Blueberry Scones
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These blueberry scones are melt-in-your-mouth tender and topped with a tart and sweet lemon glaze.
Photo by Alexandra Grablewski (Chronicle Books, 2018)
Most scones are dry and crumbly, especially when left to sit out on the counter for more than a few hours. Not these. Some of the blueberries burst during baking, creating little pockets of juice that keep the scones melt-in-your-mouth tender and almost cakelike for days. The lemon glaze adds a pop of bright flavor and looks pretty too.
These are large scones. If you prefer smaller scones, divide the dough into two rounds instead of one, and then cut each round into 6 wedges. Also, when making scones, try to handle the dough as little as possible—a light hand makes for light and tender scones. If it’s outside of blueberry season and you’d like to make these, frozen blueberries will work too but don’t defrost them, or your scones will turn blue.
“I made these for my daughter and her roommates for finals week. They said they were the best scones they’ve ever had.”
What You’ll Need To Make Blueberry Scones
- All-Purpose Flour: The base of your scones. Measure it by spooning it into the measuring cup and leveling it off to ensure accuracy.
- Baking powder: Acts as a leavening agent, making the scones rise.
- Granulated Sugar: Adds sweetness and contributes to the tender texture.
- Butter: Used in the batter for richness and flavor, and also to add creamy smoothness to the glaze that tops the scones.
- Blueberries: The star ingredient, they add bursts of fruity sweetness.
- Heavy Cream: Adds moisture and ensures the scones are tender.
- Eggs: Used in the dough to add richness and to bind the ingredients together. Also used as a topping brushed on the unbaked scones to create a beautiful golden sheen.
- Vanilla Extract: Enhances the overall flavor and aroma of the scones.
- Confectioners’ Sugar: Provides sweetness and adds thickness to the glaze.
- Lemon Zest and Juice: Infuses the glaze with bright lemon flavor.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Line a 13 x 18-inch baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking powder and sugar.
Whisk to combine.
Add the pieces of cold butter.
Use your fingertips to rub the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized clumps of butter within.
Stir in the blueberries.
In a small bowl, whisk together the heavy cream, egg, and vanilla.
Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, then add the cream mixture.
Using a rubber spatula, mix until the dough comes together.
It will be a bit crumbly—that’s okay. If it’s too dry to come together, add 1 to 2 tablespoons more cream and mix again.
Dust a work surface lightly with flour; put the dough on top. Dust the dough lightly with flour, then knead gently into a ball. Press the dough into a circle about ¾-inch high, then cut into 8 wedges. It’s okay if you slice through some of the blueberries.
Place the unbaked scones onto the prepared baking sheet at least 1-inch apart. Beat the remaining egg in a small bowl and use it to brush the tops of the scones (you won’t use all of it).
Bake for 17 to 20 minutes, until golden and firm to the touch. Transfer the scones to a wire rack to cool.
Slide the used parchment paper underneath the rack. (The parchment will catch any drips from the glaze). While the scones cool, make the glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together the melted butter, confectioners’ sugar, lemon juice, and zest.
When the scones are completely cool, drizzle the glaze over top. (Hint: if the glaze seems too stiff to drizzle, warm it in the microwave for 5 to 10 seconds.) Let the glaze set, then serve.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, the scone dough can be made, shaped, and refrigerated overnight, and then baked directly from the fridge as directed.
Yes, to freeze the dough, place the raw scones on a baking sheet until they are solid, and then transfer them to an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. To bake, remove the scones from the freezer while you preheat the oven. Cook as directed, but allow an extra few minutes of baking time.
Yes, frozen blueberries will work here, but don’t defrost them, or your scones will turn blue.
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Blueberry Scones with Tart Lemon Glaze
These blueberry scones are melt-in-your-mouth tender and topped with a tart and sweet lemon glaze.
Ingredients
For the Scones
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off, plus more for dusting
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch pieces
- 1 heaping cup blueberries (see note)
- ⅔ cup heavy cream, plus 1 to 2 tablespoons more, if necessary
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For Glazing Before Cooking
- 1 large egg
For Tart Lemon Glaze
- 1 teaspoon butter, melted
- 1 cup confectioners' sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest, from 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Line a 13 x 18-inch baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder and sugar. Add the pieces of cold butter. Use your fingertips to rub the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized clumps of butter within. Stir in the blueberries.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the heavy cream, egg and vanilla. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, then add the cream mixture. Using a rubber spatula, mix until the dough comes together. It will be a bit crumbly—that’s okay. If it’s too dry to come together, add 1 to 2 tablespoons more cream and mix again.
