Lemon Blueberry Scones
SHARE THIS RECIPE!
These flakey Lemon Blueberry Scones are the perfect treat for a Sunday brunch and a great way to use up all of those extra summer berries! They are light and flakey and extra moist!
If you have ever had a dry crumbly scone, this is the recipe to change your mind about what a scone should really taste like!
For more tasty blueberries for brunch try my Blueberry Almond Cake or my Blueberry Crumb Cake.
Why You’ll Love These
- The great thing about this recipe is you can make the scones the day before.
- Just mix the dough, cut the scones, and place them on a baking tray.
- Then keep them in the fridge until you are ready to serve, pop them in the oven, and bake!
Once you get the technique down, try my Strawberry Scone Recipe, or in the fall try my Pumpkin Scone Recipe with Chai Glaze.
Finish with a little lemon glaze on top and sail off into breakfast heaven! If you have extra blueberries on hand use them in my Light and Crispy Blueberry Waffles or my Classic Blueberry Muffins.
Recipe Pairings:
If you have overnight guests, make these to serve with coffee or tea the next morning and my Puff Egg Bake Casserole and my Foolproof Roast Potatoes for an easy and delicious brunch.
Watch My Demo of this Recipe Below!
Subscribe to My YouTube Channel and Never Miss a Recipe!
Why Hand Mixing is Best!
A moist scone comes down to the mixing! There are two ways to make scones, by hand or in the food processor. I’ve made them both ways and definitely prefer mixing by hand for a flakey, moist scone, and here’s why:
- When you mix by hand, the butter stays in nice chunks instead of broken-down bits made by the food processor.
- When the little chunks of butter hit the oven and begin to melt, it creates air pockets.
- These air pockets create nice and flakey scones which also keep the scone moist.
- Also, the addition of heavy cream and egg creates a richer, moister scone than those without.
Draw Backs with the Food Processor
- Sometimes with the food processor, it’s easy to over-mix the butter and flour mixture.
- Instead of butter chunks, you end up with a fine meal. A fine meal won’t create those air pockets when the butter melts in the oven, this, in turn, creates a dense, dry scone.
- I also find the addition of an egg in this recipe, in the wet ingredient stage, creates a richness that also retains moisture and prevents a dry sconce.
Step 1: Prep the Scone Dough
- In a large mixing bowl, add flour, sugar, baking powder, lemon zest, and salt (exact quantities in the recipe card below). Whisk until well combined. Now, for the butter!
- It’s important to start with very cold butter to get the perfect scone texture.
- I like to cut the butter into cubes then pop it in the freezer for a few minutes.
How To Incorporate the Butter for a Flakey Scone
- Add the cold, cubed butter to the flour mixture, and mush the flour and butter together with your hands.
- The mixture should resemble a coarse meal with crumbly, pea-sized butter pieces.
Step 2: Mix in the Wet Ingredients
Then, add heavy cream, egg, and vanilla in a separate bowl and whisk to combine.
Create a Well for the Wet Ingredients
- Create a “well” in the center of your dry ingredients and pour the cream mixture into it. Then place the blueberries on top.
- Creating a “well” allows the wet and dry ingredients to combine in a way that incorporates them, but doesn’t “over-mix” them.
Why Adding an Egg To Scone Dough Matters?
- There are recipes that make scones with and without eggs.
- But eggs will add richness to the scone, so if you do want to amp up the richness use the egg, otherwise you can substitute the egg by increasing the amount of the milk or cream by 1/4 cup in this recipe.
- Gently stir the dough together with a wooden spoon or my favorite a Danish dough whisk until well-combined.
- It may look like an antique farm implement, but trust me it’s perfect for mixing scone dough and not smashing the blueberries!
After everything is mixed well, flour your hands and form the dough into a large dough ball. Then, turn the dough out onto a floured surface and press it into a disk.
Step 3: Form and Cut
- Roughly form the dough into a square. Be careful not to overwork the dough or you will end up with a tough, flat scone!
Flat and tough scones can be caused by a few issues:
- Too much handling! If you overwork the dough the scones will not rise as tall.
- Another reason for flat scones could be expired baking powder. Make sure you are using baking powder that has been opened in the last six months.
