Vegan scones - these easy eggless and dairy-free British scones are a perfect tea time treat. They are quick and simple to make and totally delicious. Serve with jam and vegan cream; or eat them split, toasted and buttered.
Scones are a classic British afternoon tea staple, and they also happen to be incredibly quick and easy to make at home. These vegan scones are indistinguishable from the best classic scones and are sure to be a real crowd-pleaser.
I did a fair bit of testing to come up with this ultimate vegan scone recipe; I tried various different fats, milks, buttermilk, yogurt etc and this version was by far my favourite.
They are light and moist, with a pleasing amount of crumble and just enough sweetness; the perfect scone for a vegan afternoon tea!
Vegan Scone Ingredients:
Scones only require a few basic store-cupboard ingredients:
Self-raising flour - it's important to use self-raising flour to get the best rise.
Baking powder - the self-raising flour alone isn't quite enough, scones need a little extra baking powder to get a really good rise.
Vegan block butter - using a block butter/margarine rather than the spreadable kind in a tub will give you a much better texture as it has a higher fat content.
I use Naturli Vegan Block, but Stork or Vitalite block, Tormor or Earth Balance Buttery Sticks will all work. It is also important that the butter is fridge cold, not room temperature.
Refined coconut oil - I did a lot of testing to perfect these vegan scones and found that the ones that used half refined coconut oil and half vegan block butter had the best flavour and texture. You can use all coconut oil or all butter instead but half and half is best.
Make sure that you use refined, rather than virgin coconut oil (unless you want your scones to taste like coconut), and it should be solid, not soft or melted; refrigerate it if necessary to firm it up.
Caster sugar - I use caster/superfine sugar rather than granulated as it dissolves into the dough more easily. Granulated will work if that is all you have though. British scones shouldn't be too sweet so I don't use lots; you can add a bit extra if you prefer a sweeter scone; or reduce it if you like them a little more puritanical or if you want to make savoury ones.
Soy milk - I use unsweetened soy milk to make my scones as it has the highest protein content. Any non-dairy milk will work but soy is best (oat would be my second choice).
I glaze the vegan scones with a mixture of soy milk and maple syrup which gives them a lovely colour. You can use just milk if you prefer.
How To Serve Scones:
Scones go stale very quickly and are best eaten as fresh as possible, ideally within a couple of hours of being baked. (See below for freezing/make-ahead tips).
Traditionally they are served with jam and clotted cream though I have never been a huge fan of the cream (don't hate me!) and I like mine with just jam, ideally raspberry.
Obviously clotted cream isn't vegan but vegan whipped cream would be an acceptable substitute. If you are in the UK then Elmlea now make a plant-based whippable double cream and most supermarkets sell a vegan squirty cream; or you could go for homemade coconut whipped cream if you don't mind the flavour.
My husband eschews the jam and cream entirely, preferring his scones split, toasted and buttered (with Naturli Spreadable); this is absolutely the best way to eat slightly stale scones.
They would also be lovely served with my vegan lemon curd or plum and amaretto jam.
How To Make Vegan Scones:
(For ingredients and full instructions see the recipe card below)
*For the best results make sure that you follow the recipe closely. As always, I highly recommend using the gram measurements (with a digital scale), rather than the cup conversions. Cup measurements are simply not accurate enough for baking and I cannot guarantee the best results if you use them.*
Start by mixing together self-raising flour and baking powder in a large bowl until they are well combined.
Add cold, diced vegan block butter and solid refined coconut oil and rub them in using your fingertips until no lumps of fat remain and the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
The coconut oil in particular can be difficult to rub in so do take your time to ensure that there are no lumps remaining. You can also use a food processor instead for this step (this step only) to save time. Next, stir in some caster sugar.
Gradually stir in the milk until it forms a soft, almost sticky dough. I find that the back of a table knife is the best tool for this job, it enables you to cut the liquid through without over-mixing the dough.
