Imen Ina Garten Blueberry Lemon Scones are a classic American breakfast pastry featuring bright citrus and juicy berries. This recipe uses a mix of heavy cream and yogurt to create a tender, flaky crumb that’s far better than any dry coffee shop version.
Ina Garten’s approach here relies on keeping the butter as cold as possible throughout the entire process. Most people let the butter soften while they prep, but if those cubes melt into the flour before they hit the oven, you’ll lose all those beautiful flaky layers. If you don’t see visible chunks of butter in your raw dough, your scones will turn out flat and heavy instead of tall and light.
The trick to a professional finish is handled in the very last step when you brush the tops with a bit of extra cream. I’ve found that this creates a thin, golden crust that seals in the moisture and gives the sugar something to stick to. Make sure you use a very gentle hand when folding in the fresh blueberries. If you’re too rough, they’ll burst and turn the entire batch of dough a messy shade of purple.
Ina Garten Blueberry Lemon Scones Ingredients
- 2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 10 tablespoons (140g) cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 3/4 cup (180ml) heavy cream
- 1/4 cup (60g) plain yogurt
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup (150g) fresh blueberries
How To Make Ina Garten Blueberry Lemon Scones
- 1. Preheat and prep: Set your oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a large baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper. This prevents the bottoms of the scones from browning too quickly and makes cleanup much easier once the berries start to leak their juice.
- 2. Mix dry ingredients: Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest together in a large bowl. Rub the lemon zest between your fingers with the sugar for a few seconds to release the natural oils, which makes the citrus scent much stronger.
- 3. Cut in butter: Toss the cold butter cubes into the flour mixture and use a pastry cutter or your fingertips to break them down. Stop when the butter pieces are the size of small peas.
Leave the butter chunky rather than rubbing it in completely. Those small bits of solid fat are what create steam in the oven, which pushes the layers of dough apart to make the scones rise.
- 4. Mix wet ingredients: Whisk the heavy cream, yogurt, egg, and vanilla in a separate small bowl until the mixture is smooth. The yogurt adds a slight tang and extra moisture that helps keep the center of the scones soft.
- 5. Combine and fold: Pour the liquid into the dry ingredients and stir with a fork until the dough just starts to come together. Add the blueberries and gently fold them in by hand, being careful not to crush the skins.
- 6. Shape and cut: Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and pat it into a rectangle about 1 inch thick. Use a sharp knife to cut the rectangle into 10 even triangles, making sure to cut straight down without sawing.
- 7. Bake the scones: Move the triangles to your prepared baking sheet and brush the tops with a little extra heavy cream. Bake for 20 minutes or until the edges are firm and the tops have turned a light golden brown.
- 8. Cool and serve: Let the scones rest on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before moving them to a wire rack. They are best served warm while the berries are still soft and the crust is crisp.
Recipe Tips
- Freeze your butter before starting. If you have warm hands, the butter will melt as you work the dough. Grating frozen butter into the flour with a cheese grater is a great shortcut to keep the fat cold and evenly distributed.
- Don’t overwork the dough. The more you handle scone dough, the more gluten develops, which leads to a tough and chewy texture. Mix until the flour just disappears and then stop immediately.
- Use fresh berries if possible. Frozen blueberries tend to bleed much more than fresh ones, which can make the dough soggy. If you must use frozen, don’t thaw them first; add them to the dough straight from the freezer.
- Space the scones out on the pan. These will puff up and expand as they bake. Giving them at least two inches of space ensures the hot air can circulate around the sides, making them crisp all over.
- Check your lemon zest. Make sure you only grate the yellow part of the skin. The white pith underneath is very bitter and can ruin the sweet, floral flavor of the lemon and blueberry combo.
- Let the dough rest in the fridge. If your kitchen is hot, pop the cut scones into the refrigerator for 15 minutes before baking. This chills the butter back down and guarantees a much better rise in the oven.
What To Serve With Ina Garten Blueberry Lemon Scones
A dollop of clotted cream or salted butter is the traditional way to enjoy these. The extra fat balances the tartness of the berries and the zing of the lemon zest.
If you’re having these for brunch, a glass of fresh orange juice or a strong latte works perfectly. For a lighter pairing, some sliced honeydew melon or a few fresh strawberries on the side adds a nice freshness to the plate.
Storing & Reheating Tips
- Fridge: Place the cooled scones in an airtight container for up to 2 days. The moisture from the berries will eventually soften the crust, so they won’t stay crisp for long.
- Reheat: Put the scones in a 350°F (180°C) oven for about 5 minutes to bring back the crunch. Avoid the microwave as it’ll make the pastry limp and the berries dangerously hot.
