Fluffy, crispy around the edges and melt-in-the-mouth tender, these vegan scones would quite possibly make the queen happy at high tea. They are even part whole-wheat! Black currants add a sweet touch, and stir in some optional sourdough for even greater texture, flavor --- and health.
If crumbly, delicious scones make you smile at breakfast, or snacktime, I have the perfect recipe for you. They're vegan and part whole wheat, so you can have your scone and eat it too without an iota of guilt.
I make these vegan scones a lot for weekend breakfasts, although they are so easy to make, you could even handle them on a relaxed weekday morning. They take under 30 minutes to go from scratch to done, and the rewards...well, let's just say you will be taking on the day with wide open arms and joy in your heart because such wonderful things exist in our world.
I've been sharing scone recipes on the blog for a while now, and have a few variations, including these amazing vegan cranberry sourdough scones.
This recipe today doesn't require sourdough, and I make it just as often with as I do without. But if you need to discard some of your sourdough starter I strongly recommend using it in this recipe. Sourdough has a way of making food lighter and airier and more golden and definitely more delicious. While the version without sourdough is a winner, the one with sourdough is exquisite.
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How is a scone different from a biscuit?
The primary difference is the fact that one -- the biscuit -- is an American creation and is usually savory.
A scone is British, and usually sweet. It's also more a bit drier than an American biscuit, which is flaky and layered.
The British have biscuits too, only they're cookies.
And if all that hasn't confused you enough, the Americans pronounce "scone" so it rhymes with "stone". The British pronounce it "skon" to rhyme with "gone", although there are further variations in pronunciation among the different regions or kingdoms.
But here's what's really important: a scone by any pronunciation tastes amazing. I would also add that is more forgiving to a new baker than a biscuit is, because if you follow basic directions, you can't really screw it up. And that's what you really need to know.
How to make the perfect vegan scones
It's a bit like making pie dough. You want your wet ingredients cold so you leave little pieces of butter suspended throughout it. When the butter hits the heat of the oven, it will melt, giving you those delightful pockets of air.
Start out by mixing together your ingredients--flour (I use a mix of whole wheat pastry flour and all purpose flour, although you can go with all of one kind), baking powder, baking soda, sugar and salt. Cut in the vegan butter with a fork or pastry cutter until you have some pea-sized pieces of butter along with smaller bits dispersed throughout the flour.
Add the currants and mix them in. Other dry fruit like cranberries, blueberries, strawberries etc. would work in here. If you want to make a scone with fresh fruit, check out my Vegan Strawberry Scones recipe.
Add the sourdough, if using, and mix with a fork, then add the nondairy milk, a little at a time, until the dough is moist enough to just hold together. Try to stop before the dough gets too wet--you'll get better at this with practice.
If you're not using sourdough, just begin adding the cold nondairy milk. Mix quickly with a fork until your dough and, once again, stop before the dough gets too wet.
On a floured surface shape the dough into a disc. Use a rolling pin to roll it about a third of an inch thick. You have several options on shaping your scones. I used a round cookie cutter this time that was 2 ¼ths of an inch in diameter to cut out the squares. Sometimes I use a square cookie cutter. The traditional way --- the easiest -- is to just slice the round of dough like a pizza, into eight wedges, using a knife.
Place the scones on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake 14 minutes in a preheated 425-degree oven or until golden on the bottom and lightly golden on top.
How to serve scones
Scones are best served fresh from the oven. Traditionally they are served at a high tea with clotted cream and jam.
Slit the scone across with a knife. We love them with a spot of raspberry jam and vegan whipped cream.
They are also divine by themselves.
Are these scones healthy?
They are made partly with whole wheat, so yes, they absolutely are way healthier than your average scone. There is vegan butter in this recipe, so it does have some fat, of course.
You can replace the vegan butter with coconut oil but make sure that you use coconut oil that's solid and not melted. Cut it in like you would the butter.
Can I make these gluten-free?
Yes. Use gluten-free all purpose flour and add a teaspoon of xanthan gum if the flour doesn't already have it added. Also add a tablespoon of tapioca starch to the flour.
If you want to try these with sourdough discard, I have a gluten-free sourdough starter recipe.
Can I make these ahead?
Scones always taste best fresh out of the oven, when they have the perfect texture. But if you have leftovers, or what to make them ahead, pop them in a preheated 350 degree oven for two to three minutes or until warmed through.
Can I freeze these?
You can freeze these after baking. Cool and place in an airtight container or ziploc bag with all the air removed. Reheat in a 350-degree preheated oven before serving.
Vegan Scones Recipe
Equipment
- Medium sized bowl
- Baking sheet
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
- 1 cup all purpose flour (you can also make this entirely with all purpose or entirely with whole wheat pastry flour)
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ⅓ cup sugar (and more for sprinkling on the scones)
- 6 tbsp vegan butter
- ½ cup currants (or raisins, or any dry fruit like cranberries, blueberries, strawberries. Don't use fresh fruit because they'll express moisture, changing the texture of the scone)
- ½ cup sourdough discard (optional)
- ½ cup almond milk (cold, You might not need all of it)
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Mix the dry ingredients--the flours, baking powder, baking soda and sugar. Cut in the vegan butter with a fork or pastry cutter until you have a crumbly mix with some large, pea-sized pieces of butter.
- Stir in the currants or raisins.
- Add the sourdough discard if using, and mix with a fork quickly. Add the apple cider vinegar and slowly add the nondairy milk, no more than a teaspoon at a time, until the dough just holds together. It shouldn't get too wet.
- Shape the dough into a ball and place on a floured surface. Flour a rolling pin and roll into a disc about a third of an inch thick.
- Use a cookie cutter to cut out the scones. Or use a knife and cut it, pizza-style, into eight wedges. I got 10 scones using a 2¼-inch cookie cutter. You will probably get nine if you don't use sourdough discard.
- Place the scones on a baking sheet and bake 14 minutes or until they are golden-brown on the bottom and lightly golden on top.
- Serve hot or warm. Scones taste best when fresh from the oven.
I made these over the weekend using the sourdough starter and chopped dried cherries (fresh out of currants). They were so delicious!! We also had some leftover (although I had to physically remove them from my husband, who would have eaten the whole plate in one sitting!!), and they froze and reheated really well. I love the idea of a fast, elegant option for weekend brunch. Thank you for a wonderful recipe!!
I made these scones this morning for lunch. They were delicious.
I did make them with all white flour (my husband I know would have preferred all whole wheat flour) but he enjoyed them anyway.
Thank you Vaishali for all the wonderful recipes.
Great recipe. I used the cranberries from the trail mix. And I added walnuts. And I mixed the ingredients in the pot which had vegan Gulab Jamun. Thanks!
So happy you tried it, JB! Thanks for letting me know. 🙂 And love that you infused some gulab jamun flavor in them!