If there are any dry, floury bits left in the bottom of the bowl add a drop more milk to mix them in. You may not need to use all of the milk, or you may need a little more.
Bring the dough together into a ball, it should be soft and a bit sticky. Turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, don't knead it but use your hands to kneaten it a little and pat it out into a round about 4cm/1 ½ inches thick.
Use a 6cm/2 ⅓ inch round cutter (plain or fluted is fine) to cut out four scones. Place them slightly spaced apart on a baking parchment lined baking sheet.
Very gently bring the scraps of dough back together, pat out into a round again and cut out two or three more scones.
Brush the tops of the scones with a mixture of milk and maple syrup to glaze. Don't let it drip down the sides as that can inhibit the rise.
Bake for 15-18 minutes, until golden. If you tap the underside they should sound hollow, like bread. Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool a little before serving.
Top Tips:
Scones are very easy to make, but to ensure that you end up with tall, light, moist, delicious scones rather than hockey pucks it is important to follow a few basic rules:
1.Your butter and milk should be fridge cold, not room temperature; and the coconut oil (if using) should be solid. If it is a bit soft then refrigerate it first until firm.
2. Make sure that you do not overwork the dough, you want to mix it until it comes together, no more than that. And never, ever knead it; this isn't bread. The scones will be a bit craggy and rustic looking, but the texture will be so much better!
3. The dough should be on the soft, almost sticky side for the lightest, moistest results.
4. Pat, rather than roll the dough out and keep it quite thick, about 4cm / 1 ½ inches is ideal.
5. When you cut the scones out, press the cutter straight down, don't twist it. Flour the cutter first to make it easier to remove the scones.
6. Placing the cut scones on the baking tray upside down can help them to rise more evenly.
7. When you glaze the scones, make sure that you brush it on the tops only, don't let any glaze drip down the sides as it can inhibit the rise.
8. Get the scones into the oven as soon as possible, don't leave them sitting around as the raising agents start to work straight away.
9. Scones are best eaten as soon as possible, ideally just cooled, and definitely on the same day as they are baked. If you do happen to have any leftovers the next day then they are best eaten split, toasted and buttered.
Can I Freeze These Vegan Scones?:
You can freeze the scones once they have cooled (ideally as soon as they are completely cold). To eat, defrost them then place in a low oven (160C/fan140C/320F/gas mark 3) for a few minutes to refresh.
You can also freeze the unbaked scones as soon as you have cut them out. Freeze them on some baking paper on a baking tray before storing them in a freezer-safe tub or zip seal bag. Then, when you want your scones, transfer them to a prepared tray and pop them straight into the preheated oven from frozen. You might need to add a couple of minutes to the baking time.
If you tried this recipe why not tag @domestic_gothess on Instagram and hashtag it #domesticgothess
*All images and content on Domestic Gothess are copyright protected. If you want to share this recipe then please do so by using the share buttons provided. Do not screenshot or post the recipe or content in full.*
Vegan Scones
Ingredients
- 350 g (3 cups minus 2 Tbsp) self-raising flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 50 g (1 ¾ oz) vegan block butter (I use Naturli Vegan Block) cold
- 50 g (1 ¾ oz) solid refined coconut oil refrigerated if necessary
- 40 g (3 Tbsp) caster (superfine) sugar
- 160-180 ml (⅔ to ¾ cup) unsweetened soy milk (or another non-dairy milk)
Glaze:
- 1 tablespoon soy milk
- ½ tablespoon maple syrup
To Serve:
- jam and vegan cream or thick coconut yogurt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan/400°F/gas mark 6. Line a baking tray with baking parchment.
- Mix together the self-raising flour and baking powder in a large bowl until they are well combined.
- Add the cold, diced vegan block butter and solid refined coconut oil and rub them in using your fingertips until no lumps of fat remain and the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.The coconut oil in particular can be difficult to rub in so do take your time to ensure that there are no lumps remaining. You can also use a food processor instead for this step (this step only) to save time.
- Stir in the caster sugar.
