Dairy-Free Lemon Scones

These delicious, fluffy, yet crumbly vegan scones are lightly lemony with a hint of coconut. They’re the perfect complement to a morning cup of tea or coffee. They also taste delightful with fresh berries and coconut whipped cream and can be enjoyed with your favorite vegan cream cheese or butter and fresh-made jam smeared on top. The best part? They’re simple to make and store well. They are the ideal vegan scone recipe to keep on hand when you’re craving a sweet breakfast treat. This one just hits the spot.

Ingredients for Vegan Scones

• Dry ingredients: For that flaky, crumbly goodness, you’ll use all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
• Wet ingredients: The wet ingredients include coconut oil, grated lemon zest and unsweetened coconut milk.
• Topping: Add unsweetened coconut milk and coarse sugar to make the topping.

Directions

Step 1: Mix scone dough

Preheat oven to 375°F. In a large bowl or stand mixer, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Using two butter knives, cut in coconut oil until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in coconut milk and lemon zest until flour mixture is just moistened.

Step 2: Knead, then bake

Turn this dough onto a lightly floured surface; knead gently until dough holds together when pressed. Pat dough into a 7 inch circle and cut this into eight equal wedges. Place the wedges on a greased baking sheet. Brush the scones with coconut milk and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake until golden brown, or about 15 to 20 minutes. Serve warm.

Vegan Scone Variations

• Drizzle with a glaze: This confectioner’s sugar glaze is sweet but a light drizzle over the top creates a nice vegan dessert scone.
• Add fruit: Bits of chopped, dried fruit will taste delightful in these vegan scones. Consider adding dried cranberries, chopped dates or even bits of crystallized ginger.
• Add berries: Adding a cup or so of fresh or frozen blueberries will take these to a delicious new level.
• Bring out more flavor: Adding a bit of lemon, vanilla, orange, almond or coconut extract will bring out a touch more flavor. Do this when you add the grated lemon zest or when making a glaze to drizzle over the top. All you’ll need is 1 teaspoon or so.

How to Store Vegan Scones

Scones, whether vegan or not, are known to be crumbly. To store them, once cooled, wrap well in plastic wrap. For best results, store them in the fridge. They’re fine to store on the counter, but they’ll dry out much quicker.

How long do vegan scones last?

Scones are best eaten when baked fresh but they’ll last one to two days stored on the counter and up to a week when stored in the fridge.

Vegan Scone Tips

What do I serve with vegan scones?

Scones are a yummy breakfast treat on their own, but if you want to have them during brunch, include them with other vegan brunch ideas or serve them alongside some favorite vegetarian options.

How do I keep these from crumbling too much?

To ensure a moist vegan scone, make sure to not over-bake them. Pull them from the oven when the edges are just beginning to turn a light golden color. Additionally, keep an eye on them by using the oven light. Opening the oven door lets the heat out and messes with the consistency of the scone.

Can I make these gluten-free?

Yes. To make these gluten-free you’ll just need to sub out the all-purpose flour for your favorite 1:1 gluten free baking flour.