My Blueberry Scone Recipe is buttery and filled with juicy fresh blueberries, perfect for brunch with tea and coffee or as a midday snack. Made with buttermilk, these scones are super tender and will not disappoint.
Melt-in-your-mouth blueberry scones with buttermilk are just the thing to serve for breakfast, brunch, and all occasions. These tender scones are filled with fresh juicy blueberries and will leave you wanting more. They are delicious as is but also perfect with my homemade lemon curd.
Table of Contents
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Simple enough for beginner bakers – These easy blueberry scones are great for novice bakers. The dough is simple to make, meaning all that’s left to do is cut it into scone shapes and then bake.
- Buttery and sweet with the perfect texture – Crisp and crumbly on the outside and soft, tender, and flaky on the inside, these scones combine so many tasty flavors and textures. They’re the perfect balance of sweet and buttery, plus feature bursts of tart blueberries.
- Complete control over the ingredients – While I love grabbing a blueberry scone at a cafe when I’m out and about, the truth is you never really know what’s in them. Bakery scones can sometimes be dry or have artificial flavors. When you make them yourself, they’re guaranteed to be fresh!
- Great for meal prep – Blueberry scones with buttermilk are perfect for weekend baking when you have more time than on busy weekdays. You can serve them for brunch, then wrap up the leftovers for breakfast or snack during the week.
Tools you’ll need
You don’t need to run out to the store to pick up any special equipment to make my blueberry scone recipe — just the standard tools that most at-home bakers already have on hand.
- A baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat for faster cleanup. This is a recipe for easy blueberry scones, so you want to make cleaning up easy too!
- Measuring cups, spoons and mixing bowls to measure out and mix the ingredients.
- A spatula or wooden spoon for stirring and incorporating the ingredients.
- A quality knife to cut the dough into scones.
- A pastry brush to apply the egg wash.
Ingredients and substitutions
As always, you’ll find the complete list of ingredients and quantities in the recipe card at the end of this post. Below are some notes and substitution tips:
- All-purpose Flour – The base of your scone dough. All-purpose flour works great here — no need to use any sort of special cake flour. You can always replace it with your preferred GF 1:1 option if you need to.
- Sugar – You’ll use granulated sugar in the scone dough, as well as some turbinado sugar on top of the scones before baking. You can substitute white sanding sugar for turbinado for even more sparkle and crunch.
- Baking Soda & Baking Powder – These are our leavening agents, meaning they both help these blueberry buttermilk scones rise. The combination of both gives the scones a good lift and baking soda also promotes browning.
- Unsalted Butter – Cold, unsalted butter is key to getting the signature flaky texture of scones. When cubed and then incorporated into the dough, very much like pie dough, the butter will create air pockets as they melt during baking, leaving you with those tasty flaky layers. Salted butter can be used instead but you’ll want to reduce the amount of salt called for in the recipe by half.
- Blueberries – Add bursts of sweet and tart flavor and color to your scones! I recommend using fresh blueberries for the best results. Frozen blueberries can be use if you’re making these out of season, check the FAQs section below for more tips on using frozen berries.
- Egg – Helps bind the ingredients together — plus the yolk adds richness.
- Buttermilk – boasts a subtle tangy flavor too, and contributes to a moist and tender crumb. It helps these easy blueberry scones rise in combination with baking soda thanks to the added acidity. Sour cream or yogurt is a good substitution here.
- Vanilla – Enhances the other flavors in your buttermilk blueberry scones and adds a touch of warmth.
- Salt – I use kosher salt in this recipe, if you’re using salted butter as mentioned above, reduce the amount of salt by half.
How to make blueberry scone recipe
The following instructions, step-by-step photos, and tips are here to help you visualize how to make the recipe. You can always skip straight to the printable recipe card at the end of this post.
This blueberry scone recipe is an adaptation of my basic buttermilk scones with fresh blueberries added to the batter. Hence, you will start out exactly the same, by mixing together the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl and working the cold butter into the mixture. The one difference is you will toss in the fresh blueberries right before adding the wet ingredients.
In a smaller mixing bowl or a measuring cup, beat together egg, buttermilk and vanilla extract. Reserve 2 tablespoons to use as egg wash and add the remaining to the dry ingredient mixture. Fold until a shaggy dough forms.
Tip: It’s crucial to be gentle in this step so you don’t crush the berries and stain the dough.
Turn the dough out onto the counter, pat it into a rectangle and fold it over itself a few times like folding a letter. Then shape into a circle or a square. Cut into 8 scones. Place the scones on a lined baking sheet, freeze or refrigerate while the oven preheats.
