Tall, tender, and loaded with fresh blueberries and real lemon flavor, these lemon blueberry scones are what weekend mornings are made for. Made with buttermilk and cold butter, and finished with a bright lemon glaze, they come together faster than you think and taste better than the coffee shop version.
Prep Time10 minutesmins
Cook Time25 minutesmins
Freeze Time30 minutesmins
Total Time1 hourhr5 minutesmins
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Keyword: buttermilk in scones, buttermilk scones, lemon blueberry scones
In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest. Add the cold, cubed butter and use your hands or a pastry cutter to cut in the butter until pea sized pieces remain.
2 ½ cups (300g) all-purpose flour, ½ cup (99) granulated sugar, 1 Tbsp baking powder, ½ tsp salt, 1 Tbsp lemon zest, ½ cup (113g) cold, cubed unsalted butter
Create a well in the center. Add the buttermilk, lemon juice, and egg. Use a spatula to gently combine until the dough comes together thick and sticky.
½ cup (114g) buttermilk, 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, 1 large egg
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead until all the flour is incorporated. If the dough is sticky, add 1 to 2 tablespoons more flour.
Gently fold in the almost all of the blueberries, reserving some for the top.
1 cup (about 150g) blueberries
Lamination (folding the dough to create flaky layers!): Fold the dough in half, press it down slightly, then turn the dough 90 degrees and fold in half again. Repeat this folding and turning process 4-5 times.
Shape the dough into an 8 to 10 inch disc, about 1.5 to 2 inches tall. Press the remaining blueberries in any bare spots. Chill in the fridge for 10 minutes.
Cut into 8 equal wedges using a sharp knife or pizza cutter.
Space the scones 2 to 3 inches apart on a parchment or silicone lined baking sheet. Freeze the scones for 30 minutes. In the last 5 minutes, preheat your oven to 400°F.
After freezing, brush the tops with egg wash (1 egg plus 1 tablespoon water) or buttermilk. Add coarse sanding sugar if you want some sparkle.
Bake 20 to 26 minutes until lightly golden. Cool before glazing.
Lemon Glaze
Combine the powdered sugar and 2 Tbsp of lemon juice. Add more lemon juice as needed to achieve your desired consistency. Drizzle over the scones.
1 cup (113g) powdered sugar, 2-3 Tbsp lemon juice
Notes
Gluten Free: Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend, such as King Arthur's Gluten Free Measure for Measure Flour. I've also made this recipe with gluten free flour with awesome results.To Store: Cool the scones completely before storing. Seal them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Skip the fridge as it dries them out faster than you would expect.To Make Ahead: Shape the dough into wedges and place them on a lined baking sheet. Cover tightly and freeze overnight. Bake the next day straight from the freezer. No adjustments needed.To Freeze: Freeze the unbaked scones on a baking sheet until solid, then transfer to a zip top freezer bag for up to 2 months. Bake directly from frozen, adding 2 to 3 minutes to the bake time. This is genuinely the best make ahead move for scones.