This easy gluten free scones recipe has a special place in my heart. It was the first recipe I created after my Celiac diagnosis that was both gluten free and mouth-wateringly awesome. It was my first gluten free success, I guess you could say!
I have made these gluten free scones hundreds of times now, some with berries, others with chocolate chips, others with a cinnamon-raisin swirl; it’s a gluten free recipe that is perfectly suited to any of these twists, and its light, moist, semi-sweet crumb makes it the ideal recipe for breakfast, tea or dessert.
What you add to this delicious scone recipe is up to you (or what you have on hand).
As with many of my baking recipes, yogurt is a key ingredient for sustainable moisture, but it shouldn’t be overlooked for flavor as well. There is just no reason to use plain yogurt in a baking recipe!
Take advantage of the opportunity to liven up your creations by experimenting with yogurt flavors (piña colada yogurt anyone?!), and try some of the great new coconut, almond or soy yogurts out there if you are avoiding dairy.
You can even do a layer of butter-cinnamon-sugar in the middle for a swirl of sweet cinnamon.
Or stick with traditional berries …
Whatever your twist, be sure to try this amazing recipe – you’ll wish you’d discovered it years ago! It has become my go-to breakfast-in-a-hurry recipe, as it takes only 10 minutes to whip it up and 10 minutes to bake.
It almost takes all the fun out of our crazed morning routine of scrambling to get the kids to the bus stop on time! (Ok, even though breakfast is ready, my kids still somehow wind up racing to the corner with untied shoes and unzipped bookbags!).
In the winter, I love to make these gluten free scones with cranberries! So pretty!
This week scones made it into our routine with the addition of succulent fresh-picked white peaches. What will yours look like?
Here’s a quick graphic to show you how to make these delicious gluten free scones in only a few steps:
You don’t need to get a measuring tape out! I was just showing you approximately how wide and tall my dough circle was so you had a frame of reference.
You can cut your scones into wider or much thinner wedges — whatever you prefer.
You can even use my new grain-free Nada Flour to bake these delicious gluten free scones! They turn out amazing!!!
Gluten Free Scones Recipe
Easy Gluten Free Scones Recipe
This easy gluten free scones recipe will make quick work of breakfast, as it's ready in under 25 minutes, start to finish! It's hard to find a more delicious one-bowl recipe!
Ingredients
- 2 cups (270 gr) gfJules™ All Purpose Flour or 220gr Nada Flour**
- 1/4 cup granulated cane sugar
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 4 Tbs. butter or non-dairy alternative (Earth Balance® Buttery Sticks)
- 2 large eggs (or egg substitute like 2 Tbs. flaxseed meal steeped in 6 Tbs. warm water or 1/2 cup aquafaba)
- 3/4 cup yogurt, dairy or non-dairy (like So Delicious® coconut yogurt or Kite Hill® Artisan Almond Milk Yogurt)
- 1/2 cup peeled and diced fresh peaches*, fresh or frozen berries; raisins; chopped nuts; chocolate chips; etc. OR for Cinnamon Swirl Scones, use 2 Tbs. melted butter (or non-dairy alternative) mixed with 1 tsp. cinnamon & 1 Tbs. brown sugar
- cinnamon-sugar to sprinkle on the tops before baking
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Whisk together all dry ingredients in a large bottom bowl. Cut butter into the dry ingredients using a pastry cutter or two knives. Stir in the eggs (or vegan substitute) and yogurt. Gently fold in fruit, nuts, chocolate chips, etc., if using.
- Turn dough out onto a clean counter or pastry mat dusted with gfJules Flour so that the dough isn’t so sticky. Pat into a circle to a thickness of about ¾ – 1 inch. The diameter of the dough should be approximately 7 inches across.
- If making Cinnamon Swirl Scones, melt butter in a small bowl and stir in cinnamon and brown sugar. Spread on top of the rectangle of dough, then gently fold the rectangle over itself, so that the butter-cinnamon-sugar mixture is in the middle of the dough. Gently pat the rectangle out again so that it is 1 inch thick.
- Cut into triangles with a bench scraper or butter knife. Place onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and brush the tops with butter or non-dairy substitute or milk of choice and sprinkle with a pre-made cinnamon and sugar mixture, if you like.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes, just until the tops are lightly browned and it resists a gentle finger pressing down on top of a scone. There shouldn’t be any uncooked parts of the dough peeking through, but be careful not to overcook!
Notes
(*Note: if using fresh cut fruit like peaches, the dough will be much wetter and more difficult to pat out and cut – if the dough is very wet, simply dollop large spoonfuls of dough onto the parchment-lined baking sheet for “drop biscuit” scones. Bake as directed above.)
This recipe is easily doubled.
