Blueberry Scones with Vanilla Glaze

These blueberry scones are soft, flaky, and full of juicy blueberries, with a creamy vanilla glaze drizzled over the top. This blueberry scones recipe takes about 10 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to bake, so the eight-scone batch is ready in about 35 minutes. The finished scones are a lovely breakfast treat: crisp and crumbly on the outside, moist and tender inside, and buttery throughout. Their simple shape also makes the batch easy to divide and serve.

The key to that texture is keeping the butter very cold. Grating the butter makes it easy to distribute through the flour, and the small pieces melt in the oven to create the steam that helps form light, flaky pockets. You can use fresh or frozen blueberries, and the glaze comes together while the warm scones cool slightly.

Why You Will Love This

• They are approachable. Whisk the dry ingredients, work in the cold butter, stir in the wet ingredients and berries, then shape the dough into one circle. After cutting it into wedges, the scones are ready for the oven.
• Blueberries are in every bite. Fresh or frozen blueberries bring juicy fruit flavor throughout the dough rather than leaving you searching for a berry.
• The texture has contrast. The outside is crisp and crumbly, while the inside stays moist, tender, flaky, and buttery.
• The vanilla glaze adds a creamy finish. A simple mixture of powdered sugar, milk or water, and vanilla extract gives each scone a generous drizzle without requiring a separate complicated topping.

What Are Scones?

Scones are a traditional British baked good that resembles an American biscuit. They may be sweet or savory. In the United States, scones are often shaped as triangles or wedges and flavored with fruit. Blueberry is a classic choice, alongside cranberry orange, chocolate chip, and cinnamon versions.

Ingredients

Gather the ingredients for the scones and the vanilla glaze before you begin. Keep the butter very cold or frozen, and use cold buttermilk or heavy cream and a cold egg so the butter does not soften before baking.

For the blueberry scones

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ⅓ cup granulated sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, grated and very cold or frozen
• ½ cup buttermilk or heavy cream, plus more for brushing on top
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

For the vanilla glaze

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 to 2 tablespoons milk or water
• 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract

Why Use Frozen Grated Butter?

Cold butter is an important part of the scones’ moist, fluffy center and flaky texture. Grate the very cold or frozen butter, then fold it into the flour so the flour coats the butter shreds. As the scones bake, the butter melts and creates steam. That steam leaves small pockets of air in the dough, which helps make the scones light and flaky while the outside becomes crisp and crumbly.

It is an extra step, but grating the butter makes it easier to work evenly into the flour. Keep the buttermilk or heavy cream and egg cold as well. If the butter melts before the scones go into the oven, the dough can lose some of the separation that gives the baked scones their flaky interior.

Instructions

The dough should be well combined, moistened, and able to hold together in a ball. Handle it gently rather than kneading it extensively; the goal is to bring the ingredients together without crushing the blueberries or overworking the flour.

1. Combine the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, salt, and baking powder.
2. Work in the butter. Using a pastry blender or your hands, cut the grated, very cold or frozen butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture is crumbly. Let the flour coat the butter shreds.
3. Mix the wet ingredients. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, buttermilk or heavy cream, and vanilla extract. Add the liquid ingredients and blueberries to the dry ingredients. Stir gently until the mixture is moistened, well combined, and holds together in a ball.
4. Shape the dough. Sprinkle a small amount of flour onto parchment paper or your counter. Press the dough into an 8-inch circle about ¾ inch thick. Brush the top with additional buttermilk.
5. Cut the wedges. Use a sharp knife to cut the circle into 8 wedges. Divide the triangles and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Leave enough space between the scones for them to expand as they cook.
6. Chill while the oven preheats. Place the shaped scones in the refrigerator for 20 minutes. While they chill, preheat the oven to 400°F. The chilling step helps the scones retain their shape during baking.
7. Bake. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the scones are golden brown. Remove them from the oven and allow them to cool slightly.
8. Make the glaze. In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk or water, and vanilla extract until smooth. Drizzle the vanilla glaze generously over the tops of the scones.
9. Serve. Serve the scones warm, or let them cool completely to room temperature if you plan to store them.

Tips for Success

• Keep the butter cold. Use grated butter that is frozen or at least very cold. Cold buttermilk or heavy cream and a cold egg help keep the butter from melting before the scones bake.
• Do not overwork the dough. Over-kneading can make the scones tough and flat. It can also break apart the blueberries and disturb the little spaces created by the cold butter.
• Do not skip chilling. Refrigerating the shaped scones for 20 minutes before baking helps them retain their shape in the oven.
• Give the wedges room. Arrange the triangles with enough space between them on the lined baking sheet so they can expand while cooking.
• Look for golden brown edges and tops. The source doneness cue is a golden-brown finish after 20 to 25 minutes. Let the scones cool slightly before glazing so the topping can sit on the surface.

Variations and Substitutions

• Fresh or frozen berries: Either works in this recipe. If using fresh blueberries, freeze them first to help keep them from breaking apart while you mix and shape the dough.
• Buttermilk or heavy cream: Use either one in the dough. Additional buttermilk is used to brush the top before baking.
• Milk or water in the glaze: The vanilla glaze can be made with either milk or water.
• Lemon blueberry scones: Add the zest of one lemon to the scone dough along with the blueberries for a lemony variation.

Storage

Let the baked scones cool completely to room temperature before storing them. Place them in an airtight container and keep them at room temperature for up to 3 days. Do not store these scones in the refrigerator; refrigerated baked goods can become stale more quickly. If you want to serve a stored scone warm, the recipe specifically gives the option of serving the scones warm before storage or letting them cool completely first.

Serving Suggestions

Drizzle the vanilla glaze over each scone and serve them warm, or wait until they have cooled completely. Their sweet blueberry flavor and creamy vanilla finish make them suited to breakfast or an afternoon treat. For more blueberry baking ideas, try blueberry coffee cake, buttermilk blueberry bread, lemon blueberry buckle, or blueberry cream cheese muffins.

FAQ

Can I use frozen blueberries?

Yes. The recipe allows either fresh or frozen blueberries. If your blueberries are fresh, freeze them first to help prevent them from breaking apart while the dough is mixed and shaped.

Why does the butter need to be grated and frozen?

Grated frozen butter spreads through the flour while staying cold. In the oven, it melts and creates steam, leaving pockets of air that contribute to light, flaky scones with a moist center and crisp, crumbly outside.

Can I use heavy cream instead of buttermilk?

Yes. The ingredient list gives buttermilk or heavy cream as the liquid for the dough. You will still need additional buttermilk for brushing the tops before baking.

How do I keep the scones from becoming tough?

Stir the dough only until it is moistened, well combined, and holds together in a ball. Avoid over-kneading, which can make the dough tough and flat and may break the blueberries.

Why do the shaped scones need to chill?

Chill the cut scones for 20 minutes while the oven preheats to 400°F. This helps them retain their shape while baking and keeps the butter cold before the scones enter the oven.

How long do blueberry scones keep?

After they have cooled completely to room temperature, store the scones in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Refrigeration is not recommended because it can make baked goods stale more quickly.

Nutrition Information

Per 1 scone: 345 calories, 51g carbohydrates, 5g protein, 13g fat, 8g saturated fat, 1g polyunsaturated fat, 3g monounsaturated fat, 0.5g trans fat, 54mg cholesterol, 332mg sodium, 85mg potassium, 1g fiber, 26g sugar, 438IU vitamin A, 2mg vitamin C, 121mg calcium, and 2mg iron.