These blueberry jam scones skip the middle man and have layers of quick, homemade blueberry jam baked right into the flaky, buttery scones. The fact that they can be made ahead of time means they are the perfect brunch double whammy.
Ingredients
These blueberry jam scones use my favorite buttermilk scone base. It’s a recipe I have perfected over the years and it’s the perfect balance of flaky, buttery and cakey. Today, we’re adding a homemade blueberry jam.
As I was testing the recipe, I started with both jam and fresh blueberries and that proved to be wayyy too much of a good thing. So I fine tuned the recipe and let the blueberry jam be the star of the show.
I won’t touch on each ingredient like salt, but let’s review the major ingredients below:
- Blueberries. You can use fresh or frozen berries, no need to thaw if you are using frozen berries but you may have a minute or two of extra cooking time on the stove.
- Granulated sugar. We use a little granulated sugar to sweeten scone dough. Sugar in the jam also helps to sweeten and thickens the jam.
- Lemon juice & zest. Lemon will help to brighten the flavor of the blueberries, but the acidity also helps to set the jam. Don’t skip the lemon!
- Thyme. The thyme, however, is optional. I love to add a few springs from my garden to jam, it just adds a hint of savory to the sweet jam.
- Buttermilk. Buttermilk gives us a tender scone texture.
- Baking powder. Gives the scones a lift and plenty of height.
Making a Jam Swirled Scone
These scones are somewhat visual in explaining how to approach the steps, so take a look at the photos below and definitely watch the video above for a step-by-step guide.
Quick Jam
The first thing to do is make a jam. A thick set jam will work best, so really let it cook down on the stovetop. I prefer the texture of a chunky jam, so I don’t strain or smash the berries too much as it cooks.
The jam will need to be totally chilled before spreading on the scone dough, so you can make the jam in advance or transfer to a shallow pan to chill quicker.
Scone Dough
The dough is quick and easy to bring together, there’s a few key points to keep in mind while making the scones.
Rub in cold butter. Cold butter gives the scones a nice flake and lift in the oven. The cold butter will steam in a hot oven which will literally create the lifted layers. The texture after adding the butter should be slightly sandy with some larger quarter-sized pieces remaining.
Add buttermilk slowly. Depending on the day, flour, humidity, and about a dozen other factors, you may need a little more or a little less buttermilk. So add about half of the buttermilk at first and then drizzle more in as needed for a sticky, shaggy dough.
Freeze before baking. After you shape as I describe below, it’s important to freeze the scones before baking to rechill the butter. This will prevent any butter leaking and give us those really flaky scones.
Shaping and Layering
Now comes the maybe intimidating part. But if you’ve ever folded a letter into an envelope, you can do this!
Pat the dough into a large rectangle and then literally fold the dough into thirds. This is creating layers.
Turn the dough 90° and reroll into a large rectangle. Spread the jam in a thin layer and fold the dough again into thirds. This will lock in the jam and create a swirl in the middle.
Being very gentle, roll the dough out to size. Slice it in two to have two manageable sized discs. Slice each disc into 6 wedges, making for 12 scones total.
You don’t need to be too precious about the jam on the sides. I let the cut sides be open to show the jam beautifully.
Frequently Asked Questions
The jam will start to hold together as you stir it on the pot as it thickens. So get an idea of how it will set when cooled, place a spoon in the freezer until its cold. Drip some of the hot jam on the back of the spoon and see if it stays in place.
Yes, you can use any of your favorite store-bought jams if you do not have time to make your own.
If you’ve added a little too much buttermilk, add a heavier sprinkle of flour to the table and the top of the dough as you are rolling it out. Add more as needed as you go.
Absolutely, use your favorite berries!
These scones are best when they get a deep freeze before baking because it really sets the butter and allow for a super tall scone. So feel free to make them ahead of time and bake as needed! Store in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
Blueberry Jam Scones
Ingredients
Blueberry Jam
- 170 g blueberries fresh or frozen
- 75 g granulated sugar
- 1 lemon, zest and juice
- 5-6 springs thyme leaves, stems removed optional
Buttermilk Scones
- 375 g all-purpose flour plus more for dusting
- 50 g granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 150 g unsalted butter cold, cubed
- 1 ¼ cup buttermilk divided
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- Egg wash 1 egg + 1 tablespoon water
- Coarse sugar for topping
Instructions
- Blueberry jam. Place all ingredients in a small saucepan. Heat over medium, stirring regularly, until jam is thickened, about 25 minutes. Be sure to scrape the bottom and sides of the saucepan as you stir to avoid burning. Chill completely, at least 2 hours.170 g blueberries, 75 g granulated sugar, 1 lemon, zest and juice, 5-6 springs thyme leaves, stems removed
- Buttermilk scones. Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Rub cold butter into flour until the size of peas.375 g all-purpose flour, 50 g granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, 150 g unsalted butter
- In separate small bowl, mix together 3/4 cup buttermilk, egg and vanilla. Retain remaining buttermilk in case the dough is dry.1 large egg, 1 1/4 cup buttermilk, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- Pour wet mixture into flour, mix using wooden spoon or Danish whisk. Add remaining buttermilk as needed to just moisten flour to form a shaggy dough.
- Tip dough onto floured surface. Roll dough into a rectangle about 12" x 6" in size. Fold the dough in thirds, like a letter, by bringing the top 1/3 down and the bottom 1/3 up.
- Rotate the dough 90° and reroll into a large rectangle. Spread a thin layer of the cold jam over the entire surface of the dough. (Only use as much jam as needed, you may have a bit extra left over.) Fold the dough again like a letter, sealing in the jam. Gently reroll to a rectangle about 12" x 6", 1" tall.
- Divide into 2 disks and gently shape each into a circle. Slice each disk into 6 wedges, 12 total scones.
- Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet and allow to chill in freezer for 2 hours.
- When ready to bake, preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Brush the tops with egg wash and coarse sugar. Bake 18-20 minutes, turning pan halfway through, until scones are golden brown.Egg wash, Coarse sugar for topping
Notes
- Dough can be made ahead of time and stored in freezer. Once fully frozen on sheet pan from Step 8, transfer to airtight container. Continue with Step 9 when ready to bake. Dough will keep for up to 3 months.
- Blueberry jam can be made up to 2 weeks in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge.
- Jam recipe can be increased if desired for additional jam for serving.
Disclaimer: We test all recipes using the metric weights shown, we cannot guarantee outcomes when switching to US measurements.
Other Blueberry Treats
There are plenty of berry items around here. Here are a few of my favorite blueberry pastries.
- Peach and blueberry tart is a great summer celebration dessert.
- Blueberry bagels are a ton of fun for breakfast if you want to try something new! Pair them with a blueberry cream cheese!
- A classic lemon curd and blueberry tart will never go out of style.
