This is my go-to scone recipe bursting with fresh blueberries and zingy lemon zest, and topped with a sweet lemon icing. These glazed lemon blueberry scones are soft and tender in the middle, with crisp-crumbly edges, and simply perfect for brunch, tea parties, bridal showers, or really any time at all!
I originally published this recipe in 2015 and have since added new photos and success tips. These have become such a fan favorite that I included the recipe in my New York Times best-selling cookbook, Sally’s Baking 101.
When you think of breakfast treats, do scones come to mind first? In a bakery-case lineup of cinnamon rolls, donuts, muffins, croissants and other pastries, the humble scone doesn’t always get the prime spot or the most attention… but it absolutely should. With the right recipe, scones easily compete with muffins, pastries, and—yes!—even cinnamon rolls.
This lemon blueberry scone recipe in particular has received so much love over the years from readers who have tried it, that I wanted to shine the spotlight on it once again. Here are just a few of the many glowing reviews readers have shared after making these scones:
One reader, Andrea, commented: “Literally the best scone recipe! Grating the frozen butter is a game changer. Everyone comments on how wonderful these scones are… ★★★★★”
Another reader, Susan, commented: “I’m so glad I found this recipe! Absolutely delicious scones. Exactly what I was looking for, as I wasn’t satisfied with other scone recipes I’ve tried. This will be my forever scone recipe! I loved the tip about freezing and grating the butter. What a good idea! ★★★★★”
And one more reader, Claudia, commented: “Easy to make and came out perfectly! This was my first time making scones and these came out so good! Easy-to-follow directions and can be made ahead or frozen! ★★★★★”
If you can’t get enough of my lemon blueberry muffins, you’ll definitely love these scones, as well!
These Lemon Blueberry Scones Are:
- Soft & tender in the center, with crumbly edges
- Packed with juicy blueberries and fresh lemon zest
- Topped with coarse sugar and lemon icing for a sweet finish
All of my scone recipes begin with the same base recipe for scones. A few ingredients change based on flavor, but the process remains the same. This careful formula brings us chocolate chip scones, blueberry scones, pumpkin scones, apple cinnamon scones, and more. It promises the BEST flavor and texture.
Why the Ingredients Promise the Best Results:
- Flour: 2 cups of all-purpose flour is my standard amount, but have some extra on the side for the work surface and your hands.
- Sugar: Scones aren’t meant to be super sweet, so we’re using just enough granulated sugar to lightly sweeten and balance out the tart lemon flavor. You can top them with coarse sugar and icing if you want a sweeter scone, or leave them plain on top to keep these lightly sweet.
- Baking Powder: Adds lift.
- Salt & Vanilla Extract: Add flavor.
- Lemon Zest: You need a full Tablespoon of lemon zest, which is about 2 lemons. Zest the lemons for the scone dough, then juice them to make the lemon icing.
- Cold Butter: Besides flour, cold butter is the main ingredient in scones. It adds flavor, flakiness, crisp edges, and rise. More on butter below!
- Heavy Cream: For the best-tasting pastries, use a thick liquid such as heavy cream. Buttermilk works too! For a nondairy option, try using full-fat canned coconut milk. Avoid thinner liquids such as regular milk or almond milk—you’ll be headed down a one-way street to flat, dry scones.
- Egg: Binds ingredients together.
- Blueberries: For best results, use fresh blueberries. If using frozen, do not thaw.
In Photos: Making Lemon Blueberry Scones
You’ll start with the dry ingredients. Whisk those together with the lemon zest, then cut cold butter into the dry ingredient mixture. You can use a pastry cutter, 2 forks, or your hands. A food processor works too, but it often overworks the scone dough. We want to avoid that.
Success Tip: Use Frozen Grated Butter
Frozen grated butter is key to scone success. As with pie crust, work cold butter into the dry ingredients to create tons of flour-coated butter crumbs. When these crumbs melt as the scones bake, they release steam, which creates all the scone flakiness we love. The exterior becomes crumbly, crunchy, and crisp.
Refrigerated butter might melt in the dough as you work with it, but frozen butter will hold out until the oven. And the finer the pieces of cold butter, the less the scones spread and the quicker the butter mixes into the dry ingredients. I recommend grating the frozen butter with a box grater. Use the side with the larger holes.
