Blueberry Scones

These blueberry scones are crisp on the outside, moist and buttery in the middle, and bursting with juicy berries. Perfect for breakfast or brunch!

Blueberry scones

The best scones are buttery, flaky, and moist inside. They’re crisp and crumbly around the edges, perfect for pairing with a cup of coffee or tea.

Scones can get a bad rap for being bland or dry (my husband Jack swore he didn’t like them for years), but when they’re prepared well, they shouldn’t be either of those things.

I’m sharing my favorite blueberry scones recipe below. It’s easy to make with 10 basic ingredients, and it yields tender, flavorful, bakery-worthy scones every time.

If you’re on the fence about scones, I think it’ll win you over. Even Jack will tell you that these blueberry scones are delicious for breakfast or brunch!

And tip: They’re not just good with blueberries. Find ideas for other mix-ins later on in this post!

How to make scones - working grated butter into flour mixture

How to Make Scones

This blueberry scones recipe starts with 10 basic ingredients:

Blueberry Scones Ingredients

  • All-purpose flourSpoon and level it to avoid packing too much into your measuring cup.
  • Cane sugar – For sweetness. I also sprinkle coarse sugar on top of the scones to create a crisp, golden brown crust.
  • Baking powder and an egg – To help the scones puff up as they bake.
  • Frozen butter – Yes, frozen! It won’t melt until you get the scones in the oven, which makes them tender and flaky. You’ll grate it on the large holes of a box grater before adding it to the scone dough.
  • Buttermilk – For moisture, richness, and a slightly tangy flavor. See alternatives in the callout below.
  • Blueberries – Fresh and frozen berries both work well here. Other add-ins are fair game too. Find my favorites under “Scone Flavor Variations” later on in this post.
  • Vanilla extract – For warm depth of flavor.
  • And sea salt – To make all the flavors pop!

Find the complete recipe with measurements below.

Buttermilk Alternatives

I love using buttermilk in these blueberry scones. It adds rich, tangy flavor in addition to moisture, and its acidity helps the scones rise.

But if you don’t keep it on hand, that’s ok! Here are a few alternatives:

  • Heavy cream
  • Full-fat coconut milk
  • A scant 1/2 cup milk mixed with 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice. Set the mixture aside for 5 minutes to thicken before adding it to the dough.

Tossing blueberries with butter and flour mixture

Preparing the Dough

To make these blueberry scones, start by whisking together the dry ingredients—the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.

Next, grate the frozen butter on the large holes of a box grater. Use your hands to work the butter shreds into the flour until the mixture looks like a coarse meal. You want some of the butter to stay in larger pieces. When they melt in the oven, they’ll give the scones a flaky texture.

Add the blueberries to the flour mixture and toss to distribute.

Adding wet ingredients to scone dough

Then, add the wet ingredients. Whisk together the buttermilk, egg, and vanilla in a medium bowl, and pour them over the flour mixture.

Mixing scone dough with spatula in mixing bowl

Use a spatula to mix until a shaggy dough forms. Then, switch to your hands and work in any remaining dry flour.

The dough should be soft, but not sticky. If it feels sticky, work in a little more flour. If it feels dry, work in a bit more buttermilk.

How to make scones - Forming dough into disk

Shaping the Scones

Form the dough into a ball and transfer it to a lightly floured surface.

Flatten it into a 7- to 8-inch disk about 1 inch thick.

Use a sharp knife to cut the dough into 8 equal wedges.

Slicing blueberry scones

Baking the Scones

Freeze the scones while you preheat the oven. Place them on a large plate or baking sheet and freeze for 15 minutes to chill the butter. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400°F.

Then, bake the scones. Remove them from the freezer, brush with buttermilk, and sprinkle with coarse sugar.

Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake until golden brown, 18 to 27 minutes.

Transfer to a wire rack to cool, or enjoy warm with butter, jam, honey, or lemon curd. These blueberry scones are also delicious plain!

