Lemonade Scones Recipe | Cooking with Nana Ling

Incredibly airy scones made from just three ingredients

Lemonade scones are another great Australian innovation, and this recipe is now one of the most popular ways to make this old-fashioned favourite.

Which is not surprising, since they are wonderful light and fluffy scones made from only 3 ingredients. And you don’t even need a scone cutter for this easy lemonade scones recipe!

Lemonade in scones?

That’s right, lemonade! Just your usual lemonade soft drink from the supermarket. I usually use Kirks or Whipps.

The lemonade, along with the cream, replaces the milk, butter and sugar found in more traditional scone recipes.

It seems the idea came from the ladies at Australian States Women’s Association (CWA), who are known for making their wonderful scones.

In 2020, CWA member Muriel Halstead’s version of the recipe went viral on social media, bringing the joy of lemonade scones to a whole new generation.

so yes. Lemonade in scones is a thing and it creates scones that will impress your guests. In fact, many people prefer this recipe over the traditional recipe.

I personally think the butter scones still have a slight edge in terms of taste and texture. However, lemonade scones are much easier to make. And as I mentioned above, it’s just personal taste as there are some who prefer this recipe.

Ingredients for lemonade scones

This recipe calls for:

• 1 cup cold lemonade
• 1 cup thick cold cream (heavy cream)
• 3 cups SR flour.

If you don’t have SR, or self-raising flour, just use 3 cups of regular/all-purpose flour + 5 teaspoons of baking powder.

You will also need a little extra cream to brush the top of the scones before baking. And some more flour to dust your kitchen bench.

How to make lemonade scones

When making scones, we aim for a nice rise and a loose, crumbly texture (as opposed to tight, springy flat scones).

So even though I say this recipe is easy and only requires 3 ingredients, I’m going to be super clear here with the step-by-step instructions so you can get a great result even if it’s your first time with scones.

Below, I’ll mark where you need to be extra careful or do something a certain way. So read carefully!

1. Getting ready

Start with Preheat the oven up to 220 degrees Celsius (forced fan).

Prepare a baking dish by lining with baking paper. I use a tin about 30 x 25 cm with edges about 4 cm high. You don’t necessarily need a tray with edges, and a flat tray is fine, but I feel that the scones cook a little more evenly with the edges.

Measure the ingredients making sure to measure correctly.

This is the first step where you can go wrong – by being a bit haphazard when measuring ingredients.

Measure flour using a flat measure and running the back of a flat knife over the surface.

Measure cream and lemonade in a measuring jug or glass, make sure the jug or glass is on a level surface and then check measurements at eye level.

Also, make sure the lemonade and cream are both cold from the fridge. The coolness is said to relax the gluten, leading to a finer texture.

2. Let’s bake

Okay, grab a mixing bowl and a butter knife.

Sift the flour into a bowl and then whisk the flour for a minute. This will help aerate the flour even more. Remember, we want soft scones!

Make a hole in the center of the flour and add the (cold) cream. excite gently into the flour with the knife.

I can’t stress enough that the scone mix needs to be handled gently – right from the start.

Add lemonade (cold) and continue gently Mix until the mixture sticks.

3. Cut scones

Transfer the mixture to a floured bench and gently Shape into a rectangular shape about one and a half centimeters thick.

You want to work the mixture a little to get it into that nice, uniform shape But without excessive kneading the mixture. Working too much of the mixture will result in tough scones.

And no one likes hard scones!

Coat the blunt knife blade with flour and cut into 12 (3 x 4) squares.

Place a layer of baking paper in the baking pan.

Gently round the edges of each square scone while transferring to the baking pan.

Place each square close together (about 1cm apart) in the tray. This helps the scones rise evenly and tall, as they are forced upwards rather than outwards.

Then, brush the top with a little more cream. This helps create a soft, golden top to the scones.

4. Bake scones

Put the tray in the oven and bake for 15-17 minutes or until the top starts to get a golden color.

Remove from the oven and place scones in a clean towel.

Wrap the scones in a towel to keep them warm and soft until you are ready to serve.

Serving lemonade scones

These scones are recommended to be served within minutes or hours of baking, and with jam and cream.

Nana Ling’s Easy Homemade Strawberry Jam goes perfectly with this treat.

Frequently asked questions about recipes

That. How long do lemonade scones last?

These keep for up to a few days, it is recommended to reheat in the microwave before serving.

However, they are really best served 10 minutes to an hour after taking them out of the oven.

Q: Do lemonade scones freeze well?

Scones freeze well. Allow to cool and place in an airtight container or freezer bag before putting them in the freezer.

Allow to thaw at room temperature and reheat in the microwave before serving.

That. Do they taste like lemonade?

No, perhaps surprisingly. They taste like scones!

That. Can I make lemonade scones in the air fryer?

Yes. But cross the recipe and lower the temperature to about 190 degrees Celsius.

Q. Who invented the lemonade scone?

I can’t find the exact answer to the question, but most sources seem to indicate it was the Aussie CWA. Which makes a lot of sense, as they are the scone experts and have been baking thousands every year.

That. How does this recipe work?

The magic of lemonade!

That. Do you have other scone recipes?

Yes, I love changing up my scone recipes and trying new ones, so I also have recipes for cream scones, butter scones and butter scones.

• 1 Goblet lemonade
• 1 Goblet Thickened cream (sweet cream)
• 3 cups SR flour (or 3 cups of regular/all-purpose flour + 5 teaspoons of baking powder)
• A small addition Condensed cream (for brushing scones) and flour (for dusting a bench)

• Heat the oven to 220 degrees Celsius (fan).

• Sift flour into a bowl and then whisk flour for a minute.

• Make a hole in the center of the flour and add cold cream. Mix into flour with butter (or another blunt knife).

• Add cold lemonade and continue mixing until the mixture holds together.

• Put the mixture on a floured bench and gently shape it into a rectangular shape about one and a half centimeters thick. Do not knead.

• Coat the blunt knife blade with flour and cut into 3 x 4 squares.

• Place a layer of baking paper in a baking pan and place each adjacent square in the pan. Gently round the edges of each square as you transfer to the baking dish.

• Brush the top with a little more cream.

• Place in the oven and bake for 15-17 minutes or until the top begins to turn golden.

• Remove from the oven and place scones in a clean tea towel and wrap to keep the scones warm and soft until you are ready to serve.

When making scones, we aim for a nice rise and a loose, crumbly texture. So keep the following in mind:

1. Make sure the lemonade and cream are both cold from the fridge. The coolness is said to relax the gluten, leading to a finer texture.
2. Do not overmix the mixture when combining the ingredients.
3. Do not “knead” the mixture. Instead work it with your hands into a rectangular shape.
4. Place each scone close together (about 1cm apart) on the baking sheet. This helps the scones to rise evenly and tall, as they are forced to rise upwards rather than outwards.
5. Brushing the top with a little extra cream before baking will help create a soft, golden top for the scones.

And remember this golden rule: scones are always best served fresh with homemade jam and lots of cream!

Calories: 191KKL | Carbohydrates: 27G | protein: 4G | Oil: 7G | Saturated fat: 5G | Polyunsaturated fat: 0.4G | Unsaturated fat: 2G | Cholesterol: 22mg | sodium: 7mg | potassium: 52mg | fiber: 1G | Sugar: 3G | vitamin: 292IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | calcium: 18mg | iron: 1mg