This lemon blueberry scones recipe comes together in about 15 minutes in one bowl! They are light and crumbly, full of blueberries, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Top the scones with a lemon glaze for even more bright flavor!

Take note: These are not just blueberry scones with a lemon glaze. These are lemon and blueberry scones! There is loads of lemon zest and lemon juice in the scone dough, making the sweetness of the blueberries shine.
Despite their fancy English reputation, scones are surprisingly easy to make. It's a simple dough, all you have to do is keep your ingredients cold.
They don't even have to look pretty. In fact, the more imperfect the better. Bring on those bumps, crags and crevices!
If you're looking for more blueberry recipes, try my blueberry compote, or these Blueberry Yogurt Parfaits for an easy breakfast. My Mixed Berry Cake is good any time and is also loaded with lemon!
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Lemon blueberry scones ingredients
Blueberry scone dough:
- All-purpose flour: When measuring your flour, be sure to use a spoon to scoop the flour into the measuring cups instead of dipping the cup into the flour. When you dip the cup directly into it, the flour gets packed down too tightly, and you're actually grabbing way more flour than you need, which will make your scones too dry.
- Baking powder and baking soda: Both of these rising agents are necessary to create the perfect texture and crumb.
- Granulated sugar: Remember, scones are not supposed to be very sweet, and these lemon blueberry scones are no exception. There's only ยผ cup of sugar in the whole thing!
- Kosher salt: Because most sweet things need a little salt to balance the flavors.
- Cold unsalted butter: KEEP THE BUTTER COLD, just like when you're making pie crust! If you have time to pop it into the freezer for a few minutes, even better!
- Blueberries: You can use fresh blueberries or frozen blueberries straight from the freezer, I actually like frozen ones better! They keep the scone dough cold and are not as delicate when you're mixing.
- Heavy cream: Heavy cream adds fat and strikes the right balance between a scone being crumbly and flaky.
- Egg: To bind the scone dough together and add richness.
- Lemon juice and zest: Freshly squeezed lemon juice adds brightness and tartness to the scone recipe that balances the sweetness of the blueberries. The lemon zest adds a floral aroma. I always recommend using the citrus zest when using the juice.
Lemon scone glaze:
- Powdered sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest: So simple, and you can adjust the ratios of lemon juice to sugar to make the scone glaze the consistency that you like best.
How to make lemon blueberry scones
Step 1: Zest and juice the lemon
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Use a microplane grater to zest the lemons, then juice them and set aside.
Step 2: Mix the dry ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, granulated sugar, baking soda, and baking powder.
Step 3: Add the butter
Cut the cold butter into cubes, add to the flour mixture, and toss to coat.
Pro Tip
If you have time, place the cubed butter in the freezer for 10-15 minutes. This will help keep the dough very cold and ensure your lemon blueberry scones rise properly.
Use a pastry blender or your fingers to work the butter into the flour until it is the size of small peas.
Step 4: Add the blueberries
Add the blueberries to the flour/butter mixture and toss to coat. This is important! The coating of flour helps keep the blueberries from sinking in the dough or leaking too much.
Step 5: Add the liquid ingredients, mix the scone dough
Lightly beat the egg. Make a well in the center of the bowl and pour the cream, egg, 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon of lemon zest into it. Use a fork and start making circles, pulling the flour mixture into center to mix with the wet ingredients.
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Continue to gently mix with a fork until most of the flour is mixed in and you have a shaggy dough. Make sure there isn't a bunch of flour left in bottom of the bowl.
The dough will look kind of dry, and this is correct.
Step 6: Shape the lemon blueberry scones
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and bring it together with your hands. I also like to use a bench scraper to fold it a couple of times to add some flaky layers.
Gently press the dough into a circle or a square. (or a squarish circle, which is usually the case for me.) You'll have dry bits of dough and bumps and cracks and these are all good things!
Use a bench scraper or a large knife to cut the scones into 8 wedges.
Transfer the wedges to the parchment-lined baking sheet and brush the tops with heavy cream. Sprinkle some of them or all of them with turbinado sugar if desired.
Step 7: Bake!
Bake the lemon blueberry scones for 25-30 minutes, until the tops are lightly golden and the berries begin to burst.
Allow to cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet so they set up. If not serving immediately, gently slide the parchment paper with the scones onto a cooling rack. If making glazed scones, allow them to cool for 10-15 minutes before glazing.
Step 8: Make the lemon glaze
While the blueberry scones cool, make the lemon glaze. Zest and juice another lemon. Combine powdered sugar, fresh lemon juice and lemon zest in a small bowl and whisk until smooth.
If you find it too thin, add more sugar, if too thick, add more lemon juice until you reach the consistency you like. Serve glazed scones immediately for the best texture.
Expert tips
- If using fresh blueberries, pop them into the freezer for 30-60 minutes: Briefly freezing the blueberries will help keep the lemon scone dough cold, and keep the berries from bursting when you're still trying to shape the scones.
- If your scone dough got too warm when shaping: If you feel like the dough is getting warm, pop it into the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes. This can be at any stage of the process: immediately after the dough comes together, once you've shaped the dough but haven't cut it, or after you've cut the individual scones.
- Don't overwork the dough: Work quickly and don't overmix the dough to ensure the scones remain tender.
- The dough may have dry bits and that's okay: When bringing the dough together, there may still be some dry bits of flour and this is a good thing. This is what creates those craggy cracks and crevices in the scones that get golden brown as they bake.
- If you want perfectly rounded scone edges: To me, the charm of a scone is in its imperfection (and I'm a Virgo!), but if you must have the most even wedges, gently press the scone dough into a round, parchment-lined cake pan, (or use the ring of a springform pan) then turn it out and cut unto wedges.