Blueberry scones on baking sheet

Blueberry Scone Recipe Tips

  • Use grated frozen butter. Like a good pie crust, the best scones are flaky. They get this delicious texture when small pieces of butter in the dough melt in the oven, creating air pockets. If the butter melts before the scones go into the oven, while you’re working with the dough, these pockets won’t form. For perfect flaky scones, I use the same trick I did to make the flaky biscuits in my blueberry cobbler recipe: frozen grated butter. It’s very cold, and the small shreds don’t require much handling, so they won’t melt until they’re in the oven.
  • Freeze the scones before baking. It cools down the butter after you’ve worked it into the dough. Remember, cold butter=light and flaky scones.
  •  Work in more liquid or flour if necessary. If your scone dough feels too sticky or dry, don’t hesitate to add more flour or liquid, respectively. The exact ratio you’ll need can vary based on factors like the humidity in your kitchen, whether you’re using buttermilk or cream, etc. Just add a little at a time until you have a soft, workable dough.

Blueberry scones with glaze

Scone Flavor Variations

I love the juicy blueberries in these scones, but lots of other add-ins would work in this recipe! Feel free to use it as template to make any flavor of scone.

Here are a few of my favorite variations:

  • Lemon blueberry – Whisk 1 tablespoon lemon zest into the wet ingredients. Drizzle the scones with my easy lemon glaze.
  • Chocolate chip – Add a pinch of nutmeg to the dry ingredients. Replace the berries with 1/2 cup chocolate chips.
  • Currant or raisin – Add a pinch of cinnamon to the dry ingredients. Replace the berries with 1/2 cup dried currants or raisins.
  • Cranberry orange – Whisk 1 tablespoon orange zest into the wet ingredients. Replace the berries with 1/2 cup chopped dried cranberries.

Let me know what variations you try!

How to Freeze Scones

Once baked, scones keep well in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.

You can also freeze them. Seal baked scones in an airtight container or bag, and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let thaw at room temperature, or quickly defrost in the microwave.

Another option is to freeze the scones before baking. Freeze them for 1 hour on a plate or baking sheet. Then, store them in an airtight container or bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. Bake them straight from frozen, adding a minute or two to the baking time if needed.

With scone dough in the freezer, you can treat yourself to a freshly baked scone anytime you like!

Scones recipe

More Favorite Baking Recipes

If you love this recipe, try one of these easy baked goods next:

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Blueberry Scones

rate this recipe:
4.82 from 113 votes
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Serves 8
Buttery, flaky, and crisp around the edges, these easy scones are a delicious treat for breakfast or brunch. Feel free to experiment with different add-ins and flavors. Find my favorites in the blog post above!

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
  • ¼ cup cane sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, 1 stick, frozen
  • cups blueberries
  • ½ cup cold buttermilk, plus more for brushing*
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Coarse sugar, for sprinkling, optional

Instructions

  • Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
  • On the large holes of a box grater, grate the frozen butter. Add to the flour mixture and toss to coat. Use your hands to work the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Add the blueberries and toss to incorporate.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, egg, and vanilla, if using. Pour over the flour mixture and use a spatula to mix until a shaggy dough forms. Knead with your hands to incorporate any remaining dry flour. The dough should feel soft but not sticky. If it’s sticky, work in a bit more flour. If it’s dry, drizzle in a little more buttermilk. Form the dough into a ball.
  • Transfer the dough ball to a lightly floured surface and form it into a 7- to 8-inch disk about 1 inch thick. Slice into 8 equal wedges and transfer to the prepared baking sheet.
  • Freeze the scones for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400°F.
  • Remove the scones from the freezer and brush with buttermilk. Sprinkle with coarse sugar, if using. Bake for 18 to 27 minutes, or until golden brown on top.
  • Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Notes

*If you don't keep buttermilk on hand, substitute heavy cream or full-fat coconut milk. Another simple substitute is a scant 1/2 cup milk mixed with 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice. Set the mixture aside for 5 minutes to thicken before adding to the dough.

 

192 comments

4.82 from 113 votes (33 ratings without comment)

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Rate this recipe (after making it)




  1. Jennifer Miller
    12.24.2021

    5 stars
    The BEST scones ever! Can’t wait to make this again with fresh clotted cream! Also, I was able to use frozen blueberries successfully as well. Thank you Love and Lemons! ❤️ ?

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      12.24.2021

      I’m so glad you loved them!

