I love scones, and these Lemon Blueberry Scones are some of the best I’ve ever made. Each bite is bursting with fresh lemon and blueberries, which keep the middle of the scones perfectly moist, while the exterior is golden brown. The glaze takes it over the top as it's perfectly sweet, sour, and rich!
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The texture of these blueberry lemon scones is my absolute favorite part. They’re flaky and moist—it’s like a muffin and biscuit hybrid. Fresh blueberries are the best fruit to use in sweet treats, as you get a little burst in each bite that provides just the right amount of sweetness.
If you like easy scone recipes, you will love these fruity Strawberry Scones and my homemade Rhubarb Scones Recipe.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It utilizes pantry staples: These easy blueberry scones are made with common pantry ingredients like flour, baking soda, and powdered sugar. I typically have these things on hand all the time.
- It’s great for parties: If you want an impressive treat to serve to party guests, try this blueberry scone recipe. They are the perfect shareable dessert or sweet brunch item.
- It’s easier than it looks: Homemade scones may sound a little daunting, but I promise that these are super simple to make. Don’t let the long list of ingredients deter you!
Lemon Blueberry Scones Ingredients
These are all of the components needed to make these blueberry scones with lemon glaze. I separated the ingredients so you know what each one is used for!
- Butter: Ice-cold, frozen butter is key to the flakiest, most perfect scones ever. Ensure this is done ahead of time so it’s ready to go when you need it. Reserve a few tablespoons and melt them so you may brush them over the scones before they bake for color, and add them to the glaze mixture.
- Blueberries: Fresh blueberries are sweet and a little tart, especially when they’re ripe and in season. If you purchase fresh berries, try to use them as quickly as possible for the best quality.
- Milk: This keeps the dough rich and moist. I like to use whole milk because I feel it yields the best result. It works well with 2%, but I haven’t tried fat-free.
- Sour cream: I love the tanginess of sour cream. This also provides moisture to the scones as well as keeps them soft and tender on the inside.
- Flour: I use all-purpose flour for this recipe. Feel free to give it a go using a gluten-free blend if you prefer.
- Baking powder and soda: A combination of baking powder and baking soda helps the scones to spread and rise properly in the oven. It also gives them the perfect soft and slightly chewy texture!
- Sugar: I use granulated sugar in the scones. Reserve a little extra to sprinkle on the top for texture.
- Lemon: I use a combination of fresh lemon juice and zest to add a zing to the glaze. It cuts through the sweetness of the blueberries. I also like to add a little lemon zest to the scones as well to tie the flavors in with the lemon glaze.
- Powdered sugar: This is my favorite sweetener for glaze and frosting as it mixes smoothly with the butter and lemon.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations
- Coconut: Add shredded coconut with the blueberries for a tropical twist.
- White chocolate: Add a drizzle of white chocolate on top and white chocolate chips to the dough for extra sweetness and richness.
- Orange: Swap the lemon zest and juice for orange to create a different but still delicious blueberry scone.
How to Make Lemon Blueberry Scones
Here are the steps needed to make the best blueberry scone recipe ever! Preheat your oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper before you begin working on your scones.
Step 1: Combine milk and sour cream. Add the milk and sour cream to a mixing bowl and stir until they are well mixed.
Step 2: Combine the dry ingredients. Whisk together the sugar, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and lemon zest in a separate large bowl.
Step 3: Add frozen butter. Add the grated, frozen butter to the flour mixture and mix it with your fingers until it’s coated.
Step 4: Pour in the milk mixture. Carefully pour the mixture into the butter and flour mixture. Fold the ingredients until they come together to form a dough.
Step 5: Knead the dough. Transfer your dough to a floured work surface and top it with a sprinkle of more flour. Knead the dough into a ball about 6-8 times until it holds together.
Step 6: Roll and fold into a square. Roll the dough into a 12-inch square. Fold it into thirds like a letter, and then again to form a 4-inch square. Pop it in the freezer for about 5 minutes.
Step 7: Roll out and add blueberries. Roll it out into a 12-inch square again. Sprinkle all the blueberries on top and slightly push them down into the dough.
Step 8: Roll into a log. Gently roll it into a log to seal the blueberries inside. Lay it seam side down and shape it into a 4x12-inch rectangle.
Step 9: Cut it into triangles. Cut the dough crosswise to create 4 equal rectangles. Then, cut each rectangle diagonally to make 2 equal triangles. You’ll have 8 when you’re done!
Step 10: Top with butter and sugar. Transfer them to the prepared baking sheet. Brush them with melted butter and sprinkle the extra white sugar on top.
Step 11: Bake the scones. Stick the pan in the oven and bake the scones for about 18-25 minutes. The tops and bottoms should be a beautiful golden brown. Set them to the side to cool.
Step 12: Prepare the glaze. Combine the lemon juice and powdered sugar in a saucepan over low heat. Once dissolved, stir in butter and lemon zest.
