Erin’s Recipe Rundown
Texture: Light and flaky with moist interiors and crisp golden-brown edges. Top with sanding sugar for a little more crunch!
Taste: Buttery and extra rich from the sour cream. Add any flavors/mix-ins you like.
Ease: So easy to make! Great beginner recipe.
Top Tips: Use frozen grated butter! Also freeze the dough for 15 minutes before slicing/baking for extra flaky scones.
Recommended GF Flour: Works great with many gluten-free flour blends. Use a high-quality flour that contains xanthan gum. I like King Arthur Flour and Bob’s Red Mill.
Would I make these again? Definitely! This is my go-to scone base recipe and we love to make different varieties!
xoxo erin
Featured Comment
From Christina: “I made these yesterday for a Mother’s Day High Tea, and they were fabulous! I was leery as so often gluten-free baked goods turn out so so, but these were scrumptious! Flaky on the outside and moist on the inside. Followed the recipe exactly minus any add-ins as I was serving them with whipped honey butter and blueberry compote. I will definitely be making these again and again!”
Table of Contents
- Erin’s Recipe Rundown
- Ingredients You’ll Need
- How to Make Gluten-Free Scones
- Gluten-Free Scone Variations
- Storage, Make-Ahead and Freezing Instructions
- Can I make these scones dairy-free?
- Do I have to refrigerate the dough, then freeze it? Can I just skip straight to the freezer?
- Why do scones need eggs?
- More Gluten-Free Recipes
- Gluten-Free Scones (Endless Mix-Ins!) Recipe
Ready to make incredible scones that also happen to be gluten-free?
This gluten-free scone recipe is what I consider a master scone recipe. You can easily tailor it with your favorite mix-ins or glazes to create gluten-free blueberry scones, gluten-free chocolate chip scones, and even savory baked scones.
No matter which variation you choose, you’ll get amazing scones every time.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here are a few notes on the key ingredients you’ll need to make these gluten-free scones. Jump to the recipe for the exact measurements.
- Gluten-Free Flour: For best results, use a high quality gluten-free flour blend that contains xanthan gum. I recommend King Arthur Flour Gluten-Free Measure-For-Measure Flour or Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free 1:1 Baking Flour.
- Baking powder: A full tablespoon of baking powder helps gluten-free scones rise properly and turn out light and fluffy.
- Sour cream: Sour cream gives these scones richness, but also helps them hold their shape during baking.
- Frozen grated butter: Frozen grated butter is KEY to creating light, flaky, buttery scones. The cold butter and flour crumbs melt as the scones bake, releasing steam and creating air pockets. These pockets are what create flaky scones with crisp edges!
- Vanilla/Sugar: Sweet scones call for 1/4 cup of sugar and vanilla, while savory scones call for 1 tablespoon of sugar and no vanilla.
- Mix-ins: Add any mix-ins like chocolate chips, nuts or blueberries that you like! The possibilities are endless. You can use up to 1/2 cup of any mix-in.
You also might like these recipes for gluten-free blueberry scones, gluten-free strawberry scones, gluten-free chocolate chip scones and gluten-free cheese scones.
How to Make Gluten-Free Scones
Here’s a basic run-through of how to make this gluten-free scone recipe. You can find the full instructions in the recipe card below.
- Dry ingredients: Whisk them all together.
- Butter: Grate the frozen butter then mix it into the dry ingredients using a fork
- Sour cream/egg: Whisk the egg and add the sour cream and egg to the dry ingredients. Mix to combine. Note that the dough might look dry- this is normal and the dough will continue to hydrate in the fridge.
- Refrigerate: Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes, then place in the freezer for 15 minutes (or longer!) before baking.
- Preheat the oven: You’ll preheat the oven to 500°F, then immediately turn the temperature down to 425°F when you put the scones in the oven. The hot oven helps the scones to rise quickly.
- Bake until golden brown! Cool before topping with any glaze.
Gluten-Free Scone Variations
There are so many ways to customize this gluten-free scones recipe! You can add a glaze to the tops of the scones, add mix-ins, make them sweet, or savory.
Here are some of my favorite ways to switch up these delicious gluten free scones.
- Chocolate Chip: Add ⅓ cup mini chocolate chips. Top with sparkling sugar.
- Blueberry Lemon: Add the zest and juice of 1 lemon and 1/2 cup blueberries. Top with a glaze made of 1 cup powdered sugar whisked together with 1 tablespoon lemon juice.
- Raspberry White Chocolate: Add 1/4 cup white chocolate chips and 1/3 cup raspberries (break them up slightly).
- Cheese: Omit the vanilla and reduce sugar to 1 tablespoon. Mix in 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese. Top with garlic chive butter after baking
Storage, Make-Ahead and Freezing Instructions
Storage: Gluten-free scones are best eaten the day they are baked, but they can be stored in an airtight container for up to two days.
Make-Ahead: After the dough has rested in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes, you can freeze it for up to 5 days. Then slice and bake the scones directly from the freezer.
