Blueberry Lemon Scones

The most tender and flaky blueberry scones with lemon zest giving it a lovely aromatic flavor. They are the best treat to enjoy with coffee.

Blueberry Lemon Scones are one of my favorite treats to make all year long. They are also what I get asked the most to bake for my family and friends. In America, scones are flaky, tender and have a biscuit-like texture. They are so soft in the center and golden on the outside. I also like that this dessert isn’t too sweet.

The fresh blueberries give the scone a sweet and juicy burst of flavor. The lemon zest gives them such a nice citrus aroma that pairs together so well with the berries. Whenever we go to visit my family in New York in the summers, we go pick blueberries all together and then we make Blueberry Scones and Blueberry Vareniki. It’s become a tradition by now:). Fresh blueberries are the absolute best, but I also make scones with frozen blueberries whenever they aren’t in season.

I got this recipe from America’s Test Kitchen, they are my absolute favorite source for recipes. They had baked over 800 scones to come up with the perfect combination. That’s right, 800 SCONES. I am here to tell you that after almost a decade of making this recipe for my family, this is the best one. If you like scones, try my Orange Glazed Scones as well.

Video of How To Make Blueberry Lemon Scones

Ingredients

  • butter, frozen plus 2 more Tablespoons melted
  • milk, I like using whole milk for this recipe
  • sour cream, also using whole milk
  • all purpose flour (I use unbleached all purpose flour in all my recipes)
  • granulated sugar
  • baking powder and baking soda
  • salt (I use sea salt)
  • lemon zest – this will give your scones a delightful citrus aroma and flavor
  • blueberries – fresh blueberries are best, but frozen blueberries will work too

How To Make Blueberry Lemon Scones

It’s very important that all the ingredients are very cold. Place the butter into the freezer ahead of time and keep the milk and sour cream in the refrigerator.

  1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl, the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Zest the lemon and mix it in to the dry ingredients.
  3. Combine the milk and sour cream together, mixing until smooth. Place in the refrigerator.
  4. Grate the frozen butter into the dry ingredients using the large holes of a box grater, mixing the grated butter in the flour as you grate it. Work fast so that the butter doesn’t start to melt. You should have separate curls of butter coated in flour.
  5. Pour in the cold milk + sour cream mixture into the dry ingredients, mixing just until the dough comes together, but be careful not to overmix.
  6. On a floured surface, quickly mix the dough just until the flour is incorporated. Be careful not to over knead the dough. Not only will it tend to melt the butter, but it will make more gluten in the dough, and this will also make the scones dense. 
  7. Roll out the dough into a 12 inch square. Fold it like a business letter, into thirds, using a bench scraper to help you pick up the dough. Place it on a floured plate and chill in the freezer for 5 -10 minutes.
How to make the dough for blueberry scones step by step tutorial.

8. On the same well floured surface, roll it out into a 12 inch square again.

Why are we doing all this rolling, fancy folding, chilling and rolling? We are borrowing a method from puff pastry to create those wonderful layers, that make these scones SO wonderful. Trust me, it’s well worth it, and very easy too. 

9. Sprinkle the blueberries over the surface of the dough, pressing them in gently so they don’t roll off when you roll up the dough.

10. Roll up the dough into a log, using a bench scraper to help you, roll up the dough into a log. Press it into a 12 x 4 inch log.

11. Create scones. Cut the log in half and then each half diagonally into 4 triangles, to make 8 scones total, using a bench scraper or a sharp knife. Place the scones on the prepared baking sheet.

12. Brush melted butter on top of the scones and sprinkle with sugar.

If this process is taking too long and the scone dough has warmed up, chill them in the refrigerator or freezer before baking. If the butter isn’t as cold as possible, it will melt too quickly and will leak out as the scones are baking. The scones will not be as tender and will be flatter too.

13. Bake for 18-25 minutes, until the scones are golden brown on the top and bottom.

How to make homemade blueberry lemon scones step by step tutorial.

Helpful Tips and Frequently Asked Questions

Make sure all the dairy is as cold as possible.