- Gradually stir in the milk using the back of a knife until it forms a soft, almost sticky dough. If there are any dry, floury bits left in the bottom of the bowl add a drop more milk to mix them in. You may not need to use all of the milk, or you may need a little more.
- Bring the dough together into a ball, it should be soft and a bit sticky. Turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, don’t knead it but use your hands to kneaten it a little and pat it out into a round about 4cm/1 ½ inches thick.
- Use a floured 6cm/2 ⅓ inch round cutter (plain or fluted is fine) to cut out four scones. Press the cutter straight through the dough, don't twist it. Place them slightly spaced apart on the baking sheet.
- Very gently bring the scraps of dough back together, pat out into a round again and cut out two or three more scones.
- For the glaze, mix together the milk and maple syrup in a small bowl.
- Brush the tops of the scones with the glaze. Don’t let it drip down the sides as that can inhibit the rise.
- Bake for 15-18 minutes, until golden. If you tap the underside they should sound hollow, like bread. Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool a little before serving.
Notes
- For the best results make sure that you follow the recipe closely. As always, I highly recommend using the gram measurements (with a digital scale), rather than the cup conversions. Cup measurements are simply not accurate enough for baking and I cannot guarantee the best results if you use them.
- You can use all vegan block butter or all coconut oil instead of 50/50 if you prefer; but half of each will give the best flavour and texture.
- Your butter and milk should be fridge cold, not room temperature; and the coconut oil (if using) should be solid. If it is a bit soft then refrigerate it first until firm.
- Make sure that you do not overwork the dough, you want to mix it until it comes together, no more than that.
- Placing the cut scones on the baking tray upside down can help them to rise more evenly.
- Get the scones into the oven as soon as possible, don’t leave them sitting around as the raising agents start to work straight away.
- Scones are best eaten as soon as possible, ideally just cooled, and definitely on the same day as they are baked. If you do happen to have any leftovers the next day then they are best eaten split, toasted and buttered.
- You can freeze the scones once they have cooled (ideally as soon as they are completely cold). To eat, defrost them then place in a low oven (160C/fan140C/320F/gas mark 3) for a few minutes to refresh.
- You can also freeze the unbaked scones as soon as you have cut them out. Freeze them on some baking paper on a baking tray before storing them in a freezer-safe tub or zip seal bag. Then, when you want your scones, transfer them to a prepared tray and pop them straight into the preheated oven from frozen. You might need to add a couple of minutes to the baking time.
HIlda
I truly like to thank you for all your amazing recipes. I appreciate you sharing all your knowledge with us who also have allergies but with your help can enjoy amazingly delicious baked goods. Many blessing to you
Pawel
It would seem like, vegan scones are the simplest thing to make, but they are not! 😉 will try your recipe as they loos scrumptious 🙂
Kelly
Anyone tried making these vegan and gf before?
Sally
Thanks for the recipe. It's nice to actually come across one that works. I try so many and so often they fail and I am disappointed because I follow them faithfully. They taste amazing and they were still good the next day.
Clare
Super scones! The recipe was easy to follow and the additional notes ensure perfect results.
I have made several of your recipes - and each one a winner! Thank you.
LH
Made these for the first time today and wow. The recipe is so easy to follow and the resulting scones are beautifully light and incredibly tasty. Thanks so much for sharing. I’ll be using this recipe for years to come.
Sophia
Loved them so much I'm making them for the 2nd time now! This is a bit of nitpicking but it'd be great to know the ratio of flour to baking powder (and possibly salt) in the self-raising flour! There's thousands of different recipes on the internet, so I'm guessing it differs between brands? Self-raising flour isn't really a thing here XD
Kitty Heldwoman
This looks like agraet recipe, but I gave up after about five minutes of having to flip back and forth between the amounts and the instructions. I know you want to generate ad revenue, but this is ridiculous.
hannahhossack
I'm slightly confused - the instructions are literally directly below the ingredients list in the recipe card.