Tip: If you’re using frozen blueberries, it is best to shape the dough into a circle as soon as you turn it out of the bowl since the frozen berries thawing will make the dough difficult to work with very quickly.
When the oven is ready, brush the top and sides of the scones with the reserved egg wash, sprinkle generously with turbinado or sanding sugar. Bake at 400 degrees F for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.
More baker’s tips
- Keep things cold – just like with pie dough, you want to keep these easy blueberry scones cold before baking so they hold their shape and rise taller.
- Don’t forget that egg wash – make sure to reserve some of the egg/buttermilk mixture to use as egg wash on top of the scones to enhance browning while baking.
- Insulate the bottom – if needed, use an insulated baking sheet or stack baking sheets to keep the bottoms of these blueberry scones from getting too brown.
- Variations – try this blueberry scones recipe with other berries and fruits for more fun fruity variations.
Storage
If you plan on eating your buttermilk blueberry scones within a few days, you can store them in an airtight container at room temperature. They’ll keep for 1-3 days tops since they contain fresh fruits. For longer storage, you can refrigerate them for up to 5 days.
My blueberry scone recipe also freezes really nicely. To freeze after baking, let them cool completely before placing on a baking sheet and flash freeze until solid. Then store them in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. You can also freeze the dough — wrap tightly in plastic and aluminum foil before storing. Let the dough thaw overnight in the fridge before baking as instructed here.
To reheat from frozen, make sure to let the scones thaw overnight. Pop them in the oven at 350 degrees F and heat for 5-10 minutes or until warmed through.
FAQs
A slightly sticky dough is perfectly fine. But if it feels excessively sticky and difficult to handle, simply add a tablespoon of flour at a time until you get the consistency you want.
Don’t forget that when you’re shaping the dough on the counter top, you’ll be using extra flour too and that will also get absorbed into the dough. So be careful not to add too much because the more flour you add, the drier you scones will turn out in the end.
You can easily make your own buttermilk by combining regular milk with something acidic, like vinegar or lemon juice. Add 1 tablespoon of your acidic ingredient to enough whole milk to make one cup.
For this blueberry scone recipe, you can also use sour cream or yogurt if you don’t have buttermilk. Or stir together half sour cream or yogurt and half whole milk.
Make sure you use fresh baking powder! If it’s expired, it won’t help your dough rise. You also want to avoid overworking the dough too much. When mixing the wet and dry ingredients, use a gentle folding motion until just combined. Overworked dough will contain too much gluten, giving you dense results.
It is okay to use frozen berries for these blueberry buttermilk scones, but make sure you add them into the dough while they’re completely frozen, do not thaw. And work as quickly as you can, since they will start releasing water as they thaw. Two things to keep in mind as this happens.
One, the berries will stain the dough as soon as you add them in. Not a big deal since they will be eaten all the same, but aesthetically, they may not look as pretty.
Two, the juice released while they thaw will make the dough stickier and messier. They will also release a lot more water during baking, which will alter the texture of the scones. You will probably need to use a bit more extra flour as you shape the scones and bake them a little longer for them to cook through.
More delicious fruity scones
- Lemon Poppy Seed Scones
- Strawberry Scones
- Lemon Blueberry Scones
- Orange Scones
- Cranberry Orange Scones
Hungry for more?
Blueberry Scones
Ingredients
- 2 cup all-purpose flour, 270 g
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar, 66 g
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 4 oz unsalted butter, cold and cubed, 113 g
- 1 heaping cup of fresh blueberry, 175 g
- 1 large egg
- ⅔ cup buttermilk, 160 g
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar, or white sanding sugar
Instructions
- Add flour, sugar, salt, baking soda and baking powder to a medium mixing bowl and mix to combine.
- Toss the cubed butter in the flour mixture and work it into the flour with the tip of your fingers until about large pea size. Toss in the blueberries.
- In a measuring cup, add buttermilk, egg and vanilla extract and beat to combine.
- Make a well in the middle of the flour mixture and pour in the liquid mixture, reserving about 2 tablespoons to use as egg wash.
- Fold with a spatula or wooden spoon until a wet dough forms, be careful not the crush the blueberries.
- Turn the dough out onto a well-floured board, fold it over itself a 2 – 3 times, and shape into a circle about 1 ½” thick.
- Cut into 8 scones. Place the scones on a lined baking sheet and freeze or refrigerate while the oven preheats.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Take the scones out of the freezer or refrigerator, brush the top and sides with the reserved egg wash, and sprinkle generously with turbinado sugar.
- Bake for 23 – 24 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let cool completely on a wire rack.
Notes
- Just like with pie dough, you want to keep these easy blueberry scones cold before baking so they hold their shape and rise taller.
