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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Hi Jules, I’m so impressed with this recipe and how the scones turned out! I was excited that I can use yogurts that are dairy free because in addition to being gluten sensitive, I’m also dairy sensitive. I used a coconut based, plain unsweetened yogurt, fresh wild blueberries 🫐 , and a different brand of gf all purpose flour as I unfortunately can’t find your brand where I live. I doubled the recipe; was a bit concerned if it’d work as it took a while to mix in the wet ingredients with the dry and I didn’t want to overmix before folding in the blueberries 🫐. Perhaps because of doubling the recipe, it takes a bit longer to mix in ingredients to get to the dough consistency. Also, I likely had a bit too much flour on the board as the tops of the scones still have flour on them after baking-but it worked out fine in the end because when I tasted them while still warm out of the oven, I was so pleased with the lovely texture of them! I did bake mine for more than 10 mins as the dough was not fully cooked after 10 mins (It was probably closer to 15 mins or even a bit longer). Thank you so much! I’m excited to try different variations, and so excited to have both gluten free and dairy free scones that actually taste good with a great texture!😊
HI Deb – isn’t it nice to be able to have those dairy-free yogurt choices now?! And fresh wild blueberries — yum!!! With different gluten free flour blends, you’ll find lots of differences including how much you need to add, how long it takes to mix and to bake and the end results, so I’m not surprised that there were some changes you found in the recipe. I’m glad it still turned out for you, though! If you ever want to try this recipe or others with my gfJules Flour, we deliver right to your door, so feel free to give us a try!
Happy baking, Deb!
~jules
Hello Jules, many thanks for your reply! Yes it is great to have dairy free options for yogurts nowadays! You mentioned your gf products can be delivered and I wonder if you deliver to Canada?
Happy baking to you as well! 🙂
Deb
Hi Deb, yes, we absolutely do!!! Just put your address into the delivery info on the shop page for pricing and you can see what the shipping looks like. We are also in the process of changing the rates again with Fedex to even more reduced rates! I’m so excited to have been able to negotiate lower rates for our Canadian customers so that the brokerage fees are waived. I hope this makes my products accessible for you, as well!
~jules
Before becoming gf, I had only tasted store-bought scones and enjoyed them, but didn’t like the crumbly texture. This recipe solved that by having a perfectly light texture but not crumbly at all, not overly sweet, were surprisingly simple, and they’re gf! I made them exactly as the recipe states, but I did double the cinnamon sugar filling because my family is crazy about cinnamon anything! Thanks, Jules!
These look divine, Denise!!! I love the cinnamon-sugar addition — can’t go wrong adding more of that! And so glad you appreciated the non-crumbliness of these gluten free scones. I was never a fan of dry, crumbly scones before going gluten free, so when I developed this gluten free recipe, I made sure to solve that problem! 🙂
~jules
I love this recipe and I am going to use it for my daughter’s bridal shower. Have you ever tried to freeze the dough and bake later. If so, did you bake frozen or let the dough defrost (in the fridge? room temp? how long?) How about the baking temp and time? thank you!!
So happy to hear that you love this gluten free scones recipe, Sharon! I make it so often, too! I have not frozen the dough before, but I have mixed up the dry ingredients and stored them in a bag so that I could make this recipe from a “mix” before to save time. I have also frozen the baked scones and thawed them before — that works well, too. I’m sure you could freeze the dough and then bake them; I would let them defrost some first before baking but they could bake from cold. ENJOY!
~jules
Well, the recipe sounded great and I wanted to try the receipt Winn yogurt to give it more moisture. I used another brand of gf flour that I already had so am not sure yet what this would taste or come out like, but I noticed that my scones look like they are melting😯I used frozen fruit which may have caused the wetness too. They are still cooking so I will update this review or write another one. Practice practice practice.
Hi Angela, eager to hear the final results! I use frozen berries all the time in this gluten free scones recipe, so I don’t think that would cause a problem, although frozen peaches or something else with lots of moisture might contribute to them being particularly wet. The biggest difference would be the gluten free flour, since all blends are SO different. Check out this article on gluten free flour blends for more information on your blend in comparison to see what you might expect here. I’m glad you’re not going to let it get you down though, and you’re eager to practice! I can’t wait to hear what you think when you try this recipe with my award-winning gfJules Flour blend!
~jules
Does the dough keep well in the fridge? I’d like to make them the night before and pop in the oven next day!
Hi Valerie – yep! If you wrap it well so they don’t dry out, the dough will keep overnight. ENJOY!
~jules
Made these scones this morning, with diced apple. They were delicious! The texture was nice and fluffy – not gritty at all (probably due to the yogourt?!) They had just the right amount of sweetness. Will definitely make this recipe again with different add-ins. Thanks!
So glad you loved the recipe, Elizabeth! The yogurt helps keep them nice and moist, but my gfJules Flour is why they’re not gritty! It’s such a versatile recipe – diced apple is a wonderful choice! What will you try next? That’s the question! Have fun experimenting!
~jules
An I use Stevita in stead of sugar? Is it a chemistry thing? Thanks
Hi Karen, you can definitely use baking Stevia (“blown” Stevia), but not the highly concentrated packets. Use the one they sell for baking and it should be 1:1. Enjoy!
~jules
these look delicious! What if I don’t have yogurt? Can I substiture with sour cream?
Hi Susan, definitely! Sour cream is a worthy replacement for yogurt in this easy gluten free scones recipe. ENJOY!
