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freshly baked blueberry scones on a lined sheet pan
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5 from 31 votes

Buttermilk Blueberry Scones

These buttermilk blueberry scones have been my go-to since 2018. They’re fluffy, flavorful, and full of juicy blueberries—with a golden crust and soft, tender crumb. No mixer, no stress, and no dry, crumbly scones in sight.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Cooling Time15 minutes
Total Time50 minutes
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Difficulty: Medium
Servings: 8 scones
Calories: 316kcal
Author: Nora from Savory Nothings

Ingredients

  • 2 ½ cups flour
  • ⅓ cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup cold butter cubed
  • 1 cup blueberries fresh preferred; frozen will yield messy/grey scones
  • ⅔ cup buttermilk
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

For brushing

  • 1 tablespoon milk
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon light brown sugar

Optional glaze - see notes

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Prep:
    Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet and sprinkle with flour.
  • Mix dry ingredients:
    Combine flour, sugar, lemon zest, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large mixing bowl.
    2 ½ cups flour, ⅓ cup sugar, 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest, 2 teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt
    overhead view of dry ingredients for scones in white bowl with wooden spoon
  • 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.
    ½ cup cold butter
    overhead view of dry ingredients for scones in white bowl with butter rubbed in
  • Add liquids:
    Stir blueberries into 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.
    1 cup blueberries, ⅔ cup buttermilk, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
    blueberry scones dough in white bowl with wooden spoon
  • Shape:
    Turn out the dough on your prepared baking sheet. Gather it into a ball and slightly flatten it into a roughly 7 inch (18cm) disk (this works best with slightly damp fingers). Cut into 8 wedges. Pull the wedges slightly apart, so they're about 2 inches (5cm) away from each other.
    overhead view of blueberry scones before baking
  • Finish and bake:
    Brush the scones with milk and sprinkle with both sugars. 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 - see notes for glaze.
    1 tablespoon milk, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
    overhead view of baked blueberry scones on cooling rack

Video

Notes

  • Baking powder/soda: Make sure they’re fresh or your scones won’t rise properly.
  • Butter: Must be cold and firm. No buttery spreads—use stick margarine if needed.
  • Blueberries: Fresh preferred. Frozen = smudgy grey dough, still tasty.
  • Buttermilk: Real buttermilk works best. Sub with milk + 1 tsp vinegar if needed.
  • Dough tips: Measure flour correctly, don’t knead, and handle gently. Flour the baking sheet well and use a sharp knife for clean wedges.
  • Optional glaze: Mix ½ cup powdered sugar with 2–3 teaspoons lemon juice. Drizzle over warm scones.
  • Storage: Best warm, but keeps 2–3 days airtight at room temp.
  • Freezing: Freeze up to 3 months. Reheat before serving for best texture.

Nutrition

Serving: 1scone | Calories: 316kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 32mg | Sodium: 338mg | Potassium: 184mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 400IU | Vitamin C: 1.8mg | Calcium: 76mg | Iron: 1.9mg