Sourdough Blueberry Scones Recipe with Fresh Lemon
These delicious sourdough blueberry scones combine tangy sourdough, fresh blueberries and a hint of lemon and are then topped with cream and sugar to make an unforgettable baked pastry. With just the right amount of sweetness, they’re perfect for breakfast or afternoon tea.
Our family’s new favorite blueberry treat happens to be sourdough blueberry scones! I’ve been making blueberry scones for years but just recently made this sourdough blueberry scone recipe which adds a depth of flavor you can only get with the addition of tangy sourdough starter. It’s the perfect backdrop for fresh blueberries bursting with sweetness. Our family is a huge fan of freshly picked blueberries. We love this Blueberry Sourdough Bread (and muffins) with Streusel Topping as well as this delicious Naturally Sweetened Blueberry Ice Cream.
I’ve shared several times how much I enjoy using freshly picked berries and fruit in the summer to bake delicious breakfasts, snacks, and desserts. Using produce that’s in season is very important to me for several reasons. That’s why it’s one of the keys to my Farm to Table Meal Planning.
Why Is It Important to Eat Food That’s In Season?
- Fruits and vegetables that are in season are full of flavor. Have you ever eaten a ripe tomato off the vine? Compare that to a tomato purchased at the grocery store in the middle of winter. The contrast in taste is very obvious.
- Seasonal produce that ripens naturally on the vine and is harvested at its peak contains more nutrients and antioxidants.
- It’s what nature intended. If our diet consists of foods that are in season, we will provide our bodies with the nutrition required during that particular season. For example, during the winter when we need more Vitamin C, nature provides an abundance of citrus fruit, pumpkin, kale, and winter squash.
- We usually source seasonal produce either from our own garden or from local farmers. Keeping our money local helps support our community as well as reduce the amount of carbon emissions used to transport produce from further away.
FAQ:
Can you substitute milk for heavy cream in scones?
If you don’t have any heavy cream, you can substitute it with milk. However, you will need to use less milk and add additional cold butter to the recipe to compensate for the fat you are losing from the heavy cream. For this sourdough blueberry scones recipe, you will substitute the 1/4 cup heavy cream with 2 tablespoons of milk and an additional 2 tablespoons of butter.
Why do you chill scones before baking?
Many scone recipes include chilling the dough before baking the scones. The idea is that if all the ingredients stay cold until baked, then the butter won’t melt until the scones are put into the oven, resulting in a flakier scone. I have never taken the time to chill my scone dough and I still end up with fabulous scones.
Can you over knead scone dough?
It is possible to over knead scone dough, so take caution to stop as soon as the dough begins to come together. This will prevent dense and chewy scones.
Tips for Making Sourdough Blueberry Scones
- You can make these blueberry scones with sourdough discard or active sourdough starter. You don’t need the starter to be active because the scones will rise with the addition of the baking powder.
- Make sure to use cold butter, cold cream, and cold eggs straight out of the fridge for this recipe. This results in a flakier pastry and helps to prevent the scone from spreading out during baking.
- If you use frozen blueberries instead of fresh, be sure not to thaw them as this will cause the juice to bleed into the dough.
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Ingredients:
Baking powder
Cold butter
Fresh blueberries, washed
Grated lemon zest
Heavy cream
Sourdough discard or active starter
Egg
Coarse sugar for topping (optional)
Tools You May Need:
Non-stick ceramic rimmed baking sheet
Parchment paper
How to Make Sourdough Blueberry Scones:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, mix together flour, 1/3 cup sugar, and baking powder. Using a pastry cutter or two knives, cut in butter until the largest pieces are the size of peas. Stir in blueberries and lemon zest.
In a small bowl, whisk together the cream, sourdough discard, and egg. Pour into the dry mixture and stir gently until the dough begins to come together.
Place the dough on a floured surface and fold the dough over a few times to finish mixing. Don’t over knead the dough.
Using your hands, form the dough into a square about 1 ¼ inches thick. Cut the square into 4 smaller squares. Cut each smaller square in half to form eight triangles. Place the triangles onto the parchment-lined baking sheet.
Brush the top of each triangle with cream and sprinkle with some sugar. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer the scones from the baking sheet to a baker’s rack to cool.
Storage:
Store sourdough blueberry scones in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature or up to 1 week in the refrigerator. For longer term storage, you can freeze the leftover baked scones in ziploc bags for up to 3 months.
Long-Fermented Blueberry Sourdough Scones:
If you would like to long ferment these sourdough scones for the health benefits, simply follow the steps above up to the point where you have added all of the ingredients and the dough begins to come together. Transfer the dough from the bowl into an airtight container and allow the dough to ferment for up to 3 days. The longer you allow the dough to ferment, the tangier your scones will taste. Once you have fermented your dough, remove from the refrigerator and move on to kneading the dough and continue the rest of the steps as outlined above.
More Summer Inspired Recipes:
- Black Cherry Chocolate Chunk Date Sweetened Ice Cream
- Naturally Sweetened Coconut Milk Blueberry Ice Cream
- Blueberry Sourdough Bread with Streusel Topping
- Blackberry Kefir Gut Healthy Popsicles
- Best Artisan Basil Sourdough Bread
Sourdough Blueberry Scones
These delicious sourdough blueberry scones combine tangy sourdough, fresh blueberries and a hint of lemon and are then topped with cream and sugar to make an unforgettable baked pastry. With just the right amount of sweetness, they're perfect for breakfast or afternoon tea.
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup sugar, plus more for sprinkling on top
- 1 Tbsp baking powder
- 6 Tbsp cold butter, cut into pieces
- 1 ½ cups fresh blueberries, rinsed
- 1 tsp grated lemon zest
- ¼ cup heavy cream, plus more for brushing on top
- ½ cup sourdough discard
- 1 large egg, beaten
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, mix together flour, 1/3 cup sugar, and baking powder. Using a pastry cutter or two knives, cut in butter until the largest pieces are the size of peas. Stir in blueberries and lemon zest.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the cream, sourdough discard, and egg. Pour into the dry mixture and stir with a fork until the dough begins to come together.
4. Place the dough on a floured surface and fold the dough over a few times to finish mixing. Don’t over knead the dough.
5. Using your hands, form the dough into a square about 1 ¼ inches thick. Cut the square into 4 smaller squares. Cut each smaller square in half to form eight triangles. Place the triangles onto the parchment-lined baking sheet.
6. Brush the top of each triangle with cream and sprinkle with some sugar. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer the scones from the baking sheet to a baker’s rack to cool.
Notes
- You can make these blueberry scones with sourdough discard or active sourdough starter. You don't need the starter to be active because the scones will rise with the addition of the baking powder.
- Make sure to use cold butter, cold cream, and cold eggs straight out of the fridge for this recipe. This results in a flakier pastry and helps to prevent the scone from spreading out during baking.
- If you use frozen blueberries instead of fresh, be sure not to thaw them as this will cause the juice to bleed into the dough.