Tender, buttery scones made with almond, oat, and sweet rice flours that are undetectably gluten-free. Serve these beauties with extra butter, creme fraiche, honey, and/or jam for a dreamy breakfast, brunch, or teatime treat. Or turn them into gluten-free strawberry shortcake!
Mix in juicy blueberries, try the lemon-ginger and orange-currant variations, or play around with your favorite flavors and mix-ins. Thanks to Vermont Creamery for sponsoring this post! All opinions are my own.
Along with biscotti, scones were one of the first “fancy” pastries I learned how to bake as a food-obsessed tween. My scone obsession followed me through college and into my twenties when I'd wake at the crack of dawn and bake batches to sell at my local coffee shop where I worked as a barista.
I found the methodical process of rubbing cold butter into flour soothing. I loved the feel of the cool, clay-like dough as I shaped it into rounds. And that moment of seeing the baked scones in their gently sloped, conical shapes post-baking was like magic.
I never grew tired of playing with different flavor combinations – the wilder the better – some of which I've shared on TBG in the past such as maple apple bacon, chocolate bergamot, brown sugar banana and these reader-favorite blueberry buckwheat scones.
Gluten-Free Almond Flour Scones
I shared a few gluten-free scone recipes in my book made with sweet rice, millet, and oat flours: blackberry, banana teff, amaranth cinnamon peach, and chestnut fig. I wanted to have plenty of nut-free recipes in my book for those with allergies.
But I was curious as to how almond flour would play in that same formula since I love it in crepes, pancakes, and pie crust. Would the extra protein add structure? Would the extra fat add richness? Would the mild flavor enhance the buttery taste and tender texture?
The answer to all these questions turned out to be a resounding yes! With a few tweaks to the method and ingredients, I had an almond flour scone recipe that rivaled its wheaty counterparts. These gluten-free almond flour scones are so light, tender, buttery, and classic-tasting, I keep forgetting that they're gluten-free!
When you take your first bite of one of these GF scones fresh from the oven crispy, golden edges give way to plushy, warm middles fragrant with buttery steam. Top with a pat of butter and savor the delicate sweetness mingling with creamy melted buttery bliss. Don't forget to wash it all down with a spot of tea!
Ingredients and Substitution Suggestions
These GF scones come together with just a handful of pantry-friendly ingredients.
- Great scones start with great butter! I used Vermont Creamery cultured butter here, which tastes fresh and clean with notes of lactic tang from the culturing process. Top warm scones with extra butter, or try my extra-buttery scone variation in the recipe notes!
- Sugar adds subtle sweetness. For refined sugar-free, sub maple sugar, coconut sugar, or another granulated sweetener of your choice.
- Egg adds additional structure. Wheat scone recipes typically don't contain egg, but here it enhances the texture and makes up for the lack of gluten. For egg-free, make a flax egg (see recipe notes, below!)
- Cream brings the dough together and adds richness. Chilled full-fat coconut milk will work for a dairy-free option.
- Baking powder lightens the dough.
- Salt and vanilla sharpen the flavors.
- Use any mix-ins you like! I've shared a few favorites here including gluten-free blueberry scones, lemon ginger, and orange currant.
Flours for Gluten-Free Scones
A trio of flours, plus some tapioca starch, creates a dreamy texture that tastes and feels shockingly like wheat-based scones. But I've given loads of substitution suggestions, so feel free to experiment with what you have on hand. You can also use a good GF all-purpose blend in place of any or all of the flours listed here. I'd recommend Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 GF all-purpose flour.
- Blanched almond flour provides protein, structure, and richness. Sub almond meal or another nut or seed meal. For nut-free, sub tiger nut flour, or millet flour.
- GF oat flour makes the dough floofy, tender, and wheat-like. Sub sorghum, chestnut, teff, or buckwheat flour.
- Sweet rice flour helps stick the dough together. Sub cassava flour or GF AP flour.
- Tapioca starch makes these scones light and pillowy. Sub arrowroot starch.
Gluten-Free Blueberry Scones, Plus other Flavors and Mix-Ins
Scones take well to a variety of flavors and mix-ins – sweet or savory – so feel free to go wild! I've shared three of my favorite classic scone flavors here:
- gluten-free blueberry scones
- lemon ginger scones
- orange currant scones
I also asked for favorite scone flavors on social media, and here are a few sweet and savory reader suggestions that I'm eager to try next:
- matcha scones
- feta spinach olive
- apricot pistachio cardamom
- cranberry orange
- chocolate ginger cardamom
- maple oat
- cherry corn
- earl grey tea and mango
- lemon blueberry almond
- Stollen scones with candied citrus, boozy dried fruit, and spices (cinnamon, cardamom and nutmeg)
How to Make Gluten-Free Scones
GF scones are easy to make, and a few techniques really make them shine!