Nutrition Information
Yield 8 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 347Total Fat 13gSaturated Fat 6gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 6gCholesterol 63mgSodium 412mgCarbohydrates 55gFiber 5gSugar 37gProtein 6g
Please keep in mind that nutrition information provided is per serving, which may vary. While we have taken care to provide you with the most accurate nutritional values possible, please note that this information may differ significantly depending on the exact ingredients and brands that you choose to use to make this recipe. Additionally, where options are given for ingredients, the resulting calculation may include all ingredient options instead of only one per line, skewing the totals significantly.
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Made these with raisins and the flavor is really good but the consistency is not like a scone. A little too spongy and not flaky enough like a scone usually is, (including other gluten free scones I have made or bought from a good GF bakery). I may surmise that your flour would be great for cakes. Any suggestions on changing the amount of wet ingredients to achieve a little drier or flaky result? Thanks!
Hi Michael, I created this recipe so that it would NOT be dry, so I’m glad it turned out right for you! I just created a recipe for a flakier scone that was published in Gluten Free & More Magazine. Are you a subscriber? Here’s the link; if you subscribe, you can access the recipe. If not, send me an email and I’ll send you a word doc with the recipe and see if you like that one any better. (Jules at gfJules dot com)
You are right that my flour makes great cakes, btw! 🙂
~jules
Hi,
I can just hear the eyeballs clacking as they roll at this question but in the recipe you say to form a rectangle but I’m looking at a circle on your site pictures. You also say that the “diameter”, which is how one measures a circle, should be 7″. So do I form a rectangle then smooch it into a circle or…? I ask this because I’m wondering if this has to do with manipulating the dough a certain amount of time so you make a rectangle & then a circle? Good Heavens, even I am rolling my own eyes at this, but I’d still like to know why.
Hahahahah – I’m laughing so hard right now, Susan (laughing WITH you, not AT you, of course!). You can do it EITHER way – rectangle OR circle. I used to always do the rectangle and then I figured out that it made more sense to do a circle and just cut scone-shaped wedges (I was never very good at geometry!). So no need to manipulate the dough to do both, just pick your favorite shape and cut away! Enjoy!!
~jules
I can’t eat xanthan gum. I wish you’d have told me the flour you use has it, I could’ve moved on to a recipe I can use.
Its not her fault if its already in the flour that she used. Geesh.
I cannot have tapioca, so I have to look up the ingredients of the flour blends.
Hi Jayne, try this article for information on other flours.
~jules
I have been looking at this recipe for over a year, but haven’t had the guts to try it until today. I have been g/f for 10 years and gluten free baking still intimidates me. It’s crazy, because I usually find a recipe by you and they are always incredibly easy and always turn out great. I am so not disappointed! They were super easy and the taste and texture are absolutely incredible! Thank you o keeping me in bread, pizza, tortillas, and now scones!
Oh Cyndi I’m so very happy to hear that!! It’s amazing how new recipes can be intimidating … until you try them! So glad you did and now you have another one at your fingertips (especially great when it’s so quick and easy, right?!). Thanks for letting me know how much you’re enjoying my recipes!
~jules
I tried a half-recipe with blueberries since I have been disappointed with gf recipes many times before. But I was SO pleased with this! I used Bob’s Red Mill Cup4Cup flour, and subbed out the yogurt with heavy coconut cream (canned). I baked it a little longer than the recipe said, but the texture was really good, not heavy at all, and it actually tasted delicious!! Will definitely make again!
I had run out of my GF Jules flour, by the way! I’m sure this would have been even better with that!!
Yes, they will stay fresh longer with my flour, too, but I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe anyway — just eat them all quickly so you don’t have to worry about them getting stale! LOL!
~jules
I know the wariness to try recipes when so many have been bombs before, so trying a half recipe was smart. So glad you enjoyed it – can’t wait to hear what you think when you try it with my flour! (I love the idea of using coconut cream in place of yogurt, by the way – good thinking!).
~jules
Hi there,
Can I put syrup Maple instead sugar? What is the amount?
Hi Gali, in this recipe you may use 1/4 cup maple syrup in place of sugar but reduce the yogurt by 2 Tablespoons. Enjoy!
~jules
I’m enjoying one of these delicious scones as I write! First time to make them and they are delicious! Very easy recipe! I made blueberry as I had fresh ones to use up. Any suggestions on adjustments to making these savory rather than sweet? I love cheese scones. Love your flour mix!
My first attempt at gluten-free baking and your recipe was perfect. I used dried cherries and made mini-scones for our annual neighborhood tea. I did a test run with another recipe too and it was dreadful – just glop; I had to spoon it onto the baking sheet! Thank you so much for this great recipe!
Oh Susan that is so wonderful to hear! And cherries sound fantastic for this recipe – yum! So happy you have a great new recipe in your gluten-free arsenal! 🙂
~jules
I can’t wait to try these this weekend!
