Easy Homemade Lemon Blueberry Scones with Sweet Lemon Glaze: Soft, Flaky, and Irresistible
There’s nothing quite like a freshly baked scone, especially when it’s as delightfully soft, tender, and flaky as these Lemon Blueberry Scones. Topped with a vibrant, sweet lemon glaze, they offer a perfect balance of zesty brightness and fruity sweetness. Forget any preconceived notions about dry, crumbly scones; this recipe promises a melt-in-your-mouth experience that will transform your breakfast or brunch into an extraordinary occasion. Prepare to be amazed by their incredible texture and flavor, making them an instant favorite for anyone who tries them.
For years, I believed scones were destined to be dry and unappealing. However, discovering the proper techniques for scone making completely changed my perspective. Now, I know that a truly good scone should be incredibly soft, tender, and burst with flavor. These homemade Lemon Blueberry Scones exemplify everything a perfect scone should be – light, airy, and utterly delicious. The secret lies in a few simple steps and the right ingredients, ensuring every bite is a delightful experience that truly melts in your mouth.
This Lemon Blueberry Scones recipe holds a special place, as it was one of the very first scone creations I shared on my blog way back in 2016. While always a beloved treat, I’ve continuously refined and enhanced it over the years, making it even better. This updated version includes detailed step-by-step photos and improved instructions to guide you effortlessly through the baking process, ensuring your scones turn out perfectly every time. You’ll find this recipe yields a consistently tender crumb and a beautiful rise.
Beyond its incredible lemon blueberry iteration, this recipe serves as a fantastic base for countless other scone variations. Feel free to experiment by omitting the lemon zest entirely, or swap it out for a different citrus zest like orange or lime for a unique twist. The blueberries can be exchanged for other fresh or frozen fruits such as raspberries, cranberries, or chopped apples. You can also get creative with the glaze, perhaps using orange juice instead of lemon, or adding a hint of almond extract for an entirely new flavor profile. This versatility allows you to truly customize these scones to your taste, making them your own signature creation.
Essential Ingredients for Flawless Lemon Blueberry Scones
Crafting these easy lemon blueberry scones is a straightforward process, and the bright, zingy lemon glaze adds an irresistible finish. To ensure your scones are perfectly soft, flaky, and packed with flavor, here’s a detailed look at the key ingredients you’ll need:
- All-Purpose Flour: The foundation of our scones. Accurate measurement is critical for the right texture. Always use the spoon and level method to avoid packing too much flour into your measuring cup. Excess flour can lead to a dry, crumbly dough that’s difficult to work with and results in dense, heavy scones. By measuring correctly, you ensure a tender, light crumb.
- Granulated Sugar: These scones are designed to be lightly sweetened, allowing the fresh fruit and lemon flavors to shine, especially since they’ll be topped with a rich lemon glaze. The sugar contributes not only sweetness but also helps with the browning of the scones and contributes to their tender texture.
- Baking Powder & Salt: Don’t be surprised by the generous amount—there’s one full tablespoon of baking powder in this recipe, and it’s absolutely not a typo! This crucial leavening agent is essential for creating those wonderfully tall, light, and airy scones. The salt, on the other hand, balances the sweetness and enhances all the other flavors, making them pop.
- Cold Unsalted Butter: This is arguably the most important ingredient for achieving flaky scones. Always use unsalted butter in baked goods to control the salt content. For this recipe, the butter must be very cold and cut into small pieces before being incorporated into the flour mixture. As the cold butter melts in the hot oven, it creates pockets of steam, which are what give scones their signature light, flaky layers. The colder the butter, the flakier your scones will be.
- Heavy Whipping Cream: I’ve found that the higher fat content in heavy whipping cream is a game-changer for achieving an incredibly soft and tender scone. The fat adds richness and moisture that simply can’t be replicated by lower-fat dairy products. While you could potentially substitute with half and half or whole milk, be aware that the dough might be a little stickier and the resulting scones slightly less tender. Stick with heavy cream for optimal results!
- Egg & Vanilla Extract: A single large egg contributes to a richer flavor and helps bind the dough, adding structure and moisture. Pure vanilla extract is used to deepen the overall flavor profile, complementing the lemon and blueberry notes beautifully. Don’t skip the vanilla – it adds a warm, aromatic dimension.
