First Step: Preheat and Prepare Ingredients Begin by preheating your oven to 400°F (204°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking. Gather and measure all ingredients carefully for efficient workflow. Keep your butter frozen until ready to grate. This cold butter is essential for flaky blueberry scones.

Second Step: Mix Dry Ingredients In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 2 cups of all-purpose flour, ¼ to ½ cup granulated sugar, 2 to 2½ teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon sea salt, and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon if using. This uniform mixture ensures the scones rise evenly and develop balanced flavors.

Third Step: Incorporate the Butter Using a box grater, grate the frozen ½ cup unsalted butter directly into the dry ingredients. Use a pastry cutter, fork, or your fingers to work the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter still visible. This technique is key to achieving the signature crumbly yet flaky texture. Chill the mixture if it becomes too warm during this process.

Fourth Step: Combine Wet Ingredients In a separate bowl, whisk together ½ cup heavy cream (or cold buttermilk, or your chosen dairy substitute), 1 large egg, and 1 to 1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract until uniformly combined.

Fifth Step: Form the Dough Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry mixture and gently fold just until moistened. Folding minimally helps prevent the scones from becoming tough. Then fold in your ½ to 1 cup of fresh or frozen blueberries carefully, avoiding bursting them.

Sixth Step: Shape the Dough Turn the loose, shaggy dough onto a lightly floured surface. Gently knead 2 to 3 times to bring it together into a sticky ball. If too sticky, sprinkle with a little more flour; if too dry, add 1-2 tablespoons more cream or buttermilk. Flatten the dough into a 7- to 8-inch (18-20 cm) disk about 1 inch thick.

Seventh Step: Cut and Chill Cut the disk into 8 equal wedges using a sharp knife. Place the wedges 2 to 3 inches apart on the lined baking sheet. Brush the tops with a little additional cream or buttermilk and sprinkle with coarse sugar for a crunchy, bakery-style crust. Chill the scones in the refrigerator or briefly freeze for at least 15 minutes before baking to keep the butter cold and prevent spreading.

Final Step: Bake and Finish Bake the scones for 18 to 27 minutes in the preheated oven until they are golden brown and crisp on the edges. Remove from the oven and cool slightly on a wire rack. For an extra touch of sweetness, drizzle with a delicate vanilla icing once cooled. Serve these warm or at room temperature for a perfect breakfast or snack.