Blueberry Lemon Sourdough Scones (Printable)

Tender, tangy sourdough scones with juicy blueberries and bright lemon, perfect for brunch or snack time.

# What You 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 cold unsalted butter, cubed
08 - 1 cup sourdough discard 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

→ Topping

14 - 2 tablespoons coarse sugar

# How To Make:

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 cubed cold butter to dry mixture. Using a pastry blender or fingertips, cut butter into flour until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized pieces of butter remaining.
04 - In a separate bowl, whisk together sourdough discard, heavy cream, egg, vanilla extract, and lemon juice until completely smooth.
05 - Pour wet mixture into dry ingredients. Stir gently with a spatula until just combined. Do not overmix to ensure tender scones.
06 - Gently fold fresh blueberries into dough using a spatula or wooden spoon, distributing evenly throughout.
07 - Turn dough onto lightly floured surface. Pat into a 1-inch thick circle approximately 7 inches in diameter.
08 - Using a sharp knife or bench scraper, cut dough into 8 equal wedges. Transfer wedges to prepared baking sheet, spacing them 2 inches apart.
09 - Brush scone tops lightly with additional heavy cream. Sprinkle evenly with coarse sugar if desired.
10 - Bake for 18 to 22 minutes until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to wire rack and cool for 5 minutes before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Your sourdough discard finally gets to shine instead of sitting in the fridge guilt-tripping you.
  • They're tender enough to crack open with your fingers, with that perfect balance of tangy depth and bright citrus that keeps you reaching for another one.
  • Fresh blueberries burst into little pockets of jammy sweetness without staining the whole dough if you're careful.
02 -
  • Overmixing is the enemy here; your dough should look almost shaggy and underdone, because the rest happens in the oven.
  • If your scones come out dry, you either overmixed, overbaked, or your sourdough discard was too thick; next time use slightly more cream or reduce bake time by a minute.
  • Frozen blueberries are actually better than fresh because they don't bleed color and they stay juicy in the center while the scone sets around them.
03 -
  • Keep your butter in the freezer until the moment you need it, and work quickly after adding it to the flour; warm hands warm butter, and that's when scones become dense.
  • If you're worried about overmixing, use a bench scraper or wooden spoon instead of a whisk; it's harder to overwork the dough that way.
  • For guaranteed tender scones, brush with cream just before baking rather than after—it creates a barrier that keeps moisture in.
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