This bakery-style Blueberry Scones recipe comes from a popular little shop on the island of Martha's Vineyard. Filled with fresh, juicy berries, these moist and buttery treats are thick, rich and perfect with a cup of coffee or tea!
Think scones are dry and crumbly? Think again! This decadent blueberry scones recipe stays moist and tender, thanks to plenty of butter, ripe berries, and rich cream. They're simple, easy to mix together, and delicious for breakfast, snack or even dessert!
I've been collecting recipes since I was a child, and I recently came across an old index card that I had tucked away in a book back when I was in high school (over 20 years ago)! The recipe was for "Martha's Vineyard Blueberry Scones," and I vividly remember baking them on more than one occasion. The best wild blueberries grow in our backyard at the Vineyard, so we regularly throw them into pancakes, muffins and scones. I believe that the original recipe came from a little coffee shop on Main Street in Edgartown called Espresso Love. Of course, I've tweaked it over the last 20 years, but the basic ingredients and the fluffy, buttery taste remain the same!
What are Blueberry Scones?
A scone is a baked good made of wheat or oatmeal, with baking powder as a leavening agent. They are often slightly sweet (although savory versions also exist) and glazed with an egg wash. Scones are baked on sheet pans and include any variety of mix-in's -- such as chocolate chips, nuts, and fresh or dried fruit. They are very similar in flavor, texture and ingredients to what we call biscuits in the United States. Blueberry scones can be made with fresh, frozen or even dried blueberries.
How to Make a Blueberry Scones Recipe from Scratch:
Preparing scones at home is almost identical to making biscuits (which are a constant in this house), since blueberry scones are essentially sweet biscuits. When I saw that Ina Garten (the "Barefoot Contessa") uses her stand mixer to cut the butter into the dry ingredients for her scones, I thought that was genius! I also love using my food processor to accomplish the same goal. If you don't have a stand mixer or a food processor, you can simply use a pastry cutter or two knives to cut the butter into the flour by hand.
Ingredients in this Blueberry Scones Recipe:
- All-purpose flour
- Sugar
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Salted butter
- Heavy cream
- Eggs
- Blueberries
Step 1: Combine the Dry Ingredients
In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
Step 2: Cut in the Butter
Add the butter and cut or mix until the butter is the size of peas.
Step 3: Whisk together the Cream and Eggs
Whisk together the cream and one of the eggs.
Step 4: Add Wet Ingredients to Dry Ingredients
Add the cream mixture to the flour mixture and combine just until everything is blended together.
Step 4: Fold in the Blueberries
Gently fold in the blueberries.
Step 5: Pat Out the Dough
Turn the dough onto a very well-floured surface and knead it lightly and quickly just a few times. Then pat the dough into a round disc that's about 1-inch thick.
Step 6: Slice the Dough into Triangles
Cut the circle into 6-8 wedges. Using a floured pizza cutter makes this really easy! Place the scones about 2 inches apart on a silicone or parchment-lined baking sheet.
Step 7: Brush Scones with Egg Wash
Whisk together the remaining egg and 2 tablespoons of either water or cream to make an egg wash. This will help the scones brown in the oven and will give them a nice shine. Brush the tops of the scones with the egg wash and sprinkle with sugar.
Step 8: Bake Blueberry Scones
Bake the scones in a 400 degree F oven for about 20 minutes, or until they're golden brown and cooked through.
What to serve with Blueberry Scones:
These scones are best served warm or at room temperature. Pair them with coffee or tea for a satisfying snack or breakfast. They're great on their own, but they're also delicious with soft butter, a drizzle of honey, or a dollop of jam (apricot or peach jam is great on blueberry scones)!