The butter needs to be FROZEN and keep the sour cream and milk in the refrigerator. Don’t overhandle the dough, since your warm hands will melt the butter and your scones will not be tender but dense.

Why grate frozen butter?

The reason we are using frozen butter and chilling the rest of the ingredients is to make sure the butter will remain in small cold chunks, dispersed among the dough. As the scones bake at a high temperature, the butter will melt and create pockets and layers in the scones.
If you don’t chill the ingredients, the butter will melt into the dough and the scones will turn out dense.

Don’t overmix the dough.

It’s ok if there is still some flour that’s not mixed in when you’re mixing the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Finish mixing it on a really well floured countertop.

Work quickly! Chill the dough if it warms up at all.

I even place the shaped scones in the refrigerator or freezer for a few minutes before baking them so they can be as cold as possible before putting them in the oven.

Can you use frozen blueberries?

Fresh blueberries are best. They hold their shape really well even when baking and won’t discolor the dough. However, frozen blueberries will work too, but they are more likely to burst and leak.

How to store blueberry scones?

Store at room temperature, covered, for up to 3 days and in the refrigerator if you want to store them longer.

Can you freeze scones?

Yes! Scones can be frozen for up to 3 months in an airtight container or a freezer ziplock bag. I usually freeze baked scones that have been cooled completely.
To serve, simply defrost the baked scones at room temperature. (Wrap them in a kitchen or paper towel to absorb condensation and to keep them from drying out.) You can also reheat them in the oven at 350-400 degrees for about 5-10 minutes.

Print

Blueberry Lemon Scones

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The most tender and flaky blueberry scones with lemon zest giving it a lovely aromatic flavor. They are the best treat to enjoy with coffee.

  • Author: Olga’s Flavor Factory adapted from America’s Test Kitchen
  • Prep Time: 35 mins
  • Cook Time: 20 mins
  • Total Time: 55 mins
  • Yield: 8 scones 1x
  • Category: Sweets

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 stick, 8 Tablespoons butter, frozen, plus 1 1/2 more Tablespoons melted
  • 1/2 cup whole milk
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus additional for work surface
  • 1/2 cup sugar, plus 1-2 Tablespoons for sprinkling
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
  • 1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries (about 7 1/2 ounces)

Instructions

  1. It’s very important that all the ingredients are very cold. Place the butter into the freezer ahead of time and keep the milk and sour cream in the refrigerator until ready to use.
  2. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
  3. Mix the dry ingredients – flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.
  4. Mix the milk and sour cream together separately and set it aside in the refrigerator until ready to use.
  5. Grate the frozen butter on the large holes of a box grater into the bowl of dry ingredients, mixing the grated butter in the flour as you grate it. Work fast so that the butter doesn’t start to melt. You should have separate curls of butter coated in flour.
  6. Grate the lemon zest into the flour and butter mixture. Mix.
  7. Add the milk and sour cream. Mix with a rubber spatula quickly to combine, until the dough comes together.
  8. On a well floured surface, knead the dough just enough so that it comes together, being careful not to overmix.
  9. Gently roll it out into a 12 inch square. Fold it like a business letter, into thirds, using a bench scraper to help you pick up the dough.
  10. Place it on a floured plate and chill in the freezer for 5 – 10 minutes.
  11. On the same well floured surface, roll it out into a 12 inch square again.
  12. Sprinkle the blueberries over the surface of the dough, pressing them in gently so they don’t roll off when you roll up the dough.
  13. Using a bench scraper to help you, roll up the dough into a log. Press it into a 12 x 4 inch log.
  14. Using the bench scraper or a sharp knife, cut the log in half and then each half diagonally into 4 triangles, to make 8 scones total.
  15. Place the scones on the prepared baking sheet, brush the tops of the scones with melted butter and sprinkle with more sugar.
  16. Bake for 18-25 minutes, until the scones are golden brown on the top and bottom.
  17. Store at room temperature, covered, for up to 3 days and refrigerate if you want to store them longer. Scones can be frozen for up to 3 months in an airtight container or freezer ziplock bag.

