Baking

Blueberry Scones: Buttery, Flaky, Berry-Bursting

2 min

Cut the cold butter into the flour until it looks like coarse meal, with a few bigger flecks still showing. Those flecks are what steam and lift the dough in the oven, so don't work them down to sand. Fold the blueberries in last and stop the second they're distributed, because every extra turn tints the dough purple and toughens it. Pat to an inch thick, cut eight wedges, and get them into a 400°F oven before the butter softens.

By Nora Calloway

Scones get a bad rap. Dry. Dense. Crumbly. Not these.

These are tender, buttery, and bursting with juicy blueberries. Topped with crunchy sugar. 30 minutes. Your coffee just found its soulmate.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1 1

Preheat and Prep

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment.

2 2

Mix Dry Ingredients

Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
Cut in cold butter using pastry blender or fingers until mixture looks like coarse meal.

3 3

Add Wet Ingredients

Whisk buttermilk, egg, and vanilla. Pour into dry mixture. Stir until just combined.
Gently fold in blueberries (don’t overmix or they’ll bleed).

4 4

Shape and Cut

Turn dough onto floured surface. Pat into an 8-inch circle (1-inch thick).
Cut into 8 wedges. Place on baking sheet.
Sprinkle with turbinado sugar.

5 5

Bake

Bake 15-18 minutes until golden brown.
Cool 5 minutes. Serve warm.

Summary

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 15-18 minutes | Total Time: 25-30 minutes

Yield: 8 scones

Difficulty: Easy

Storage Notes

Room Temp:

Store in an airtight container for 3 days.

Freezer Friendly:

Freeze unbaked cut scones for 3 months. Bake from frozen at 400°F for 18-20 minutes.

Pro Tip:

Keep everything COLD. The colder the butter, the flakier the scone. Don’t overmix.

The Ingredients

Everything you need.

Prep

10 minutes

Cook

15-18 minutes

Total

25-30 minutes

Yield

8 scones

Ingredients

Makes 8 scones.

2 cups all-purpose flour
⅓ cup granulated sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
½ cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
½ cup cold buttermilk (or milk + 1 tsp vinegar)
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries (don’t thaw if frozen)
1 tbsp turbinado sugar for topping

Instructions

1
Preheat and Prep. Preheat and Prep. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment. 2 2
2
Mix Dry Ingredients. Mix Dry Ingredients. Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in cold butter using pastry blender or fingers until mixture looks like coarse meal. 3 3
3
Add Wet Ingredients. Add Wet Ingredients. Whisk buttermilk, egg, and vanilla. Pour into dry mixture. Stir until just combined. Gently fold in blueberries (don’t overmix or they’ll bleed). 4 4
4
Shape and Cut. Shape and Cut. Turn dough onto floured surface. Pat into an 8-inch circle (1-inch thick). Cut into 8 wedges. Place on baking sheet. Sprinkle with turbinado sugar. 5 5
5
Bake. Bake. Bake 15-18 minutes until golden brown. Cool 5 minutes. Serve warm
6
Room Temp:. Room Temp:. Store in an airtight container for 3 days
7
Freezer Friendly:. Freezer Friendly:. Freeze unbaked cut scones for 3 months. Bake from frozen at 400°F for 18-20 minutes
8
Pro Tip:. Pro Tip:. Keep everything COLD. The colder the butter, the flakier the scone. Don’t overmix

Swaps & Substitutions

Buttermilk → use ½ cup milk plus 1 tsp vinegar (or lemon juice), let it sit 5 minutes until it looks slightly curdled.
Salted butter → fine to use; just drop the added salt to a pinch.
Fresh blueberries → frozen work, but keep them frozen and toss with a teaspoon of the flour so they bleed less.
All-purpose flour → a 1:1 gluten-free blend works, though the crumb is a touch more crumbly; handle the dough gently.
Dairy-free → swap cold vegan butter and a plant milk soured with vinegar; chill everything well since vegan butter softens fast.
Turbinado sugar → regular granulated or demerara on top is fine; you lose a little of the crunchy sparkle.

Questions & Answers

Why did my scones spread flat instead of rising?

Usually the butter or dough got too warm before baking. Chill the cut wedges for 10-15 minutes if your kitchen is warm, and check that your baking powder is still active.

Can I make the dough ahead?

Yes. Cut the wedges, freeze them solid on a tray, then bake straight from frozen and add 2-4 minutes. You can also refrigerate the shaped dough overnight.

How do I know when they're done?

Tops should be golden and the edges set, around 15-18 minutes. If you lift one, the bottom should be browned and the center shouldn't look wet.

My dough is too sticky to pat out. What now?

Buttermilk and berry juice can make it tacky. Dust your hands and the surface with a little flour and work fast; resist adding much extra flour or the scones turn dry.

How should I store leftovers?

Keep them at room temperature in a loose container for up to 2 days, or freeze. Reheat in a 300°F oven for a few minutes to bring back the crisp edges.

Blueberry Scones: Buttery, Flaky, Berry-Bursting