You’re going to love them, Jennifer!!!
~jules
I know I’m a bit late to the game, here, but I was hoping you could help me troubleshoot. My results have been a little off. The main problem I seem to be having is that my butter melts out all over the place as it bakes, resulting in pools of butter surrounding each scone by the time it’s done baking, and an overall chewy / crunchy effect around the edges of each final product. I’m pretty sure my problem is not due to using too warm of butter – I freeze the butter before cutting in, I handle it only quickly, and I usually re-freeze the scone batter before popping them into the oven. I also don’t think it’s my oven temperature – I have a thermometer, and my oven is right on (weirdly accurate, I’d even say). Any ideas?
Wow, Grace, having never (in all my years of baking scones!) had that happen, it’s a bit of a mystery. Are you substituting any of the other ingredients? Egg substitutions? Different GF flour? What yogurt are you using?
Drat! No wonder I couldn’t find anything on Google!
I don’t use any substitutions, and I use your all-purpose blend (weighted, not measured) and a regular eggs / dairy yogurt. This happens with other recipes, too, that don’t use eggs and yogurt (like a basic biscuit recipe), so I thought it might have to do with my technique?
Are you baking on parchment? How is the texture of the scone (despite the outside crunchiness) ?
Hm, no parchment. I’ll try that! I also just got a heavier baking sheet (my old one was pretty thin and ratty). The texture is pretty good, but a little drier and chewier than I’d like, which I figured was due to there being less butter remaining in the scone itself?
The parchment will definitely make a difference, Grace. Good luck!
~jules
I would love to make these for my daughter but she is allergic to all yogurt. Is there anything that is also non-dairy that I can substitute?
Hi Cathy, you could use any kind of sour cream or you could try applesauce in place of the yogurt. The consistency will be different, but should still be good!
Thanks! I will try that! We have a tradition of opening our gifts after midnight Mass and then having some kind of sweet treat. I think I will try these this year!
You can’t go wrong with these scones, Cathy! Merry Christmas!
If you are using “wet” fruit especially peaches, dry them for a short time in the oven before putting them in your batter. They keep the batter from being a mess and actually have a better flavor. I do not mean like dehydrate just bake on low for awhile.
Great tip, Nancy! It would work well for strawberries, too!
Please could you advise me if it is possible to purchase your flour in UK? if so could you give me the name of a supplier.Thank you. Jan
Hi Janet, as of now, my flour is not distributed in the UK. Do you know anyone in the US who could send it to you? I have had many many requests to ship to the UK, Australia and New Zealand … would love to make that happen, but it will take time.
I am grain-free and cannot use your flour due to the corn. What grain-free flours do you recommend as an alternative?
SB if you can use coconut flour, almond meal, flaxseed meal and/or buckwheat (it’s in the rhubarb family) flour, I really like those flours; as with anything gluten-free, a combination of flours works better than just using one as a 1 for 1 substitute. See my post on making your own almond flour/meal for some more tips!
I made these with banana (overripe and frozen) and they were more like mini coffee cakes. Is it because the banana is too moist? Thanks!
Hi Kelly, yes, I’d suspect that was the cause. This recipe was written with berries or chips as add-ins; it’s not a banana bread recipe. Bananas act almost like a fat in quick bread recipes and need to be accounted for in order for the proportions to work out. I’d try it again with another fruit like berries, chopped apples, peaches or pears, or chips. I have awesome banana bread recipes on my blog if you’re looking to use up those frozen bananas!
Jules, These look so yummy. I love scones and will give these a try next week after the Gluten and Allergen-free Expo!
Hi Jules,
This looks yummy! Would dried blueberries be okay instead of fresh?
Thanks!
Laura
Laura – the dried blueberries will definitely yield a different result than fresh. You may try plumping them up a bit by boiling them in water as you do with raisins, then draining and adding to the recipe. Otherwise, I’m afraid their texture would detract a bit from the recipe, but they would still add good flavor.
I tried these and they were a mess. I added frozen blueberries, the batter turned an ugly blue and so wet. I tried to cut them into triangles, what a mess, guess I should have just dropped them onto the paper. The purple batter color turned me off….Any suggestions? My favorite item I miss besides pizza is blueberry scones as I have been gluten free now for just a little over a year!
The best way to avoid the batter turning blue is to use frozen berries without rinsing them and stirring as little as possible. If you want to roll them out into triangles, you just have to be gentle and pat them into shape using lots of gluten-free flour to keep them from being too wet. Otherwise, the easiest thing to do is just dollop them onto parchment and bake. Definitely try these tips and make them again – if you’re missing scones you will really love this recipe!
Let’s see … I love cranberries, pecans, So Delicious piña colada coconut milk yogurt, and scones! This recipe is a keeper! Thanks!