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More Delicious Desserts

This is an updated version of the Blueberry Lemon Scones recipe that was published originally on April 15, 2013. I have updated the pictures and clarified the instructions, but the recipe is still the same. Enjoy!

103 Comments

  • natasha

    Sounds and looks very delicious :)) I like scones, and especially blueberry :)) I hope to make it soon :))) thank you Olge..

  • Tanya

    Blueberry Scones are my favorite!!! I can’t wait to make these! Have you tried making a powered sugar glaze? If so, how do you make it? I once made the powered sugar glaze (for cookies) and it tasted ‘pasty’. Thank you so much for sharing another yummy recipe! I will be making these as soon as the blueberries are a little less pricey and I will let you know how tasty they are.

    • olgak7

      Hi Tanya,
      I’m glad you like blueberry scones. I prefer to make them without the glaze, since I don’t like them too sweet. There are lots of recipe for scones with a glaze. Search online; I’m sure you’ll find many variations.

      • Tanya

        Hi Olya,
        I too don’t like baked goods too sweet, so whenever I am baking, it’s my rule of thumb, I cut down on sugar by at least 2-3 TBsp. If it’s an American cookies or cake, I cut down by almost 1/2 cup and get perfect results.

        The reason I asked about glaze is that, I once tried blueberry scones with a hint of lemon glaze, ohhh… let me tell you, it was so delishes that glaze and scone complemented each other so well, and glaze provided that slight moisture and flavor that everything just melted in the mouth. So, from that point on, my scones have to have a glaze or I feel they are incomplete. I hope you understand what I am talking about. Anyway, since you are a pro at baking, I just thought I’d ask. Thanks for your response.

  • Inna

    Hi Olga, I’m so happy that you posted this recipe, I’ve always wanted to make scones but never got to it. I’m making them tonight! I’m hoping that they will turn out

  • Mariya G

    I love scones!!! If I were to make double would I just Devide the dough in half and roll it out then? Also although I love blueberries if I don’t have any on hand other fresh fruit will work also? Thank you for sharing such awesome tasty recipes with us:)

    • olgak7

      Mariya, I usually make them in separate bowls, it is much easier to mix the dough. I’m sure you can use fresh strawberries, blackberries, etc.

  • Tina

    This looks super delicious…i’m drooling 🙂 Scones are one of my favorites, will defiantly master the skill of making them after reading your detailed beautiful post. Thank you!! 🙂

  • Lilia

    I have made this recipe many times before but lost the recipe from America’s Test Kitchen. Thank you for sharing. I can’t wait for blueberries to be in season so I can make these again.

  • Lincharaelinazhushma

    Olga, you are a genius! Thank you for sharing all these recipes with us common folk. 🙂 these scones are absolutely amazing! So delicious and soft and just a pleasure to eat slowly of course to savor all the deliciousness. Thank you so so much for all your time and effort to share these wonderful recipes.

    • olgak7

      Thanks linchara,
      I am just as common folk as they come:). I need to take baking lessons from you, my dear.
      Glad you like the scones. I love the fresh blueberries in here and the best part is how tender they are but not cloyingly sweet.
      You’re making me blush with your nice compliments:).

  • Marina

    Wow! Thank you from the bottom of my heart for this recipe! Made them today with blackberries and they were Umm-azing!! will be making these often. They were a huge hit!!
    God bless you!

  • Bella

    Thank you so much for this recipe, can’t wait to try it but the thing is that where I live it is very difficult to find blueberries, and if found they are v expensive..Is it possible to replace them with blackberries or any other fruit suggestion?!

  • Oksana

    Didn’t have any blueberries, so Iam making them with strawberries!! They look so delicious!!! (About to put them into the oven).

  • Yana

    Hi Olga!! Love all of your recipies!!! Quick question if I were to freeze the scones, can I reheat in the microwave?? Thank you. P.S. I’m absolutely addicted to your blog 🙂 Awesome recipies, amazing pictures and instructions, every recipie turned out perfect so far. God bless you!!!