Step 1. Whisk together the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
Step 2. Add the cold, sliced butter.
Step 3. Use a pastry blender or your fingers to work in the butter until it's the size of peas.
Step 4. Toss in the mix-ins (berries, dried fruit, etc.)
Step 5. Whisk together the egg and cream, then gradually work this mixture into the dough with a silicone spatula.
Step 6. The dough should form large, moist clumps that hold together when you give them a squeeze. It may be slightly sticky at this point.
Step 7. Gather the dough into a ball and flatten it into a 6-inch disk. Wrap and chill until firm, 30 minutes or up to 1 day.
Step 8. Place the chilled dough round on a lightly floured surface, brush with cream, sprinkle with sugar, and cut into 8 wedges.
Step 9. Place the scones on two baking sheets stacked together and lined with parchment (this helps keep the bottoms from over-browning). Bake until golden and toasty. Devour!
Tips for Baking Scones
- Keep your ingredients and dough cool. Scone dough is similar to pie dough in that small pebbles of butter not fully incorporated into the dough add flake to the finished product. Make sure your butter is cold to start with, work quickly, and chill the dough as directed.
- Chilling the dough also helps the GF flours absorb moisture, resulting in a smoother consistency in the final scones.
- Scones’ bottoms tend to darken rapidly when baking, so always stack two baking sheets on top of each other, line with parchment paper, and bake in the upper third of the oven.
- Do ahead: The dough can be made, shaped and refrigerated airtight overnight. Cut, unbaked scones can be frozen for longer storage and baked to order from frozen at 375ºF for about 20 minutes.
Gluten-Free Scones for Everyone
A few allergy- and special diet-friendly variations to try if need be.
Low-Fodmap Scones
One serving of these scones is naturally low in FODMAPS (fermentable carbohydrates that can bother people with SIBO, IMO, and IBS). To lower the FODMAP count further, use low-lactose cream or coconut milk in place of the heavy cream, and use millet or tiger nut flour in place of the almond flour.
Refined Sugar-Free Scones
Use maple sugar, coconut sugar, or another favorite granulated sweetener in place of the granulated sugar.
Gluten-Free Nut-Free Scones
In place of almond flour, use tiger nut flour or millet flour.
Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Scones
Use a good vegan butter such as Miyoko's in place of the butter and use chilled full-fat coconut milk in place of the cream.
Gluten-Free Egg-Free Scones
Use a flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flax + 3 tablespoons hot water, left to thicken and cool 20 minutes) in place of the egg.
Vegan Gluten-Free Scones
Combine the dairy-free and egg-free variations above!
Paleo Scones
Omit the rice and oat flours, using 1 cup each almond flour and cassava flour. Use coconut milk instead of cream and maple sugar or coconut sugar instead of granulated sugar.
Gluten-Free Strawberry Shortcake
Cut the dough into round biscuits and top with lightly sweetened fruit and whip for almond flour strawberry shortcake.
Teatime or Breakfast Cheeseboard with Scones
Scones are delightful for breakfast, brunch, or tea in the afternoon! Make it a party by serving them on a board along with your favorite accompaniments. Here are some of mine:
- butter & crème fraîche
- fresh and aged chèvre (shown here from Vermont Creamery: blueberry thyme chèvre, strawberry spritz chèvre, Cremont, and Bijou)
- honey & jam (especially fond of this strawberry rhubarb chia jam)
- fresh seasonal fruit
However you serve these scones, I hope you love them as much I love sharing my recipe!
*Bojon appétit! For more Bojon Gourmet in your life, follow along on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest, purchase my gluten-free cookbook Alternative Baker, or subscribe to receive new posts via email. And if you make this gluten-free scone recipe, I’d love to know. Leave a comment and rating below, and tag your Instagram snaps @The_Bojon_Gourmet and #bojongourmet.*
Gluten-Free Scones
Print Recipe Pin RecipeIngredients
- ⅔ cup (110 g) sweet white rice flour*
- ⅔ cup (75 g) blanched almond flour**
- ⅔ cup (69 g) GF oat flour***
- 3 tablespoons (22 g) tapioca flour****
- ¼ cup (50 g) organic granulated sugar*****
- 2 ½ teaspoons (7 g) baking powder
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 6 tablespoons (85 g) cold Vermont Creamery unsalted cultured butter, sliced ⅛-inch thick
- 6 tablespoons (90 ml) heavy cream, more as needed
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon GF vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cup (165 g) blueberries (fresh ones look prettier but frozen will work!)