- Freeze: These freeze quite well for up to a month if wrapped individually in plastic wrap. You can even freeze the unbaked dough triangles and bake them straight from the freezer, adding a couple of extra minutes to the bake time.
Ina Garten Blueberry Lemon Scones Nutrition Facts
Per serving (1 scone):
- Calories: 310 kcal
- Protein: 4g
- Fat: 16g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Sugar: 14g
- Sodium: 180mg
FAQs
Why didn’t my Ina Garten Blueberry Lemon Scones rise?
This usually happens if your baking powder is old or if the butter was too soft when it went into the oven. Make sure your leavening agent is fresh and that you can still see cold chunks of butter in the dough.
Can I use whole milk instead of heavy cream?
No, the fat content in heavy cream is necessary for the structure and richness of the scone. If you use milk, the dough will be too wet and the finished pastry will be thin and tough.
Can I make these Ina Garten Blueberry Lemon Scones ahead of time?
Yes, you can shape the dough and cut the triangles the night before. Keep them covered in the fridge overnight and just brush them with cream and bake them fresh in the morning.
What’s the best way to clean the lemon zest?
Wash the fruit well and dry it completely before grating. If the skin is wet, the zest will clump together and won’t mix evenly through the dry ingredients.
Can I add a glaze to these Ina Garten Blueberry Lemon Scones?
Yes, a simple mix of powdered sugar and lemon juice can be drizzled over the top once they are completely cool. However, the scones are plenty sweet on their own thanks to the granulated sugar in the dough.
Try More Recipes:
Ina Garten Blueberry Lemon Scones
Description
Ina Garten Blueberry Lemon Scones are a bright and buttery bakery-style treat, characterized by a tender, moist crumb and a crisp, golden exterior. The recipe uses a high fat-to-flour ratio and a combination of heavy cream and yogurt to achieve a sophisticated, flaky texture. Infused with fresh lemon zest and bursting with whole blueberries, these scones rely on cold butter pockets to create a dramatic rise and a light, airy finish.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat and prep: Set your oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a large baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper. This prevents the bottoms of the scones from browning too quickly and makes cleanup much easier once the berries start to leak their juice.
- Mix dry ingredients: Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest together in a large bowl. Rub the lemon zest between your fingers with the sugar for a few seconds to release the natural oils, which makes the citrus scent much stronger.
- Cut in butter: Toss the cold butter cubes into the flour mixture and use a pastry cutter or your fingertips to break them down. Stop when the butter pieces are the size of small peas.
- Mix wet ingredients: Whisk the heavy cream, yogurt, egg, and vanilla in a separate small bowl until the mixture is smooth. The yogurt adds a slight tang and extra moisture that helps keep the center of the scones soft.
- Combine and fold: Pour the liquid into the dry ingredients and stir with a fork until the dough just starts to come together. Add the blueberries and gently fold them in by hand, being careful not to crush the skins.
- Shape and cut: Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and pat it into a rectangle about 1 inch thick. Use a sharp knife to cut the rectangle into 10 even triangles, making sure to cut straight down without sawing.
- Bake the scones: Move the triangles to your prepared baking sheet and brush the tops with a little extra heavy cream. Bake for 20 minutes or until the edges are firm and the tops have turned a light golden brown.
- Cool and serve: Let the scones rest on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before moving them to a wire rack. They are best served warm while the berries are still soft and the crust is crisp.
Leave the butter chunky rather than rubbing it in completely. Those small bits of solid fat are what create steam in the oven, which pushes the layers of dough apart to make the scones rise.
Notes
-
Freeze your butter before starting. If you have warm hands, the butter will melt as you work the dough. Grating frozen butter into the flour with a cheese grater is a great shortcut to keep the fat cold and evenly distributed.
Don’t overwork the dough. The more you handle scone dough, the more gluten develops, which leads to a tough and chewy texture. Mix until the flour just disappears and then stop immediately.
Use fresh berries if possible. Frozen blueberries tend to bleed much more than fresh ones, which can make the dough soggy. If you must use frozen, don’t thaw them first; add them to the dough straight from the freezer.
Space the scones out on the pan. These will puff up and expand as they bake. Giving them at least two inches of space ensures the hot air can circulate around the sides, making them crisp all over.
Check your lemon zest. Make sure you only grate the yellow part of the skin. The white pith underneath is very bitter and can ruin the sweet, floral flavor of the lemon and blueberry combo.
Let the dough rest in the fridge. If your kitchen is hot, pop the cut scones into the refrigerator for 15 minutes before baking. This chills the butter back down and guarantees a much better rise in the oven.