- Make sure to reserve some of the egg/buttermilk mixture to use as egg wash on top of the scones to enhance browning while baking.
- If needed, use an insulated baking sheet or stack baking sheets to keep the bottoms of these blueberry scones from getting too brown.
- Try this blueberry scones recipe with other berries and fruits for more fun fruity variations.
- You can use frozen blueberries, see the post for more tips on how to adjust the process of making these scones with frozen berries.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Can I make the dough ahead and store it in the fridge until I’m ready to bake it?
Hi Katie, yes, you can store the dough in the fridge, covered, for a couple days before baking. You can also freeze it for a couple months if needed. Bake directly from the freezer if frozen, don’t thaw.
Excellent!. My first time masking sconces. Just retired and trying to learn to bake new things. I appreciated the photos demonstrating how the batter should appear. These were moist and just perfect. Thanks, great site! Following you now
Thank you, Lori! Glad to hear you found the process photos helpful. Congratulations on your retirement and hope you find more delicious recipes to try out 🙂
Made tonight and used frozen berries. They raised really well and didn’t crumble.
Excellent to hear, Janet! Thank you for making the recipe.
I’ve baked these scones several times and they never disappoint.
Wonderful flavor and excellent texture. They’re always a big
hit.
Thank you so much, Linda!
Simply delicious and bursting with blueberries! Easy too! I stacked the baking sheets per the recipe and it did make a difference. My husband loves the scones as well; he commented that they were not crumbly dry. Trang’s scone is crunchy on the outside, moist on the inside and not overly sweet. I used 1 1/2 cups blueberries and did not have buttermilk so substitued with greek yogurt- milk combo. A must repeat! Thank you!
Thank you so much for the wonderful review, I’m glad you and your husband enjoyed these 🙂
I may have missed the answer to my question already so please forgive me if you have to repeat. If were to use no-fat Greek yogurt in the recipe, what should I substitute it for (buttermilk?) and how much should I use in the recipe? (I haven’t tried to make the scones but will soon do so.)
Hi Jim, no problem at all! Yes, you can use Greek yogurt in place of buttermilk, and you can use the same amount I specified for the buttermilk which is 2/3 cup. Let me know if you have any other questions.
Absolutely the best scones I have ever made! I never have buttermilk around because I don’t care for the smell but I had some after I buttermilk brine some chicken for frying. So maybe there really is something to the magic of using buttermilk to make an absolutely tender product. Thanks so much for making this recipe available.
Thank you for the wonderful review Mary! I’m so glad you made that fried chicken and ended up with leftover buttermilk 🙂
Great recipe! Thanks!
Thank you, Thao, for trying this recipe. Glad you liked it ☺️
Have tried a bunch, but this is my go-to blueberry scone recipe! I can’t believe I haven’t posted a review yet…and I am eating one right now, warm out of the oven 🙂 They are just perfectly delicious – lightly sweet with crunchy edges, fluffy inside. I use salted butter since that’s what I typically have on hand. Thanks!
Thank you so much Stephanie! I hope it was a 5-star for you! Would so appreciate it if you could add the star rating 🙂
I made these today and will definitely make them again. My modifications were to increase the sugar to 1/2 cup and omit the vanilla. I probably used close 1 1/2 cups of blueberries. They were moist and had more of a muffin texture than that of a scone or soda bread, which I enjoyed. My husband is not a scone fan and loved these.Delicious!!!
I think these were pretty good. I am going to make them again but add more sugar and vanilla.
Thank you for your feedback, Nicole! It’s always a good idea to try a recipe the first time and then adjust flavor to your taste, I appreciate you making these scones.
I made these again but used 1/2 cup of sugar, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1/2 tsp almond extract, and 2 tbsp baking powder. They were amazing!
Thank you for making these again Nicole! I love the addition of almond extract.
Love this recipe! Made it a few times with regular flower, and it was amazing. Made it the other day with measure-for-measure gluten free flower, and it came out perfectly as well.
Glad to hear Vince! And thanks for sharing your experience with the gluten free flour.
I have tried many scone recipes and this one is my absolute favorite. I practically have the recipe memorized I have made it so many times. These are light and delicious without being too sweet, so they are perfect for breakfast with scrambled eggs or just a cup of coffee or tea. The recipe is foolproof, although I do notice slight differences when I use different butter or eggs. They are good leftover, but better if you crisp them up in the oven for a few minutes.
Thank you, Susan for the thorough review! I’m glad to hear you enjoy these. I love freezing a bunch too so I have them whenever the mood strikes.
I made them this morning. I loved them and they came out perfect. Light and crunchy. The blueberries sweet and delicious. I will definitely make the again.I finally got to use my leftover buttermilk from St. Patrick’s day Soda bread.