Why are my scones dry?
- Dry scones can be caused by not enough butter chunks in the dough, caused by mixing the dough in the food processor which can create too fine a meal.
- You may have cut your scones too small and they over baked which can also cause dryness.
- There’s not enough milk or cream in the dough. If the scone dough is too dry when you turn it out on your board, add a little more cream or milk so that the dough comes together easily without crumbling.
- Scones made without eggs also tend to be on the dry side. The egg in this recipe not only adds richness to the scones but also a bit of elasticity to the dough which also prevents dryness.
Cutting The Scones
- To cut your scones dip a chef’s knife into a little flour.
- Then cut the square-shaped dough in half, then in quarters.
- Then cut each quarter down the diagonal to create triangles.
Place the cut triangular scones on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. The parchment paper will prevent the scones from browning too much on the bottom.
Last-Minute Tips for the Best Scones!
- Just before baking place your scones in the freezer for a few minutes to harden up.
- This will prevent room temperature butter from melting out of the scones when they hit the hot oven.
- It will also create a flakier scone if your butter is very cold before baking. Remember those air pockets!
- If making this ahead of time, place in the refrigerator, covered loosely with foil, then remove the foil and bake when guests arrive.
Step 4: Brush with Egg Wash and Bake!
To make the egg wash, add egg and milk and whisk to combine. Then, brush on the scone using a pastry brush.
Place the scones in a 400F degree oven for 20-25 minutes until golden brown, risen and the berries are bursting!
Then, remove the scones from the oven and allow to cool. They are delicious just like this with butter and jam, or you can kick it up a notch and make a Lemon Glaze!
Step 5: Make the Lemon Glaze
In a small bowl, add powdered sugar and lemon juice and whisk to combine. Then, over warm scones drizzle the glaze over each scone.
Scone Glaze Tips:
- To be sure you have that “glazed” look, make sure your scones have cooled to room temperature before adding the glaze.
- If you add the glaze while the scones are still hot, you will have a melty glaze which isn’t nearly as pretty as a white, drizzled glaze!
How-To Freeze
- After baking the scones allow them to cool completely, then place them in an airtight, freezer-safe container and freeze.
- To reheat wrap them in a paper towel (to keep them from drying out) and microwave for :30-:45 until warmed through! They will taste freshly baked!
- Alternatively, you can also defrost in the refrigerator overnight, and the following morning place them on a baking sheet and reheat in a 350F for about 10-15 minutes.
More Yummy Brunch Treats!
- Easy Strawberry Lemon Muffins
- Fabulous Fresh Fig Cake
- Blueberry Crumb Cake
- Raspberry Almond Cake
If You Enjoyed This Recipe
Please Leave a Rating and A Review Below!
Lemon Blueberry Scones Recipe with Lemon Glaze
Learn how to make these fantastic Lemon Blueberry Scones with my easy lemon glaze. They are light and flakey and bursting with blueberries! you'll also love that lemon kick of the lemon glaze. I'll share my tips for how to get a flakey and light scone!
Ingredients
- 2 cups (240g) flour
- 1/3 cup (65g) sugar
- 2 tsp (10 ml) of baking powder
- ¾ tsp tsp (3.75 ml) salt
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) lemon zest
- 10 tbsp (150 g) cold butter, diced into cubes
- ½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream
- 1 egg
- 6 ounces (170g) blueberries
- ¾ tsp (3.75ml) vanilla extract
Egg Wash:
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp (30ml) milk
Lemon Glaze:
- ¾ cup (75g) of powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp (30ml) fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F (200C).
- Line sheet pan with parchment paper.
- In a bowl combine flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and lemon zest.
- Add butter and work by hand until dough resembles a chunky meal. Butter pieces should be these size of a pea.
- In a small bowl whisk together the cream, the egg and vanilla extract. Create a well in the center of the dry mixture and pour wet mixture in the well. Add the blueberries into well.
- Gently mix with a fork or Danish whisk until combined, and then grab dough with floured hands.
- Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Shape dough into a square, cut into 4 squares and then cut the squares into triangles. You will have 8 triangles. P
- lace the cut scones on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush each scone lightly with the egg wash.
