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.
Table of Contents
“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 made these before and they turned out wonderful!
I am going to double the recipe and hope it works.
I’m not sure what went wrong, but these spread horribly for me, and the texture turned out more like a muffin top than a scone. It was more of a flattened, moist cake than a tender, buttery scone. I measured by scooping the flour with a spoon into the measuring cup and leveled-off and I even weighed my ingredients with a scale to double check since this was my first time using this recipe. I also placed the prepared scones in the freezer for 15 minutes prior to baking to chill it to prevent spreading as I do when I bake shortbread cookies. I have an oven thermometer to ensure that the oven temperature is accurate, so that wasn’t the issue. Albeit, it tasted delicious as a blueberry muffin, but I was expecting a scone. I’ll have to give it another try to see if I can figure out what went wrong. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I used King Arthur’s all purpose flour and Land O Lakes unsalted butter.
Hi Susan, I’m sorry you had a problem with these — it sounds like you did everything right, so that’s a bit of a head scratcher! You mentioned that they spread – is your baking powder very old or expired? If not, is there any chance you could’ve made a measuring error?
Hi Jenn
Love this recipe! If i were to make this (or any other scone recipe) eggless, can you suggest what substitute would work?
Glad you like them! Two of the best substitutes I’ve heard about (I haven’t personally tried either of them) are a combination of water, oil, and baking powder, and carbonated water. The Kitchn website has a great article that details a variety of substitutes they tried. For more information about their favorites, take a peek at that — once on The Kitchn site, search for “The Best Egg Substitutes for Any Recipe.” I would assume the scones would also work with some kind of store-bought egg substitute. Hope that helps!
I just make this recipe and they are delicious!!! Thank you
I made these for my daughter and her roommates for finals week. They said they were the best scones they’ve ever had.
hi there!are you sure the flour grams are 250 and not 500?
since the recipe calls for 2 cups
Hi Christiana, When I weigh 1 cup of all-purpose flour, I get between 125 and 130 grams, so that’s why you see 250 as the amount of flour needed. Because I created the recipe with that amount of flour, I’d stick to that. Hope that clarifies!
I made these scones with 1 to 1 Gluten Free flour and they came out perfectly. My family is in love with these scones. Bravo – well done. *BTW we have froze a few / wrapped individually in parchment /airtight container after baking, cooled and glazed) once reheated they tasted freshly baked. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Jenn, you’ve done it again! These blueberry scones are easy to make and yummier than any one could buy. Just perfect. I’ve cracked out so many batches and have passed them around. Everyone loves these scones!
Once again, our once upon a chef has done it again. Have made these several times and they’re a from everyone! Easy to make and super delicious. I’d like to try this recipe also with cranberries and orange zest. But, this blueberry recipe is impossible to beat! Thanks again, Jenn!
Grateful in SF, CA
The scones were simple to make and delicious. Thanks for another winning recipe Jenn!
I made them and they were wonderful. However, my dough was very moist so I had to add flour before shaping them. I worried that might make them dry, but it didn’t.
Can you use white whole wheat flour or whole wheat pastry flour? I would like to make these and pretend they’re healthy 😛 Would I need to adjust the amount of liquids? Thanks!
You should be able to get away with using white whole wheat with no other modifications. Please LMK how the turn out if you try it!
These are the best scones I have e ever had! So tender and such a great flavor – instructions were spot on! Thanks for the recipe.
These blueberry scones are beyond delicious. I made these exactly as the recipe called for. Everyone loved them. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
I’ve now made them twice today. The second time I made 2 rounds and cut them into 6 pieces. I also grate very cold or frozen butter and then use my pastry blender to finish incorporating it into the flour/sugar mixture. It’s a trick I learned from some other blog and I use it all the time.
These scones are so moist and tender!
These are wonderful. I do wish there was an option to have both metric and US measurements when the recipe is being printed. I like to use a combination of both when baking depending on the ingredient.
