laura! I hope you’re able to get your hands on some… I just saw bags of them at my regular supermarket yesterday, but they’re so popular, I’m sure they’ll sell out quickly! You could always just use regular lemons, but you’ll probably want to leave out the flesh and just use the zest and maybe a little juice. Good luck dear!
Thanks Allie I’ve got my fingers crossed I can get my hands on some. I managed to get some blood oranges thought, I love those 🙂 .
I love those too, and I’ve been searching for them for weeks to no avail!
Oh no!! I found mine at my local market, I hope you manage to find some.
Squeal!!!! yes please!!!! xo
Yay! Thanks for reading and for your fun energy! 😀
Allie, I love how bright and colorful these pictures are! You are so talented, I cannot say that enough! I’ve never made scones before but I’m really motivated to do so now!
Oh Mimi, you’ve got to try! They are so easy, they come together in a snap! You’d love them! And thank you for the sweet compliments, you are far too kind my dear 😉
Love love Meyer lemons and scones so these are definitely worth any extra time on the treadmill:) Love how light and creamy they sound with the mascarpone cheese and gorgeous pictures as always Allie! Love how refreshing and bright everything looks 🙂
Thanks, Kelly! I’m so happy you like the post. I just couldn’t let January go by without doing something with Meyer Lemons. They are so special! 🙂
Loving these scones Allie! Anything with lemon always has a spot in my belly, for sure! I am in awe at your pictures….they are absolutely gorgeous! 🙂
Aw, thank you so much, Liz! I was really struggling with the light on the day I took these pics- so it’s nice to hear that you think they came out ok. Thanks for the encouragement!
Ok I have two confessions! I have never made scones or baked with meyer lemons. It looks like in this recipe I will accomplish two of my baking bucket list!! I love the addition of mascarpone for creaminess (genius!!). Beautiful pictures as usual my dear 🙂
Thanks Zainab! I love Meyer Lemons, they are a little sweeter and less sour than the regular kind. And, for a tea lover, you really need to get going on some scones asap! Nothing beats a cup of tea + a scone for breakfast! 😉
Hi Allie, I love lemon & can’t wait to try your recipe. Your photographs are lovely & I love your dishes! Happy New Year!
Thank you so much, Theresa! For the awesome feedback and for reading. I’m so happy you took the time to say hello!
I have always wanted to try to make scones but have never gotten around to trying them. This recipe could be just the thing I need to take the plunge. 🙂 Plus, who ever gets tired of lemon? 🙂
I also loved your intro to the post with you talking about how everyone is trying to eat better…. 🙂
Thanks, Katy! I’m doing my best to eat better after all the holiday over-indulging 😉 But I can never resist a scone on a weekend morning, especially with a cup of tea! I hope you give them a go, they are so quick and easy to make!
I’m all in about salads and healthier stuff at the moment, but I’d never say no to one of these amazing scones for breakfast! Meyer Lemons + mascarpone?? I’d glued myself to the treadmill if I needed to, just to enjoy a couple of these ; ) xx
Thanks Consuelo! I’m into eating healthy(er) at the moment too, but something about a citrusy breakfast treat is just irresistible. So happy you agree! 😉