Last updated on September 8th, 2024
These classic Blueberry Lemon Scones are made with fresh-picked berries, and pack a punch of tanginess from the combination of lemon and buttermilk.
How to make Blueberry Lemon Scones
Blueberry Scone Ingredients:
Using blueberries in baked goods:
- To help distribute berries evenly into your batter, toss them first into a little bit of flour or cornstarch.
- After you pick fresh berries, put them in them in an air-tight container and store in the fridge for 1-2 weeks.
- To freeze blueberries, place berries on a 1/2 sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Do not wash them as their natural coating helps preserve them. Spread in a single layer and freeze for 1 hour. Place berries in ziploc bags or vacuum seal them for up to 8-10 months.
- Do not thaw the blueberries before adding them to the dough. Thawed berries may release too much liquid and turn your batter blue.
- The easiest way to fold in the berries, is to pat dough out on to the floured Silpat, place berries on top, fold over edges and pat out again into a round or rectangle shape.
How to zest & juice fresh lemons:
- By adding freshly grated lemon zest and a bit of lemon juice, it will add some zing to the blueberries and brighten the batter.
- Be sure to put lemons on the counter the day you plan to use them. Room temperature lemons will yield more lemon juice than lemons straight out of the fridge.
- The easiest and best tool for zesting citrus is a microplane.
- After you zest the lemon, use a handheld citrus squeezer or a glass citrus reamer.
Use buttermilk for tender baked goods:
- If purchasing buttermilk, look for natural ingredients like “cultured milk” vs. brands with loaded with stabilizers, gums and starches.
- Using buttermilk provides a tangy flavor and keeps the dough tender.
- If you don’t have any buttermilk on-hand, make your own by pouring 1 T. vinegar into a liquid measuring cup and add cream or whole milk until it reaches the 1 c. measure line and let it sit for a few minutes. Then measure out how much you need for the recipe.
Baker’s Tips:
Work dough quickly:
- When working with scone dough, work quickly to keep the ingredients cold and do not over mix.
- Chill scones for 10-15 minutes before going into a hot oven. This will minimize spread and help keep their shape while baking.
- Dice the butter into small cubes and put into the freezer before using.
Pick your scone shape:
- For traditional triangle wedges, shape into 8″ round disk, about 1/2″ thick and use sharp bench scraper to cut into 8 triangles.
- To make round scones, pat dough into a rectangle and cut with 2″ round biscuit cutter.
- For a quick method, scoop the batter into a large cookie scoop (after blueberries are gently incorporated by hand into the batter) and place on parchment lined baking sheet.
Use good quality baking sheets:
- Always use light-colored, aluminum cookie sheet. I used NordicWare aluminum half-sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Aluminum is best for distributing and reflecting even heat during the baking process.
- Dark cookie sheets conduct more heat off the surface, which could darken baked goods on the edges before they are fully cooked.
Blueberry Lemon Scone
These classic Blueberry Lemon Scones are made with fresh-picked berries, and pack a punch of tanginess from the combination of lemon and buttermilk.
Ingredients
DRY INGREDIENTS
- 2 c. unbleached flour
- ¼ c. sugar
- 1 T. baking powder
- ½ tsp. salt
WET INGREDIENTS
- ½ c. butter cold & diced into cubes
- 1 egg
- ½ c. buttermilk or sour cream
- 1 T. lemon zest
- 1 T. lemon juice
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- ½ tsp. lemon extract
MIX-INS
- 1 c. blueberries toss in flour
Instructions
- PREP
- Place parchment on baking sheet. Zest and juice 1 lemon and set aside. Cut up butter into small cubes and place in freezer until use.
- Gather equipment: mixer with paddle attachment, liquid measuring cup, measuring cups & spoons, zester or microplane, citrus reamer, cookie sheet
- MAKE BATTER
- Place dry ingredients into mixer. Add in cubes of cold butter until it becomes course crumb texture.
- Add butter, egg, buttermilk, vanilla, lemon zest, and lemon juice and mix just until combined.
- To help distribute berries evenly into your batter, toss them first into a little bit of flour or cornstarch and fold into batter by hand.
- Pour dough onto a lightly floured silpat. Shape into 8″ round disk and use sharp bench scraper to cut into 8 triangles. Separate out pieces and place on baking sheet. Brush with heavy cream and sprinkle tops with course sanding sugar. If time allows, chill cut scones 10-15 minutes before they go into the oven.
- Bake at 375 degrees for 18-20 minutes. Store in container and keep on counter 1-2 days.
Notes
Buttermilk yields a light, tender crumb. If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, you can easily make it by placing 1 T. of vinegar into a liquid measuring cup and add whole milk up to make it 1 c.
TO MAKE GLUTEN-FREE
Swap out flour for gluten-free flour. If time allows, be sure to let the batter rest as hydrating the gluten-free flour is an important step to help eliminate grittiness. You can make the scones ahead of time and place in refrigerator until needed.
Storage: Gluten-free baked goods do not have the same shelf-life as conventional baked goods. Store in airtight container on counter 1-2 days, refrigerate 3-5 days, or seal in plastic and place in freezer safe container for up to 6 months. When freezing, allow to come to room temperature before opening the container.
TO MAKE VEGAN
Swap out butter with vegan butter. My favorite is Country Crock Olive Oil Sticks or use canola oil. In place of the buttermilk, use unsweetened oat, coconut or almond milk
To replace the egg, add 1 tsp. soda to the batter with 1 T. vinegar poured on top of the soda
To replace the egg, add 1 tsp. soda to the batter with 1 T. vinegar poured on top of the soda
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