These buttery, moist, and tender Blueberry Scones are the perfect way to use up summer blueberries.
I’ve been a bit absent — the last few weeks have been hectic. We recently closed on and moved into our townhouse, and while we love it and the little neighborhood, the loan paperwork, packing, and unpacking were overwhelming. My husband was preparing for a big test during the same period, so I handled most of the packing. He did take care of the electronics, the heavy lifting, and other tasks I wasn’t confident about — which was a relief, especially while pregnant. Moving while expecting was challenging, but we’re thrilled to be settled.
Living in a house feels amazing after years in an apartment. No more early-morning smoke drifting in, no more hauling groceries up stairs, and no more trekking back and forth to a shared laundry room. I’m done with high laundry fees and walking further than necessary to throw out trash. It’s wonderful to have our own space.
We love our new neighborhood. Many neighbors are graduate students with young children, so when we visit the playground Carly always finds company. We go outside every day — sometimes twice — and she’s been delighted, if a little dirtier and a bit more scraped-up than usual. This next chapter is shaping up to be wonderful.
Now, onto what brought you here — the scones. These blueberry scones are irresistible. If you plan to share, make a double batch. When I made them last time, my husband and I each ate more than one right away, and the leftovers didn’t last long. They’re perfectly moist and tender, and everyone who tries them seems to want more.
The secret to these scones’ texture is butter and sour cream. A handy tip for incorporating butter is to freeze it and grate it — it becomes easy to work into the flour and resembles grated cheese. After you combine the grated butter with the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles small peas, add the milk and sour cream mixture a little at a time. Handle the dough gently and as little as possible to keep the crumb tender. Fold in the blueberries carefully so they don’t burst and color the dough.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and shape it into a 9–10 inch disk. Cutting the disk into wedges is satisfying — anything sliced like that (pie, pizza, scones) feels like a treat. Arrange the wedges on a baking sheet with space between them, brush the tops with melted butter, and sprinkle coarse sugar if you like. They do spread during baking, so give them room to ensure even cooking.
A warm scone straight from the oven is hard to resist. I paused only briefly to take a photo before taking a bite — they’re that good. If you want a twist, add a few raspberries for a patriotic touch.
Blueberry Scones
Ingredients
For the Scones:
- 1/2 cup milk, 1% or higher
- 1/2 cup sour cream, full fat
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup 1 stick frozen butter, grated
- 1 1/2 cup fresh blueberries, frozen blueberries work too, do NOT thaw
- 1/2 tablespoon butter, melted
- Coarse sugar, optional
For the Glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 3-4 tablespoons cream, half-and-half, or milk
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease.
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Whisk milk and sour cream together and chill briefly. In a medium bowl, combine flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Add the grated frozen butter and work it in with a pastry cutter or two forks until the mixture resembles small peas. Drizzle in the milk mixture and fold until nearly combined. Gently fold in the blueberries, taking care not to break them.
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Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and form into a 9–10 inch disk. Cut into 8 wedges and place them on the prepared baking sheet, spacing about 2 inches apart. Brush the tops with melted butter and sprinkle with coarse sugar if desired.
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Bake for 16–20 minutes, until the tops are lightly golden. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.
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For the glaze, whisk powdered sugar with vanilla and 3 tablespoons of cream. Add more cream if needed for the desired consistency. Drizzle over warm scones you plan to eat right away; wait until the others are cooled for a cleaner look.