- Pop the tray of scones into the freezer for 5 mins to firm up, (or fridge for 15 mins) and then bake for 20-25 mins until golden brown.
- Meanwhile, mix up the glaze. Add the sugar and lemon juice in a small bowl, and whisk until smooth. Dip a fork in the glaze and then drizzle it over the scones while still on the baking sheet, running the fork back and forth until scone is lightly covered with the glaze.
Notes
If your dough is too crumbly when you turn it out, add a bit more milk or heavy cream in 1-2 tablespoon increments until it comes together.
Be sure to start with very cold butter before adding it to the flour mixture. It helps to precut the butter into cubes and then place it in the freezer for 15 mins before working with it.
After your scones have been cut, place the tray in the freezer for 15 minutes to allow the butter to re-harden before hitting a hot oven. This will prevent the butter from seeping out of the scone as it bakes while ensuring a flakey scone.
These scones freeze beautifully! After baking them allow them to cool completely, then place them in an airtight, freezer-safe container and freeze.
To reheat wrap them in a paper towel (to keep them from drying out) and microwave for :30-:45 until warmed through! They will taste freshly baked!
Alternatively, you can also defrost in the refrigerator overnight, and the following morning place them on a baking sheet and reheat in a 350F for about 10-15 minutes.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 196Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 87mgSodium: 255mgCarbohydrates: 12gFiber: 0gSugar: 11gProtein: 2g
Hi, Beth:
Love your YouTube videos! Quick question – can the unbaked scones be frozen for safer transport during a long drive to my mom for Mother’s Day?
Hmm that may be a bit dangerous given the cream and egg in them. Instead I would bake them, and just reheat in a 300F oven on a baking sheet to freshen them up once you arrive 🙂 So glad you enjoy the videos!
Beth, can you confirm if this is unsalted butter? Thank you.
If you live in the USA use salted Land O Lakes butter as it will give you the best flavor. But outside the USA use unsalted, since American “salted butter” isn’t that salty, more flavorful than salty. Hope that helps!
These scones are the BEST. made them many times and consistently excellent. Can they be made with Almond Flour, to be gluten free?
Made these today and your recipe is perfection. I followed the recipe exactly and they were so light and fluffy inside with a slight crunch on the outside. The lemon smell coming from the oven made my mouth water. The hardest part was waiting for them to cool enough to add glaze. This is my new go-to recipe for basic scones. Thank you, Beth!
Aww I’m so glad they were such a hit! One of my favorites too! These are a great twist on it for fall 🙂
These are the most delicious scones I have ever had! The recipe is perfect. I have shared it with many people. I had to actually
stop baking these for a while because I was addicted to them! You are absolutely right about them freezing beautifully. I would
make a batch, freeze them and then take one to work every day for a mid-morning snack. They are so good!!!
Thank you, Beth. I love all your recipes!
Ha! Oh I’m so glad you enjoy them too! I had to laugh about the addiction, I SO know the feeling! These are my weakness! OK now for fall, you must try the pumpkin spice version! SO good for fall!
Thank you. This is the best recipe I’ve tried. They are delicious but they never hold the shape. Tend to get out of shape and run into each other. I freeze butter and put scones in freezer for 6 minutes prior to baking. This time the dough was a little sticky so I added more flour but they still spread. Any ideas ?
Ah OK I would put them in the freezer longer. Say 30 mins. Sometimes I even do them the day ahead, freeze, and pop them in the oven the next day. The freezing really helps them to hold their shape 🙂 Hope that helps!
Thank you. The recipe says 5 minutes in freezer but the instructions say 15. And after reviewing your video again I figured out I made a dumb mistake and added a cup of cream instead of a half a cup. That’s the reason why they spread so much.
Hi Beth!
I wanted to thank you for all your wonderful content.
I first found your channel while looking for something new and fresh to watch. I stayed because of your wonderful French recipes and lively and sincere way you project you show.
Love your garden! I have plenty of space in my yard to create a vegetable garden and yours is something I believe I can manage- wish me well! 🙂
French style gardens have been a love
Of mine since I started watching Monty Done. I am inspired by yours!
