These gluten free blueberry scones are perfect for breakfast on a lazy summer weekend. They are bursting with fresh blueberries and so nutty in flavor thanks to the pecan flour and chopped pecans. They are not too sweet, which makes them perfect with a morning coffee. If you prefer sweet scones, add some glaze to the top for an extra treat.
If you have more juicy blueberries on hand, give these zucchini blueberry muffins a try!
Ingredient Notes
Most of these simple ingredients can be found in any grocery. I have even started to see pecan flour in the baking aisle. If your store doesn't carry it, it can be ordered online. This recipe is both gluten free and dairy free as written.
- Gluten-Free Flour Blend - I use Bob's Red Mill gluten-free flour for most of my baking. You can use your favorite flour blend, just make sure it contains xanthan gum. I have not tested this recipe with any other brands of flour, so your results may vary.
- Pecan Flour - You can order pecan flour online but you don't have to. You can easily make your own by chopping pecans in a food processor until they are the size of coarse sand. If you prefer, you can use another nut flour. I think almond flour would be delicious.
- Vegan Butter - I use either Country Crock Plant Butter or Miyokos Vegan Butter in my recipes. You can use your favorite vegan stick butter, just avoid margarine. If you're not dairy free, use unsalted butter in the same measure.
- Maple Syrup - This adds both sweetness and moisture, so don't omit it. If you need to substitute, use honey instead.
- Non-Dairy Milk - I use either unsweetened coconut milk or oat milk in my baking. Any dairy free milk alternative will work here. If you're not dairy free, use whole milk or heavy cream in the same measure.
See recipe card for full ingredient list and measurements.
Substitutions & Variations
- Not Dairy Free - replace vegan butter and non-dairy milk with unsalted butter and whole milk in the same measure.
- No blueberries - try replacing blueberries with another fresh berry: raspberries, blackberries or strawberries would work. If you use strawberries, make sure to cut them into small pieces.
- No Pecans - use almonds and almond flour in the same measure.
How to Make Gluten Free Blueberry Scones
You're going to be surprised how easy it is to make this delicious recipe. Avoid dense scones by handling the dough as little as possible.
STEP 1: Combine the gluten free flour, pecan flour, baking powder, brown sugar, salt and cinnamon together in a large mixing bowl. Whisk well.
STEP 2: Add the grated cold butter to the dry ingredients and mix together until the butter is coated and in small crumbles. I usually do this with my hands, but a pastry cutter is perfect for this job.
STEP 3:Whisk the egg and egg yolk in a small bowl. Add the maple syrup and milk to the beaten egg and whisk until smooth.
STEP 4: Add the pecans and blueberries to the bowl of dry ingredients and fold together to coat the berries with flour.
STEP 5: Add half of the liquid to the flour mixture. Stir a few strokes. Add the remaining liquid a little at a time until the dough sticks together in a shaggy pile.
STEP 6: Fold the scone dough a few times until it comes together in a ball in the bowl. Folding the dough over helps to create layers for a flaky scone.
STEP 7: Move the dough to a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Pat into a circle 7 inches in diameter. Use a sharp knife or bench scraper to cut the circle into 8 pie wedges. Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before baking.
Expert Tip
I like to use any drips of the leftover egg mixture to brush on top of the scones. It acts as an egg wash of sorts, giving you a lovely golden brown finish.
What is the difference between a biscuit and a scone?
Being from the South, I grew up eating biscuits. So all the ingredients and the method were familiar for scones. Where biscuits are usually buttery, soft and filled with flaky layers, a scone is a different texture altogether. Scones should have less butter, more of a crumbly texture, be soft on the inside and a little crisp on the outside.
Scones also typically have very little sugar. Although, if you pickup an American scone, they are usually loaded with sugar, chocolate chips, nuts, fruit and anything else you can think to throw in there. British scones are very plain and meant to be served with clotted cream and jam.
One of the main differences between the texture of a biscuit and a scone comes from the addition of eggs to the dough. Eggs will create a more crumbly texture on the finished product. For example, a pie dough with eggs added would be more crumbly like a cookie than flaky like pie crust. So this recipe has an egg and an egg yolk.
As with biscuits, its important for your butter to remain really cold right up until you bake. I grated my butter with a box grater and then put it into the freezer until I was ready to mix.
Storage
Leftover scones should be store in an airtight container at room temperature. They will be good for 1-2 days.
These scones also freeze well. Once they have cooled, place leftover scones in a freezer bag and remove as much air as possible. Store for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
To reheat, place on a baking sheet and heat in a 350F oven for 10 minutes.
More gluten-free scones to try:
If you try this recipe, please leave a 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 star rating and let me know how you liked it in the comments below.
Recipe
Gluten Free Pecan Blueberry Scones
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ Cup Gluten Free 1-to-1 Flour Blend
- ½ Cup Pecan Flour or your favorite nut flour
- 4 teaspoon Baking Powder
- 3 Tablespoon Light Brown Sugar
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Cinnamon
- 6 Tablespoon Vegan Butter grated and frozen
- 3 Tablespoon Maple Syrup
- ¼ Cup Non-Dairy Milk
- 1 Egg
- 1 Egg Yolk
- 1 Cup Fresh Blueberries
- ½ Cup Roughly Chopped Pecans optional
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine gf flour, pecan flour, baking powder, brown sugar, salt and cinnamon. Stir until well mixed.1 ¾ Cup Gluten Free 1-to-1 Flour Blend, ½ Cup Pecan Flour, 4 teaspoon Baking Powder, 3 Tablespoon Light Brown Sugar, ½ teaspoon Salt, ½ teaspoon Cinnamon
- Add the frozen butter. Fold together with a spatula until all little butter pieces are coated with flour.6 Tablespoon Vegan Butter
- Add the blueberries and nuts. Stir together.1 Cup Fresh Blueberries, ½ Cup Roughly Chopped Pecans
- In a small bowl, beat the egg and yolk until smooth. Add the milk and maple syrup. Stir together.3 Tablespoon Maple Syrup, ¼ Cup Non-Dairy Milk, 1 Egg, 1 Egg Yolk
- Slowly add half of the wet ingredients to the dry. Fold together until all the wet is incorporate. Repeat again. You want to only add enough liquid to bring the dough together. It should not be wet. You may have some liquid leftover. Once the dough is shaggy but holding together, fold it a few times in the bowl to bring it into a ball.
- Turn out onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Shape into a 7-inch diameter circle and cut into triangles (like pizza slices). Place scones on baking sheet into refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 425 °F (218 °C)
- Bake the scones for 16-18 minutes until golden brown.
- Store leftover scones at room temperature up to 3 days. Reheat by baking at 350F for 10 minutes.
Notes
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon non-dairy milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Tiffany is the recipe developer, stylist and food photographer behind Well Fed Baker. As a lifelong baker who had to go gluten free and dairy free in 2016, Tiffany strives to share allergen friendly recipes that never feel like they are free from anything.
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