- Fresh Blueberries: I highly recommend using fresh blueberries for the best texture and burst of flavor in these scones. Their natural sweetness and tartness are perfectly suited to the lemon. If fresh aren’t available, frozen berries can be used; just ensure they are not thawed before adding them to the dough to prevent discoloration and excess moisture.
- Lemon Zest & Fresh Lemon Juice: These two components deliver the vibrant lemon essence of the recipe. The finely grated lemon zest is incorporated directly into the scone dough, infusing every bite with bright, aromatic citrus flavor. The fresh lemon juice, on the other hand, is reserved for mixing with powdered sugar to create that delightfully sweet and tangy glaze, providing a perfect counterpoint to the rich scones.
Mastering the Art of Lemon Blueberry Scones: A Step-by-Step Guide
Creating these exquisite lemon blueberry scones with their delightful lemon glaze is a surprisingly simple process once you understand the key steps. We’ll guide you through each stage to ensure your scones turn out perfectly soft, tender, and flaky every time.
You’ll begin by whisking together all of your dry ingredients in a large bowl. This includes the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt. Whisking them thoroughly ensures that the leavening agents and salt are evenly distributed throughout the mixture, which is crucial for a consistent rise and flavor in your scones.
Once your dry ingredients are perfectly combined, it’s time to incorporate the star of flaky pastries: cold butter. Add your small, cubed pieces of very cold unsalted butter into the dry mixture. Using a pastry blender or even just your fingertips, cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, with some pieces of butter no larger than small peas. It’s important to work quickly to keep the butter as cold as possible.
The Golden Rule of Cold Butter: The reason we emphasize cold butter so heavily is foundational to scone making. When these tiny pieces of cold butter hit the hot oven, they rapidly melt, creating pockets of steam within the dough. These steam pockets are what force the dough upwards, resulting in those desirable tall, tender, and incredibly flaky layers that distinguish a truly magnificent scone. Trust this step implicitly – the colder your butter is when it goes into the oven, the better and flakier your scones will be!
At this stage, before introducing the wet ingredients, gently stir in the fresh lemon zest and the fresh blueberries. Adding them now ensures they are evenly distributed throughout the dough without being overmixed or crushed, which can happen if added later or during the final mixing steps.
Next, in a separate, smaller bowl, whisk together your wet ingredients: the cold heavy whipping cream, one large egg, and pure vanilla extract. Whisk them until they are thoroughly combined and homogenous.
Once your wet ingredients are ready, pour this mixture into the bowl of dry ingredients. Using a rubber spatula or a sturdy spoon, carefully fold and work the dough together until it is just combined. It’s important not to overmix the dough at this stage. The mixture might appear a bit crumbly, shaggy, or slightly dry, but rest assured, this is perfectly normal and expected for scone dough.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Using your hands, gently bring the crumbly mixture together and pat it down to form a cohesive, round disc. Aim for a thickness of about 1-inch. This gentle handling prevents overworking the gluten, which can lead to tough scones.
Now for shaping: using a sharp knife or a bench scraper, cut the dough disc into eight equal-sized triangles, much like cutting a pizza. Carefully transfer each triangle onto a baking sheet that has been lined with parchment paper. Ensure there’s a little space between each scone to allow for even baking. For an extra touch of golden-brown beauty, I like to gently brush the tops of each scone with a small amount of extra heavy whipping cream. While this step is entirely optional, it yields a wonderfully shiny, beautifully golden-brown crust that truly elevates the visual appeal of your freshly baked scones.
Once your blueberry lemon scones are arranged on the baking sheet, place them in the preheated oven. Bake them until their tops are lightly golden brown and they are cooked all the way through, meaning the centers are no longer raw or doughy. This usually takes about 20-25 minutes, but keep an eye on them as oven temperatures can vary.
The final touch is the sweet lemon glaze. While you can certainly enjoy these scones unglazed, the glaze adds an extra layer of delightful sweetness and a burst of zesty lemon flavor that beautifully complements the blueberries. For this recipe, I’ve chosen lemon juice in the glaze to intensify the overall lemon theme. However, if you prefer a milder citrus note or simply want to use what you have on hand, feel free to swap out the lemon juice for a splash of milk to create a simple vanilla glaze.
