Lemon & Poppyseed Biscuits Recipe

Preheat and prep

Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Place a wire rack nearby for cooling.

In a large mixing bowl whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and fine sea salt until evenly combined. Stir in the poppy seeds so they are distributed through the dry mix.

Cut the cold unsalted butter into 1/2-inch cubes. Using a pastry cutter, two forks, or your fingertips, cut the butter into the dry mixture until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining (about 6–8 strokes with a pastry cutter). Work quickly so the butter stays cold.

In a separate small bowl whisk together the buttermilk, egg, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract until blended.

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Pour the wet mixture into the well and gently fold with a rubber spatula until a shaggy dough forms. Do not overmix—stop when most of the dry bits are incorporated and you have a slightly sticky dough. If the dough seems excessively wet (rare with these proportions), add up to 1 tbs extra flour; if too dry, add 1 tbs extra buttermilk.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently pat it into a roughly 1-inch thick rectangle (about 8 x 6 inches). Fold the dough in half and press again to create layers — repeat one more time. This folding creates flaky layers without heavy rolling.

Using a 2.5-inch round biscuit cutter (or a floured glass), press straight down without twisting to cut shapes. Press scraps together gently and repeat to cut remaining biscuits; try not to overwork the dough. You should get about 8–10 biscuits depending on cutter size.

Arrange the biscuits on the prepared baking sheet about 1 inch apart (for slightly crisper edges) or touching (for softer sides). Brush the tops lightly with a little buttermilk or an extra beaten egg for deeper color, if desired.

Bake in the preheated oven for 12–15 minutes, rotating the pan once halfway through, until the biscuits are golden brown on top and cooked through. Ovens vary; start checking at 12 minutes.

Remove from the oven and transfer biscuits to a wire rack to cool slightly while you prepare the glaze (optional).

For the glaze: In a small bowl sift the powdered sugar to remove lumps. Whisk in 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice. If the glaze is too thick to drizzle, add milk or cream 1/4 teaspoon at a time (up to 1 tsp) until it reaches a pourable consistency.

While the biscuits are still warm but not piping hot, drizzle or spread the glaze over the tops. Allow glaze to set for 10–15 minutes. The biscuits are best served warm the day they are made, but will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 1–2 days.