Easy Vegan Scones

What’s better than a fresh scone on a lazy morning? For a stellar plant-based version of this popular baked good, try these Vegan Scones! They come out golden and lightly sweet, an ideal morning treat for weekends or entertaining. Like a good scone, they’re scented with vanilla and orange zest (non-negotiable, we think). And even better? They’re endlessly customizable. Add fruit like blueberries or cranberries, or drizzle with an easy powdered sugar icing. Ready to get baking?

Ingredients for vegan scones

The ingredient list for vegan scones looks just like a normal scones recipe, with the exception of 3 ingredients. There’s no egg, there’s a vegan butter substitute and a vegan milk substitute. Here’s what to have on hand:

All purpose flour and whole wheat flour: Adding whole wheat adds a robust flavor and a bit more golden color, which is helpful in a vegan scones recipeGranulated sugar: Substitute coconut sugar if desiredBaking powder and baking sodaSaltVegan butter or coconut oilOat milk (or almond milk)Vanilla extractOrange zest: This makes the flavor really pop! Don’t even consider omitting it

Vegan butter vs coconut oil: use either one!

You can use either vegan butter or coconut oil in this vegan scones recipe! It’s nice to have the ability to use either here, which is true with our vegan pie crust. (But with vegan biscuits, you absolutely must use vegan butter.) Here are a few notes on the two choices:

Coconut oil scones: Coconut oil is very easy to work with! Make sure it’s solid, which it should be at room temperature unless you live in a hot climate. Use refined coconut oil, which has a neutral flavor. Vegan butter scones: We slightly preferred the texture with vegan butter for these vegan scones, but both were delicious! The exact texture and flavor that will result depends on the brand of vegan butter and what it’s made of. Check the ingredient lists and find one that is minimally processed with real food ingredients. We like Miyoko’s Vegan Butter, which is made with mostly cashews and coconut: it happens to be organic, too.

One note about texture of vegan scones

One note about the texture of this scones recipe. Vegan scones are slightly more caky than crumbly. If you want a perfectly crumbly scone, real butter is key. But our family absolutely loved these scones, so they’re still absolutely delicious. Just keep in mind, the texture is slightly less crumbly than a standard scone like our Blueberry Scones.

Tip: Chill time is essential!

When you’re making vegan scones, or any sort of scones for that matter, chill time is key. Why? If your dough is room temperature or warm, the scones will spread in the oven. Take it from us: we’ve tested many versions of them! There’s nothing worse than opening the oven to a melty, spread-out scone. Follow the chilling instructions in the recipe below closely to get the best shaped scones. You’ll thank us later!

Add 1-minute powdered sugar icing

These vegan scones are delicious on their own. But if you’d like, you can add an easy powdered sugar icing to take them over the top! We used our favorite quick icing that comes together in 1 minute. You can keep it white, or go pink with cranberry juice like we did (we styled it as a holiday recipe). Here’s what to know:

Make 1 minute icing. This Powdered Sugar Icing is so easy to mix up: it really takes 1 minute! Use oat milk instead of milk for vegan. If you’d like, use cranberry juice to make a pink cranberry icing. We wanted a cranberry flavor to go with the orange zest. So we simply used 100% cranberry juice in place of the milk in the icing. It makes a beautiful vegan pink icing!Top with crushed nuts or sprinkles. To make them like the photo, top with crushed pistachios. Or use whatever sort of sprinkle topping you’d like!Another alternative? Try this citrusy Easy Lemon Glaze.

Variations: how to customize vegan scones!

This vegan scones recipe is a template recipe. The orange and vanilla scented base is perfect for customizing to whatever you’d like. Here are some great ways to customize it:

Vegan vlueberry scones: Add 1 cup fresh blueberries to the dough, mixed with 1 tablespoon sugar if desired. (We prefer fresh blueberries in scones: frozen melt and turn the dough purple.)Lemon blueberry scones: Substitute lemon zest for the orange, and add fresh blueberries. Top with plain powdered sugar icing and lemon zest. Cranberry scones: Add 1 cup dried cranberries; keep the cranberry glaze. Cherry pecan scones: Add 1 cup dried cherries and ⅓ cup finely chopped pecans.Chocolate chip scones: Add 1 cup dark chocolate chips.

What do you like in your scones? Let us know in the comments below.

How to store vegan scones

Last notes on this vegan scones recipe: storage! These scones are best the day of baking: let them cool to room temperature so they firm up before enjoying them. If you have some left over (which we always do), here’s how to store them:

Store at room temperature for 2 days: Cover them with a dry towel or place in a container with the cover ajar.Refrigerated for 5 days (bring to room temperature or reheat before serving): You could refrigerate for up to 5 days, but they do become rather tough in the refrigerator. If you’d like to store them for longer, your best bet is freezing them.Frozen for 3 months: Let them cool them to room temperature (un-iced), then place them in a freezer-friendly bag or container. When you’re ready to eat, leave them on the counter for a few hours or in the refrigerator overnight.