Lemon Blueberry Scones
sandravalvassori.com
No hockey pucks here! These easy Lemon Blueberry Scones are crisp on the outside, and deliciously tender and flaky on the inside. Packed with blueberries and topped with an easy lemony glaze, they are a sure hit for Sunday breakfast, brunch or a special treat.
Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 6 Tablespoons (85g) frozen unsalted butter
- 1 1/4 cups (about 195g) fresh blueberries
- ½ cup (110g) sour cream, plus 2 more tablespoons for brushing
- ½ cup (120g) whole milk, plus 2 more tablespoons for brushing
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (optional)
- 1 large lemon
- 1/4 cup (50g) sugar
- 2 cups (265g) all-purpose flour, plus more for the work surface
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 Tablespoons turbinado or coarse sugar (for sprinkling, optional)
Optional Lemon Glaze
- 1 cup confectioner's (powdered) sugar
- 2-3 Tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (optional)
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Grate the frozen butter on the large holes of a box grater over a piece of parchment paper. Fold the parchment paper to cover the butter and freeze until ready to use, at least 15 minutes and up to 12 hours. If your butter wasn't already frozen, but it is fridge cold, grate it, then place it in the freezer for at least 30 minutes.
- Place the blueberries in the freezer for at least 15 minutes.
- In a measuring glass cup, whisk the 1/2 cup sour cream, 1/2 cup whole milk and vanilla (if using) until well combined; chill until ready to use. In a separate small bowl, whisk the 2 tablespoons of sour cream, and the 2 tablespoons of whole milk and chill until needed (this is for brushing the tops of the scones).
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Zest the lemon into a large bowl. Add the sugar to the zest and use your fingers to rub the zest into the sugar. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and whisk to combine.
- Add the grated butter to the dry ingredients and use a fork to quickly toss and evenly distribute throughout the flour. Add the chilled blueberries and toss to coat.
- Make a well in the center of the mixture and add the sour cream mixture. Use a bench scraper, spatula or wooden spoon to gently stir until ingredients are combined. Then use your hands to gently knead a few times just until a shaggy dough comes together. (Try not to add extra liquid unless really necessary—it's okay if there are a few loose, floury pieces of dough.)
- Dump the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Using a bench scraper to help you gather the dough together, knead the dough gently into a 2-inch-thick rectangular-ish ball. It might still be crumbly in places but keep going and it will soon come together. Fold the rectangle in half and pat it into a rectangle again, then fold it one more time. (The berries will get a bit crushed here, that’s okay, just do your best not to crush them too much). Now pat the dough into a disk that is about 7" inches wide and 1 1/2" thick. Use a sharp knife to cut the disk into 8 triangles.
- Place the scones on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. For extra fluffy scones, chill in the fridge or freezer 15–20 minutes before baking. (See tip below for chilling the scones.)
- Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400ºF. Brush reserved sour cream/milk mixture over top of the scones and sprinkle with sugar, if using. Bake until golden brown on the tops and bottoms, 20–25 minutes.
- While the scones are baking, make the glaze, if desired: In a small bowl, whisk together the confectioners' sugar, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, vanilla and pinch of salt until smooth. If needed, add another tablespoon lemon juice or milk to thin it out. The glaze should look opaque and slightly thick, but pourable.
- Let the scones cool for about 15 minutes, then drizzle or brush the glaze over the scones. Serve immediately!
Notes
Good to know: It may seem like there's a lot of extra steps involved with this recipe but they mostly involve chilling the ingredients as you go along to ensure you get extra fluffy scones. Note that the scones will still be delicious if you wish to skip the chilling steps.
Tip for chilling scone dough wedges: This step is optional but chilling the scone dough wedges just before baking ensures the scones will get a good rise. Because I typically don't have enough room in my fridge or freezer to fit a large baking sheet, I place the scone wedges on a parchment lined plate or small baking sheet. Once chilled, I transfer them to the larger baking sheet for baking.
Storing tips: Like all scones, these lemon blueberry scones are best on the day they are baked but will last 2 days stored at room temperature, or 5 days in the fridge. However, they do freeze really well and can be reheated just before serving.
Make ahead: If you are making scones to bake the next day, place the unbaked scones on a sheet pan (do not brush the tops with milk). Cover the scones and refrigerate overnight. When ready to bake the scones, bake them chilled, directly from the refrigerator.
To reheat: For best results, reheat the scones in a preheated 375ºF oven (or toaster oven) until exterior is crispy again and the interior is warmed through. This will take about 5-8 minutes.
To freeze baked scones: Make sure the scones are completely cooled, then place in freezer-safe containers or freezer bags. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnighter or on the counter for a few hours before reheating.
To freeze scones before baking: Place the scone dough wedges on a parchment lined plate or small baking sheet for about 1 hour. Once almost frozen, transfer the wedges to a freezer-safe bag or container. Bake directly from frozen, adding a few minutes to the bake time. Or thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bake as directed.