How to Make Perfect Vegan Scones

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Vegan scones have the same flakey texture, moist interior, and crumbly edges as their traditional counterpart. Made using the same methods, with just a few minor tweaks, these vegan scones taste just as delicious!

Using this base scone recipe, you can add inclusions to create your perfect scone. I have included a total of five recipes for you in this post. However, the possibilities are endless.

Three scones stacked on top of each other.

American scones are the perfect homemade lazy Saturday morning treat in our home. I make them with minimal effort, and they taste like I have been baking all day! If you have never had a scone, they have a crumbly exterior texture and a flaky interior. Overall the scones are not very sweet. In England, clotted cream and preserves are added to increase the sweetness.

Another popular option to sweeten up scones is to flavor them with fruit, nuts, and baking chips. (Chocolate chips for breakfast? You do not have to ask me twice!)

What I love about these scones is they are made with eight ingredients. While that might sound like many ingredients on the surface, you probably already have these ingredients in your pantry if you like to bake. I have included four inclusions to make chocolate chip, strawberry, orange, or blueberry scones.

Keep reading to learn more about scones and how to make them.

Jump to:

What I Love About This Recipe
Why This Scone Recipe?
Ingredient Notes
how To Make Vegan Scones
What to Serve With Vegan Scones
Flavor Ideas
Tips for Making the Best Vegan Scones
FAQS
Recipe

What I Love About This Recipe

The ingredients are pantry staples!
The recipe is easy to make and perfect for any level of baker
Ten minutes worth of work, twenty minutes of baking, and I can have scones fresh out of the oven!

Scone halves with jam and clotted cream.

Why This Scone Recipe?

This recipe will give you a perfect scone that can hold its own next to the traditional dairy scone. In addition, this recipe is easy to follow, tested, tried, and trustworthy! Oh yeah, and a vegan clotted cream recipe also pairs perfectly with these vegan scones!

FUN FACT: DID YOU KNOW SCONES IN THE US ARE BISCUITS IN THE UK, AND SCONES IN THE UK ARE BISCUITS IN THE US? NOT CONFUSING AT ALL.

Ingredient Notes

All-Purpose Flour - 3 cups (375g) - Flour is the base and structure of all scone recipes. I prefer to use all-purpose flour, but cake flour also works well.

Salt - ½ teaspoon - Add just a pinch to give the scones some flavor

Sugar - ½ cup (100g) - Look for vegan or organic sugar to ensure no bone char was used in the making process.

Baking Powder - 2 tablespoons

Baking Soda - ¼ teaspoon

Cold Vegan Butter - 8 tablespoons (½ cup - 112g) - Always aim to keep the butter as cold as possible. This will help achieve flakey dough.

Coconut Cream - ¾ cup (180ml) - This key ingredient gives vegan scones the rich flavor of traditional scones.

Vanilla Extract - 2 teaspoons - Adds flavor

how To Make Vegan Scones

Step One: Prep -

Begin by preheating the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. You will also need a medium to large-sized bowl. A pastry cutter or two forks, and a sharp knife.

Step Two: Mix Dry Ingredients-

In a large mixing bowl, whisk the flour, salt, sugar, baking powder, and baking soda until evenly distributed. Add the cubed cold vegan butter with a pastry cutter, two forks, or your fingertips. The dough should be very loose with pea-sized crumbles. You should see chunks of butter; this is good. These chunks create a flaky texture.

Step Three: Add Wet Ingredients -

Mix coconut cream and vanilla extract using a wooden spoon. The dough should be rustic If you need to use your hands.

Step Four: Shape -

Pour the dough onto a floured surface and work the dough until it just comes together. The dough will be very rough. Pat into an 8-inch disk (this size does not have to be exact). Use a sharp knife to cut eight equal wedges. Place the wedges on parchment paper. Brush the top with leftover coconut milk from the bottom of the coconut cream or plant-based milk. Sprinkle coarse sugar on top. Place in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. Then move to the oven and bake for 20 -22 minutes or until golden brown.

What to Serve With Vegan Scones

Traditional scones are served with delicious clotted cream and jam. Vegan clotted cream is made in just a few minutes instead of hours. While the flavor of vegan clotted cream is not exact, it does come close. Another option is to use vegan cinnamon apple honey with this recipe. The cinnamon and apple combination creates a spicy sweet hot "honey."

Try enjoying scones with strawberry compote or peach compote in place of jam.

To sweeten the scones, try sprinkling strawberry crunch topping on the vegan clotted cream or butter.

Flavor Ideas

FLAVOR	MEASUREMENT	INSTRUCTIONS
Blueberry	1 cup	Add blueberries after mixing the coconut cream and vanilla extract. Mix minimally to avoid breaking the blueberries.
Chocolate Chip	½ cup	Add the chocolate chips at the same time you the coconut cream and vanilla extract.
Cranberry	1 tablespoon orange zest ¾ cup dried cranberries	Add orange zest to the dough when combining the flour and other dry ingredients. Add cranberries when adding the coconut cream and vanilla extract.
Strawberry	¾ cup	Cut the strawberries into small chunks. Add the after the coconut cream and vanilla extract have been mixed in.

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Tips for Making the Best Vegan Scones

Tip #1. Cold butter = flakey pastry: Always keep the butter as cold as possible. That is why you should always use your fingertips if using your hands. Using your whole hand will result in more heat.

Tip #2. Mix the Dough: The dough should have lots of loose flour with pea-sized butter and the texture of bread crumbs. Over-mixing will result in a dense bread-like texture.

Tip #3. Chill the Dough: After cutting the scones, place them on a baking sheet and refrigerate for 15 minutes. This helps the butter firm up, which creates a flaky texture.

Tip #4. Always Preheat Your Oven: The oven should be piping hot when the scones are placed inside for perfect results. This will create the dough to rise correctly while creating a golden-brown exterior.

Tip #5. Let the Scones Cool: After baking, cool the scones on the baking sheet for 3 - 5 minutes. Then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. The rack helps the air circulate and stops before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. This will prevent any heat from continuing to cook the scone.

FAQS

How do I Store and Reheat Scones?

Refrigerator Instructions - Place in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to five days. If you prefer a warm scone, place it in the microwave for 20 - 30 seconds.
Freezer Instructions - Bring to room temperature. Tightly wrap in plastic wrap or store in an airtight container for up to three months. Allow 1 -2 hours for the scone to thaw before enjoying it. If you prefer a warm scone, place it in the microwave for 20 - 30 seconds.

How do I Serve Scones?

Typically scones are served cold or warm, but not hot. Clotted cream and jam are traditionally served with scones to sweeten them. I recommend using vegan clotted cream, vegan honey, or plant-based butter to keep these scones vegan. Serve with your favorite jam, preservative, or compote.

Can This Recipe be Make Gluten Free?

Several gluten-free flours are on the market, including chickpea flour, almond flour, and oat flour. While theoretically, these flours could replace wheat flours, I have not tested the recipe and cannot say for certain.