Easy Scone Recipe with Gluten-Free & Other Options

Make this easy scone recipe mix and whip up a batch whenever you get the craving. The recipe includes options for vegan, gluten-free, and flavoring ideas.

January is often cold and windy and weather like this calls for comfort food. However, I’m a busy person so I make my baking mixes ahead of time. Then when it’s time to make them, I can just measure out the amount of mix that I need, add the liquid ingredients and then bake them. Scone mix can be just as easy to do as any other baking mix.

Easy Scone Recipe Mix

Here’s my recipe for a make-ahead mix for scones:

• 2 cups sugar
• 15 cups flour
• 1/2 cup baking powder
• 1/4 cup salt

Mix all of this together and store in an airtight container. I use a glass half-gallon mason type jar. This has a wide mouth that you can easily get measuring cups and spoons into. This mix will keep for about a year (if you don’t use it by then!) in the pantry. If you need to keep it longer, it can be stored in the freezer. This size batch will make 64-75 scones, depending on size.

The Scone Recipe

When you are ready to make the scones, here’s the recipe. We’ll talk about variations in a bit.

• 2-1/4 cup scone mix
• 1-1/4 cup heavy cream

Mix your easy scone recipe mix together with the heavy cream so they’re combined but still lumpy. Don’t try to create a smooth dough, it will be flat and lifeless.[1] Take the dough out of the bowl and lay it on a floured surface. Roll gently to about 1/4 inch thick. Cut into round circles. Or make one large circle and cut into wedges. The scones can be baked right away or frozen until morning to bake then. Bake on a greased pan at 350°f for about 30 minutes. Insert a cake tester to see if it is cooked all the way through. Scones should be crumbly when done, not soft and spongy like muffins. Serve warm with jam and butter.

Making Vegan or Gluten-Free Scones

If you have a different diet, ie: vegan or gluten-free, this recipe can be easily adapted to fit what you need. Listed below are some good options.

Vegan

There are vegan sugars that you can use in this easy scone recipe. Check out this list. Or you can use raw sugar. Just beware that the additional molasses in raw sugars can alter the taste. You can also use a vegan milk type product if you wish. Almond milk, coconut milk or rice milk can all be used the same way as the heavy cream, but you’ll need to add some fat of some sort. Coconut oil makes a great fat that is vegan and has nutrients that are good for you. Use 1 cup of milk alternative and 1/4 cup coconut oil.

Gluten-Free

You can substitute a number of gluten-free flours, but be aware that the texture will be different. Scones are naturally crumbly, so in most cases, this works well. Also be aware that some gluten-free flours, like coconut flour, absorb a lot of moisture, so you may need to add more liquid. A lot more! Gluten-free flours should be used in combinations of 2-3 for the best results.

Salt

As for the salt, you can use most any salt in this easy scone recipe. A fine grain salt will distribute better than a coarser grain. I prefer Himalayan Pink Salt for the flavor and trace minerals (almost negligible at this amount, but it makes me feel better!), but you can use most any salt.

Sugar

If you want to use a sugar substitute, be aware that sugar provides some volume. I would use a partial stevia, partial sugar blend. And remember that stevia is much sweeter than sugar, so you’ll need much less.

Leavening Agent

If you choose not to use baking powder, you can use a substitute like sour milk. Make your own by adding a teaspoon of vinegar to a cup of milk. This may be enough to help with rising, but it may not. You may have problems with your scones being flat.

Easy Scone Recipe Additions

Plain scones are good, but flavored scones are even better. Here are some tasty ideas for flavored scones.

• Orange Cranberry: orange zest with orange juice and chopped cranberries.
• Lemon Poppyseed: lemon zest with lemon juice and a tablespoon of poppyseeds.
• Lavender: lavender-infused sugar, lavender buds on top and a lavender powder sugar glaze.
• Black Currants: one of my favorites, just mix in a cup of dried black currants. This works with dried cherries, blueberries or golden raisins as well.
• Pecan Peach: chopped pecans and chopped peaches.
• Rosemary Parmesan: savory scones with a tablespoon each of dried rosemary and shaved parmesan.
• Maple Walnut: chopped walnuts with a maple powdered sugar glaze.

Try this super easy scone recipe mix and let us know what you think and which additions you put in.

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Sources

1. Eight Amazing Facts You Didn’t Know About Scones. Oct 2018.