Impress at your next brunch with these soft and tender Buttermilk Blueberry Scones. They are incredibly easy to make and taste wonderfully light with just a hint of lemon.
The first time I ate a scone, I was thoroughly underwhelmed. Dry, hard and boring – definitely not what you want from a bakery goodie!
But at some point I ate a good one, and then I decided I had to learn how to make them.
I was so surprised to find out how easy scones are to make at home, and now they’re a regular for special brunches around here!
How to Make Blueberry Scones:
How do you make scones moist and tender?
The two most important things to get moist and tender scones?
a) measure your flour correctly (spoon it into the measuring cup and then level with the back of a knife) so you don’t end up with a dry dough and
b) be very gentle and careful with the dough – don’t overwork it once you add the liquid ingredients. Definitely no kneading, simply push it into a disc.
The less you handle and prod it, the lighter and fluffier your scones will be!
How to store scones:
Keep scones in an airtight container on the counter for up to 3 days.
They are, however, best eaten warm out of the oven.
Can you freeze scones?
You can, but they will still be better eaten warm right after baking.
To freeze, place scones in a container or bag suitable for freezing and label with the name and use-by date (freeze for up to 3 months).
Defrost on a rack on the counter. It helps their texture to warm them up in the microwave or toast them before serving.
More baked goods you’ll love:
Buttermilk Blueberry Scones
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups flour
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup cold butter cubed
- 1 cup blueberries fresh preferred; frozen will yield messy/grey scones
- 2/3 cup buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- To brush:
- 1 tablespoon milk + 2 tablespoons coarse sugar
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet.
- Mix dry ingredients: Combine flour, sugar, lemon zest, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large mixing bowl.
- Blend in butter: Add butter to the bowl with the flour and cut in with a pastry blender, a fork OR your clean fingers. You should end up with a bowl full of pea-sized crumbs.
- Add liquids: Add blueberries to the bowl with the crumb mixture. Whisk together buttermilk and vanilla and pour into the bowl, too. Stir with clean hands or a wooden spoon JUST until combined. Do not overwork! Do not burst the berries! A scraggly, messy dough makes the fluffiest, lightest scones.
- Shape: Turn out the dough on your prepared baking sheet. Gather it into a ball and slightly flatten it into a roughly 7 inch disk. Cut into 8 wedges. Pull the wedges slightly apart, so they’re about 2 inches away from each other.
- Finish and bake: Brush the scones with milk and sprinkle with sugar. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until golden. Transfer to a cooling rack and allow to rest until cool enough to touch. They are best served warm.