After cutting the frozen, grated butter in with a pastry cutter, you’ll have a bowl of tiny flour-coated crumbles:
Place the bowl of dry ingredients in the freezer while you get your wet ingredients together. We want to keep things as cold as possible when it comes to making scones.
Now, whisk the wet ingredients together, then pour into the dry ingredients. Add the blueberries, then gently mix together:
Form the dough into a disc, then cut into 8 wedges.
Before baking, brush the scones with heavy cream mixed with water, and sprinkle with coarse sugar. This is one of my little scone tricks. These extras add a bakery-style sparkly crunch and beautiful golden sheen. 🙂
I know I sound like a broken record, but to obtain the desired flaky center and a crumbly exterior, you really have to keep the scone dough as cold as possible. I highly recommend chilling the shaped scones for at least 15 minutes before baking. You can even refrigerate overnight and then bake in the morning, for a quick and easy breakfast treat!
After they’ve chilled, bake the scones until just turning golden brown on top.
Video Tutorial
If you’re interested, I have a 5-minute video demonstrating the scone recipe. I’m making regular blueberry scones in this video, but the process is the same.
2-Ingredient Lemon Glaze
Lemon juice and confectioners’ sugar produce a sweet & tangy lemon icing. The icing seeps into the tops of the scones making these sunshine-y treats almost more than you can handle. They’re so good!!! Vanilla icing or lemon curd would be equally fabulous topping choices, too.
How lovely would a plate of these flavorful scones look on your table of Easter Brunch recipes, or for a special afternoon tea?
More Lemon Recipes
- Lemon Blueberry Cake & Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes
- Lemony Blueberry Galette
- Lemon Bars
- Lemon Blueberry Babka
- Homemade Lemon Cupcakes
- Lemon Meringue Pie
- Lemon Crinkle Cookies
Lemon Blueberry Scones
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 8 large scones
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
This is my go-to scone recipe bursting with fresh blueberries and zingy lemon zest, and topped with a sweet lemon icing. These glazed lemon blueberry scones are soft and tender in the middle, with crisp-crumbly edges, and simply perfect for brunch, tea parties, bridal showers, or really any time at all! Read through the recipe before beginning; it’s imperative to keep the scone dough as cold as possible. This recipe is also in my New York Times best-selling cookbook, Sally’s Baking 101.
Ingredients
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled), plus more for hands and work surface
- 6 Tablespoons (75g) granulated sugar
- 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon zest
- 2 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, frozen
- 1/2 cup + 1 Tablespoon (135g/ml) heavy cream, cold and divided
- 1 large egg, cold
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 heaping cup (140g) fresh blueberries
- 1 Tablespoon (15g/ml) water
- optional for topping: coarse sugar
Lemon Icing
- 1 cup (120g) confectioners’ sugar
- 3 Tablespoons (45g/ml) fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, lemon zest, baking powder, and salt. Using the large holes of a box grater, shred the frozen butter. Add the butter to the flour mixture and use a pastry cutter, two forks, or your fingers to blend until the mixture comes together in pea-sized crumbs. Place the bowl in the freezer before you continue.
- In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk together 1/2 cup (120g/ml) of the heavy cream, the egg, and vanilla extract. Remove the flour mixture from the freezer. Drizzle the cream mixture over the flour mixture and add the blueberries. Gently mix together with a spatula or wooden spoon until everything appears moistened and the ingredients are just combined.
- Lightly flour a work surface. Pour the crumbly mixture onto the surface and, with floured hands, work the dough into a ball as best you can. The dough should be sticky and shaggy. If it’s too sticky, sprinkle a little more flour on top. Press the dough into an 8-inch disc, about 1 inch thick. Use a sharp knife or a bench scraper to cut the disc into 8 wedges.
- In a small bowl, mix the remaining 1 Tablespoon cream with the water, then brush it on the scones. For extra sweetness and a little crunch, sprinkle the tops with coarse sugar. (You can do this before or after refrigerating in the next step.) Place the scones on a plate or a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes or up to 24 hours. (If refrigerating for more than an hour, lightly cover the scones.)
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Arrange the chilled scones 2–3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 22–25 minutes or until lightly browned on top and golden around the edges. Cool the scones on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before icing.
- Make the lemon icing: In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk together the confectioners’ sugar and lemon juice. Drizzle the icing over the scones.
