A blueberry scone loaf?? You may be thinking I’ve lost it, but stay with me. A scone loaf is your same favorite scone flavor and texture, just in a loaf. It can be sliced and shared, and it’s easier to get a piece of scone in the perfect size.
Blueberry scones might be one of my favorite to eat, but always were one of my least favorite to bake because of the blueberries. They are hard to mix in without smashing. They can release a lot of moisture which can mess with your scone shape. With this scone loaf though the pan keeps everything in nice and shaped and the little bit of extra moisture can help insure your loaf isn’t too dry. Problem solved!
Scones are one of my most favorite things to bake behind bread. Turning them into a bread might move this recipe right towards the top of the list! Just like my Vanilla Cream Scones, this loaf is buttery and delicious, with bursts of berry. It’s not overly sweet, or overly rich. It’s pretty perfect, and pretty easy to make too. One of the best things about making scones is you can prepare, bake and eat them all in a relatively short time. Unlike bread, you don’t have to wait until they are cooled!
Baking Tips
When making the scone loaf you want to mix gently, not overworking the dough. When the dough is about 80% mixed together, you want to add your blueberries. This way you aren’t struggling to get tons of flour to come together but you won’t overwork the dough, or smash too many blueberries.
This recipe calls for 3/4 cup of heavy cream, but if you are having a tough time with dry bits, don’t be afraid to add a tsp or two (add one and then mix before adding another) into the dry areas to help it come together. If you live somewhere dry, you may need the extra moisture. I’ve made scones hundreds of times and sometimes in all kinds of climates. Sometimes I need the extra liquid and sometimes I don’t!
With scones you want cold ingredients and to work quickly but lightly. Overworking or overmixing will create tough scones. Butter that’s too soft won’t create lift. I never preheat my oven while I work, I measure my cream and beat the egg and then put them in the fridge while I work. When the loaf is ready, put it in the freezer while your oven preheats.
Bake this in a metal loaf tin like this one. Glass will increase your baking time. This recipe DOES take longer to bake than traditional scones. Regular scones take about 25 minutes, this blueberry scone loaf takes about 60-65 minutes of baking. Keep this in mind for planning purposes. If you are short on time I’d recommend either baking these in traditional scone form, or trying one of my other scone recipes.
Blueberry Scone Loaf Key Ingredients
- Blueberry – I used some jumbo blueberries in this loaf which lead to BIG pockets of berry. Regular blueberries are just fine though. You can add as many or as little as you’d like but the more you add your loaf may fall apart a little bit.
- Heavy Cream – When you make scones, get the best cream (and butter) you can afford. The flavor of the scones heavily lies in these two ingredients and when you use high quality, it will reflect in the taste.
- Egg – I have made them without (both testing and just forgetting to add) and you CAN make them without, but your scone will be much more crumbly. Egg helps bind and hold everything together, plus adds a little extra flavor.
Ingredients
- 300 g AP Flour 2½ cups
- 50 g Granulated sugar ¼ cup
- ¾ tsp Sea salt
- ½ tsp Baking soda
- 2 tsp Baking powder
- 113 g Unsalted butter cold, ½ cup
- 180 g Heavy cream ¾ cup
- 1 tsp Vanilla
- 1 large Egg cold, beaten
- 1 pint Blueberries fresh or frozen
- optional Demerara or Turbinado sugar for sprinkling
Glaze
- 125 g Powdered sugar 1 cup
- 2 tbsp Fresh lemon juice
- pinch Sea salt
Instructions
- Place your butter in the freezer for about 20 minutes before you are ready to start.
- Line an 8.5×4.5" loaf pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a medium to large bowl, weigh out your flour, then add sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda. Whisk together.
- Remove your butter from the freezer and using a coarse grater, grate into the flour mixture. I find it helpful to grate half, mix throughout dry ingredients and then grate the second half, and mix in.
- Create a well in the center of the bowl and pour your heavy cream, beaten egg, and vanilla into it.
- Using a fork or a rubber spatula, push the sides into the wet ingredients and begin to bring your dough together.
- When dough has almost come together (which will still be a very rough dough), fold in your blueberries gently.
- The dough can be sort of in large clumps, I take that and place it into the loaf pan, gently pressing the pieces into each other to fill the spaces evenly.
- Place your loaf pan in the freezer, and preheat your oven to 425°F.
- When your oven is ready, remove your loaf pan from the freezer. If you do not plan to make the glaze, I recommend lightly brushing the top of your loaf with cream and sprinkling with demerara or turbinado sugar for a little extra sweetness and texture.
- Bake your loaf on the center rack of your oven for about 60-65 minutes. The internal temperature in the center when removed should read about 190°F.
- Let your scone loaf cool in the pan for about 20 minutes, then remove to a wire cooling rack.
- After loaf has cooled for about 30 minutes, prepare your glaze.
- In a small bowl, add powdered sugar, lemon juice and pinch of salt. Whisk together. Glaze will be thick but ribbon off spoon or whisk easily.
- Pour or drizzle glaze over loaf. Slice and enjoy! Store scone loaf in an airtight container for 2-3 days.
