Gluten Free Scones

Make light, tender and buttery gluten free scones with this easy master recipe. It’s endlessly customizable and delivers classic scones that are never dry or too crumbly.

This is the base recipe I use for nearly every scone variation on the blog. I’ve tested it for years to perfect the texture—crisp edges, soft centers, and just the right amount of sweetness.

Recipe ingredients

To make these scones, you’ll need just a few basic ingredients, plus any dry mix-ins you’d like to add.

• Gluten free flour blend: A properly balanced combination of flours, starting with finely ground and sifted rice flour, provides most of the structure for the scones. My favorite blends are Better Batter’s original blend and Nicole’s Best multipurpose with added xanthan gum. Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 gluten free flour in the blue bag should also work, but in a simple recipe like this it can add an unwanted aftertaste.
• Xanthan gum: Even if your blend contains it, add a bit more for a taller, more stable rise that holds even as the pastries cool. This is instead of using eggs, which alter the flavor and introduce another allergen.
• Leaveners & salt: Baking powder, baking soda, and salt work together to lift the dough, brown the tops, and balance the flavor.
• Granulated sugar: Adds sweetness and keeps the crumb soft by locking in moisture.
• Butter: Adds rich flavor and helps create crisp edges. Cold butter pieces expand in the heat of the oven, pushing apart the dough and creating flaky layers.
• Buttermilk: Moistens and binds the dough. The acid in it helps activate the baking powder for a higher rise, and the gentle tang adds flavor.
• Honey: Contributes moisture, sweetness, and a hint of depth.

How to make gluten free scones (step by step photos)

Here’s an overview for making the perfect batch of these gluten free scones, with an explanation of the reasoning behind each step:

1. Whisk the dry ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour blend, xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar. This prevents bitter clumps of leaveners or xanthan gum and ensures an even rise.

2. Add the butter
Add cold, chopped butter, toss to coat, and flatten each piece into shards between your fingers. This keeps the butter pieces large enough to stay cold but still small enough to stay trapped between layers of dough, so the steam doesn’t escape but pushes the layers up.

3. Add any dry mix-ins
Mix in your dry add-ins, like chocolate chips or dried fruit, if using to keep them evenly distributed throughout the dough without overworking it.

4. Mix in liquids and chill the dough
Pour in the buttermilk and honey, and stir until a thick dough forms. Shape it into a rough disk, wrap in plastic, and chill for at least 15 minutes. This gives the flours time to hydrate and absorb moisture, and any of the butter that started to melt too early a chance to resolidify.

5. Laminate the dough
Lightly flour the chilled dough to prevent the rolling pin from sticking, and roll it into a rough rectangle about 1/4-inch thick. Fold it in thirds like a letter to create multiplying layers of flaky dough.

6. Create a round
Fold in the sides of the rectangle to create a square, then press in the corners to create a round. Roll the dough into a round about 8 inches across using your hands and rolling pin. This adds more layers of dough and sets the dough up to be sliced into 8 triangles with sharp edges and a rounded base.

3. Cut and chill
Slice the round into 8 equal triangles using a sharp knife or bench scraper.

Place the pieces on a lined baking sheet about an inch apart, and brush the tops with cream and sprinkle with coarse sugar to help the tops of the scones brown in the oven.

Freeze the shaped scones for about 15 minutes, or until firm, in case the extra handling of the dough has melted any of the pieces of butter.

4. Bake
Bake in a preheated 375°F oven for about 18 minutes, or until puffed, golden brown, and firm to the touch. Let cool slightly before serving warm or at room temperature.

Ingredient substitutions

Here’s how to adapt this recipe for dietary needs or if you’re missing an ingredient.

Dairy free

Use a block-style vegan butter like Melt or Miyoko’s Creamery. Earth Balance sticks are too soft and melt too fast, so avoid them. For the buttermilk, use 1/2 cup plain nondairy yogurt or sour cream plus 1/2 cup unsweetened nondairy milk. Avoid anything with added flavor or grit, like oat milk. Check that your mix-ins are also dairy free.

Honey

Lyle’s Golden Syrup or light corn syrup both work well. Maple syrup adds too much moisture, but you might get away with using 2 tablespoons instead of 3.

Xanthan gum

This recipe uses a bit more xanthan gum for structure and rise. If your flour blend doesn’t include any, try using konjac powder (glucomannan) instead in equal measure, or another substitute for xanthan gum.

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