Spelt Lemon Lavender Tea Biscuits are buttery, cut-round biscuits made with spelt flour, fresh lemon zest, and a small measure of dried culinary lavender folded into the dough.
The crumb stays light and tender, not dense, because the dough gets barely mixed and the butter stays cold until it hits the oven. The lavender adds a quiet floral note, the lemon keeps it from turning too sweet.
You can prepare the dough ahead. Cut the rounds, chill them, and bake straight from the fridge whenever you want fresh biscuits with tea.
Spelt gives the crumb a slightly nutty flavor that plain wheat flour doesn’t have. It also browns a bit faster, so check the biscuits at the 14-minute mark the first time you bake this batch.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Light, tender crumb from minimal mixing and cold butter
- Floral lavender balanced by fresh lemon zest
- Dough cuts and chills ahead for easy baking
- Spelt flour adds a nutty flavor wheat doesn’t give
Ingredient Notes
- spelt flour: Gives the biscuits a nutty flavor and lighter crumb than all-purpose flour. Whole spelt works too but the biscuits will be denser.
- dried culinary lavender: Use food-grade lavender only and crush it lightly between your fingers before mixing, whole buds taste soapy.
- lemon zest: Zest only the yellow skin and avoid the white pith underneath, which turns bitter when baked.
- cold butter: Keep it cold and cubed until the last moment, it creates the flaky layers as it melts in the oven.
- whole milk: Cold milk keeps the butter from softening before baking. Buttermilk works as a swap and adds a slight tang.
- egg: Used only for the egg wash, it gives the tops a glossy, golden finish.
Spelt Lemon Lavender Tea Biscuits: Soft and Fragrant
Description
These spelt tea biscuits fold lemon zest and dried lavender into a buttery dough that bakes into a light, tender crumb with crisp golden edges.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 220 C / 425 F and line a 33 x 46 cm / 13 x 18 inch sheet pan with parchment.
- Whisk the spelt flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, and crushed lavender together in a large mixing bowl.
- Cut the cold butter into the flour mixture with a pastry cutter or your fingertips until it looks like coarse crumbs with a few pea-sized pieces left.
- Stir the lemon zest and lemon juice into the cold milk, then pour it into the flour mixture. Mix gently with a fork until the dough just comes together and looks a little shaggy.
- Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and pat it into a rough disk about 2.5 cm / 1 inch thick.
- Cut into rounds with the 3-inch biscuit cutter, pressing straight down without twisting. You should get about 8 rounds, pressing scraps together once for the last piece.
- Place the rounds on the sheet pan, leaving space between each, and chill for 15 minutes.
- Brush the tops with the beaten egg and sprinkle with coarse sugar.
- Bake for 14 to 16 minutes, until the tops are golden brown and the bottoms are set and lightly browned.
- Cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Nutrition Facts
Servings 8
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 270kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 11g17%
- Saturated Fat 6g30%
- Cholesterol 35mg12%
- Sodium 220mg10%
- Potassium 90mg3%
- Total Carbohydrate 37g13%
- Dietary Fiber 2g8%
- Sugars 9g
- Protein 5g10%
- Vitamin A 300 IU
- Vitamin C 4 mg
- Calcium 60 mg
- Iron 1.5 mg
- Vitamin D 10 IU
- Vitamin E 0.5 mg
- Vitamin K 1 mcg
- Thiamin 0.15 mg
- Riboflavin 0.1 mg
- Niacin 1.5 mg
- Vitamin B6 0.05 mg
- Folate 30 mcg
- Vitamin B12 0.1 mcg
- Phosphorus 90 mg
- Magnesium 20 mg
- Zinc 0.5 mg
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Note
Additional Notes
- Crush lavender buds before mixing, whole buds taste bitter and soapy.
- Keep butter and milk cold for the flakiest layers.
- Chill cut rounds 15 minutes before baking to hold their shape.
- Check bottoms at 14 minutes, spelt browns faster than wheat flour.
