These gluten free scones have tons of tender layers and are only sweetened with stevia.  They’re the perfect for breakfast or a comforting snack.  I love them split and spread with raspberry jam for a satisfying and sugar free treat.

This is a classic scone recipe adapted from Mary Berry’s recipe for Devonshire scones.  It took me years to finally get the perfect scone, but here it is – just for you. 

These scones are completely sugar free and only sweetened with stevia.  They are gluten free and dairy free, and they are also Low-FODMAP (as long as you’re not sensitive to the small amount of pea protein in Earth Balance).

Making scones doesn’t require any electric equipment, so I think this is also a really nice recipe to make with kids.  They can really enjoy squishing their fingers in the dough to mix it all together.  It doesn’t require much precision either to cut out the scones, so they’re pretty fail-proof.

I have been infatuated with scones since I was 11.  Seriously.  We were in England for the first time meeting up with my long-time pen pal, Rachael, in Stratford-Upon-Avon.  We had arrived early for our meet-up, so we stopped in to get scones at a local scone shop.  The impression those scones had on me was massive.  I remember piling dollops of delicious clotted cream and fresh preserves on them and savoring the feeling of the scone’s tenderness crumble in my mouth.  Absolute heaven. 

My first recipe for scones came from the pen pal who I met that day – it was written out in neat primary school handwriting on lined paper.  Ever since, I have been on a mission to find the perfect scone recipe.  This was no easy task once I found out I couldn’t eat gluten or dairy or sugar.

I experimented with all kinds of combinations of flours and natural sweeteners and different kinds of non-dairy milks.  The recipe below is the result of about ten dedicated years of developing a scone recipe that would make my heart sing (and not give me a headache or a sugar rush).  I am so, so thrilled to share it with you.

It might seem odd that the recipe only makes 9 scones, but remember that scones are dense little delights.  I can down two scones in one sitting, but generally, if you’re serving them alongside something else for a breakfast or afternoon tea, each person can be expected to eat one.  Maybe two, if they’re have a scone obsession like me. 

If you can tolerate clotted cream, by all means, indulge.  I have seen various brands imported from the UK in several supermarkets.  But don’t worry if you can’t.  Scones are delicious when plain and simply divine when spread with your favorite fruit preserves. 

Be sure to read my recipe instructions below, because I have a lot of little tips that will ensure that your scones turn out perfectly.  You also want to make sure you have a good scone cutter.  You can use a plain circle cutter if that’s what you have, but if you really love scones and plan on making them more than once, I recommend getting a crenellated scone cutter like this one which comes with 3 different sizes of cutters.

Why You’ll LOVE this Recipe:

• Perfect scones that are completely sugar free
• Gluten Free
• Dairy Free
• Quick to make
• An easy recipe to make with kids
• Low-FODMAP

Ingredients for Scones – Sugar Free Gluten Free:

• Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour
• baking powder
• salt
• Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks
• eggs
• egg yolk
• liquid stevia
• coconut milk

Notes on Ingredients:

Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour – Scones have a lot of flour.  That’s what makes them dense and crumbly in all the right ways.  I have tried a lot of different mixes of gluten free flours over the years, and I have found that Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour works the best.  It’s easy to find and easy to use, and I’m always one for efficiency.

Baking powder – What gives a scone those distinctive layers and the incredible rise is a ton of baking powder.  Too much, though, and it can turn your baked goods bitter.  A lot of British recipes call for “Self-Rising Flour” which has baking powder already mixed in.  That’s not available in the U.S., so I need to add the baking powder separately from the flour.  I have found that 6 teaspoons is just the right amount.

Salt – Salt not only gives baked goods flavor, but it brings out the flavors of the other ingredients.  It’s like the best back-up singer in the pantry.

Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks – These vegan buttery sticks have a very neutral taste and work perfectly for delicate, tender scones.  They’re also lower in cholesterol than most other fats which is a win-win. 