  2. Soula
    09.26.2021

    5 stars
    SO easy and quick to make! SO delicious! They don’t last in my house! Everyone loves them! Thank-you!

  3. Kristen Jellison
    04.28.2021

    Made it. Doubled it. Chilled the dough. Cut the triangles.
    Realized I never added the sugar. ?‍♀️

  4. Jane Higgins
    04.26.2021

    1 star
    The recipe was too complex and lengthy, and I dont feel the end product was worth it… sorry to anyone who loves this recipe

  5. Valencia
    02.01.2021

    Hi, may I substitute the heavy cream with full cream milk?

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      02.01.2021

      That should be fine!

  6. Caroline
    12.25.2020

    These are perfection! I added some ginger instead of the tea…outstanding!
    Thank you for the only scone recipe I will ever need…

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      12.25.2020

      I’m so glad you loved them!

  7. Brooke
    12.07.2020

    5 stars
    Love this recipe! Can you do half brown sugar and half cane sugar as well?

  8. I don’t have heavy cream. Will 1/2&1/2 suffice?

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      04.30.2020

      that should be fine!

  9. Rachel
    04.29.2020

    Loved this recipe! I didn’t have chamomile tea so I subbed in a bag of chai and it added some nice warm spice-y notes. Thanks!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      05.03.2020

      Hi Rachel, I’m so glad you loved them!

  10. Heather
    04.07.2020

    These look so yummy! I’d like to try using King Arthur’s GF flour instead – do you think that would work?

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      04.07.2020

      Hi Heather, I’ve had really dry results by swapping King Arthur’s GF flour in another similar recipe (a biscuit recipe), so I’m not sure it’d be great here.

  11. Beth
    11.03.2019

    5 stars
    These came out great and I’m surprised because I usually have trouble with baking 🙂 I made the cranberry/orange zest version and they were gobbled up in no time!

  12. Averie
    10.28.2019

    This recipe looks delicious! I’ll be sure to make it for my family.

  13. Grace
    07.04.2019

    5 stars
    These were delightfully easy to make and they were so tasty that they were all eaten before I had a chance to take any pics! Will definitely make these again (and maybe try making some Devon cream to go with). Thanks for sharing.

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      07.10.2019

      I’m so glad you enjoyed them!

  14. These look so good! I have yet to make a successful scone, but these directions make it seem very easy!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      07.10.2019

      they were very easy!

  15. Stella from swa.uonbi.ac.ke
    06.26.2019

    I can’t stop salivating … definitely baking this tonight Yum….

  16. Annette Barnes
    06.22.2019

    5 stars
    I made these blueberry scones a few days ago and it turned out absolutely delicious! Not too sugary, tender on the inside, crusty on the outside! My kids loved it so much. Thank you, Jeanine and Jack, for sharing this recipe with us!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      06.22.2019

      Hi Annette, I’m so glad you enjoyed them!

  17. Quiz Lover
    06.16.2019

    Ooh, these look exquisite and yummy! Can’t wait to whip it up soon! 🙂

  18. Quiz Lover
    06.16.2019

    Ooh, these look exquisite and yummy! Can’t wait to whip it up soon!

  19. Pam from Innbtween.com
    06.16.2019

    This sounds like a nice recipe and I love the idea of adding chamomile tea to the cream. Would you freeze them after you bake them or before?

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      06.16.2019

      Hi Pam, I freeze them after I bake them. I hope you enjoy the recipe!

  20. Natalie from lilcookie.com
    06.15.2019

    5 stars
    I love homemade scones! Looks so delicious and perfect for weekend brunch.

    • "Peter Drake" Hexham
      06.07.2021

      5 stars
      Totally agree. A little bit of heaven
      “Peter Drake” (teacher)
      Hexham
      Northumberland

      • John Davison
        06.07.2021

        5 stars
        Hear Hear “Peter Drake” of Hexham
        John Davison

A food blog with fresh, zesty recipes.
Photograph of Jeanine Donofrio and Jack Mathews in their kitchen

Hello, we're Jeanine and Jack.

We love to eat, travel, cook, and eat some more! We create & photograph vegetarian recipes from our home in Chicago, while our shiba pups eat the kale stems that fall on the kitchen floor.