Freezing Instructions: Let the gluten-free scones cool completely, then wrap each one in plastic wrap. Put the wrapped scones in a freezer bag, squeeze out the air, and freeze them. To reheat, place the frozen scones in a preheated oven at 350°F for about 10 minutes.
Can I make these scones dairy-free?
Yes! I have successfully made these scones dairy-free using dairy-free sour cream.
Do I have to refrigerate the dough, then freeze it? Can I just skip straight to the freezer?
Once the dough is mixed together, you’ll form it into a ball and wrap it tightly with plastic wrap, then refrigerate for 20-30 minutes and freeze for 15 minutes. The time in the refrigerator serves a different purpose than the time in the freezer.
20-30 minutes in the refrigerator gives the gluten-free flour time to hydrate and absorb the moisture from the sour cream/egg. The 15 minutes in the freezer allows the butter to solidify so it creates those light pockets of air once the scones hit the hot oven. Both are needed for the ideal gluten-free scone texture!
Why do scones need eggs?
Eggs help the scones dough bind together, creating lift and structure while baking. It also adds a richer, deeper flavor to the scones.
More Gluten-Free Recipes
- Gluten-Free Muffins
- Gluten-Free Banana Bread
- Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Gluten-Free Brownies
- Gluten-Free Vanilla Cake
Gluten-Free Scones (Endless Mix-Ins!)
Video
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups (225g) gluten-free 1:1 baking flour
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar reduce to 1 tablespoon for savory scones
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup (113g) butter frozen
- ⅓-½ cup mix-ins of choice chocolate chips, berries, nuts, dried fruit
- ⅔ cup (160g) sour cream
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract omit for savory scones
- sparkling sugar for topping
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
- Grate the frozen butter using a box grater. Add the butter to the flour mixture and combine with a pastry cutter, two forks, or your fingers until the mixture resembles pea-sized crumbs.
- Stir the mix-ins into the flour mixture until evenly distributed.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the sour cream, egg and *vanilla until well-combined.
- Using a rubber spatula, stir the sour cream mixture into the flour mixture until no dry bits of flour remain.
- Spread out a large piece of plastic wrap. Using wet hands, transfer the dough to the plastic wrap. Clean and wet your hands again then pat the dough to form a 6-inch round that is 1-inch thick.
- Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes. Then freeze for 15 minutes (or up to 5 days).
- Preheat the oven to 500°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- After 15 minutes (or up to 5 days), take the dough out of the freezer. Spray a sharp knife with cooking spray and cut the dough into 6 equal wedges. Arrange the scones on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle with coarse sugar, if desired.
- Place the scones in the oven, then immediately lower the oven temperature to 425°F. (You want the oven temperature to start hot so the scones turn golden brown as they cook through.) Bake for 12-14 minutes until golden brown.
- Remove from the oven. Transfer the scones to a wire rack and let cool for 20 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Gluten-Free 1:1 Baking Flour: I like to use a high quality gluten-free flour blend like gluten-free measure-for-measure flour blend like King Arthur Flour in my baked goods. It works best to use a blend that contains xanthan gum in this recipe.
- Sour cream: Sour cream gives these scones richness, but also helps them hold their shape during baking.
- Frozen grated butter: Frozen grated butter is KEY to creating light, flaky, buttery scones. The cold butter and flour crumbs melt as the scones bake, releasing steam and creating air pockets. These pockets are what create flaky scones with crisp edges!
- Recipe variation: You can add any mix-ins you like to this recipe. Add ⅓-1/2 cup of your favorite ingredients such as chocolate chips, berries, nuts, dried fruit and more!
- Rest the dough: Resting the dough for 30 minutes before baking allows the gluten-free flour to hydrate, since gluten-free flour takes longer than regular flour to absorb moisture.
I made the scones but I found it much easier to make in the food processor. Good taste
We’re happy to hear you enjoyed the scones! Thanks for sharing your feedback and tips.
I love scones! If I wanted to make savory scones such as cheese & garlic, would I still use sugar in the batter?
Hi Jacquelynne, for savory scones only use 1 Tbsp of sugar and omit the vanilla extract. You may also enjoy these gluten-free cheese scones. We hope you enjoy!
I made raisin scones for my daughter who is gluten-free and I added orange rind to the dough and orange juice to make the icing sugar glaze. Delicious.
Yum! Those mix-ins sound great, Mary Lou! Thank you for coming back and letting us know how your scones turned out.
These turned out perfect! I am delightfully surprised (one never knows how gluten free recipes will actually turn out). I used blueberries, a little lemon juice, and substituted vanilla greek yogurt for sour cream. Thank you for the recipe!
Sounds delicious, Tab! Thanks for taking the time to share your experience!
They are great! Just wondering, the nutrition info- is that for the full recipe?
We’re so glad you liked the scones, Renee. The nutritional information is per serving. Thank you for your question!
