Blueberry Lemon Scones

Name: Blueberry Lemon Scones
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 55 min
Ingredients: 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)

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.

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.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
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.
Combine the milk and sour cream together, mixing until smooth. Place in the refrigerator.
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.
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.
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.
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.