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    Home > Vegan Breakfast Recipes

    The Best Vegan Scones

    Posted: Jan 17, 2021 ยท Updated: Jan 24, 2022

    Jump to Recipe Pin Recipe
    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. #veganscones #veganrecipes #sconerecipe #britishhightea #holycowvegan

    Perfect vegan scones that are better than anything you can buy at the bakery!

    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! I added black currants for a sweet touch. Use this as a master recipe for scones and stir in any flavoring of your choice, from blueberries to strawberries and vegan chocolate chips. Add herbs to make them savory, or make them plain! They are delicious every way.

    Golden, flaky vegan scones stacked on a white plate with currants.

    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.

    Front shot of currant vegan scones on a cookie sheet.

    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.

    Currant scones on a baking sheet.

    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 ยผths 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 vegan 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. Vegan lemon curd is also amazing with scones.

    The vegan scones are also divine by themselves.

    Round scones that are vegan and dairyfree on a plate with currants.

    Are these vegan 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 scones 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.

    A stack of the best, fluffy, flaky and delicious golden vegan scones in a white plate.

    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 vegan scones?

    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.

    Related recipes

    • Vegan Cranberry Sourdough Scones
    • Vegan Strawberry Scones
    • Vegan Biscuits
    • Vegan Sourdough Biscuits
    • Vegan Sausage Breakfast Pizza (with a biscuit crust)
    A stack of fluffy vegan currant scones in a white plate with black currants or raisins

    Vegan Scones Recipe

    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.
    5 from 7 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Review Recipe
    Course: Breakfast/Brunch/Snack
    Cuisine: British, Vegan
    Diet: Low Lactose, Vegan, Vegetarian
    Keyword: Vegan Scones
    Prep Time: 10 mins
    Cook Time: 14 mins
    Total Time: 24 mins
    Servings: 10 scones
    Calories: 194kcal
    Author: Vaishali ยท Holy Cow! Vegan Recipes

    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 teaspoon baking powder
    • ยฝ teaspoon baking soda
    • โ…“ cup sugar (and more for sprinkling on the scones)
    • 6 tablespoon vegan butter
    • ยฝ 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)
    • ยฝ cup sourdough discard (optional)
    • ยฝ cup almond milk (cold, You might not need all of it)
    • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    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 2ยผ-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.

    Recipe notes

    • Scones are best served fresh from the oven. Traditionally they are served at a high tea with clotted cream and jam.
    • To eat, 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.
    • I wanted to make this vegan scone healthy so I made it partly whole wheat. But you can make it entirely with all purpose flour for a lighter tasting scone. Or use all whole wheat pastry flour for a healthier scone.
    • Make sure all of your liquid ingredients and butter are very cold when you start making the scone dough, for best results.
    • 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.
    • To make these scones gluten-free 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.
    • 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.
    • You can freeze these vegan scones 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.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1scone | Calories: 194kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 127mg | Potassium: 202mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 326IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 62mg | Iron: 2mg
    Tried this recipe?Please leave a comment and recipe rating below!
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    About Vaishali


    Hi! I am so happy you're here. I'm Vaishali, and I've been sharing recipes for delicious vegan food at Holy Cow Vegan since 2007. Every one of the more than 1,000 recipes on this blog has been tried and tested -- and loved -- by my family and I. I hope you will find something here to share with your loved ones. Thanks for stopping by!
    Read more about me here.

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    Comments

    1. Miriam

      March 30, 2022 at 2:29 am

      5 stars
      DELICIOUS!! My first attempt at vegan scones. I used oat milk, added sultanas & sprinkled sugar & cinnamon on top.

      Reply
    2. Deb

      January 28, 2021 at 10:33 am

      5 stars
      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!!

      Reply
    3. Wendy

      January 26, 2021 at 1:42 pm

      5 stars
      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.

      Reply
    4. JB

      January 20, 2021 at 3:13 am

      5 stars
      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!

      Reply
      • Vaishali

        January 20, 2021 at 8:50 am

        So happy you tried it, JB! Thanks for letting me know. ๐Ÿ™‚ And love that you infused some gulab jamun flavor in them!

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Vaishali! I cook, eat and share easy, tasty and nutritious plant-based recipes from my Washington, D.C. kitchen, but I never fight a craving for samosas or French fries. 

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    Vaishali Honawar, Holy Cow Vegan author, profile photo

    Hi, I'm Vaishali! I cook, eat and share easy, tasty and nutritious plant-based recipes from my Washington, D.C. kitchen, but I never fight a craving for samosas or French fries. 

    More about me โ†’

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