    • olgak7

      Yep, Yana! That’s exactly how you would do it. You can also reheat the scones in the oven. Preheat the oven to 400-450 degrees F and keep the scones in the oven just until they’re heated through. You can spritz them with some water first. You don’t want to bake them at this point, just warm them through.

    • olgak7

      I can totally relate:). This recipe is definitely a keeper. I absolutely love simple desserts like this, that aren’t too fancy or cloyingly sweet. I’m thrilled to hear that you enjoy them too.

    • olgak7

      No, it’s 1 stick of butter, which equals 8 Tablespoons of butter. So you would use 8 Tablespoons of frozen butter and 2 Tablespoons of melted butter to brush on top of the scones.
      I wrote it that way because some people don’t know how much 1 stick of butter is.
      If it was an additional 8 Tablespoons of butter, I would have written PLUS.

  • natasha

    I made these with a mix of freshly picked blueberries and smorodina. And oh my goodness these taste divine. I can totally see why you double the recipe, they are that good. Did you ever try making these with raspberries or cherries?

    • olgak7

      No, I’ve never tried it, but I think it would work well, Natasha. These scones are one of my favorite things to make when I have a craving for something sweet.

    • olgak7

      Definitely do NOT use a Kitchenaid mixer for this recipe, Alla. The texture of the scones will be ruined. Follow the instructions as I have them written out in the recipe.

  • Zina

    Olga, thank you so much for this recipe. I never leave comments but these scones are amazing…. and your step by step instructions are perfect!!! made it so much easier making these even with 2 toddlers running around 🙂 Again, thanks so much!!! I will be making these often (most likely doubling if not tripling it), especially since its a blueberry season in upstate NY 🙂

    • olgak7

      Thanks for taking the time to write, Zina!
      I’m so happy to hear the the step by step instructions are helpful.
      This is one of my favorite desserts from all the desserts that I make:).
      My Mom, siblings and I used to pick blueberries all the time too, in upstate New York. It brings back great memories for me.

  • Natasha

    I made these with strawberries and brought them to family picnic… First, nobody was eating them (because most of the folks there aren’t as crazy for sugary stuff as I am, lol). But then, the kids started taking them and they were almost all gone by the end of the evening… And I made 2 batches…though I cut them half size smaller than you say to… They were sooooooo gooooood!!!!!!!!!!! Unbelievable… The hubster and I had scones at a tea place and they were not nearly as good as these!!! Thank you!!!

    • olgak7

      Natasha,
      That is such a sweet story! I’m so pleased that it was a hit at your family picnic. I’m sure it was delicious with strawberries.

  • Andee

    Today while picking blueberries in upstate New York, I struck up a conversation with a young lady from Russia who found your scone recipe and couldn’t say enough good about it. She gave me your website and I can’t wait to try it. I’m not the baker in the family, so your detailed instructions and photos will be a great help. Thanks so much!

    • olgak7

      Wow! What a great story! I grew up in upstate NY and my parents and 2 sisters live there now. It’s my favorite place on earth:).
      Thanks for visiting my website and for taking the time to write.
      I’m so happy to hear the the recipe was helpful to you. I hope you find other recipes to enjoy:).

    • olgak7

      I just made them this week. I had family visiting from NY and they all loved it too. These scones are at the top of my list of favorites for sure. Thanks so much for taking the time to write.

  • Anna

    Hi olga! I was wondering if I could use margarine instead of butter for this recipe? Would they turn out the same? Thank you!

  • Lana

    Hi Olya, I am munching on one these “babies” while writing a comment…. What can I say…..these scones are just out of this world…I did not have fresh blueberries, so I ended up using frozen ones… Even though, you did not recommend it:) I just floured the berries really well and it turned out good….can’t THANK YOUenough, dear. Thank you so much for everything you do!!!! It truly makes our lives, as busy wives/moms so much easier! God’s blessings to your family!

  • alina

    олга, have you tried or do you think cranberries will work as well as blueberries? its cranberry season and I really want them scones..