I made these this evening with my littles and it was a hit! Somehow my dough was a little wet and then we accidentally put the egg wash on before separating them, but it all worked out in the end! My husband is curious about trying other flavor profiles – like cranberry and orange. I’m assuming we could use this base recipe and just swap the fruits – but would fresh cranberries work, or would you suggest using dried?
Glad you all enjoyed them! I think that fresh cranberries would be a bit too tart here. I actually have a recipe for cranberry orange scones on page 202 of my second cookbook. If you don’t own the cookbook, email me at jennifer@onceuponachef and I’ll email you the recipe.
Do you think I can freeze these before baking? Looking to make ahead, freeze unbaked, and then pull them out of the freezer the night before while I’m hosting family for the weekend. Any adjustments needed?
Hi Kim, that would be fine. See guidance from this recipe for more details. 🙂
Best scone I’ve ever eaten!
These are exactly the blueberry scones I have been looking for. Thank you. So yummy.
I do have a question:
Can I use this recipe as a basic scone as well? Sometimes I want a cheddar and herb scone, so I am wondering, can I use this recipe?, omitting the blueberries and glaze adding 1 cup of shredded cheddar and a tablespoon of herbs
I just love all the recipes I have made of yours.
Thank you
Hi Gina, so glad you enjoyed these! Instead of using this as a base for savory scones, I have a recipe for one on page 234 of my first cookbook. If you don’t own the cookbook, email me at jennifer@onceuponachef.com and I’d be happy to send you the recipe. 🙂
These are amazing! When I was making them, I questioned whether or not I should make two smaller rounds of dough and make smaller scones, but so glad I stuck with the recipe as I wanted to eat every last bite of mine! These have a refreshing degree of moisture due to the blueberries, but still are very scone-like. I love the idea of lemon and berries together and the blueberry glaze on top just elevated these to the next level. These will remain on my baking list for whenever I have nice fresh, blueberries – thanks Jenn for all of these beautiful recipes!
I’ve made scones before, but I think something went very wrong with this recipe. I’m a little confused. Your recipe said to add one egg to the cream mixture. But then when making the scones, it said, ‘use remaining egg’ to brush on top.What ‘remaining’ egg would that be? My batter was so wet. I added flour and still it was too gooey. So my question is: how many eggs are supposed to be used in the total recipe? Thanks
Hi Joni, I’m sorry that you had a problem with the scones! The recipe calls for a total of two eggs. You use one egg in the dough and the other for an egg wash brushed on top of the scones prior to baking. The dough should not have been very wet – is there a chance you made a measuring error? Regardless, I’m sorry you struggled with these!
Did you use the metric or US measurements? I’ve made them twice and when I used the metric, I also found the batter WAY to wet. I compared the measurements to the weight and they don’t line up so maybe just stick with the US measurements.
Hi Jenn, I have an event coming up where I’m supposed to bring baked goods. I thought your scones would fit the bill perfectly. I’d like to make them on the smaller side, though—like mini scones, so to speak. Any idea how to adapt this recipe? Also, any thoughts on how many minis this recipe would make? As always, thanks for all the wonderful recipes!
Hi Alex, I’d make the dough for the scones and instead of forming the dough into one large disc, I’d split it in half and form it into two. Then cut each disc into 8 triangles (like you would for the larger ones). I’d bake them at the same temp and start checking them for doneness at about 10 minutes. I’d love to hear how they come out as minis!
I made them mini! They still took about 16 minutes to bake, although I began checking at 10 minutes. They are delicious! I was a bit worried because my blueberries started to burst inside the dough as I was forming it, but it doesn’t have an impact on the taste or even the overall look. I made two batches, and my second batch was by far better as I used more flour when I went to form the dough ball and then discs. I will definitely be making these again! I have a summer full of visiting guests and now I have a treat ready for the first morning. Thanks!!!