If you're serving a larger breakfast or brunch spread, here are some additional options that go well with the blueberry scones:
- Sausage Hash Brown Casserole
- Overnight French Toast Casserole
- Fresh fruit salad
- Sally’s Easy Overnight Breakfast Casserole
- Ham, Cheddar and Broccoli Quiche or Quiche Lorraine
- Biscuits and Gravy Casserole
- Crock Pot Breakfast Casserole
- Crustless Quiche with Spinach
Blueberry Scones Recipe -- Nutrition Information:
These blueberry scones are rich and decadent -- a treat to be thoroughly enjoyed in moderation! They are not gluten-free and I certainly wouldn't classify them as "healthy." But food that's good for your soul is important, right?! You can adjust the size of your scones to suit your appetite, but I typically cut them into 6-8 triangles. Assuming you make 8 triangles, each blueberry scone will have about 398 calories, 24 grams of fat, 40 grams of carbohydrates and 6 grams of protein. Again, you can cut them into smaller triangles to adjust those stats.
Preparation and Storage Tips:
- How to Store Blueberry Scones: Leftover blueberry scones are good for about 2-3 days in an airtight container at room temperature. Blueberry scones do not need to be refrigerated.
- To make a batch ahead or to extend the life of your scones, you can freeze blueberry scones in an airtight container or Ziploc bag for up to 3 months.
- To reheat Blueberry Scones: Thaw the scones on the counter overnight if they’re frozen, or thaw in the microwave for about 10-15 seconds. Then reheat the scones in a 325 degree F oven just until warmed through (about 5 minutes).
Cook's Tips and Recipe Variations:
- The butter and cream for this recipe need to be as cold as possible for fluffy and soft scones. You can freeze the cubed butter for about 10-20 minutes before using it or keep it in the refrigerator. I also keep the cream and eggs in the refrigerator right up until it’s time to add the mixture to the dough.
- If the butter or the dough gets too warm, the scones will spread in the oven. That's why it's important to work quickly and not handle the dough too much.
- The heavy cream is an important ingredient in these scones. You want to stick with a thick liquid, so buttermilk will also work! Avoid thinner liquids such as milk or almond milk, which will just lead to dry, bland, flat scones.
- I prefer the scones only slightly sweet (these are not sweet like a dessert), so I use just ¼ cup of sugar. For a sweeter scone, you can increase that amount to ½ cup of sugar.
- Fresh, frozen or even dried blueberries will all work in this recipe. I prefer fresh blueberries when they're available. If using frozen blueberries, do not thaw them before adding them to the dough. Be aware that frozen berries have a tendency to "bleed" in the dough and turn the scones a purplish color. Dried blueberries are also delicious -- they just have a chewier texture than the fresh berries.
- Use an electric stand mixer or a food processor to quickly and easily cut the butter into the dry ingredients. If you don't have either of those appliances, no problem! You can freeze the butter and grate it into the dry ingredients, or you can cut the butter into the flour mixture by hand using a pastry cutter or two knives.
- Be careful not to overwork the dough. The food processor or stand mixer are great to quickly pulse the ingredients, but stop processing as soon as the dough comes together (in order to keep the scones moist). Otherwise you’ll end up with tough, dry scones.
- Scones are traditionally cut into triangles (as shown); however, you can also make round scones by using a round biscuit cutter to cut the dough.
More blueberry recipes that you might enjoy:
- Easy Blueberry Muffins
- Whole Wheat Banana Blueberry Muffins
- Blueberry Buckle
- Blueberry Bread
- Blueberry Jam
Blueberry Scones Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup sugar, plus extra for topping (see note to add more sugar if you prefer a sweeter scone)
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 stick (½ cup) salted butter, diced and chilled
- ⅔ - 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 large eggs, divided
- ¾ cup fresh or frozen blueberries (if using frozen, do NOT thaw)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment or silicone mat.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer or food processor, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the butter and, with the mixer on low speed (or the food processor on “pulse”), mix the butter into the flour until the butter is the size of peas. If you don’t have a stand mixer or a food processor, you can freeze the butter and grate it into the dry ingredients, or you can cut the butter into the flour by hand with a pastry cutter or with two knives.
