Light & fluffy blueberry scones with a layer of sweet orange marmalade running through the middle. Crisp on the outside, soft & tender on the inside, & perfectly moist. No dense or dry scones here!
I really love making scones. And I really love eating scones. Sweet, savory, American scones, English scones. I don’t even care if you pronounce it “skown” or “scon.” But it seems some people aren’t as enthusiastic as I am about these little pastries. Poor scones are often mislabeled as dry, dense, or bland- and this just isn’t always the case. In fact, made the correct way with the correct ingredients, scones are quite the opposite: light, fluffy, flavorful, and moist. Doesn’t that sound like a pastry you can get behind? Me too. So let’s make that kind of scone.
These are pretty darn ideal if you ask me. They have a sweet, crisp exterior & an ultra-soft, tender, & moist interior that’s packed with blueberries. Super light & fluffy, there’s not a dry or dense crumb in sight. Also, let’s talk about the layer of jam that’s running through the center of these scones- holy smokes. That little bit of jam makes these extra special, flavorful, and moist. Win-win-win. I use orange marmalade in these, but feel free to switch things up & try a different flavor!
Scones pretty simple to make, but there are some important techniques you can implement that will help your scones turn out especially delicious. Be sure to read over my notes below so you can achieve scone success!
What you’ll need to make these scones:
Butter: Butter adds flavor & flakiness. Because the butter is cold when it hits the oven, this helps the scones rise, giving them a light & fluffy texture.
Heavy cream: Adds moisture & richness.
Egg: For binding & structure.
Vanilla: For added flavor.
Flour: I use a combination of all-purpose flour & cake flour in my scones. The cake flour makes all the difference! Because it has a lower protein content than other flours, cake flour helps create an exceptionally light & fluffy texture to these scones.
Sugar: I use a combination of granulated & brown sugar in my scones to give a boost of sweetness. The granulated sugar also helps form a crisp exterior, while the brown sugar adds extra moisture to the scones.
Baking powder: For leavening.
Kosher salt: To balance out all the sweetness.
Blueberries: Because these are, in fact, blueberry scones.
Jam: A layer of jam in the center of these scones makes them extra delicious & extra moist. I use orange marmalade, but feel free to try other flavors!
Turbinado sugar: Sprinkled on top, this creates an extra-sweet, extra-crunchy exterior that’s irresistible!
FAQs:
What is the dough supposed to feel/ look like? Scone dough is kind of a Goldilocks situation- you don’t want it too dry, & you don’t want it to be wet either. The dough should be crumbly, and just moistened enough that when you press it together with your fingers the dough will stick together. If you’ve never made scones before, you may be tempted to add more liquid. But be patient and have faith- as you gently work with & shape the dough, it will come together!
Can I use milk instead of heavy cream? I don’t recommend it. Milk is thinner than heavy cream, which can cause your scones to spread too much in the oven. If you don’t have heavy cream on hand, you can try buttermilk instead.
Can I use other flavors of jam? Yes, & that’s what I love about this recipe! Have fun with it. I think a blueberry, fig, or mixed berry jam would be really tasty. Be sure to leave a comment if you try out different flavors- I’d love to know what you come up with!
Do I have to chill the dough? Yes. Keeping the dough cold is crucial to baking up scones that are light & fluffy. When the cold ingredients (particularly the butter) hit the hot oven, steam is created, which helps the scones to rise. If your ingredients are at room temperature, the butter will simply melt, causing your scones to spread and become flat & dense.
A few notes before you bake:
When it comes to making scones, keep things cold! Like I mentioned previously, cold ingredients are crucial to getting a light & fluffy scone. Room temperature ingredients cause your scones to spread in the oven, causing them to become flat & dense. Here are some tips on how to keep things cold:
- Leave ingredients in the fridge until you need them (i.e. cubed butter & combined wet ingredients)
- Cut your butter into small pieces. This reduces the amount of time you spend cutting the butter into the flour mixture, therefore keeping it from getting too warm.
- Chill the dough according to recipe instructions- once after shaping & once right before baking.
Don’t overwork your dough. Be careful not to overmix or overwork. Overworked dough= tough scones.
PrintJam-Filled Blueberry Scones
- Prep Time: 20 minutes (plus 40-minute chill time)
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes
- Yield: 8 scones 1x
- Category: Breakfast/ Brunch
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Breakfast, Snack
Description
Light & fluffy blueberry scones with a layer of sweet orange marmalade running through the middle. Crisp on the outside, soft & tender on the inside, & perfectly moist. No dense or dry scones here!
Ingredients
- 84 gm (6 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- 125 gm cold heavy cream (1/3 cup + 3 tablespoons), plus more for brushing
- 1 large egg, cold
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- 156 gm (1 1/4 cups, spoon & leveled), all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- 125 gm (1 cup, spoon & leveled) cake flour
- 50 gm (1/4 cup) granulated sugar
- 25 gm (2 tablespoons) light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 64 gm (1/2 cup) fresh blueberries
- 2 tablespoons orange marmalade, or other jam of choice
- Turbinado sugar, for sprinkling
Instructions
- Place butter in a small bowl and leave in refrigerator until needed. In another small bowl, combine heavy cream, egg, & vanilla, and place in refrigerator until needed.
- In a large bowl, combine both flours, sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt. Using a pastry cutter or 2 knives, cut in cold butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Slowly pour in cold heavy cream mixture while simultaneously stirring flour mixture with a wooden spoon. Gently mix until flour mixture is moistened & ingredients are mostly incorporated. Dough will be crumbly but should hold together when pressed. Gently fold in blueberries, being careful not to overmix dough.
- Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface & gently press dough together to form a ball. Dough will be crumbly, but don’t worry, it will come together. Cut dough in half & place both halves on a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Shape each half into a flat, circular disc, about 1/2″ tall & 6″ in diameter. Flour your hands as necessary if dough becomes sticky. Place discs in the freezer for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 375°F.
- Remove the discs from the freezer. Top one disc with jam, leaving a 1/2″ border around the edges. Place the other disc on top & gently press to adhere together. Pinch the edges of both discs together to form a seal. Using a bench scraper or sharp knife, cut sandwiched discs into 8 wedges. Place wedges on the parchment-lined cookie sheet, spacing them 2″ apart.
- Lightly brush wedges with heavy cream & sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Place back in the freezer for another 10 minutes.
- Remove from the freezer and bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown & a toothpick inserted in the center of a scone comes out clean.
Notes
Storage: These are best enjoyed fresh from the oven or the same day they are baked. However, they will keep in an airtight container or zip-top bag for 2-3 days. If eating them leftover, I like to pop them in the microwave for a few seconds.
Keywords: scones, blueberry, orange, jam, breakfast, brunch, quick bread, bread