Eggs – Eggs are the binder in this recipe, and they’re also providing fat, creating those biscuity layers of delicious, fluffy delight.

Egg yolk – It was truly a revelation when I figured out that just adding one extra egg yolk would give the scones enough binding and structure to hold them together without being stiff and stodgy.  This one egg yolk makes the scones work without any added sweetener aside from stevia.

Liquid stevia – This is the only sweetener in this recipe.  It’s all that’s needed.

Coconut milk – Coconut milk works best of any liquid I have tried for this recipe.  Coconut milk has a high fat content, and fat makes baked goods more tender.  That’s what we want here, because without that extra fat, there’s a risk of scones being too dry.  With the right amount of fat, the result is a scone that is tender and soft but still just crumbly enough. 

How to Make Scones From Scratch

First of all, preheat your oven to 425 F.  It’s a higher temperature, because scones fall into the same category as pie crusts for me.  You want those beautiful layers.  The layers happen because of the steam released from the butter (or butter substitute).  I think it’s important to think of scones like pie crust for when we get to handling the dough later, too.

Mix the Dry Ingredients

In a large bowl, use a whisk to mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt.  Next, you’re going to rub the Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks into the flour mixture.  You can use a pastry cutter, but I’m all for simplicity, and I prefer to use my hands.  If you have little ones helping you in the kitchen, this a terrific activity for building strength in their hands which improves their fine motor skills.  Rub the Earth Balance in until you don’t see large chunks of it anymore and the flour mixture resembles coarse, wet sand.

Mix the Wet Ingredients

In a separate bowl, whisk together the 2 whole eggs, the 1 egg yolk, the liquid stevia, and the coconut milk.  Set aside 2 Tbsp. of this liquid mixture to use as the egg wash later.  Don’t forget to do this, because it really makes a difference.

Combine the Wet and Dry Ingredients

Now, pour the liquid mixture into the dry mixture and use either a mixing spoon or your hands to incorporate the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.  I usually start with a spoon and then switch to my hands.  You really just want to mix everything together until it’s just combined.  You don’t want to overwork the dough.  Even though we’re not using a flour with gluten, we still don’t want to the dough to be overworked.  Easy does it. 

Shape the Disk

Put a handful of gluten free flour on a cutting board and turn the dough out onto the cutting board.  Add just enough flour so that they dough holds together and you can form it into a disk.

This is very important.  Don’t make the disk too thin.  Gluten free dough will NOT rise as much as regular flour with gluten.  So if you want a nice, tall scone, you have to make the disk tall, too.  I make my disk about 2 inches thick.  Make the sides even and tall, too, so that you get the most scones you can out of the first cutting.  Each time you have to reshape the dough, you will lose some of the layers, so it’s ideal to cut as many scones out in the first round as possible.

Cut Out the Scones and Bake

Get your baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a Silpat mat ready.  Get out your 2-inch diameter scone cutter and start cutting out scones. 

*Pro tip: Do not twist the cutter at all or you will lose the crenellated edges and you will squish the layers.  Just press the cutter down and pull the cutter straight up again. 

Transfer the scones to the prepared baking sheet.  Using a pastry brush, brush the tops of the scones with the milk mixture that you set aside earlier.  This will give the scones a shiny golden top and also holds the top of the scone together so it doesn’t crack too much in the oven.

Bake the scones in the preheated oven for 15 minutes.  Remove from the oven and let them cool. 

These scones are delicious while warm, so once they’re cool enough to handle, enjoy them. 

Scones will keep for about 2-3 days in an airtight container on the counter. Enjoy!

More Sugar Free & Gluten Free Scones Recipes:

• Hazelnut Chocolate Scones - Sugar Free Gluten Free Dairy Free
• Lemon Scones - Sugar Free Gluten Free Dairy Free
• Cherry Almond Scones - Sugar Free Gluten Free Dairy Free