Homemaking

Lemon Blueberry Scones with Lemon Frosting

By Liz Lovery · Updated July 17, 2026

I feel like scones are totally underrated and are in desperate need of some love and attention. Which is why I wanted to share this delicious lemon blueberry scone recipe!

Scones tend to get a bad reputation for being too dry. This is totally understandable because it's true: they can be dry. Scones are naturally dense, but when you're not using the right amount of ingredients they can be crumbly and dry. A good scone recipe is dense, yet moist. This lemon blueberry scone recipe has everything you need to make a perfectly moist scone that's bursting with flavor! They're just as special on a beautifully set breakfast table as they are warm from the oven on a quiet weekend morning.

Below you'll find my step-by-step instructions, all my tips for keeping scones moist and flakey, the full recipe card, and a FAQ section for the most common scone questions.

What Are Lemon Blueberry Scones?

Lemon blueberry scones are a classic baked pastry, somewhere between a sweet biscuit and a light cake. They're tender and dense, with crisp golden edges, a moist crumb, and bursts of fresh blueberry throughout. The lemon zest in the dough brightens every bite, and the lemon frosting drizzled on top takes them from breakfast to something that feels genuinely special. Unlike muffins or quick breads, scones hold their shape when cut into wedges and have that slightly crumbly texture that makes them so satisfying to pull apart.

This recipe makes 8 wedge-cut scones. You can bake them year-round, but they're especially wonderful in spring and summer when blueberries are in season. If you love scratch baking at home, you'll also love my homemade pie guide. Same idea, simple ingredients, and so much better than anything from a box.

What Are the Best Tips for Making Perfect Scones?

Making scones is simple. You only need a few ingredients. Here are my tips for getting perfect scones every time.

Mix dry ingredients first

This is pretty standard for baking! Make sure to mix your dry ingredients separate from your wet ingredients before combining. It keeps the leavening evenly distributed and gives you a more consistent crumb.

Use cold butter

This is super important when making your scones. You want your butter to be SUPER cold. I recommend grating your cold butter into fine pieces because it makes it a lot easier to mix with the dry ingredients. You'll also want to use a pastry cutter to cut the butter in with the dry ingredients so that it stays crumbly. Cold butter gives you flaky layers. Warm butter gives you flat, dense scones.

Brush the tops with butter or cream

Sometimes scones can come out dry. A simple tip for making sure they come out moist is to brush some melted butter or heavy cream on top before baking. This adds just a little bit of moisture so they don't dry out when they cook.

Sprinkle with sugar

Don't skip this step! Just a sprinkle of granulated sugar on top of your scones before popping them in the oven is a great way to add a touch of sweetness and a subtle crust on the outside.

Refrigerate before baking

Another tip for making sure your scones come out perfectly is to refrigerate them for 15 minutes before baking. This re-chills the butter after all that handling, which is what gives you those beautiful, defined layers when they hit the oven.

Avoid using thin milks

If you use a thin, or even dairy-free milk, your scones will likely end up flat. It's best to use buttermilk or heavy cream with scones. Heavy cream is what I use in this recipe, and it makes a big difference.

Have fun with your flavors

Scones are a delicious dessert or breakfast pastry plain or with fixins! So get creative! You can remove the lemon zest and the blueberries from this recipe and use the base to create whatever flavored scones you'd like.

What Do Finished Lemon Blueberry Scones Look Like?

When these come out of the oven, the edges will be golden brown and the tops will be just set. Not dark, not pale. You want to see where the blueberries burst and caramelized slightly along the cuts. After a 5-minute rest, drizzle the lemon frosting on generously. It will set as the scones cool completely and gives them that bakery-quality finish that makes people think you spent far more time than you did.

These are wonderful served warm the day they're baked. If you have leftovers, store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days, or refrigerate for up to four days. I love setting them out on a platter for a weekend brunch alongside a beautiful space to gather in or keeping them simple on the counter for a slow Saturday morning. And if you're renovating a kitchen you actually want to cook in, take a look at the Paisley Project for design ideas that make a kitchen feel warm and functional at the same time.

Lemon Blueberry Scones FAQ

Can I use frozen blueberries in this scone recipe?

Yes, you can use frozen blueberries. Do not thaw them first. Add them straight from the freezer. Thawed berries release too much liquid and can turn your dough purple and wet. Frozen berries hold their shape better and keep the dough from getting soggy.

Why are my scones dry?

Dry scones are almost always caused by one of three things: too much flour, butter that wasn't cold enough, or overmixing the dough. Measure your flour carefully, keep your butter very cold (grating it straight from the fridge helps), and mix only until the dough just comes together. Brushing the tops with heavy cream before baking also helps lock in moisture.

How do you keep scones moist?

The combination of cold butter, heavy cream, and the 15-minute refrigeration step before baking is what keeps these scones moist. Don't skip the refrigerator step. Also brush the tops with heavy cream before they go in the oven, and don't overbake. Pull them when the tops are just golden, around 22-25 minutes at 400 degrees.

Can I make scone dough ahead of time?

Yes. You can shape the wedges, place them on the parchment-lined baking sheet, cover tightly, and refrigerate overnight. Bake directly from the fridge the next morning. This actually gives you even better results because the butter stays very cold. Do not freeze unbaked scone dough for this recipe.

How long do lemon blueberry scones last?

These scones are best the day they're baked. They'll keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days or refrigerated for up to four days. To refresh them, warm briefly in a 300-degree oven for 5-8 minutes. The lemon frosting holds well at room temperature.

Can I make the lemon frosting thicker?

Yes, just add more confectioners sugar a tablespoon at a time until you reach a thick, creamy drizzle consistency. You want it thick enough to sit on top of the scone and slowly drip down the sides, not so thin that it soaks right in. Fresh lemon juice gives the best flavor but the amount you need may vary based on how juicy your lemon is.