Your dad is a wonderful designer I used to watch over and over at the start of HGTV. Brings
me back so many memories when I started to get into interior designing my home.
Now it makes total sense from where you got your inspiration & style !!! :)))
I’ve shared your recipes and videos with my Niece and my daughter’s friends. I absolutely mad about your scones !
Your Non- Vodka pasta sauce was a hit (been making the original for years !)
I print your recipes as I watch the shows and now have a wonderful book to start my days with !
Thanks again !
Mayuly (Ma.U.Lee)
Aww thanks, Mayuly! I’m so glad to hear you are enjoying the videos and the recipes! I just recently discovered Monty (through my Dad who was watching him!) and I have enjoyed his travels through France so much! It’s so much fun to follow along with him 🙂 I’ll pass on your note to my Dad, he’ll love to know you enjoyed his show too! 🙂 So glad the “Non-Vodka Pasta Sauce” was a hit! Yummy right?! Ha!
Just finished making the scones. Erroneously I used baking soda instead of baking powder. LOL Anyway because there was some acid they turned out. Yay! Wonderful recipe, will be making again with baking powder. Thank you.
Hi Beh: When forming the dough into a square can you give me an approx measurement in inches please
Hi Beth – any chance Einkorn flour could be used for this recipe? Your best guess is fine. ♡
Sure I think that should be OK. Especially if you’ve used it in other baked goods 🙂
Hi Beth, thanks for this easy and wonderful flavored scones, I made them and now are my favorites!!
I’m so glad to hear it! These are one of my favorites too! 🙂
I just tried this recipe for the first time and really loved it! All of your tips and tricks were very helpful. Just wondering if the leftover baked scones can be left outside of the fridge in an airtight container and if so, for how long? Also, how well do they freeze? Thanks!
Hi Marci, yes these freeze really well! Just defrost in the microwave for:45. Otherwise, I leave them in the fridge to keep them fresh and reheat in the oven or the microwave 🙂
Okay, I am not a baker. I followed this recipe to a T and weighed all the ingredients to ensure it was right. When they were almost done my house smelled amazing. After I took them out of the oven and cooled, I added the glaze. My first bite literally had me making sure I hadn’t died and gone to heaven. I was thinking I’ve probably never tasted anything so good. Thank you for the recipe and all the tips, this batch was just a dry run for a tea party I’m planning and I now know this will be perfect 🙂
Aww so glad to hear it! These are my favorites too! 🙂
Hi for us Australian’s do we use plain flour or self raising flour? Love your recipes.
Thanks so much Erica
Oh sure it’s plain all-purpose flour that you’ll use :). Hope you enjoy!
Hello Beth, I started watching your videos on the weekends after I retired when I had a bit of time, and then subscribed so I would not miss anything, the tutorial for the scones, blueberry lemon, was the best, I’d just gone blueberry picking and wanted to use them right away. This IS my go to recipe for scones I’ve come across, so tinder, flaky and fruity, and often times change up with Orange cranberry, chocolate chips, or switch in h eavy whipping cream when I had a small amount. Thank you for sharing your wonderful recipes with us all!
Aww thanks Vera! I’m so happy to hear that! Yes, this scone recipe is one of my favorites too! And can be mixed up any time of year with all kinds of flavors! Cranberry orange is my favorite too! So glad they have been a hit 🙂
Beth, making these for the fourth time and thought I must thank you. I love these so much and so easy to make! I’ve been using your recipe as a base and changed flavors to freeze dried strawberries & white chocolate chunks, also grapefruit scones. Always delicious! Love your YouTube channel and I am a fan. ❤️
Hi Beth, can i replace heavy cream with whipping cream?
These are, quite simply, the best, moistest scones ever! I took these to my Christian Women’s Bookclub meeting and everyone raved about them! The delicious lemon icing makes them even better– I suggest making a larger batch of it! Thank you for sharing the recipe! This is now my go-to scone recipe!
Love this!
Can this recipe be made with frozen blueberries?
Oh sure you can use frozen berries too 🙂
I used frozen blueberries that I’d picked fresh and they were perfect! I do want to suggest that 1/2 cup of heavy cream is not enough and I added more.