Description
This is the best recipe for blueberry scones! They’re tender, flaky and super scrumptious. The addition of lemon zest in the dough, and the optional vanilla glaze bring these delicious baked goods to the next level!
Ingredients
Scale
LEMON BLUEBERRY SCONES
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (plus extra for dusting)
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2–1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- Zest of one large lemon
- 1 stick butter (8 tablespoons), frozen
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, very cold
- 1 large egg, very cold
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup fresh blueberries, rinsed and very well dried
OPTIONAL: VANILLA GLAZE
- 1 cup powdered sugar (confectioners sugar)
- 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
LEMON BLUEBERRY SCONES
- Adjust oven rack to the center position. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- In a large bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest.
- Grate the frozen butter. Add it to the mixing bowl. Use either a pastry cutter or a Danish dough whisk to cut the wispy flakes of butter into the dry ingredients. The mixture should resemble coarse meal.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the heavy cream, egg and vanilla. Add this wet mixture to the dry ingredients. Gently mix until everything comes together nicely. The dough will be thick and slightly sticky. Don’t over-mix!
- Add the blueberries (make sure they are completely dry, no moisture!) to the dough. Flour your clean hands. Gently, slowly, carefully fold the blueberries into the dough, trying your best not to pop them. An excessive amount of popped blueberries will cause the scones to become soggy.
- Form the dough into a ball. Transfer it to a lightly-floured board. Gently pat down and shape the dough into an 8-inch wide disk. With a lightly-floured bench scraper (or a large, very sharp kitchen knife), cut the disk into 8 even pieces. Place the wedges on a lined baking tray. Leave enough space between each.
- Bake for 16-18 minutes. Remove the scones from the oven as soon as they become just barely golden! Don’t over-bake them or they’ll become hard and dry. Allow the scones to cool on the baking tray for 5 minutes before glazing and serving.
OPTIONAL: VANILLA GLAZE
- Whisk together: powdered sugar, lemon juice, vanilla
- With a small spoon, drizzle the glaze over the top of each warm scone.
Equipment
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EXPERT TIPS FOR THE BEST SCONES
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- HOW TO MAKE FLAKY SCONES: The butter, milk and eggs must all be very cold! Cold fat is essential for making flaky scones. If time allows, place the tray of unbaked scones in the freezer for 25-30 minutes before baking. The chilled fat will help produce a batch of nice flaky scones!
- HOW FREEZING BUTTER MAKES A FLAKIER DOUGH: Adding delicate flakes of frozen, grated butter to the flour mixture makes it fast and easy to cut the butter into the dry ingredients. Those light wispy flakes also create dozens of tiny pockets that allow the dough to puff up while baking. This easy expert tip produces insanely flaky scones!
- CAN LOW-FAT DAIRY BE SUBSTITUTED FOR HEAVY CREAM? Always use heavy cream. If you use a lower-fat dairy option as a substitute, there won’t be enough fat to produce soft tender scones. The result will be disappointing!
- HOW TO PREVENT SCONES FROM BECOMING TOUGH: When combining the wet and dry ingredients, don’t over-mix the dough! When baking the scones, remove them from the oven when they become just a tad lightly brown. Over-baked scones will be hard and dry.
- HOW TO PREVENT SOGGY SCONES: Make sure your washed fruit is completely dry before adding it to the dough.
- HOW TO MAKE SOFT-SIDED BLUEBERRY SCONES: Place scones very close together on the baking tray, or transfer the entire (sliced) disk of dough onto to your cookie sheet as one piece.
- Prep Time: 12 Minutes
- Cook Time: 16 Minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American