A freshly baked homemade blueberry scone can be a delicious and satisfying breakfast treat. But like many baked goods, scones are often high in calories. So how many calories are actually in a homemade blueberry scone?
What Are Scones?
Scones are small quick breads that originate from Scotland. They have a crumbly, biscuit-like texture and are often lightly sweetened. Traditional versions are made with oats or wheat flour and baked in wedge shapes. Modern scones are most commonly sweetened with sugar and fruit and may also contain ingredients like eggs, baking powder, milk, and butter.
Blueberry scones highlight the sweet-tart flavor of plump, juicy blueberries. The blueberries are usually folded into a flaky, tender scone dough before being baked until golden brown. In addition to fresh blueberries, blueberry scones may also feature lemon zest, vanilla, cinnamon, and a dusting of coarse sugar on top.
Calories in Baked Goods
In order to determine the calories in a food, you need to know the number of calories contained in each ingredient, as well as the serving size of the finished product. Baked goods get a significant amount of their calories from added fats and sugars.
Butter, oil, eggs, and milk all add healthy fats to baked goods, but in large amounts also increase the calorie count. Granulated white sugar and other added sweeteners like honey, maple syrup, and brown sugar also boost the calories.
The type of flour used matters too. Whole wheat flour contains more nutrients than all-purpose white flour, but the two are relatively equal in calories. Enriched white flour has about 400 calories per 100 grams while whole wheat flour has about 340 calories per 100 grams.
Calories in Common Scone Ingredients
| Ingredient | Calories |
|---|---|
| All-purpose flour, 1 cup | 455 |
| Granulated sugar, 1⁄4 cup | 200 |
| Butter, 4 Tbsp | 400 |
| Milk, 1⁄4 cup | 30 |
| Blueberries, 1⁄2 cup | 42 |
| Baking powder, 1 tsp | 4 |
As you can see, the calories quickly add up once you account for the calories in the flour, sugar, butter, milk, fruit, and leavening agents like baking powder.
Nutrition Information
In addition to calories, looking at the nutrition information for homemade blueberry scones can give more insight into their nutritional value.
According to the USDA, one traditional homemade blueberry scone (using 2 cups flour, 1/4 cup sugar, 5 Tbsp butter, 1 cup blueberries) contains:
- Calories: 330
- Total Fat: 14g
- Cholesterol: 35mg
- Sodium: 240mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 46g
- Dietary Fiber: 2g
- Sugars: 16g
- Protein: 4g
As you can see, even a single scone contains a significant amount of calories, fat, and carbohydrates. The sugar content is also quite high compared to the amount of fiber and protein.
Serving Size Matters
Serving size has a direct impact on the number of calories and amount of nutrients in a food. Many bakery scones are giant-sized or meant to be split, with two halves making a single serving.
So a large bakery blueberry scone could have 600-700 calories or more. But homemade scones are usually smaller in size, containing around 300-400 calories each.
As a general guideline based on the nutrition information above, a medium 4-inch across homemade blueberry scone will have about:
- Calories: 330
- Total Fat: 14g
- Carbohydrates: 46g
- Sugar: 16g
For comparison, here are the nutrition facts for a large 5-inch bakery blueberry scone, based on averages:
- Calories: 510
- Total Fat: 23g
- Carbohydrates: 63g
- Sugar: 29g
As you can see, the bakery version is significantly higher in calories and sugar. So pay close attention to serving sizes, as one large bakery scone could contain your whole breakfast’s worth of calories and carbs.
Tips for Lightening Up Blueberry Scones
There are several easy ways to lighten up homemade blueberry scones if you are looking to cut down on calories, fat, or carbs:
- Use part whole wheat flour – Whole wheat flour packs more nutrition.
- Cut back slightly on butter – Try 3 Tbsp instead of 4 Tbsp.
- Use milk instead of heavy cream – Milk has fewer calories and less fat.
- Skip the sugar glaze – Powdered sugar glaze can add about 50 calories.
- Reduce sugar – Cut back to 2 Tbsp granulated sugar.
- Add vanilla extract – Enhances flavor so less sugar is needed.
- Top with fruit – Fresh blueberries and lemon zest boost flavor.
- Use Greek yogurt – Adds protein, cuts fat. Swap out 1/4 cup yogurt for 1/4 cup butter.
With simple substitutions like these, you can shave off calories, fat, and sugar without sacrificing the delicious flavors.
Low Calorie Blueberry Scone Recipe
Here is a recipe for lighter blueberry scones using some of the tweaks mentioned above:
Ingredients
- 1 1⁄4 cups white whole wheat flour
- 1⁄4 cup all purpose flour
- 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 1⁄2 tsp baking powder
- 1⁄4 tsp salt
- 3 Tbsp cold butter, diced
- 1⁄2 cup fresh blueberries
- 1⁄4 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1⁄4 cup milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 Tbsp coarse sugar (for topping)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
- In a large bowl, mix together the flours, 2 Tbsp sugar, baking powder and salt.
- Cut in the cold butter with a pastry blender or two forks until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Make a well in the center and add the blueberries, Greek yogurt, milk and vanilla. Stir to combine into a shaggy dough.
- Turn dough onto a floured surface and gently knead a few times. Pat into an 8-inch circle about 3/4-inch thick.
- Cut into 8 wedges and transfer to baking sheet. Sprinkle with coarse sugar.
- Bake 15-18 minutes until golden brown. Let cool 5 minutes before serving.
This lighter version cuts over 100 calories by using part whole wheat flour, less sugar, Greek yogurt instead of some butter, and skipping the glaze. But the scones still have a tender texture and delicious blueberry flavor.
Cooking Tips
Here are some extra tips for making tender, flaky homemade blueberry scones:
- Keep ingredients cold – Cold butter and milk help create a flaky texture.
- Avoid overmixing – Just mix until dough comes together to prevent dense scones.
- Brush tops with milk or cream – Adds a nice shine and extra browning.
- Don’t overbake – Bake until golden, not dark brown. Watch closely near end of bake time.
- Let cool briefly before eating – Allows scones to set up for lighter texture.
Storing and Freezing
Freshly baked scones are best consumed within a day or two. To extend their shelf life, store scones in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. The fridge will prolong freshness for 5-7 days.
You can also freeze baked scones up to 3 months. Cool completely before tightly wrapping scones in plastic wrap or foil and placing in a freezer bag. Reheat frozen scones by baking at 300°F for a few minutes to restore crispness.
Try Some Variations
The basic scone dough takes well to many mix-in combinations. Try these flavor variations by swapping the blueberries:
- Lemon blueberry – Add 2 tsp lemon zest
- Cinnamon chip – Add 1/2 cup cinnamon chips instead of blueberries
- Strawberry pecan – Use 3/4 cup sliced strawberries and 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- Cranberry orange – Use 3/4 cup chopped cranberries and 2 tsp orange zest
- Cherry almond – Use 1/2 cup dried cherries and 1/4 cup slivered almonds
- Maple oat – Add 1/2 cup rolled oats and 2 Tbsp maple syrup
Feel free to get creative and come up with your own favorite mix-ins too!
Conclusion
A homemade blueberry scone can contain around 330 calories, depending on the recipe and serving size. Exact calories will vary based on the specific ingredients and proportions used.
To lighten up blueberry scones, use part whole wheat flour, cut back slightly on butter and sugar, add Greek yogurt, and avoid sugary glazes. Baking with mostly wholesome ingredients and watching portion sizes allows you to enjoy these tasty scones without excess calories or guilt!
