key ingredients & swaps

All substitutions are a 1:1 substitute unless otherwise noted. See the recipe card for quantities.

• All-purpose flour: Some folks swear by sifting, but I actually don't notice a difference, so do what you like! Whole wheat flour works as a swap but will produce a denser, nuttier scone. 1:1 gluten free flour works too.
• Baking powder: Make sure yours isn't expired - flat scones are almost always a baking powder problem.
• Sugar: Just enough in the dough to round out the lemon without making it dessert-sweet. White sugar is really key here because it keeps the lemon flavor front and center, while coconut sugar is too nutty, and liquid sugars like maple syrup and honey are too heavy for that fluffy rise.
• Cold butter, cut into small pieces: Cold is the operative word! Warm butter melts into the flour instead of creating flaky pockets. If yours softened while you were prepping, pop the cut pieces back in the freezer for 5 minutes before using. Do not substitute with oil; the texture won't be the same.
• Eggs: They bind the dough and add richness. Flax eggs do NOT work here; they make the dough too gluey and dense.
• Cottage cheese (4%): The protein anchor in many of our high protein baked goods. Full-fat (4%) gives the best texture; low-fat tends to be waterier but will work. Blend it completely smooth with the eggs and vanilla before adding to the dry ingredients. This is what we do for our viral blueberry protein muffins, cottage cheese bagels, and all of our sweet cottage cheese recipes.
• Blueberries: If you have wild blueberries, these are my favorite (usually found frozen) because they are smaller than regular blueberries, which means better distribution. But frozen will turn the batter purple. Add them straight from frozen, no thawing needed. Regular fresh blueberries also work; just handle gently.
• Lemon zest: Used two ways: folded into the dough with the blueberries, and rubbed into the sugar until aromatic for the topping. Fresh zest only. Bottled lemon juice does not replicate this flavor. Save the lemon juice for these lemon cottage cheese cookies.

This recipe has not been tested with other substitutions or variations. If you replace or add any ingredients, please let us know how it turned out in the comments below!

step by step: tips to nail this recipe every time

1. Add the blueberries when the dough is about halfway combined: Don't wait until the dough is fully mixed to add the berries. Sprinkle them in when things are still a little shaggy. This gives them a chance to incorporate fully as you finish mixing, without requiring extra folding that can break them apart.
2. Trust the dough when shaping - it will come together: This dough looks crumbly at first, and you'll be tempted to add more liquid or press harder. Resist both. Turn it onto a lightly floured surface and gently bring it together with your hands into a circle about 1 inch thick. Use a light touch, no kneading, no pressing down firmly. It will look like it might fall apart, and then it won't.
3. Freeze before you cut and top: 5-10 minutes in the freezer firms up the butter again after all the handling (just do it while the oven preheats). This is what gives you clean wedge edges, scones that hold their shape, and rise that goes up instead of out. Don't skip this step.
4. Check the bottoms, not just the tops: The lemon sugar topping browns slowly, so the tops can look pale while the scones are actually done. Check the edges and bottoms, golden there means they're ready!

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