Description
These Lemon Poppy Seed Biscuits are flaky, tender, and bursting with bright citrus flavor. Made with cold butter and buttermilk, they have a perfect texture and are topped with a tangy lemon glaze for a delicious breakfast treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
Wet Ingredients and Others
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper to ensure even baking and easy cleanup.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, granulated sugar, poppy seeds, and lemon zest to evenly distribute all dry components.
- Cut in Butter: Using a pastry cutter or fork, cut the cold, cubed butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with small pea-sized pieces of butter remaining, which helps create flaky layers.
- Add Wet Ingredients and Form Dough: Stir in the buttermilk, vanilla extract, and fresh lemon juice until a soft dough forms. Be careful not to overmix to maintain tenderness.
- Shape Dough: Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently pat it into a 1-inch thick rectangle. Fold the dough over itself several times to develop flaky layers, then pat it down again to shape.
- Cut Biscuits: Use a biscuit cutter to cut out biscuits from the dough and place them on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them evenly.
- Bake: Bake the biscuits in the preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes, or until they turn golden brown on top.
- Prepare Glaze: While the biscuits are cooling slightly, whisk together the powdered sugar and fresh lemon juice to create a smooth glaze.
- Glaze and Serve: Drizzle the lemon glaze over the warm biscuits just before serving for a sweet finishing touch.
Notes
- Keep the butter very cold to achieve the flakiest biscuits possible.
- Do not overmix the dough, or the biscuits may become dense rather than light and tender.
- Add extra lemon zest if you prefer a brighter and more intense citrus flavor.