For Serving (optional)
- Crème Fraîche, butter, honey, and/or jam
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the sweet rice, almond, oat, and tapioca flours with the ¼ cup sugar, baking powder, and salt. Whisk to combine.
- Add the butter slices (and citrus zest, if you're using any). Blend with a pastry cutter or your fingertips until the butter is broken down into the size of small peas.
- If you're using fresh or dried fruit, toss them in at this time. Pop the flour mixture in the fridge for 10 minutes or longer to cool the butter back down.
- Whisk together the 6 tablespoons cream, egg, and vanilla (if using) in a measuring pitcher. Chill until needed.
- Remove the flour mixture from the refrigerator. (If you're using frozen fruit, toss it in now.) Gradually add the cream mixture, working with a flexible silicone spatula until the dough holds together when you give it a squeeze. If the dough is too dry, add a few drops of cold cream directly to the floury bits.
- Gently but firmly press the dough together with your hands and shape it into a rough ball. Place on a piece of beeswax wrap or plastic wrap and form it into a disk that measures 6 inches across and about 1 ¼ inches high. Don't worry about overworking the dough since there isn't any gluten to toughen here!
- Wrap and chill the dough disk until firm, at least 30 minutes and up to overnight.
- When ready to bake, position a rack in the uppermost spot of your oven and preheat to 425ºF. Stack a rimmed baking sheet atop a second rimmed baking sheet and line with parchment paper. This will all keep the scones' bottoms from over-browning.
- Remove the dough round from the refrigerator, unwrap and place on a cutting board dusted lightly with oat flour. Brush the top of the scone with a little cream and sprinkle lightly with sugar. Use a large, sharp chef’s knife to cut the scone into 8 wedges and place the wedges on the prepared baking sheet, spaced well apart.
- Bake the scones until golden on top and cooked through, 20–25 minutes, rotating the pan after 15 minutes to brown them evenly.
- Remove from the oven and transfer the scones to a wire rack. Let cool until warm, 10-20 minutes; they are still baking from residual heat. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Margaret says
Thank you so much for this wonderful post and I can’t wait to try making some of your scone suggestions. As I live in Australia, very grateful for the substitutes offered as my heart sank when I read oat flour was needed. (Not allowed for coeliac’s in Aus. 😡). Also thank you for the measurements in grams…you make it so easy to follow. Will let you know how I go…
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
Hi Margaret,
That's so interesting about oat flour in Aus – I never knew that, though I do have a friend with celiac who can't tolerate even certified GF oats, so I get it! I believe it's a case of molecular mimicry, where the protein molecules in oats look similar to gluten?
Please let me know what you try as a sub – it's a pretty sturdy recipe thanks to the other flours, so most anything should work. Keep me posted!
Lonio says
I am a huge fan of your work and your recipes. I have been looking for a great scone recipe for a long while now. I have tried the one in your cookbook and am DELIGHTED to see you experimenting with almond flour in this one. I can't wait to try it, especially as scones are one of the things I have truly been missing while working through my IBS and CFS. I might be among the very few, but I honestly would choose the nicely baked and warm scone over the croissant, especially if I know it's one of your recipes.
I have some homemade candied citron I make every December still hanging about, so I think I might chuck that in with a bit of rum-soaked currents. A little stolen-inspired flavor combo I think will just be delightful this spring.
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
Ok I LOVE the concept of stollen scones – I'm definitely going to try that! Please let me know how it goes. And thank you for the super sweet note – I'm so glad you're enjoying my book and TBG recipes!
I'm really sorry to hear that you're suffering with IBS and CFS and I hope you feel better really soon. Feel free to email me if you ever want to chat health stuff!
Lonio says
I have to admit that the stollen scones were knock your socks off. I make my own candied citron and, after soaking that and currants in some whiskey for about an hour, mixed it into the dry mix with ghee. I also added cinnamon, cardamon, and nutmeg to the dry. Warm out of the oven, they tasted exactly like a warm December memory. I hope you can try them yourself!
I also made up a batch of scones right after with lemon zest and blueberries that I froze to bake off every morning. I am so delighted to have scones that I can eat!
Thank you so much for the top notch recipe and I'll get in contact soon. I always love being able to chat health :)
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
Well those stollen scones sound like an absolute dream! I'll have to try your version this winter. About how much of everything would you say you added? I used to make stollen at a local bakery and we would add some almond paste – I bet that would be amazing here too!
