Lemon Blueberry Scones
These lemon blueberry scones deliver everything you want from a pastry – a tender, slightly flaky crumb, pops of juicy blueberry, and a bright lemon glaze that ties it all together – and they come together in under an hour. They’re perfect for a weekend brunch, a holiday breakfast spread, or any morning when you want something that feels a little special. Fresh or frozen blueberries both work beautifully, so you can make them year-round.
Quickie science lesson for you!
Cold butter is a must when making scones and I’ll explain why. One of the jobs of the butter (besides adding delicious flavor) is to give the scones height and results in a tender and a slightly flaky texture.
When the cold butter that is distributed throughout the dough bakes in the oven, a bit of water from butter turns to steam, which then puffs up a bit, giving the scones tiny steam pockets, which give it height and flakiness, instead of spreading out flat. These scones are…
🍋 Bright & lemony: Lemon zest goes into the dough and fresh lemon juice into the glaze, so every single bite has real citrus flavor.
🫐 Bursting with blueberries: Fresh or frozen both work, so you can pull this recipe out any time of year.
✨ Bakery-style at home: That tender, lightly flaky crumb and golden exterior taste like something from your favorite café – no special skills required.
❄️ Freezer-friendly: Make a full batch ahead and bake straight from frozen whenever you need a special breakfast in minutes.
🎉 Perfect for entertaining: These are impressive enough for a brunch spread but simple enough to make any weekend morning.
Ingredient Notes
You’ll need some fresh ingredients and pantry staples to bring these fresh blueberry scones to the table: all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt, cold unsalted butter, heavy cream, one large egg, fresh lemon zest, vanilla extract, and fresh or frozen blueberries. For the lemon glaze: powdered sugar and fresh lemon juice.
Emily’s Tips & Tricks
- Pro tip: Cold butter is everything in this recipe. When cold butter hits the heat of the oven, the water in it turns to steam – and that steam is what gives your scones height and that lightly flaky texture instead of a flat, dense result. Keep your butter refrigerated right up until you use it, handle the dough as little as possible, and don’t skip the chill step before baking.
- Variations: Swap the blueberries for raspberries or blackberries and keep the lemon glaze. You can also use orange zest in place of lemon for a slightly sweeter, less tart version.
Lemon Blueberry Scones Recipe
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Chill Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 18 minutes
- Total Time: 53 minutes
- Yield: 8 scones 1x
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Bake
Description
These lemon blueberry scones are soft, buttery, and bursting with flavor. Made with fresh blueberries and a bright lemon glaze, they’re perfect for brunch.
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups (293 g) all-purpose flour (spooned into measuring cup and leveled if not weighing)
- 1/3 cup (70 g) granulated sugar, plus more for topping
- 2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. table salt
- 5 tablespoons (71 g) unsalted butter, cold and cut into small cubes
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest (from about 1–2 lemons)
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup heavy cream (plus more if needed)
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup fresh blueberries (or frozen, see notes)
Lemon Glaze
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Mix the dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- Cut in the butter. Add the cold butter to the flour mixture. Using a pastry cutter, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized pieces.
- Mix the wet ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, cream, lemon zest, and vanilla extract.
- Combine the wet and dry ingredients. Slowly add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients, stirring gently with a fork or spatula until combined. If the dough is very dry and crumbly, add a splash more cream (1 tablespoon at a time).
- Fold in the blueberries. Gently fold in the blueberries, being careful not to overmix.
- Chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes.
- Portion and shape. Gently transfer the dough to a floured surface. With floured hands, shape into a round disc, about 1- 1 1/2 inches tall and 7-8 inches in diameter. Use a bench scraper or a sharp chef’s knife to cut into 8 equal wedges.
- Transfer scones to the baking sheet, spaced evenly apart.
- Bake for 18–20 minutes, or until the tops are lightly golden brown and the scones feel set but soft when pressed gently in the center. A toothpick should come out clean when inserted into the center of the scone.
- Transfer the scones to a wire rack and let cool for 5-10 minutes before serving. They’re best slightly warm.
- While scones are cooling, mix glaze ingredients. In a small bowl, stir together powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth. Drizzle glaze over scones while they are cooling.
Notes
Butter: The butter needs to stay cold so the scones don’t spread. Avoid using your hands to scrape off the pastry cutter; use a butter knife, or the butter will warm up.
Storage: These scones are best the day they’re made, when the exterior is lightly crisp, and the inside is still warm and tender. Once fully cooled, store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Reheat in a 350°F oven for just a few minutes to revive them.
Ingredients: Both fresh and frozen blueberries work in this recipe – no need to thaw frozen ones first. Fresh berries stay more distinct in the dough, while frozen berries give a more tie-dyed, distributed blueberry flavor. Either is delicious.
Prep ahead: You can mix the dough, shape the scones, and refrigerate overnight before baking. The shaped, unbaked scones also freeze beautifully – see FAQs below.
Tools: A pastry cutter is the right tool for cutting butter into the dough; it keeps everything cold and does the job quickly. If you don’t have one, you can grate frozen butter and then stir in the shreds to the dry ingredient mixture. A microplane or fine grater is the easiest way to get clean lemon zest.
Serve with: These scones are made for a cup of coffee or tea. They’re also lovely as part of a larger brunch spread alongside a Breakfast Charcuterie Board or Bagels and Lox.
FAQs
Absolutely! Both fresh and frozen blueberries will work well, but will be a bit different. Fresh berries are what we’ve used for the pictures here. The blueberry flavor is a bit more spread out. Frozen blueberries will create more of a tie-dyed appearance, but taste just as delicious. No need to thaw them, just fold them right into the batter.
A pastry cutter is really the best tool for this job – it keeps the butter cold and cuts it into the dough without warming it up with your hands. If you don’t have one, you can grate frozen butter directly into the flour mixture and stir it in, which works really well. Two butter knives are an option in a pinch, but tricky in practice.
Yes! Shape and cut the scones, then freeze them on a baking sheet until solid before transferring to a freezer bag. Bake straight from frozen at 375°F, adding a few extra minutes to the bake time. It’s a great way to have fresh-baked scones on demand without any day-of prep.
Coffee Drinks to Serve with Scones
There are few breakfast pastries that aren’t made better with some sort of coffee, especially in my coffee-obsessed opinion! Here are a few to try:
More Brunch Recipes
If you’re putting together a brunch spread, consider adding a few of these items as well – we have sweet and savory options.
About the Author
Emily Dingmann is a recipe developer and founder of My Everyday Table, where she helps busy families take the stress out of weeknight dinners. With a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and almost 20 years of experience, Emily specializes in simple, nourishing recipes and weekly meal plans that actually work for everyday life. She’s a Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor who believes delicious food and good nutrition go hand in hand.
Get started: Weeknight Dinners Guide | Weekly Meal Plans | About Emily
Food styling and photography by Loren Runion.
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Recipe developed and tested by Chef Genevieve La Rocca of Two Cloves Kitchen.