Sarah-Jade Schipper
Hi.. I am unable to purchase naturli vegan block in Malaysia, but we have the spreadable type. Can I use that instead? Please advice
hannahhossack
Hi Sarah, the spreadable type will work. Block margarine gives the best results but if you can't get hold of it then spreadable will be fine.
Oak
Ok full disclosure, I adapted your recipe so much, I pretty much made a different recipe, but in case others are looking at making a lot of changes here is what I did based off this recipe. I used entirely coconut oil because I didn't have anything else on hand and I wanted to make these now, and I only buy unrefined, so my scones tasted lightly of coconut, which my partner and I really enjoyed. I should have however added some salt and I definitely will next time because it was very noticeable. I used all purpose flour and oat milk. These came out amazing for me, but again, I changed so much I can't really say I made your recipe. I will probably come back another day to make yours as the recipe is written. Thank you for the amazing guidelines,
Regine
Amazing recipe. I can’t wait to try it! i can’t believe all this time I didn’t know Elmlea had plant based double cream haha
Niamh
My go to scone recipe! Works well every time.
Joan
Best scones I have ever made light and fluffy delicious flavour thank you
Ariane
These turned out great and were very simple to make! Made them with only vegan butter as I didn’t have any coconut oil in the house. I’ll try the 50/50 next time. Thank you for a fab dairy free recipe!
Clare
Absolutely spot on! Followed carefully and have 6 big beautiful scones. I put cherries in half and they were just as good. Thanks
Louise
If I add sultanas to the mixture to make sultana scones should I adapt the recipe in any way? Thank you.
Hannah
Hi Louise, no need to adapt, just mix them in before you add the milk.
Pauline
The best vegan scones I have made yet delicious, I am now going to try your vegan chocolate chip cookies, looking forward to the result.
Thanks again
Lucy
Thanks so much for this recipe, this was my first time baking scones (ever!) and everyone who got to taste them was impressed! The tips and instructions are so helpful, this was really a pleasure to make. Thanks again!
Dana
This is one of the best recipes of any recipe in any category that I have ever tried. Hannah you are a treasure.
Helit R Broza
Can I substitute the sugar with monkfruit sugar or stevia?
Hannah
Hi Helit, I never bake with sweeteners so I'm not really sure. I think that in scones it should work ok as they don't contain much sugar anyway though.
Jodie
Thank you! I used bread flour and extra baking powder in leiu of self rising flour. I used a dairy free heavy cream in lieu of soy (incl the glaze). I didn’t know refined coconut oil was a thing but I am delighted to have another option for a fatty solid/oil (came in handy for dairy free clotted cream too) and I learned how block butter vs spread is preferable. I added dried cherries, and cut to triangles.
As to how the scones turned out, they rose beautifully, golden tops (monitored for a few minutes after the 15 minute mark) and after cooling for a moment my partner and I snacked. Texture was good (I’ve never made scones and it’s been awhile since I’ve had them so not sure if authentic or ideal), light and moist and a bit crumbly (true as described above recipe) flavor was a bit bland (skimped on the sugar) but as a vessel for clotted cream and jam it was nice. My partner is allergic to dairy so loved them and the cream which makes it so worthwhile.
I know they’re best fresh but were made the night before (8pm) for a 10am-12pm event and they were good (no rave reviews).
Will try again with soy and a bit more sugar in biscuit style and see if I can keep improving. Would recommend to anyone as I’ve heard scones can be finicky and these turned out just fine! 🙂
Tenille
These came out so nicely! Half my family is British & not vegan. THEY even approved lol thank you!
carmen
i've made these twice and i'm sure i will make them 100 more times. the first go round, i was just figuring out technique. they were great but i overworked the dough. the second time, i added lemon zest and fresh minced rosemary and they were absolutely perfect. thanks!!
Marianna
This was great! I even forgot about the glazing, but we didn't care - it was delicious. We made 6 5.3cm scones and cut the ingredients list in half and may have skipped dinner 😉