- Store leftover scones covered tightly at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Glass Mixing Bowl | Whisk | Box Grater | Pastry Cutter | Citrus Juicer | Citrus Zester | Bench Scraper | Brush | Baking Sheet | Silicone Baking Mat or Parchment Paper
- Sugar: These scones are sweet, but feel free to increase to 1/2 cup (100g) of granulated sugar for sweeter scones.
- Blueberries: For best results, use fresh blueberries. If you must use frozen, do not thaw.
- Freeze Before Baking: Freeze scone dough wedges on a plate or baking sheet for 1 hour. Once relatively frozen, they won’t stick together, and you can layer them in a freezer-friendly bag or container. Bake from frozen, adding a few minutes to the bake time. Or thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then bake as directed.
- Freeze After Baking: Freeze the baked and cooled scones before topping with icing. I usually freeze in a freezer-friendly bag or container. To thaw, leave out on the counter for a few hours or overnight in the refrigerator. Warm in the microwave for 30 seconds or on a baking sheet in a 300°F (149°C) oven for 10 minutes.
- Overnight Instructions: Prepare scones through step 4. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Continue with step 5 the next day.
- Over-spreading: Start with very cold scone dough. Expect some spread, but if the scones are over-spreading as they bake, remove from the oven and press back into its triangle shape (or whatever shape) using a rubber spatula.
Reader Comments and Reviews
This was the first time I’ve ever made scones…..and these came out absolutely delicious! Thanks for the recipe.
I made these this morning and they were delicious! I did not do the topping, but did add a little lemon juice to the dough. Thank you so much for sharing!
I made these last weekend…AMAZING. I added cinnamon to the glaze, huge points with my wife! Thank you!
I made these today and they were absolute perfection! Thank you for another wonderful recipe.
Damn! I want to try these they look amazing!! Would it work with other berries like raspberries or blackberries as well?
Absolutely! Same amount.
These scones are absolutely fabulous! Thank you for a terrific recipe, with very clear direction.
I’ve made this recipe twice now and getting ready to make another batch for Father’s Day brunch. Thank you, everyone loves it! I make smaller scones, getting 16 out of this recipe and serve with my homemade lemon curd – so good. I think the hint to grate frozen butter makes all the difference. Again thanks.
Mother of Scones!
I tried this recipe a year ago and… lost it. Every similar recipe I tried – they never went perfect like my first load. Today I cleaned up my bookmarks on my mobile and ohmygosh THERE IT IS! Frozen butter was the key! I will make them soon for my birthday because they are so much better than every cake and cookies, yumm! Thank you SO much for this wonderful recipe and your amusing way to reveal your scony secret 😉
Sally these are the most delicious treat I ever had, my neighbor made them for me several times, she adds 1 cup crushed or finely chopped walnuts, they are fantastic!!! thanks so much for sharing this recipe.
I made these yesterday and they were sheer perfection! I used frozen blueberries that I rinsed several times and coated them in a little flour before I folded them into the batter. Can’t wait to make another batch.
Absolutely perfect. My friends loved and devoured them. Thanks a lot for this recipe!
I made these last night with the frozen grated butter as you suggested and it was amazing! I was Leary because every scone recipe I’ve made has been dry but not this one! Wow, the flavor was incredible! Out of the 8, I’ve eaten 6 in less than 24 hours. Yum! I also used frozen blueberries. Thanks for the recipe!
Thanks Sally for making me scone obsessed! After trying your recipes, which by the way were so easy to follow, I have not stopped baking scones. Everyone loves them so much that they say they are the best scones they have ever eaten! Gave one to my soaking wet mail lady the other day to make her day a little sunny and warmer since it had been raining so hard that day and today she thanked me for the best treat ever. Thanks again and now I will try more of your other amazing recipes!
Just made these scones and they were fantastic!! Better than most I have purchased or had in restaurants.
I made the recipe exactly as written with great outcome. Saving this recipe for sure!
I have a few of your baked goods – cut out cookie which were perfect and the apple crumb muffins also perfect! I wanted scones and thought instantly to go search your recipes. I made these except subbed fresh frozen cranberries since it’s what I had. Holy moly these are amazing!!! The best scones ! Light and almost moist but still sconish! not dry heavy like most scones. My whole family loved them. Even my oldest daughter whose is not a scone or muffins fan!