  • Marj

    Niece made raspberry scones – delicious! I made them twice with raspberries – didn’t turn out like hers! Everything frozen or cold, but EXTREMELY sticky dough prior and after kneading – not anything like your good pictures. Help? Not enough flour on the hands and granite top? Not enough kneading? Thank you.

  • Natalya B

    The scones turned put amazing!! I love the way you are so specific with the recopies and don’t hold back. Thank you!

    • olgak7

      I wouldn’t be a food blogger if I wanted to keep the good secrets to myself:). I’m glad you enjoyed the scones. We love them too.

  • Lena

    Thank you very much Olga for this recipe. I made them and they turned out amazing. It was my first time eating scones, basically when i was making them, i was making them at my own risk not knowing how they should even taste, and they are aaaaahhhhhhhmazing. Thank you for everything you do.. Be blessed

  • Christina

    Hey there Olga! These look amazing but I’m looking in the fridge and I have fresh cherries! Do you think it would be a good substitute or no? Thanks!

  • Alina

    I made these many times already in the past 2 weeks, we love them so much! Thank you very much for the recipe and your detailed instructions and pictures!

  • Olga

    So… I finally got to making these perfect and tasty beauties. Loved every bite of this. I gotta say making these are not as hard as I thought, thanks to your step-by-step recipe instructions and photos. And I didn’t have fresh blueberries on hand, so I used frozen sour cherries (just tossed them in Tbsp of flour) and it was a big hit in my family. Sweet scones and sour cherries really go well together. Yum! Thanks again for sharing this recipe with the rest of the world.

    • olgak7

      I’m so glad you enjoyed the scones, Olga. Thanks for taking the time to write. Cherry scones sound REALLY good. Great idea! I will definitely try it in the future.

  • julia

    Hi Olga!! This is Julia. I was wondering, instead of blueberries, can you put cranberries and apples or anything else to make different scones? Thanks!!!!!

  • Tanya

    It was my first time making these and they turned out absolutely delicious!! Thank you for the recipe and the detailed instructions :):)

      • Jian

        Hi Olga!

        I made your blueberry sconeis and it was testy and lovely. I wonder if I could make the dough a day I head and keep it in fridge?. Another thing I have some problem to deal dough though I used scraper and flour, could you give tip?.

        Thank you again for your best recipe.

        Regards
        Jian Khoschnau

        Sweden

        • olgak7

          Hi Jian,
          I wouldn’t recommend making the batter ahead of time. Because there is baking powder and baking soda in the batter, the scones need to be baked fairly quickly. The scones will not be as tender and fluffy.
          The good news is that you can bake the scones ahead of time and store them at room temperature in a sealed container or covered with a towel or plastic wrap. They taste great for a few days. You can also reheat them for about 10 minutes in a preheated 400 degrees Fahrenheit oven and they will taste just freshly baked.
          I would recommend sprinking the counter, the scraper, the rolling pin and your hands very generously with flour when you are working with the scones. This will help a lot. If you use too much flour the scones will not be as tender.

  • Sonia

    Hi Olga, I really want to try this recipe as it looks gorgeous (and sounds like eveybody who tried it loved it! I just want to check though what is exactly a stick of butter and even how do you define 8 tablespoons… I am from the UK and often struggle with translating back in what we use here (grams etc) I have a special measuring jug for an “american cup” as believe it or not, it seems to be different from an “english cup”. However I want to be really sure I am doing this right regarding the butter – is 8 tbsp as in grated butter or melted ? or if you know in grams that would be even better for me. thanking you in advance
    sonia

  • Mark Mitchell

    Hi Olga,
    If I were to double this recipe, could I bake two trays at once, or do you think they should go in separately?
    Thanks!

  • Julie

    Hey olga,
    Ive made your scones before and they were so delicious! Thanks for the recipe! I have a question , i want to make some again but i dont have 2 cups of white flour. Have you ever tried making scones with whole wheat flour? Maybe soing 1cup white and 1 cup whole wheat flour? Or would they taste funny?
    Thank you for your time!