- In a large measuring cup or small bowl, whisk together ⅔ cup of cream and 1 of the eggs. Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir just until blended. Do not over-mix. The dough should be sticky and damp. If it's too dry, add a little bit more cream (up to 1 cup may be necessary). If it's too wet, sprinkle in a little bit of extra flour. Gently fold in the blueberries.
- Dump the dough onto a very well-floured surface and knead it lightly and quickly just a few times. It helps to put flour on your hands to prevent sticking. Pat the dough into a circle that’s 1-inch thick. Using a pizza cutter or knife that is sprayed with cooking spray before each slice, cut the circle into 6-8 wedges, depending on how large you like the scones.
- Transfer the dough to the prepared baking sheet, leaving 2 inches between each scone.
- Beat the remaining egg with 2 tablespoons of water or cream to make an egg wash. Brush the tops of the scones with the egg wash, sprinkle with sugar, and bake for 20-25 minutes (or until the tops are lightly browned and the insides are fully baked). Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- The butter and cream for this recipe need to be as cold as possible for fluffy and soft scones. You can freeze the cubed butter for about 10-20 minutes before using it or keep it in the refrigerator. I also keep the cream and eggs in the refrigerator right up until it’s time to add the mixture to the food processor.
- If the butter or the dough gets too warm, the scones will spread in the oven. That's why it's important to work quickly and not handle the dough too much.
- The heavy cream is an important ingredient in these scones. You want to stick with a thick liquid, so buttermilk will also work! Avoid thinner liquids such as milk or almond milk, which will just lead to dry, bland, flat scones.
- I prefer the scones only slightly sweet, so I use just ¼ cup of sugar. For a sweeter scone, you can increase that amount to ½ cup of sugar.
- Fresh, frozen or even dried blueberries will all work in this recipe. I prefer fresh blueberries when they're available. If using frozen blueberries, do not thaw them before adding them to the dough. Be aware that frozen berries have a tendency to "bleed" in the dough and turn the scones a purplish color. Dried blueberries are also delicious -- they just have a chewier texture than the fresh berries.
- Use an electric stand mixer or a food processor to quickly and easily cut the butter into the dry ingredients. If you don't have either of those appliances, no problem! You can freeze the butter and grate it into the dry ingredients, or you can cut the butter into the flour mixture by hand using a pastry cutter or two knives.
- Be careful not to overwork the dough. The food processor or stand mixer are great to quickly pulse the ingredients, but stop processing as soon as the dough comes together (in order to keep the scones moist). Otherwise you’ll end up with tough, dry scones.
- Scones are traditionally cut into triangles (as shown); however, you can also make round scones by using a round biscuit cutter to cut the dough.
Oh gosh, those look wonderful--my favorite type of scone. Funny because I have had them many times at Espresso Love. We just bought a place right around the corner from the bakerycafe last summer. We've been going for decades and finally got something. We always love going there for the iced mochas (the best!). Love that place so much. Will have to try these scones. I am jealous you have wild blueberries in your backyard! You must be out maybe in Chilmark or that way? Hope you get to enjoy your place this summer. PS - Carol McManus, the owner, published a fantastic cookbook years ago called Tale Talk Cookbook, featuring all of the EL recipes in it. It is paperback and I own and love it. If you love the island and EL, you should try to see if Amazon has a copy. It is a really nice keepsake and cookbook -- the focaccia is reason enough to buy the book!
Such a small world, Teresa! My parents are in Katama (right near South Beach), so the blueberries are growing right behind the house in a wooded area. They're also often along the dirt road on the way to Edgartown Pond where anyone can pick them. 🙂 I know that cookbook! Such great recipes, but I've never tried the focaccia. I'll have to go back and look through it again. I haven't pulled it off of the shelf in ages. Hope you enjoy the scones -- and the summer memories!
Oops sorry typo. Table Talk Cookbook