I'm envious that you have freshly baked scones every morning – life goals! ;)
Lonio says
I'll be completely honest when I say that my measuring habits when it comes to spices are very *hand wavy* but I'd say about a tsp of cardamon and nutmeg each and a 1/2 tbsp of cinnamon (which I almost always go a bit heavy on). I make my own almond paste every winter from blanched super fine almond flour and our local honey, and it's always delicious! I considered putting some into these scones but decided to just go with the dried fruits to start. For those it's about a half cup of each to 3 tbsp of whiskey (or a generous splash). I ended up using the buckwheat flour you recommended for your substitution and coconut milk, since I can't have most animal dairy.
I think if I were to make these with the almond paste, I might roll two disks of the dough and have a thin later of almond paste laid between them before cutting into portions, then seal the edges before baking. Then you really get the nuance of the stollen and an even distribution of 'marzipan.' What do you think?
The lemon blueberry scone this morning was exactly what I needed. Thank you for making my morning treat possible!
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
That all sounds amazing, especially the homemade marzipan. That's brilliant! I bet the buckwheat tasted lovely with those wintry spices and citrus too. Yum! What time should I come over for tea?? ;)
ninotchka says
I'm super excited to make these--I will do some combination of GF/paleo to cut down on grains. I would also _love_ a British style scone recipe sometime.
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
Please let me know what you try! Love the idea of GF British-style scones too. Is there a recipe that you like for those, even one with wheat?
Judging by this recipe, here's what I would try for GF British-Style Scones:
Decrease the sugar to 2 tablespoons and the butter to 3 tablespoons, working in the butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Use 1/2 cup cold milk in place of the cream (you may need to add more or less to get the right consistency). Knead a few times to gather the dough into a ball. Pat out into a 1-inch high round and cut into rounds with biscuit cutters. Gather up the scraps and repeat. Brush the tops with cream or beaten egg and bake at 425ºF until done.
ninotchka says
You are the best, Alanna! I made the scones with a combination of cassava, almond, oat, and tapioca flours and they were *delicious*! I didn't add enough liquid and underworked the dough, so it came out of the fridge crumbly and I lost about a third to the waste bin, but I know how to remedy this next time. I don't have a favorite non-GF English scone recipe because I've been on anti-allergy diets for so long (the UK-based GF recipes I've seen all seem to use self-rising flour, fwiw). The texture is really so different from American scones and not something I've ever gotten remotely close to (my attempts at grain-free US-style biscuits have all been pretty sad).
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
Ugh I'm sorry that happened with the scone crumbles! I got the same feedback from a friend, so I'll update the instructions to be more clear about handling the dough. Thanks for the feedback!
Hm I may not be familiar enough with what the texture of British scones should be, but I'm curious if this flour combination could work. Let me know if you experiment and I'll do the same!
ninotchka says
Sounds good, Alanna. I will try your suggested flour combination and butter to milk ratio. I found this recipe, which says the butter should go in softened--the baker also uses a food processor, which I don't have, but I'm hoping I can approximate the texture with my pastry cutter:
https://www.fifteenspatulas.com/english-style-scones/
My second attempt at the North American-style scones are currently in the oven--I used frozen blueberries, so they look messy, but I didn't want to pay $8/lb. for conventional.
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
I'll be interested to hear how it goes! How did you like the scones?
Carol says
I'm making these right now! In the printable instructions, you left out when to add the blueberries (or the other versions add-ins), but luckily, the pictures showed when to add the blueberries! Thought you'd want to fix that. Thanks for the recipe! We're going to have them for breakfast tomorrow. :)
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
Thank you for catching that and letting me know! I updated the instructions to include all mix-in directions.
How did you like the scones?!
Carol says
The scones were fantastic! Loved by the Celiac and non-Celiacs in my family. Turned out just like your picture. Love being able to prepare them before I go to bed and then bake them up in the morning! Now I'm going to try the other variations, including Lonio's "stollen scones!" Thanks again for the great recipe! <3
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
I'm so glad they were a hit! I want to try those stollen scones too - don't they sound amazing?!
Debbie Feely says
Your photo of your scone board is gorgeous! I made a mini version for lunch. I wish that photo was pinnable.
The scones are so good. My little granddaughter ate three! They will appear again for Mother’s Day brunch. I liked these better than the cream scones in your book. I did use flax egg in these. My usual recipe uses buttermilk instead of cream, no egg and no tapioca. They are more cakey and I prefer these. I’m glad you keep creating!