    • olgak7

      Hi Julie,
      I’m so glad you enjoyed the scones.
      I’ve never used whole wheat flour for them, so I can’t tell you if it will work or not. If you try it, I’d love to hear how they turn out.

  • Nelya

    Thanks for the recipe, I should try this sometime soon. I’ve made a few different scones before, but never with the puff pastry rolling method. Can’t wait to try it 🙂 and I love when you add freezing instructions to your recipes! It’s so much better to make extras and freeze for later than ordering out, or using boxed mixes. So good for busy or lazy days 🙂 and for pregnant people! I didn’t make any freezer meals before having a baby, and while parents helped out a lot with food, I still regret not doing it. If God gives us more kids, I’ll definitely be freezing stuff! Sorry for the long comment. So glad to see God blessing your family!

  • Ziz'ka

    O yeah my favorite one. I did those scones as well from american test kitchen and they are delicious, so definitely if anyone wants to try the best scones this is the one. … but one thing that I don’t like it takes a little bit longer comparing to other type of scones…

    • olgak7

      America’s Test Kitchen recipes are spot on. No matter how many recipes I’ve made from their books and website, they all turn out great.
      I don’t mind the extra steps here and there when the results are so wonderful.

    • olgak7

      I’ve used frozen blueberries in the past and it works out ok too, but just be careful when shaping the scones to press them into the dough and don’t overwork them or they will turn the scones purple. Also, don’t thaw the berries.

  • Rita

    Olga, I followed this recipe to the dot (which I rarely do) anticipating the perfect scones. The berries all burst and leaked, I wonder if you know why…

    • olgak7

      It’s normal for some of the berries to burst and leak, but only a small amount, Rita. I don’t know why all of your did. Did you use fresh or frozen berries?

  • Leslie

    made this recipe came out perfect then when they were all gone tried again and came out flat and super crunchy on the outside any suggestions on what i could be doing wrong

    • olgak7

      My guess would be that the butter was too soft, Leslie. Or possibly that the scones were too warm and the butter melted before you put them into the oven. I hope they turn out better for you next time.

      • Leslie

        i was trying to make sure i used cold butter. i should have maybe put in fridge for few. also if the dough is to thin and sticking to the counter unlike first time can that be a problem as well. can the dough be to sticky its suppose to be same texture throughout like pie crust dough correct?

        • olgak7

          I actually used frozen butter for scones. Even refrigerated butter melts very quickly, especially since you are using your hands to mix the dough.
          No, the dough should not be the consistency as pie dough; it is much more “wet”. If it is sticking to the counter too much, add a tiny bit more flour, although be careful not to add too much because they will be too tough if you add too much flour.
          I hope they work out for you next time.

  • AlinaRN

    Hi Olga,

    I have made these scones many times in the past and they always turned out perfectly. Lately though, past several times that I made them they like spread out in the oven and are on the flat side. What am I doing wrong?? I follow the directions exactly. Everything is chilled. Butter is frozen. Blueberries placed in freezer as stated. I want them to turn out perfect again!

    • olgak7

      Hi Alina,
      Most of the time, this happens when the dough is too warm. After you make them, try placing the cut scones back into the freezer for about 5 minutes and then put them in the oven. Also, you may need to add a few Tablespoons more of flour. I’m not exactly sure what could be the problem, but try these few things next time. I hope they work out perfectly for you next time.

  • Tanya C

    Made these blueberry scones to have with my coffee this morning. VERY easy and delicious! Although, I did take a shortcut. Dumped all the dry ingredients into my food processor, cut butter into 1 Tbsp. pieces and threw it in there. Gave it a few pulses and DONE! After mixing the wet ingredients, I used my palms to flatten it out. I didn’t bother taking out my rolling pin. Dough was still sticky in some parts, so the scraper helped with this 100% and not needing to add a ton of flour. Thanks for an awesome recipe. Took me about 30 mins from start to finish WITH baking time! Will make again 🙂

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