Step 13: Add the glaze. Pour 1 cup of glaze directly onto the scones. Reserve the remaining 1 cup of the glaze and add 2 more cups of powdered sugar to it. Drizzle on top and serve!
Recipe Tips
- The butter must be frozen: To make the best blueberry scones possible, you need to use frozen butter. It’s a non-negotiable ingredient for this recipe. Put your sticks of butter in the freezer for at least a few hours before you start preparing them.
- Don’t over-handle the dough: Overworking the dough is similar to overworking cookie dough. The result is tough and dense scones. Only mix the ingredients as much as needed and not more!
- Chop the berries if needed. Sometimes, fresh blueberries are very large. If needed, chop them in half to make them as uniform as possible. This helps with baking!
If you love blueberry and lemon recipes like this one, you may also enjoy my easy Blueberry Lemon Bundt Cake.
Storage Directions
- Storing: Store the scones in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 3-4 days. You can also freeze them for up to 2 months.
- Make Ahead: Prepare and form your scones and pop them into the refrigerator up to 24 hours before you bake them. This is helpful if you plan to serve them for a special event.
Serving Suggestions
- Slice open your scone and slather on some blackberry jalapeno jam for sweet heat, or some homemade mango jam for a fun flavor combination.
- Make a cup of hot cocoa using hot chocolate truffles to serve with the scones.
- If you prefer cold beverages, this coffee milkshake would also work well.
- Enjoy a simple hot breakfast like my savory corned beef and hash casserole, and finish the meal with a sweet lemon blueberry scone.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! I like to use fresh blueberries when they’re available, but sometimes I will have to pivot and use frozen. You don’t need to thaw them, though. Use them straight from the freezer!
I don’t recommend it. They are best stored in the refrigerator because a warmer environment may cause the glaze to melt and make the scones soggy.
Sure! These blueberry scones are just as delicious without the lemon glaze.
Lemon Blueberry Scones
Equipment
Ingredients
- 16 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 sticks, frozen solid, whole
- 1 ¾ cups fresh or frozen blueberries, cleaned and picked over
- ½ cup whole milk
- ½ cup sour cream
- 2 cups all-purpose flour plus additional for work surface
- ½ cup sugar plus 2 tablespoons for sprinkling
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
Glaze
- ½ cup lemon juice
- 2 cups icing or powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 lemon zested
- cooking spray
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Score and remove half of wrapper from each stick of frozen butter. Grate unwrapped ends on large holes of box grater (you should grate total of 8 tablespoons).
- Get out and measure all of your ingredients.
- Place grated butter in freezer until needed. Melt 2 tablespoons of remaining ungrated butter and set aside. Save remaining 6 tablespoons butter for another use. Place blueberries in freezer until needed.
- In a medium sized bowl, whisk together milk and sour cream, then refrigerate until needed.
- Whisk flour, ½ cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and lemon zest in medium bowl.
- Add frozen butter to flour mixture and toss with fingers until thoroughly coated.
- Add milk mixture to flour mixture; fold with spatula until just combined.
- With a rubber spatula, transfer dough to liberally floured work surface. Dust surface of dough with flour and with floured hands, knead dough 6 to 8 times, until it just holds together in ragged ball, adding flour as needed to prevent sticking.
- Roll dough into approximate 12-inch square. Fold dough into thirds like a business letter, using bench scraper or metal spatula to release dough if it sticks to countertop. Lift short ends of dough and fold into thirds again to form an approximate 4-inch square. Transfer dough to plate lightly dusted with flour and chill in freezer 5 minutes.
- Transfer dough to floured work surface and roll into an approximate 12-inch square again. Sprinkle blueberries evenly over surface of dough, then press down so they are slightly embedded in dough.
- Using bench scraper or thin metal spatula, loosen dough from work surface. Roll dough, pressing to form a tight log. Lay seam-side down and press log into 12 by 4-inch rectangle.
- With a sharp, floured knife, cut rectangle crosswise into 4 equal rectangles. Cut each rectangle diagonally to form 2 triangles and transfer to parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Brush tops with melted butter
- Sprinkle with remaining sugar.
- Bake until tops and bottoms are golden brown; 18 to 25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool 10 minutes before serving.
- In a small saucepan, over low heat, combine lemon juice with the confectioners sugar until dissolved. Whisk in the butter and lemon zest.
- Reserve 1 cup of glaze. Pour the remaining glaze over the scones evenly on the sheet tray.
- To the remaining 1 cup of glaze, add 2 more cups of powdered sugar until it is thick enough to drizzle over the tops.
- Drizzle the glaze on top of the scones and serve.
- Serve and enjoy every bite!
Notes
- Store these lemon blueberry scones in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- You may make this scone recipe with frozen blueberries instead of fresh. There’s no need to the them before you add them.
- Only handle the dough as much as you need to. Overworking it can cause the baked scones to become tough and dense.
Nutrition
This post was originally published in September 2016. It's been updated with new content and images.
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