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
I'm so glad these were a hit with the family and that the flax egg worked well - yay!
Sorry about the photo! I can only select one to have as the main pin. But just FYI there's a button you can add to your toolbar that will allow you to be able to pin most images by hovering over them. A little "P" will appear in the righthand corner which you can click on once you've installed the toolbar extension. Here's a link for installing it in Chrome if you use that browser: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/pinterest-save-button/
Alene says
Hi Alanna! Happy Mother's Day. And if you're not a mother, you certainly are to all of us gluten free types. And I certainly appreciate it. I traded the rice flour for cassava flour, of course. My husband felt the scones were too crumbly. Although they looked beautiful, just like yours, and they tasted fine, I also found them a little crumbly. That happened with something else I made, possibly a honey cake. I think it might be the cassava flour. More tapioca and oat instead? They are so beautiful, and I really wanted him to enjoy them.
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
Aw thanks Alene! Yes I would try using a tablespoon or two more tapioca and that much less cassava flour (or use more oat/almond flour instead of cassava). You may also need to add more cream; the scones can be crumbly if there isn't enough liquid. Let me know what you try!
Rachel says
Great base recipe! Super easy to follow and I love when a recipe uses weight measures. I baked these up for a bridal shower brunch and made 4 variations that all worked out perfectly. Lavender Earl Grey, Rosemary Orange, Maple Bacon, and Hawaiian (dried pineapple, coconut, macadamia, & white chocolate chips). For the maple bacon, I used an egg yolk and subbed maple syrup for the egg white by weight with no problems. My husband is the toughest gluten free critic so he was my taste tester. He thought they were great.
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
I'm so glad they were a hit! Those variations all sound incredible!
Lindsay says
What should the consistency of the dough be before putting it in the fridge?
I'm making these right now, and the batter seems VERY wet... like thick muffin batter. I definitely can't form it into a ball. Not sure if I just need to try putting it in the fridge for a while to firm it up, or if it needs more flour? I did use strawberries instead of blueberries, maybe they're too watery? Any advice??
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
Hi Lindsay,
Ooof I'm sorry this recipe is giving you trouble! Sometimes the batter just needs to firm up in the fridge if the butter got soft during the mixing process or if it's a warm day. Just curious for my own knowledge - did you make the recipe as written or did you try any of the variations I suggested? Did you use weights or volume to measure ingredients?
It's possible that the strawberries added more moisture than bluebs especially if they're quite ripe and juicy (also yum!) but I wouldn't think they'd make *that* big of a difference. But softer butter can definitely make the batter more soft at first, and chilling should fix the problem.
Please let me know how they turned out and if I can help troubleshoot some more!
Gigi says
I cannot articulate how incredibly delicious these are! I am in experimental mode, playing with alternative ingredients in the kitchen lately, so used coconut cream and allulose. They were so, so soft, wet, cakey, and scrumptious I couldn’t stop treating myself to them! They reminded me of the famous ‘Jordan Marsh’ blueberry muffin in the sense that they were so super-moist. I’m wondering if this recipe could produce a domed copycat…? Either way, I’ll be trying different mix ins today again! These are scrumptious and beautiful!!
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
Ok I LOVE the idea of converting this recipe to a domed blueberry muffin! Please let me know if you experiment with that and I'll do the same! That's great that these work with allulose and coconut cream. Thanks for experimenting and for the sweet note!
sandy says
I LOVE making scones. But now I need to make them gluten free. When making conventional scones with wheat flour, I grate my frozen butter as it always works out much better. Would this work with your gluten free flours? Or should I follow your directions to slice the butter as directed? I have made your tart shell recipe with rave reviews from EVERYONE! Looking forward to making the scones just as soon as I figure out how to slice or grate the butter. Thank you for your beautiful pictures and wonderful recipes :)
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
Hi Sandy, Great question! Yes, you can absolutely grate frozen butter! I just hate washing greasy butter off of my grater so I prefer this method, but they should give the same result. Please let me know how it goes!
Gigi says
Local blueberries have been flirting with me at the co-op and word has it they are so sweet and delicious- blueberry everything! Do you happen to have a blueberry muffin recipe I could reference as well? Refined sugar, gluten, and dairy free…?
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
Yessss fresh blueberries have been amazing here too! I have a blueberry muffin recipe in my cookbook made with corn flour. You can easily make it refined sugar-free by subbing coconut sugar or maple sugar by weight, and in place of the buttermilk, use plant yogurt thinned with plant milk. Please let me know if you try it!