Our Gluten Free Scone recipe will amaze you! We use a combination of gluten free flours, including almond flour, add butter, cream, sugar and egg to create scones with crisp craggy crust, soft chewy insides and layers of flavor. A little vanilla, lemon zest, and fresh berries are all the additions needed for the flavorful Raspberry Lemon Scones. Likewise, fresh blueberries make beautiful Blueberry Scones. My friends know I keep a gluten-free kitchen and could not believe these were GF. Their texture is amazing!
They are perfect to serve for breakfast, Mothers’ Day brunch, a bridal shower luncheon, afternoon tea or to enjoy with your next cup of coffee:) They are surprisingly easy to make and you can learn how to by following the steps below or watching my video.
Tips and Tricks
Gluten Free Scones are easy to overwork and overcook, resulting in dense, dry scones. But through trial and error, I’ve tweaked my recipe to ensure the scones stay light and moist for you. The two keys to remember are
- Don’t overwork the dough! Less is more here. A few stirs to combine the ingredients are all that’s needed.
- Don’t overcook the scones. Gluten free flours lose their moisture more quickly than wheat-based flours, so stick to my guidelines for cooking times. If your oven runs hot, shave off a minute or two.
Step-by-Step guide to perfect scones:
- First, cut 6 tablespoons of unsalted butter into small pieces and place the butter in the freezer until ready to use.
- Next, measure out dry ingredients and combine into bowl. This includes 1 2/3 cup of your favorite Gluten Free flour blend, 2/3 cup almond flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, and 1/3 cup granulated sugar. Stir and set aside.
- Whisk together cream, egg, and vanilla. If making Lemon Raspberry Scones, add the lemon zest during this step. If you want to make two type of scones, you can add the zest after you divide the dough in step 5.
- Next, add the cold butter into the flour mixture. Using a pastry cutter (or two butter knives), cut the butter into the flour until the mixture forms mostly pea-sized crumbs. If you are new to baking, see my Instagram page for a great video of how to make these scones! It’s very helpful.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir gently to just combine. It will be mostly clumped into a ball with some floury bits. You can add a few drops of cream to the dry parts to incorporate them.
- If making two types of scones, divide dough into two bowls at this point. For this batch, I made both Blueberry Scones and Raspberry Lemon Scones (8 of each).
- Pour the dough out onto a piece of waxed paper or parchment dusted with flour and gently shape into a flat disc about 1′ thick. Wrap the disc and place in freezer for about 30 minutes. This will make the scones easy to cut and transfer to a baking dish.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F during this time.
- After they have chilled, unwrap the disk and cut into 8 pieces using a long knife. Transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 18 – 20 minutes until golden.
- Finally, transfer to a wire rack to cool or, even better, serve them warm from the oven!
- Store leftover scones in an airtight container in the refrigerator and warm in the oven or toaster oven before serving for the best flavor and texture.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I add different ingredients to this Gluten Free Scone recipe?
Absolutely! This recipe, including the lemon zest, works beautifully for Blueberry Scones, Blackberry Scones, or Cranberry Scones. Just substitute the fruit of your choosing. See my notes on the recipe card for adding extra flavor to Blueberry Scones.
How long do these scones keep after baking?
They are so good, you won’t need to worry about it! However, this recipe does well stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about one week. After that, they can still be eaten but they lose their luster.
How should I reheat the scones?
They are best eaten warm and my preferred method is the toaster oven or oven. A microwave works, but the scone will be soft rather than crisp.
Can I add nuts to this scone recipe?
Yes. There are endless options when making these scones. Just mix in 1/2 cup of nuts to the dough when you add the fruit. Below are some great combinations:
Raspberry Lemon- add blanched, sliced almonds, poppyseeds, or pistachios | |
Blueberry- add pine nuts or walnuts | |
Chocolate Chip- add pecans or walnuts | |
Cranberry- add pistachios, slivered almonds, or pecans | |
Blackberry- add almonds or pine nuts |
What should I serve with the scones?
Traditionally, scones are served with clotted cream, jams, or honey, and any of them will work with this recipe. If you’ve never tried clotted cream, you must! It’s made by separating the fat from the milk in heavy cream through a slow heating process and it’s a luscious, decadent treat! These Gluten Free Scones are a perfect addition to a Mothers’ Day brunch or your upcoming Tea Party!
PrintGluten Free Scones
- Yield: 16 scones 1x
Description
Our Gluten Free Scone recipe will amaze you! We use a combination of gluten free flours, including almond flour, add butter, cream, sugar and egg to create scones with crisp craggy crust, soft chewy insides and layers of flavor. A little vanilla, lemon zest, and fresh berries are all the additions needed for the flavorful Raspberry Lemon Scones. See the notes for making Blueberry Scones. Makes 16 scones.
Ingredients
2/3 cup almond flour
1 2/3 cup gluten free flour blend
1/3 cup sugar
2 1/2 Tablespoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 egg
6 Tablespoons cold butter cut into small pieces
6 Tablespoons half & half (or milk)
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 teaspoons lemon zest (1 lemon zested)
1 cup fresh raspberries (mushy ones are great, too)
Instructions
- Cut 6 tablespoons of unsalted butter into small pieces and place the butter in the freezer until ready to use.
- Measure out dry ingredients and combine into bowl.
- Pour the cold butter into the flour mixture. Using a pastry cutter (or two butter knives), cut the butter into the flour until the mixture forms mostly pea-sized crumbs. If you are new to baking, see my Instagram page for a great video of how to make these scones! It’s very helpful.
- Whisk together cream, egg, and vanilla. If making Lemon Raspberry Scones, add the lemon zest during this step. If you want to make two type of scones, you can add the zest after you divide the dough in step 5.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir gently to just combine before adding the fruit. It will be mostly clumped into a ball with some floury bits. You can add a few drops of cream to the dry parts to incorporate them.
- If making two types of scones, divide dough into two bowls at this point.
- Pour the dough out onto a piece of waxed paper or parchment dusted with flour and gently shape into a flat disc about 1′ thick. Wrap the disc and place in freezer for about 30 minutes. This will make the scones easy to cut and transfer to a baking dish.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F during this time.
- After they have chilled, unwrap the disk and cut into 8 pieces using a long knife. Transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet. If you like, you can brush the tops with cream and sprinkle them with sugar.
- Bake for 18 – 20 minutes until golden. Transfer to a wire rack to cool OR enjoy immediately!
Notes
Tips and Tricks
Gluten Free Scones are easy to overwork and overcook, resulting in dense, dry scones. But through trial and error, I’ve tweaked my recipe to ensure the scones stay light and moist. The two keys to remember are
- Don’t overwork the dough! Less is more here. A few stirs to combine the ingredients are all that’s needed.
- Don’t overcook the scones. Gluten free flours lose their moisture more quickly than wheat-based flours, so stick to my guidelines for cooking times. If your oven runs hot, shave off a minute or two.
Variations
This dough makes beautiful blueberry scones or chocolate chip scones.
For Blueberry Scones, simply substitute blueberries for the raspberries. The lemon zest can be omitted if you’d like, but I think it adds a lovely flavor enhancement.
For Chocolate Chip Scones, omit the lemon zest and add 1 cup of chocolate chips instead of raspberries. If you brush them with cream at the end, sprinkle them with a mixture of kosher salt and sugar to make them extra scrumptious!
If you’d like to make 2 types of scones with this recipe, just divide the dough in step 5 and mix in two different ingredients. Reduce the amount of fruit in half for each portion of the dough.
This recipe can easily be doubled.