Storage Instructions for Fresh Scones
Scones, like many baked goods, are truly at their absolute best when served fresh, ideally on the very same day they are baked. Their tender texture and delicate flakiness are most pronounced when warm from the oven. However, if you find yourself with leftover scones, you can certainly store them to enjoy later. Place any remaining scones in an airtight container at room temperature. They will retain their quality for up to three days. For optimal freshness and a soft texture, you can gently warm them in a toaster oven or microwave before serving.
Expert Baking Tips for Perfect Scones
- Precision Flour Measurement: Always use the “spoon and level” method when measuring your flour. Instead of scooping directly from the bag (which compacts the flour and results in too much), gently stir the flour in its container, then spoon it lightly into your measuring cup. Level off the excess with the straight edge of a knife. This ensures you use the correct amount, preventing dry, dense scones.
- Keep Ingredients Cold: The secret to flaky scones lies in cold ingredients, especially the butter. If at any point during the mixing or shaping process you feel the dough has become too warm or sticky, don’t hesitate to pause. Place the dough, or even the cut scones on their baking sheet, into the freezer for about 5-10 minutes. This quick chill will firm up the butter, ensuring those essential steam pockets form during baking.
- Avoid Overworking the Dough: Scone dough should be handled as little as possible. Overmixing or excessive kneading develops the gluten in the flour, leading to tough, chewy scones instead of the desired tender, flaky texture. Mix until just combined and only pat the dough together gently.
- Don’t Twist Your Cutter: If you’re using a round biscuit cutter instead of cutting triangles, press straight down without twisting. Twisting seals the edges of the scone, which can prevent it from rising as tall and flaky.
- The Essential Lemon Glaze: While technically optional, the sweet and tangy lemon glaze adds an incredible burst of fresh flavor and moisture that perfectly complements the rich scones and juicy blueberries. It truly completes the experience and is highly recommended! Adjust the consistency of the glaze by adding more powdered sugar for thickness or more lemon juice for thinning.
Explore More Irresistible Homemade Scone Recipes!
If you’ve fallen in love with these Lemon Blueberry Scones, you’re in for a treat! The world of homemade scones is wonderfully diverse and delicious. Expand your baking repertoire with these other fantastic scone recipes, each offering a unique flavor profile perfect for any occasion:
- Strawberry Scones: A classic combination of sweet berries and tender dough.
- Chocolate Chip Scones: A comforting treat for chocolate lovers, perfect with coffee.
- Pumpkin Scones: Embrace the cozy flavors of autumn with warm spices and pumpkin.
- Cinnamon Apple Scones: A delightful blend of sweet apples and fragrant cinnamon, ideal for cooler weather.
- Classic Scones: The timeless, buttery original, perfect for serving with jam and clotted cream.
Lemon Blueberry Scones
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Ingredients
Lemon Blueberry Scones:
- 2 cups (250 grams) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1/3 cup (65 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons (85 grams) cold unsalted butter , cubed into small pieces
- 1 cup (145 grams) fresh blueberries
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) cold heavy whipping cream , plus a little extra for the tops of the scones
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Lemon Glaze:
- 1 cup (120 grams) powdered sugar
- 1.5-2 tablespoons (23-30 ml) fresh lemon juice (add more as needed)
Instructions
To make the scones:
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Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and set aside.
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In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt until well combined. Add the cubed butter and cut it into the dry ingredients with a pastry blender or a fork until you have small pea-sized crumbs. Gently stir in the blueberries and lemon zest.
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In a separate bowl, whisk together the heavy whipping cream, egg, and vanilla extract until fully combined. Pour the mixture into the dry ingredients and gently fold until just combined, making sure not to over mix the dough.
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Scoop the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and form it into a ball, then flatten it into a circle about 1-inch thick. Cut the dough into 8 equal sized triangles. Place each triangle on the baking sheet, leaving a little room between each one. Gently brush the top of each scone with a little bit of heavy whipping cream.
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Bake at 400°F for 20-25 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes.
To make the glaze:
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Add the powdered sugar and the fresh lemon juice to a mixing bowl and mix together until well combined. If the glaze is too thick, add a little more lemon juice to thin it out. If the glaze is too thin, add a little more powdered sugar to thicken it up a bit.
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Top the scones with the glaze, serve, and enjoy!
Notes
Adapted from All Recipes and Martha Stewart.