- Dust a work surface lightly with flour; put the dough on top. Dust the dough lightly with flour, then knead gently into a ball. Press the dough into a circle about ¾-inch high, then cut into 8 wedges. It’s okay if you slice through some of the blueberries.
- Place the unbaked scones onto the prepared baking sheet at least 1-inch apart. Beat the remaining egg in a small bowl and use it to brush the tops of the scones (you won’t use all of it). Bake for 17 to 20 minutes, until golden and firm to the touch. Transfer the scones to a wire rack to cool. Slide the used parchment paper underneath the rack. (The parchment will catch any drips from the glaze).
- While the scones cool, make the glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together the melted butter, confectioners’ sugar, and lemon juice and zest. When the scones are completely cool, drizzle the glaze over top. (Hint: if the glaze seems too stiff to drizzle, warm it in the microwave for 5 to 10 seconds.) Let the glaze set, then serve.
- Note: When making scones, try to handle the dough as little as possible—a light hand makes for light and tender scones.
- Make-Ahead/Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The scone dough can be made, shaped, and refrigerated overnight, and then baked directly from the fridge as directed. To freeze the dough, place the raw scones on a baking sheet until they are solid, and then transfer them to an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. To bake, remove the scones from the freezer while you preheat the oven. Cook as directed, but allow an extra few minutes of baking time.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (8 servings)
- Serving size: 1 scone
- Calories: 402
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated fat: 11 g
- Carbohydrates: 56 g
- Sugar: 30 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Sodium: 299 mg
- Cholesterol: 98 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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I noticed your other scone recipes call for cake flour. Why don’t these?
The blueberry scones are very moist because of the juice the blueberries exude, and I was concerned that cake flour would not provide enough structure to support the moisture of the blueberries. Hope that clarifies!
Hi Jen! We’ve been making these blueberry scones ever since I purchased your cookbook. My note at the top of the recipe actually reads “One of the best things we’ve ever eaten.” 😁 I have a large event where I wanted to bake and freeze the scones ahead of time. I know you recommend freezing the unbaked dough, but do you think it would work if I froze the scones already baked? If so, do you think it would be better to wait to glaze them once they have thawed?
Thanks for any advice!
Wow, I take that as a high compliment! Yes, it’s OK to freeze the baked scones. I would wait until they’re thawed to glaze them. Hope everyone else enjoys them just as much. 😊
These are our all time favorite…Friends ask me to bake them all the time .
They are DELICIOUS and I have added some lemon zest to the batter as well as lemon juice to the topping. SOOOO YUMMY
Thank you for sharing
Hi Jenn can you use raspberries instead of blueberries and half and half cream instead of heavy cream, that’s all I have on hand?
Hi Janis, I haven’t tried these with raspberries but think it should work. And the scones won’t be quite as rich with half and half but it will work. Please LMK how they turn out!
Hi Jenn, can these be made in a food processor?
Sure, Jill, it’s fine to use a food processor if you’d like. Enjoy!
Easily the best scone recipe I have ever made. Even family who say they don’t love scones rave about these.
I think this works much better with fresh fruit, but this is a perfect recipe. Thanks Jenn!
Would frozen blueberries work if dried well and can almond milk work instead of cream?
Hi Sid, frozen blueberries will work; just don’t thaw them or they will turn your batter purple. And the scones won’t be as rich with almond milk, but you can get away with it. I’d love to hear how they turn out!
Another fabulous recipe, Jen! The icing really takes the flavor to another level. I want to share a tip I found on another blog where scone dough — or biscuits or pie crust — basically anything you don’t want to handle too much – gets dumped into the center of a clean tea towel (not a regular dish towel!) and then twisted into a sort of “beggars purse” to bind the dough together without warming the butter. It works like a charm every time.
These were really delicious! So light and flavorful. I might try adding a little lemon zest to the dough next time. Once Upon a Chef never disappoints!