Blueberry Lemon Sourdough Scones (Printable Version)

Tender scones with juicy blueberries and bright lemon, ideal for breakfast or brunch.

# The Ingredients You'll Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1 tablespoon baking powder
04 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
05 - 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
06 - Zest of 1 large lemon

→ Wet Ingredients

07 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
08 - 1 cup sourdough discard, unfed at room temperature
09 - 1/4 cup heavy cream, plus additional for brushing
10 - 1 large egg
11 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
12 - 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

→ Add-ins

13 - 1 cup fresh blueberries, or frozen unthawed

→ Topping

14 - 2 tablespoons coarse sugar, optional

# Step-by-Step Instructions:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and lemon zest until evenly distributed.
03 - Add cold cubed butter to dry mixture. Using a pastry blender or fingertips, work butter into flour until mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs with pea-sized pieces of butter remaining.
04 - In a separate bowl, whisk together sourdough discard, cream, egg, vanilla extract, and lemon juice until thoroughly combined and smooth.
05 - Pour wet mixture into dry ingredients. Stir gently with a spatula until just combined; avoid overmixing to maintain tender scone crumb structure.
06 - Gently fold blueberries into dough using minimal strokes to prevent crushing fruit and discoloring the dough.
07 - Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Pat gently into a 1-inch thick circle approximately 7 inches in diameter.
08 - Using a sharp knife or bench scraper, cut dough circle into 8 equal wedges. Transfer to prepared baking sheet, spacing scones at least 2 inches apart.
09 - Brush scone tops lightly with additional heavy cream. Sprinkle coarse sugar over tops if desired for textured finish.
10 - Bake for 18 to 22 minutes until golden brown and cooked through. Cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack for complete cooling.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • Your sourdough discard finally becomes something worth keeping around instead of a guilty secret you discard down the sink.
  • They taste like a bakery scone—tender, slightly tangy, with bursts of fresh blueberry—but they come together in less than an hour.
  • The lemon brightens everything without tasting artificial, and the blueberries stay whole and juicy instead of turning your dough purple.
02 -
  • Overmixing is the number one way to end up with dense, tough scones instead of tender ones—mix just until combined and stop, even if the dough looks rough.
  • Frozen blueberries are actually your secret weapon because they don't release their juice and stain the dough purple; add them straight from the freezer without thawing.
03 -
  • Keep everything as cold as possible until the moment they hit the oven; if your kitchen is warm, chill your mixing bowl and even your ingredients beforehand.
  • Don't skip the coarse sugar topping if you have it on hand—it adds texture and catches the light in a way that plain scones just don't.
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