Lemon Blueberry Scones

This easy lemon blueberry scone recipe uses fresh or frozen blueberries and is topped with a simple lemon glaze. These blueberry lemon scones are better than a coffee shop and can be made gluten-free, dairy-free, and/or vegan (with no milk, no egg, no cream). They come together quickly, are perfectly moist, and can be made ahead for breakfast or dessert!

Anytime family is visiting or if we’re hosting company for breakfast, I always make scones. They’re quick and easy and look fancy, even though they’re essentially flavored biscuits.

Chocolate Chip Scones are my favorite year-round, and Cranberry Oranges Scones are my go-to recipe for using up leftover fresh cranberries from the holidays.

But when the cranberries are gone and I’m craving something with a bit more zing and a bit more fresh, I reach for these Lemon Blueberry Scones.

Lemon Blueberry Scones

I first created this Lemon Blueberry Scones recipe because I had extra juicy blueberries, a friend who wanted to surprise her daughter with something special, and a daughter of my own who was in the mood to bake.

We originally made a gluten-free, dairy-free version of Lemon Blueberry Scones (no heavy cream, no egg) and they were so good, we immediately made a second batch for ourselves.

I love that scones can be made ahead of time and frozen (either unbaked scone dough or baked scones), can be glazed or unglazed, and the recipe can easily be doubled or tripled – for either yourself or to bless a neighbor or a friend.

Plus the dough is ready in less than 10 minutes! With a short rest in the fridge, while you clean up, a “fancy” breakfast is ready super quickly!

Lemon Blueberry Scones Recipe Ingredients

Like many baking recipes, this recipe needs a combination of wet and dry ingredients. Here’s what you need:

Dry Ingredients

• Flour (all-purpose flour, white whole wheat, or gluten-free 1:1 flour)
• Baking Powder
• Salt
• Granulated Sugar
• Cold Butter

Wet Ingredients

• Egg (keep reading for how to make these scones vegan)
• Lemon Juice (fresh lemon juice is best)
• Lemon Zest
• Milk (or heavy cream)
• Vanilla Extract + Lemon Extract
• Blueberries

I’ve included an optional glaze as well if you like your scones a smidge on the sweeter side!

• Powdered sugar
• Milk (or lemon juice)
• Vanilla extract
• Pinch salt

How to Make Blueberry Lemon Scones

Step 1: Stir together the dry ingredients with a wooden spoon, except for the butter, in a large bowl.

Step 2: Cut the unsalted butter into small pieces (each tablespoon cut into four pieces) and add to the flour mixture. Using a pastry cutter, pastry blender, or two forks, work quickly to distribute the butter into the flour. When you’re done, the dough should look like coarse crumbs with pieces of butter no bigger than the size of a pea.

Step 3: Whisk together the wet ingredients, except the blueberries, in a large measuring glass or another small bowl. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry, add the blueberries, and then mix using your hands JUST until the ingredients are moistened. Do not overmix.

Step 4: Pour the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently work with the dough to form an 8-inch disc that’s about ¾”-1” tall. If the dough is too sticky, add a bit of flour. If the dough seems to dry, add 1 tsp of milk. Using a sharp knife or bench scraper, cut the round into 8 wedges. If desired, brush the top of the scones with milk and sprinkle with coarse sugar.

Step 5: Place scones on a plate and refrigerate the dough for at least 15 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. When the scones are done refrigerating, place them on the prepared baking sheet 2-3 apart.

Step 6: Bake for 22-25 minutes, or until the scones are golden brown around the edges. Remove the scones from the oven and let them cool on a cooling rack before topping with the lemon glaze.

Step 7: Make the sweet lemon icing: Whisk the lemon icing ingredients together and drizzle over the scones.

How to Store and Freeze Blueberry Scones

Baked scones will keep well at room temperature for a couple of days when stored in an airtight container. They can also be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

The unbaked dough should be stored in the refrigerator and can be made up to two days ahead of time. Be sure to store the dough in an airtight container.

Unbaked dough can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Wrap the scone dough well with plastic wrap, and then place it in a freezer-safe plastic bag. Date and label the bag. It may be wise to include baking instructions on the bag as well, in case you don’t remember where you got the recipe from!

Blueberry Scones Variations

• Blueberries: I tend to make these using fresh blueberries, but you can also use frozen blueberries. If you use frozen, do not thaw them.
• Egg: Substitute 1 Tbsp flaxseed if you wish to make vegan lemon blueberry scones. You do not need to make a flaxseed egg first – just add the flaxseed to the flour mixture.
• Butter: Substitute equal parts of unrefined coconut oil for dairy-free blueberry scones. Make sure your coconut oil is solid, and cold when you add it to the dry ingredients.
• Milk: Any milk can be used in this recipe, but you can also use buttermilk or even eggnog if you have some leftovers from the holidays. I haven’t tried it, but using lemonade for some of the milk would add extra lemony flavor!
• Glaze: If you don’t want the extra lemon flavor, use milk instead of lemon juice when making the glaze. You can also skip the glaze altogether and use just coarse sugar, or skip the sugar and dust with powdered sugar or confectioners’ sugar when the scones are completely cool.

What’s the difference between scones and biscuits?

I mention that scones are easy just like biscuits, because both recipes start with incorporating the butter into the flour so that the mixture resembled coarse breadcrumbs. This is what makes both scones and biscuits light and fluffy.

Beyond that though, scones are slightly sweeter than biscuits with sugar both in the recipe and often sprinkled on top. Scones are also often glazed whereas biscuits are not. Whether you serve scones or biscuits at room temperature, slightly warm, or hot, is entirely up to you!

If you need a good biscuit recipe, be sure to give these Homemade Biscuits a try!

Lemon Blueberry Scones FAQs

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