~jules
I just made the blueberry variation of these scones and they turned out well, holding together even despite the absence of gluten. 🙂 My GF brother gave his hearty approval. However, the scones are a little tough (likely due to my overtaxing, oops!) and lacking in great flavor- I followed the recipe (but used greek yogurt with a touch of honey to offset the tanginess) and was surprised to see that neither vanilla extra or salt was called for.
In the fall, I’ll test out Maple Oat Scone Recipe 🙂
Hi Kelly, so glad these gluten free scones received your brother’s approval! Overmixing can cause some tough-ness in doughs and finished products, for sure, so just note that for next time. Also, Greek yogurt is a thicker product than standard American-style yogurts, so that could have contributed to what you experienced as tough-ness, so next time I would add a splash of milk as well. Greek yogurt is also a bit sour, so it’s good you added some honey. You could add more honey, a bit more sugar or vanilla extract (as you mentioned) to offset some of the flavors. If you were using a vanilla flavored American yogurt, it would have a great deal more flavor and sweetness that wouldn’t require more sweetness, salt or vanilla flavoring, so that wouldn’t have been necessary, so it really is quite dependent upon the yogurt used. Feel free to add salt as well, if there’s no sodium in the yogurt you’re using. Can’t wait to hear how the next scone recipe goes!
~jules
Made spinach cheese sausage scones, had to adjust flour quantity a little, they are delicious!
Thank you so much for the recipe! It is my new favourite!
Oh Tassie, that sounds like a lovely combination for a scone! So glad it worked out for you and you’re enjoying the recipe. Thanks so much for letting me know.
Happy baking!
~jules
Hi Jule. Coukd you use soy milk instead of yogurt?
Hi Patti, you can always use your favorite milk instead, but use less. The scones will not be quite as moist without the yogurt using milk instead, but they’ll still be yummy. Sour cream is the next best substitute if you don’t have yogurt. If you do use milk, add milk until the dough holds together well and isn’t crumbly at all.
~jules
Hi do you have a savoury gluten free scone recipe that is moist as all the recipes I’ve used in the past have been powdery
Hi Julie, I hear you! I don’t like powdery scones at all!!! This recipe is for a moist, yummy scone that you can make sweet or savoury, to your taste, so I hope you do love it! Instead of using vanilla yogurt and a touch of sugar, just use plain yogurt or sour cream and no sugar, plus add herbs, cheese or whatever other savoury additions interest you. It’s really quite versatile! The key is the gluten free flour mixture, as if you’re using one that’s largely rice based or gritty, no matter how great the recipe is, the end result may still be powdery or gritty. My gfJules Flour is light and fine and makes the perfect moist scone. I hope that helps!
~jules
Have you tried using gluten free oatmeal in the scones?
Hi Lisa, I LOVE using gluten free oatmeal in scones! Here’s a recipe I wrote for gluten free oatmeal scones! Enjoy!
~jules
can i replace yogurt with sour cream. I rarely have yogurt in the house but always sour cream.
Thank you for your reply
Hi Helen, yes! It’s a great substitute for yogurt to use sour cream. Nice thinking!
~jules
In the recipe (guided with photos, or print-version), the directions say to pat the dough into a rectangle, yet the photos show the dough shaped into a circle (more traditional shape for scones). Not a game changer to be sure, but just a suggestion to have the recipe match the photos.
Ha! Good catch, Susan! This recipe is one of my oldest gluten free recipes, and I’ve been modifying it and adding photos over the years. I don’t think I even noticed that it still said pat into a rectangle LOL! I like the shapes better when made into wedges from a circle shape now (as I’ve been doing for the past several years) but I started out cutting them into free form triangles out of a rectangle — the hard way! I’ll go back and edit the text of the directions to match the photos. Thanks for catching that, Nancy! Happy baking!
~jules
These are amazing! Thank you.
Wonderful to know that you loved the recipe, Nancy! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review!!!
~jules
Made the blueberry scones using paleo flour and they turned out to-die-for! Thank you for such an easy and delicious recipe!
Good to know! Happy baking!!!
~jules
These were really good, loved the texture. I used full fat Greek yogurt, some chopped dark chocolate & 1/2 tsp cinnamon. I topped them with sugar in the raw & served them with fresh raspberries. The kids loved them.
Oh MY! That sounds divine, Tina!
~jules
Great scones!
So glad you loved them, Donna! YAY!
~jules
I can’t wait to try this recipe. I have been looking for a true scone recipe that is GF. When I read the review they are a bit dry….I knew them that this is a true blue scone recipe!!!! Yay!!!!
LOL you are a true scone lover, Heather! Enjoy the recipe!
~jules
Hi Jules! My scones turned out dry. Could it be that I need to add fruit to help moisten them? I added raisins, flax seeds and sunflower seeds. The flavor is good but they’re quite dry. Any suggestions? Thanks! Excited to have these in regular rotation. Louise
Hi Louise, sorry to hear that they turned out a bit dry, but glad the taste was still good! Adding fresh fruit does always help with moisture, but I’m wondering if maybe there was a bit too much flour added to the dough, as well — either in the measuring or the spreading and cutting of the scones. Be sure to spoon the flour into the measuring cup, not use the measuring cup to scoop, and use only as much flour as is needed to keep the dough from sticking to the mat or countertop. That, plus some fresh berries will help a lot! If you don’t want to use fresh fruit though, maybe add 1-2 Tbs. more yogurt. Enjoy!
~jules