These are great scones, period (not just “good for gluten free”). I have made these several times now, as written and with various substitutes (maple syrup, nondairy yogurt…) all fantastic. Fresh blueberry, cranberry orange, apricot ginger. BUT I am dying to know, what is the risk of chilling the dough longer than 30 minutes? Would love to be able to mix these the night before…
I refrigerated the dough for 30 minutes, then shaped into a 6″ circle. on a parchment lined baking tray, cut into 6 wedges and froze overnight. I baked them for 27 minutes at 425 directly from frozen. I bake all my scones from frozen and they come out great
I’ve made these several times for both gf and non-gf folks, and they’ve been a hit. Most of the time I use a thick yogurt because it’s what I have on hand, and I up the mix ins a bit to about 3/4 c due to person preference – choc chips and dried cherries are a favorite combo.
I’ve also made them into 8 smaller scones depending on what I need for the event.
Finally a legit gluten free recipe that I absolutely enjoyed. Really loved how the scones turned out. I add chocolate chips and served the scones with strawberry compote. Thank you!
That combination of chocolate chips and strawberry compote sounds delicious! I’m glad you like the recipe.
I make regular blueberry scones all the time. I own a bakery and figured I would try them out! OMG, was I surprised! They were awesome. I would have never known they were gluten free. I think its the 1:1 flour. I will be making these in the bakery, as we currently have no gluten free items. Where can I get more recipes like this? Thank you.
New to gluten free baking. Trying some things out to be able to give to gluten free friends. I used Namaste flour and semi sweet choc chips for my mix ins. These turned out beautifully! I have a similar (not gluten free) recipe with sourdough, and the texture and flavor of these came out much more similar than I thought would be possible.
Thank you for the recipe!
Great to know these worked well with Namaste gluten-free flour! I’m so glad you enjoyed them!
The hit of the brunch!- super tasty! I love the versatility. I made blueberry lemon, using dried blueberries and lemon zest, lemon extract instead of vanilla extract, and squeezed the lemon juice to mix in the glaze. Good thing I made a double batch!
Next up: cranberry orange!
(Note: favorite GF flours for newbies from a mom cooking for kids: buckwheat, oat, sorghum. Get some xantham gum unless you use a mix that contains it. It helps things behave like basic white flour in recipes).
Blueberry lemon sounds so delicious! I hope the cranberry orange turn out well too. Thanks for the comment!
I’m new to gluten free baking. So glad to find this website. The scones turned out wonderful. Could barely tell the difference.
Hooray! I’m glad they turned out for you 🙂 Hope you like any other recipes you try!
Wow! These were perfect! Added in blueberries. Topped with mascarpone cheese since it’s similar to clotted cream!
The best! Gluten free or otherwise…needed lactose free so used almond milk…
Craisins soaked in oj and steamed in micro to plump. Zest of whole orange in batter and fresh orange juice in powdered sugar for glaze! Realllly great!
I’m so glad they turned out for yoU! The orange zest/glaze sounds amazing!
I try to avoid sugar but I know it does certain things that are critical for baking. Any idea what monk fruit would do in this recipe?
Sugar does help with the structure of many baked goods. For these it’s just 1/4 cup of sugar so I think monk fruit will work. I haven’t experimented with it myself so I can’t say for sure!
Can greek yogurt be used instead of sour cream
I haven’t tried that myself but I think that should work! Let me know how it goes if you try it.
Can you use frozen fruit (vs dried)? Do you recommend mixing in while frozen or thawing first? I’m thinking frozen….
Hi Jennifer, we haven’t tried frozen fruit, but we’d agree about keeping them frozen so they hold up better during the mixing process. Frozen fruit may add more moisture to the mixture as it bakes and impact the texture. If you decide to give it a try, we’d love to hear how it goes!
Is there a good substitute for sour cream? My mom is lactose free. Would lactose-free yogurt work?
Lactose-free yogurt is a great option to use in place of sour cream. Let me know how they turn out for you if you try it!
If I were making almond scones, how much almond extract would you use? Would you replace the vanilla extract, or use some combination? Thanks! Can’t wait to make these!
Almond scones sound delicious! I would personally keep the vanilla and add 1/2 teaspoon almond extract. I would add a little (like 1/4 teaspoon) almond extract to a glaze and top them with sliced almonds as well. A little goes a long way with almond extract as you probably know. Let me know how they turn out!
I am anxious to try your recipe. I have been experimenting with several recipes having limited success. Your recipe seems to address the issues that I have had in the past. Two questions: 1.Do you use salted or unsalted butter?; 2. If salted butter is used, can you skip adding the 1/2 tsp of salt called for in your recipe?
Hi there, we use salted butter + the 1/2 tsp of kosher salt. Leaving the salt out may impact flavor and the end results a bit. If you decide to give it a try, we’d love to hear how it goes!
I refrigerated the dough for 30 minutes, then shaped into a 6″ circle. on a parchment lined baking tray, cut into 6 wedges and froze overnight. I baked them for 27 minutes at 425 directly from frozen. I bake all my scones from frozen and they come out great