How to store lemon blueberry scones
Blueberry lemon scones are best the day they are made, especially if they are glazed. But they are an excellent baked treat to make ahead and freeze, too!
- To store: Moisture is the enemy of scones, so if possible, only put the lemon glaze on the scones that you know you'll eat right away. Store leftovers lightly covered with foil at room temperature for up to two days as you would a fruit pie. After that they can be transferred to an airtight container and be stored in the refrigerator for two more days.
- To freeze: Blueberry lemon scones freeze well, so if you want a make-ahead treat to have at the ready, this is your recipe! Please note that scones without the lemon glaze do freeze better than glazed scones. (But if you've already added it, no worries.) Allow the scones to cool to room temperature, then wrap them tightly in foil and freeze for up to two months. You can also freeze unbaked scones on a baking sheet, then wrap individually. Bake them directly from frozen according to the recipe, you may have to add a couple of minutes to the baking time.
- Reheating: If reheating frozen baked scones, allow them to thaw at room temperature for 1 hour first. For thawed, refrigerated, or leftover lemon blueberry scones, unwrap them and place on a parchment-lined sheet pan in the oven at 300 degrees F until warmed through.
FAQ
Biscuit dough has a lot more moisture, and it's a laminated dough, meaning you're going to get actual layers as they bake. Scone dough has less liquid and more fat, giving you a light and crumbly texture.
Yes! Scone dough can be made up to 3 days ahead of time. Just gently shape it into a disc, then wrap it in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator until ready to slice and bake.
You can substitute half and half, but the scones won't be as tender. I wouldn't advise using milk because there's just not enough fat in it.
More scones recipes
Scones are one of my favorite things to bake, because they really are so easy and quick!
- Strawberry Scones are like waking up to summer sunshine, they're perfect for Valentine's Day or Mother's Day!
- Pumpkin Scones are everything you want with your coffee or tea once fall rolls around!
Lemon blueberry scones are easy, quick, and delicious!
- The scone dough is made in one bowl!
- Go from mixing your dough to eating your scones in less than one hour.
- Use fresh or frozen blueberries so they can be made in any season!
- Make lemon glazed scones or just top them with sugar for extra crunch.
- So convenient: make the scone dough ahead, freeze them baked or un-baked!
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Recipe
Lemon Blueberry Scones Recipe
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Equipment
- bench scraper optional
Ingredients
Lemon Blueberry Scones
- 3 cups flour
- ¼ cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter cold, see note
- 1¼ cup blueberries fresh or frozen, see note
- 1 egg
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoons heavy cream plus more to brush on top
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- turbinado sugar Optional, sprinkle on top of desired
Lemon Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- zest of one lemon
- 2-3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Use a microplane grater to zest the lemons, then juice them and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, granulated sugar, baking soda, and baking powder.
- Cut the cold butter into cubes, add to the flour mixture, and toss to coat. Use a pastry blender or your fingers to work the butter into the flour until it is the size of small peas.
- Add the blueberries to the flour/butter mixture and toss to coat. This is important! The coating of flour helps keep the blueberries from sinking in the dough or leaking too much.
- Lightly beat the egg. Make a well in the center of the bowl and pour the cream, the egg, 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon of lemon zest into it. Use a fork and start making circles, pulling the flour mixture into the center to mix with the wet ingredients.
- Continue to gently mix with a fork until most of the flour is mixed in and you have a shaggy dough. Make sure there isn't a bunch of flour left in the bottom of the bowl. The dough will look kind of dry in spots, and this is correct.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and bring it together with your hands. I also like to use a bench scraper to gently fold it a couple of times to add some flaky layers.
- Gently press the dough into a circle or a square. (or a squarish circle, which is usually the case for me.) You'll have dry bits of dough and bumps and cracks and these are all good things!
- Use a bench scraper or a large knife to cut the scones into 8 wedges. Transfer the wedges to the prepared baking sheet and brush the tops with heavy cream. Sprinkle some of them or all of them with turbinado sugar if desired.
- Bake the lemon blueberry scones for 25-30 minutes, until the tops are lightly golden and the berries begin to burst.
- Allow to cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet so they set up. If not serving immediately, gently slide the parchment paper with the scones onto a cooling rack. If making glazed scones, allow them to cool for 10-15 minutes before glazing.
Lemon Glaze
- While the scones are cooling, zest and juice another lemon. Combine the powdered sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest in a small bowl and whisk until smooth. If you find it too thin, add more sugar, if too thick, add more lemon juice until you reach the consistency you like. Drizzle the glaze over the scones or ice them completely!
Notes
- Put the butter in the freezer: I love this trick! I cube my butter, then put it in the freezer for 10-15 minutes to ensure it stays cold while mixing.
- If using fresh blueberries, pop them into the freezer for 30-60 minutes: Briefly freezing the blueberries will help keep the lemon scone dough cold, and keep the berries from bursting when you're still trying to shape the scones.
- If your scone dough got too warm when shaping: If you feel like the dough is getting warm, pop it into the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes. This can be at any stage of the process: immediately after the dough comes together, once you've shaped the dough but haven't cut it, or after you've cut the individual scones.
- Don't overwork the dough: Work quickly and don't overmix the dough to ensure the scones remain tender.
- The dough may have dry bits and that's okay: When bringing the dough together, there may still be some dry bits of flour and this is a good thing. This is what creates those craggy cracks and crevices in the scones that get golden brown as they bake.
- If you want perfectly rounded scone edges: To me, the charm of a scone is in its imperfection (and I'm a Virgo!), but if you must have the most even wedges, gently press the scone dough into a round, parchment-lined cake pan, (or use the ring from a springform pan) then turn it out and cut unto wedges.
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