So glad that they turned out nicely and good to know about the baking time — thanks for reporting back! 🙂
Hi Jen,
I’ve recently started substituting evaporated milk for heavy cream in some recipes, with great success. Would it work here? And can you give me a general rule of thumb for when it wouldn’t work? Thanks so much.
Hi Jan, I’m not 100 percent sure, but I think it would probably work for scones, but I wouldn’t use it in cooking. Please report back if you try it. I’d love to hear how they turn out!
Easy and awesome, like all your recipes, Jenn! Thank you!
How would I adapt this recipe for cranberry orange scones? Would I simply replace the bb for cranberries and just add jest of one orange?
Thanks again for your delicious recipes!
So glad you enjoyed them, Sue! I actually have a recipe for cranberry orange scones on page 202 of my second cookbook. If you don’t own the cookbook, email me at jennifer@onceuponachef and I’ll email you the recipe.
Hi Jenn, Like everyone else here, I love your recipes. Your site has become my go-to after the demise of Fine Cooking. I KNOW what I make will be good!! I’m wondering if you could make the glaze ahead and freeze it (separately of course) along with the scones. It would be nice to have everything available in the freezer when I need it.
So glad you’re enjoying the recipes, Leah! I do think that would work well.
It was perfect! Thanks so much. These will become a regular in my diet.
Grating the cold butter worked. I did not put this on a floured counter. Simply mixed it well in the bowl. Used a tablespoon cookie scoop to put into each place in my King Arthur small scone pan. Added more to each space until they were all filled evenly. Baked 17 minutes. Tender and perfect scones.
These are divine! My kids and I are making several batches for thank you gifts. Jenn, all your recipes are amazing and I’m so much more confident in the kitchen because of all your tips..ty!!
The only way this could be better is with clotted cream and strawberry jam!
Perect!
These are now a go-to for fluffy scones. Simple, but perfect!
Made these for Mother’s day and they were delicious. Everyone loved them!
These look amazing!! Wondering if I could keep everything the same and sub strawberries in for blueberries? Just don’t love blueberries as much!
Hi Anne, I think you could. Please LMK how they turn out if you try it!
Hi Jenn — thanks for another delicious recipe!! First time ever making scones. Wondered if you have tried some of the alternate methods of mixing cold butter into dry mixture. I cut the cold butter into pieces about 1/4 inch cubes. Even so it took quite a while to get it incorporated into the dough and I was afraid I was over handling the dough. One alternate I saw was simply freezing the butter and grating it using the larger holes on the grater just before adding to the dough. The other was using a food processor to incorporate the butter into the dry ingredients, which I have done with pie crust before quite successfully. And the third was making the dough in a stand mixer that has a paddle like the big Kitchen Aid mixers. Have you tested any of these methods? The grater sounded closest to your recipe.
Anyway — it’s Mother’s Day morning and I made them for the family. They will love them. I have already sampled.
Eileen in Maine
So glad they turned out well, Eileen! The first two methods you mentioned will work beautifully here. I use the food processor method when making plain scones; I only use the cutting-in method here so as not to have to dirty a second bowl when mixing in the blueberries.
This is the first recipe I tried from Jenn’s first cookbook that I had borrowed from the library. Liked the scones them so much I immediately tried a second recipe. Returned the book to the library and bought my own copy. Highly recommend this recipe. They were delicious – loved the lemon glaze.
These are the most delicious scones ever! I have made several times from Jenn’s wonderful second cookbook. A word of advice – listen to Jenn when she suggests you use King Arthur flour. I made them once with store brand flower and they did not turn out nearly as well. Thank you so much Jenn for all the wonderful recipes!
I received this recipe on my email and decided I would give it a try. So very glad I did! I only had frozen berries and they worked great. Silly me even read the recipe wrong, I only used a cup of flour and realized my mistake at the very end when the batter was too thin to form a ball. I just dumped the extra cup and mixed again. Figured it would turn out awful but they were delicious! Next time I make them, they should be even better if that’s possible! Another keeper for me! Thank you!