I made these yesterday to take to a tea. They were my first attempt at scones and they were amazing! Everyone loved them and I can’t wait to make another batch. Thanks for a great recipe.
I’ve never made these before and they came out delicious. I didn’t have full cream and used half n half in place, still delicious. My picky eaters even loved it!
FANTASTIC recipe!!!! FANTASTIC scones!
I made the scones with fresh blueberries from the bushes on our property. I used a bit more than a cup.
Absolutely moist and delicious! Held shape well. The perfect amount of tartness and sweetness. I used the glaze for half, and a simple sugar topping for the other half. I received rave reviews!
I followed the recipe to the letter with one exception. I used salted butter so I omitted the salt.
The recipe is definitely a keeper and I will be making it again.
These were the most delicious scones I have ever had in my life– the perfect flavor! Thank you for this recipe, I will be making these again and again!
Great recipe. The lemon added such a brightness.
I made these for the first time this morning, exactly as it is written and they were absolutely perfect. My family was very impressed and yes, we felt a little fancy! Pinkies up! 🙂 Thanks Sally, another great one here.
Scones have been on my baking bucket list for a while now and I’m glad this was the first recipe I tried! They were amazing and totally hit the spot! Dangerously good and I’m hooked! I’ve never had scones fresh out of the oven before and now I never want them any other way! Thanks for sharing!! I love your site!
These are literally the best scones on the planet. I have tried countless scone recipes and this one is now my absolute favourite. The ONLY thing I changed was to mix the blueberries in with the dry ingredients BEFORE adding the wet ingredients. This way you don’t end up with smashed berries, because honestly the first time I made the recipe I realized there is no way I am going to be able to “slowly and gently incorporate the berries”…. it just made a really big mess. Thank you so much for posting this recipe! Love, love, love! 🙂
Hi Sally! Made these scones for brunch today and they were fantastic! I was a bit skeptical about freezing and grating the butter in but I really think that’s what did the trick! They were so moist and light and the perfectly lemony! I’m keeping this on in my go to file! Thanks!
-Chris
Hi Sally! I recently learned I’m lactose intolerant…can I substitute almond milk for the heavy cream in these?
Hi Beth! You could, but the texture and flavor will change. Not as rich, nor as tender in the centers. Let me know if you try them.
Thanks Sally! I tried the recipe with blue diamond vanilla almond milk. The dough was unbelievably sticky, so I put the edge of my springform pan down on my baking sheet to help mush the dough into an 8in circle. I baked it in one big circle and then sliced it into wedges when it had cooled for 10 mins or so, and it worked great! They are moist and have great flavor. I posted a photo on Instagram and used your hashtag so you could see!! Thanks for your help 🙂
I made these with gluten free flour and they turned out delicious! However the dough turned out incredibly goopy (pretty normal with GF flour). So they were a mess to get onto the baking sheet and turned into one big scone in the oven. Next time I’ll add a bit more flour, or just drop them on the sheet with a spoon instead of trying to bake them out. I also used regular cream mixed with milk because it was all I had at hand. They were golden and done in 20 minutes and I divided them up and made the glaze – result: BEST scones I’ve ever made. The frozen grated butter is genius. So soft and fluffy, oh my!
Looks like I have found my go-to scone recipe (because what responsible adult shouldn’t have a go-to scone recipe?)! They turned out just beautifully and I couldn’t stop myself from eating two still warm from the oven.
I made these scones today and they were SO yummy. Moist on the inside and crisp on the outside. The scones were a lot more light and delicate compared to more dense scones I’ve tried. I used spelt flour and it gave more of a course texture, but still very yummy if you wanted a little healthier version. I bet the all-purpose flour would have been even better! I baked the scones for 20 minutes on the lower part of the oven and they got a little too brown on the bottoms. I will check around 15 minutes next time for my oven 🙂 Thank you Sally, I can’t wait to make these for my family on easter!
Sally just made your blueberry scones with lemon glaze and my family went crazy over them. I had a blueberry scone from Panera’s the other day and I must say your scone was by far superior. Thanks for making my recipe day.
Pardon me, but these are amazing scones! Just finished a batch and know I will never need another scone recipe. Moist and perfect texture! The only thing I changed was using a combination of honey, lemon juice and vanilla for the glaze. It was all very amazing! Thank you for sharing the recipe with us!