Lemon Blackberry Drop Scones
Remember that little basket of blackberries that came from Nanoose Bay? I managed to hold a few back to bake into scones this morning. Yes, I thought it was a good idea too.
Any fresh (or frozen – don’t thaw them) berry would work here – blackberries are probably the most fragile, coming apart into their individual drupelets as you stir them into thick batter – but I love them, and that they remind me of our years living in Vancouver, where blackberries were free for the picking everywhere. I looked forward to those late August days of blackberry hunting like almost no other, and would suit up in long sleeves (I’d have worn chain mail if I had access to some) and gardening gloves with their fingertips cut off, and drag Mike along with pails, although he was nowhere near as enthusiastic as I. So I don’t mind their frailty – swaths of purple are most welcome in my scones. I did try to add them gingerly, tipping them in, then stirring only once or twice with my spatula, then gathering up spoonfuls with the help of my fingers to drop onto the buttered baking sheets. They don’t have to be all the way inside – as long as they’re hanging on, the dough will bake around them a bit. They look good that way, too.
Lemon Blackberry Drop Scones

Preheat oven to 425F. In a bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the butter and blend it with a fork, whisk, pastry blender or your fingers (or do it all in the food processor, if you have one), leaving some lumps no bigger than a pea.
Crack the egg into a measuring cup and add milk to make it a cup. Stir it together with a fork and add to the flour mixture; stir with a spatula until just barely combined. Add the berries and stir a couple more times, then drop the sticky dough in large spoonfuls onto a buttered or parchment-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle the tops with coarse sugar, if you like.
Bake for about 20 minutes, or less if you made small scones, until golden.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 425F. In a bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the butter and blend it with a fork, whisk, pastry blender or your fingers (or do it all in the food processor, if you have one), leaving some lumps no bigger than a pea.
Crack the egg into a measuring cup and add milk to make it a cup. Stir it together with a fork and add to the flour mixture; stir with a spatula until just barely combined. Add the berries and stir a couple more times, then drop the sticky dough in large spoonfuls onto a buttered or parchment-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle the tops with coarse sugar, if you like.
Bake for about 20 minutes, or less if you made small scones, until golden.
One Year Ago: Blueberry Galette
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These look fantastic! I love the combo of berries with lemon. Yum!
Thanks for taking us along on your holiday, Julie– I’ve just loved it.
Yummy! Must make these scones. We are just about done with our Civic Holiday long weekend here in Ontario. And what a beautiful weekend it has been.
Julie, thanks for these wonderful recipes!
It makes me smiles to see the word drupelets written there.
have a safe drive home.
You really need to replace “good-sized” with “freakin’ ginormous” — and I made 7, not 6! 🙂 But they are yummy. Thanks!
We just smuggled some B.C blueberries home on the plane. I think this looks like the perfect vehicle for them.
These look perfect! I was contemplating going blackberry picking soon..
I hope your trip back was good, hon. It’s never fun to get home, unpack the sandy car, face the smelly fridge.
Chin up!
I just happened to have a lemon on hand and I had been craving something lemon blueberry for a week. Your timing is perfect! I made a half batch and still got 5 fist-sized scones. I ate 2 out of the oven with some melted margarine.
Another recipe score from your site – thanks! 🙂
Made these today with blueberries, really nice! I liked that I didn’t have to turn out and knead, less clean up! They seemed lighter. I will make them again.