Glazed Lilac Scones

Glazed Lilac Scones are packed with fresh lilac petals and lots of lilac infused flavour too! If you didn’t know lilacs were edible, you’ve been missing out this whole time! With a gentle lemon-like taste, and powerful and pungent floral overtones, these scones are great for any warm-weather breakfast or brunch. Lilac season is short, so get started right away!

I’m back with another scone recipe, because you know I just can’t get enough of them! Seriously, Dear Reader, I think I posted three scone recipes last year with different flavours. Now, here I am with my latest scone recipe. This time, I’m making some good use of the numerous lilac trees we have in our backyard. If you’ve never tried lilac before, now is a great time to start. And, a great place to start is with these super delicious and easy Glazed Lilac Scones!

Even though I have a lot of scone recipes posted already, my heart tells me that there’s always room for more. Another scone recipe won’t hurt anyone at all! I tend to think of freshly baked scones as a way of telling mother nature we are over and done with winter! I love winter; I absolutely do! But, there’s a time and place for everything, and after last week’s propane heating bill, I’m ready for spring.

As soon as the weather warms up, I begin to crave scones like they’re going out of style!  I fix myself a very hot cup of coffee, slice my scone down the middle, and liberally smear on some butter. I take my coffee and scone to our backyard deck and enjoy the peacefulness while indulging in an afternoon treat.

Sitting out there with my coffee and scone, I loved to listen to the sounds of the countryside, while watching the occasional bunny or chipmunk scurry about. Sometimes the sound of the chirping birds and the buzz of the dragonflies are interrupted by the sounds of the cows and ducks from the farmer up the street. It’s my new happy place, and my Glazed Lilac Scones are coming along for the ride!

A SCONE RECIPE WITH VERSATILITY

For the basis of this scone, I used my Basic Scone Recipe. I wanted to make a few versions of that recipe so that I could show you how easy it is. My Basic Scone Recipe is perfect just the way it is, especially if you are looking for a simple scone that can be slathered with butter and jam.

Actually, I put butter on all of my scones before I eat them! It’s the way I was raised. Butter goes on bread, scones, and also cinnamon rolls! (But, not the cinnamon rolls with icing!) If I’m being completely honest, I think jam belongs on almost every scone as well. Maybe not so much when it comes to a Glazed Lilac Scone!

I love to slice the scone in half and smear on a bit of salted butter. Next, I add a good layer of my homemade jam, and fetch that hot coffee. Depending on the time of day, I might have a little bit of sharp cheddar cheese with it. I think all of that makes for a great lunch or an afternoon snack.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED FOR THIS RECIPE

You will need Lilac Infused Sugar and Lilac Syrup to make these scones. You can make the scones with regular sugar and you can even substitute the syrup with extract, but the end result won’t be quite right. The scone will still taste delicious, but it won’t have the strong, aromatic lilac scent and flavour I mentioned in the introduction. The following is a list of the ingredients needed to prepare this recipe. For exact amounts and measurements, refer to the printable recipe card located near the bottom of this post.

For the Scones:

• Flour – Any all-purpose flour will do just fine. I have not tested this recipe with any other types of flour.
• Butter – I used salted butter. If you’re using unsalted butter, add 1/4 teaspoon of salt to your flour and whisk it through.
• Lilac Infused Sugar – Making your own lilac sugar is easy to do. I have the instructions right here. It does take five days to make lilac sugar, so you can use regular granulated sugar if you must. The scone will still be delicious, but will not be as flavourful nor as scented as it should be.
• Baking Powder – Quite a lot, like in most scones, to get that rise.
• Egg – Just one egg is all you need. Eggs should always be at room temperature first before baking.
• Milk – This is the liquid that binds it all together.
• Lilac Syrup – Lilac syrup is very easy to make at home. Click here for the instructions. It only takes a few minutes to make and a few hours to steep and cool. If you don’t have any lilac syrup, you can vanilla extract. The lilac flavour and scent will be less than it should be, but the scone will still be delicious!
• Lilac Petals – Read the next section on how to collect and clean lilac petals.

For the Glaze:

• Confectioner’s Sugar – This superfine sugar is sometimes called powdered sugar.  It is used in frostings quite often. 
• Lilac Syrup – Use lilac syrup to make a fragrant glaze. You can also use lemon juice or water. 

