Blueberry Lemon Sourdough Scones (Printable)

Lightly tangy sourdough scones with juicy blueberries and fresh lemon zest, ideal for a bright brunch or snack.

# 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 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

# How-To Steps:

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 the dry mixture. Using a pastry blender or fingertips, work the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs 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 the mixture is smooth and well combined.
05 - Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir using a spatula until just combined. Do not overmix; some lumps should remain to ensure tender scones.
06 - Gently fold the blueberries into the dough using a spatula or wooden spoon, being careful not to crush them.
07 - Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and pat it into a 1-inch thick circle approximately 7 inches in diameter.
08 - Using a sharp knife or bench scraper, cut the dough circle into 8 equal wedges. Transfer each wedge to the prepared baking sheet, spacing them evenly.
09 - Brush the top surface of each scone lightly with additional heavy cream and sprinkle with coarse sugar if desired.
10 - Bake for 18 to 22 minutes until the tops are golden brown and the scones are cooked through. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The sourdough discard adds a subtle tangy depth that regular scones completely miss, making them feel special without tasting aggressively sour.
  • Blueberries bursting with juice and bright lemon zest means each bite is literally different, and that small detail changes everything about how good they taste.
02 -
  • Overmixing the dough is the mistake that teaches you the most about scone-making, and once you've made one batch that turned out heavy and dense because you stirred it like you were angry, you'll never do it again.
  • The sourdough discard needs to be at room temperature and genuinely unfed—if your starter is very young or has been in the fridge, it might not behave the same way, so consistency matters more than you'd think.
03 -
  • If your scones spread too much during baking instead of rising, your butter probably warmed up—next time keep everything colder and work faster once the wet and dry ingredients meet.
  • The sound of a perfectly baked scone when you bite into it—that slight crackle—is how you know you've nailed the texture, and it's worth chasing.
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