HOW TO GATHER LILACS

Use pruning sheers to snip clumps of lilacs from your tree. Fill your kitchen sink with cold water and dunk the lilac branches, one at a time. Gently shake the branch under the water and then lift it straight out. Do this several times. Transfer the branch and/or clump to a salad spinner and spin out the excess water. The lilacs may still be a bit damp, but they won’t be impossible to work with. Don’t be tempted to overwash and over-spin in the salad spinner. Lilacs are delicate, so treat them as such.

Here are the suggestions that I have followed. These are suggestions that I have read over the past few years from others who have prepared lilacs to eat. First, only use lilac petals from a tree that you know 100% has not been sprayed or treated with chemicals. Secondly, pick petals from trees that are not close to busy streets or highways. Those petals will be dirty with gas and diesel residue.

Please use pruning shears. Don’t break the branches with your hands or saw at them with a knife. This will damage the tree and you will want the tree to stay healthy for years to come. Oh, it’s also best to harvest the lilacs in the morning before it gets too hot. The petals have more moisture content in the morning.

SEPARATING THE PETALS FROM THE STEMS

So, I know that lilacs look gorgeous spilling out of large vases. And, every year, I have at least two large vases filled with them. But, they are great for baking too! Once you have cut and washed your lilacs, now comes to the tedious part. Removing the petals from the stems is certainly not hard work, but it’s tedious! This is how I do it.

With all of my washed lilac bunches in a large bowl, and a smaller bowl for collecting petals close by, I find a nice shady spot on our back deck. Next, I fetch a cold drink and get ready to harvest. Working with one bunch of lilacs at at time, hold the top of the petal and pull. The purplish-pink petal should release from the stem. The idea is to leave behind all traces of green. If you get a few bits of green, it won’t do any harm. But, too much will throw off the taste of your recipe.

This process is long and labourious. To make this recipe, you will need two cups of lilac petals. That doesn’t seem like much, but it takes some time. You should learn from my mistakes too, because the first time I did this, I did not sit in the shade. I ended up getting a sunburn! When all is said and done, the Glazed Lilac Scones are beautifully fragrant and sweet.

HOW TO MAKE GLAZED LILAC SCONES

This really couldn’t be easier! Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Prepare a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper and set it aside. To assemble the recipe, start with the dry ingredients and butter first. Add the flour, lilac-infused sugar, baking powder, and butter into a mixing bowl. Use a hand-held mixer or stand mixer to beat the butter into the dry ingredients until the combined ingredients resemble coarse sand. Add in the lilac petals and beat them into the flour mixture on low speed.

Next, in a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, and lilac syrup. Pour this mixture into the butter and flour mixture and fold it together. Don’t overmix – the dough will form quite quickly and shouldn’t be one complete, perfectly round ball of dough.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Use your hands to push the dough together, gathering up the bits into a mound. Sprinkle the top lightly with flour and push the dough into a round shape about 1 inch thick. Use a knife to cut the dough into 8 wedges. Transfer those to the baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes depending on your oven, until the top is just slightly golden in colour. Remove from oven and transfer to a wire cooling rack immediately. Let them cool completely before adding the glaze and crumb topping.

When completely cooled, whisk together the confectioner’s sugar and lilac syrup until smooth. Drizzle over the surface of the scones. While the glaze is still wet, sprinkle over a few lilac petals. Allow the glaze to harden before storing.

STORING, PACKAGING, & FREEZING

If you plan to eat all eight scones in the next two or three days, you can leave them sitting in a covered container on your countertop. Otherwise, you can freeze them. Once the scones are fully cooled, pack them into a food-safe, freezer-friendly container and set them in your freezer. They will stay fresh for about four to six weeks. To thaw, remove from the freezer and place in a single layer onto a wire cooling rack. Once thawed, they will taste just as good as the day you took them out of the oven!

Personally, I think life with a freshly baked scone and a cup of tea or coffee cannot possibly get any better!  When the weather gets a little warmer, there’s nothing more satisfying and relaxing than a scone smeared with butter. The question remains though, will you retreat to your spot on the couch? Or will you find a quiet place outside and soak up the beauty of spring?

QUESTIONS?

If I have not answered all of your questions in the text above, don’t hesitate to reach out to me! You can contact me by sending me a message in the comments section further down the page. I will try my best to answer as soon as possible! You might reach me even faster by following me on Facebook and sending me a private message. Scroll down below the recipe card to find my Follow Me on Social Media box and never miss another recipe!