A classic British scone made vegan! This recipe is pure baking therapy and the result is just like the dairy-laden kind. Enjoy with some clotted cream and jam.
Scones are my number one obsession, when it comes to baking. I had to share this vegan scones recipe along side my Vegan Afternoon Tea guide, where I share more recipes and tips.
They were the first thing I learnt to bake as a child and have been a regular favourite in my kitchen ever since. If any of you have a copy of my cookbook, you’ll see a photo of this on the first page!
This recipe is 100% the one I make most from my blog. These scones are baked almost weekly. And with good reason, because they’re so delicious.
I don’t reserve scones for just special occasions, they’re an every day favourite in my house, but every now and then it’s nice to “dress them up” with a selection of jams, clotted cream and perhaps some strawberries too to make a quintessentially British treat!
These scones are:
- Light and fluffy
- Easy to make
- Dairy-free
- Vegan
- Eggless
Vegan Scones with Clotted Cream
Light and fluffy vegan scones, perfect served as part of an afternoon tea.
Ingredients
- 240 ml unsweetened dairy-free milk
- 1 tbsp white or apple cider vinegar
- 475 g / 16 ¾ oz / 4 cups self-raising flour*
- 50 g / 1 ¾ oz caster sugar
- 85 g / 3 oz vegan butter spread
- (Optional) handful of dried fruit, to make fruit scones
- Extra milk or aquafaba, for glazing
- Vegan clotted cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200c / 390f and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- Mix the milk and vinegar together in a jug, allowing it to curdle and create a "buttermilk".
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, sugar and salt.
- Add the vegan butter in a tsp at a time and use your fingers to rub it into the flour. Alternatively, use a food processor or stand mixer.
- When the butter is fully incorporated and the mixture resembles a dense sand, slowly add the buttermilk mixture and mix until it forms a soft dough.
- Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and kneed briefly. Add the dried fruit at this point, if using. Flatten into a 1-inch thick dough and cut out the scones using a small cookie cutter or upside down glass. Transfer the scones to the baking sheet and brush with a small amount of almond milk or aquafaba.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes until lightly golden.
- Enjoy warm from the oven with some vegan butter & jam or cooled with some vegan clotted cream!
Notes
*Self-raising flour already contains salt and raising agents but if you can't get hold of any - just use plain flour with 2 tbsp baking powder, ½ tsp bicarbonate soda and a pinch of salt.
Nutrition Information
Yield 15 Serving Size gAmount Per Serving Calories 208Total Fat 6gSaturated Fat 3gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 2gCholesterol 12mgSodium 454mgCarbohydrates 35gFiber 1gSugar 6gProtein 4g
Sarah says
I used almond milk with apple cider vinegar and added chopped dates and it turned out very nicely.
The recipe instructions mention adding salt with the sugar and flour but the ingredient list doesn’t mention how much so I just added a pinch.
Jessa says
Hi there! Do you think there’s any chance subbing the butter with applesauce or a banana might work? I understand it would alter the flavor a bit. I can’t eat fat anymore so the butter isn’t an option, but I had these before and they were delish! It seems like a lot of butter to sub out and I’ve only done it successfully with more forgiving times like cookies and loaf breads. Thanks!
Aimee says
If I was too substitute the fat – I would try a dairy-free yoghurt in this recipe. Obviously the texture and flavour will be different, as you say. I can’t honestly tell how it would turn out but that would be my first port of call! Good luck :)
Jen says
Few questions for you Aimee…
1. Is the dairy-free butter salted or unsalted? (If need I use unsalted, how much salt should I add?)
2. For making my own self-rising flour, you wrote “ *Self-raising flour already contains salt and raising agents but if you can’t get hold of any – just use plain flour with 2 tbsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp bicarbonate soda and a pinch of salt.” – just add these to 4 cups of all-purpose flour? Or is there a ratio to 1 cup of all-purpose flour?
3. Do you think soy milk would work well? (I read on quite a few sites that soy milk is the best vegan substitute for baking – https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/packages/baking-guide/the-best-milk-alternative-for-baking )
4. For this recipe on your website and your book, as well as the other scone recipes on your site – they differ slightly on baking temperature and how thick the dough should be before cutting out the scones (1/2, 3/4, versus 1 inch). I would love to try all of these recipes eventually (especially regular, rose water, & cheese!), but unsure which baking temperature and dough widths to use for each (or if it makes a difference). Help!
Thank you so much!
Aimee says
1) This isn’t something you need to worry about with dairy-free butter. They contain a little salt but you can add more to taste, if you prefer.
2) The formula is to use approximately 1 tsp baking powder per 120 g (1 cup) of plain flour. My notes are specific to this recipe.
3) Yes soy milk works well.
4) I recommend 1-inch thick and baking time will vary slightly for everyone, depending on their ovens, but check them after 10 minutes and bake for longer, if required.
Carolyn says
Mine didn’t really work. The dough was super sticky so I ended up using so much flour then once in the open they didn’t rise at all and were so hard and dense when they came out.
I was so sad :( haha
What did I do wrong?
Aimee says
Oh no! Sorry to hear that. Did you definitely use self-raising flour (or flour with raising agents?) I recommend adding the liquid in a bit at a time – no need to use all the milk if the mixture starts to get too wet. It sounds like maybe either the dough was overworked or there weren’t any raising agents. Let me know if you still have issues. Hope it works out better next time!
Carolyn says
Yeah I definitely used self raising flour! Yeah maybe I should of used less liquid.
Yeah I will try all this for next time I make them and hopefully it works out better.
Because they are very hard now haha
N.T says
Hi can you make the dough the night before and store in the fridge covered with cling film? Then the next morning knead on floured surface, shape them and bake them?
Aimee says
Hi, sorry for the late reply. You can do this – however, I have found the times I tried it, they didn’t rise as well, so keep that in mind. You can also bake the night before and finish them off in the oven for a further 5 minutes the next day (which is what I usually do).
Michelle says
I can’t get hold of any self-raising flour at the moment. When you say to add 2 tsp of baking powder, 1/2 tsp of baking soda, and a pinch of salt, do you mean for the whole 475g of flour or for every cup (~150g) of flour? I’ve see some people suggesting adding 2 tsp of baking powder for every cup of plain flour to make self-raising flour, but I haven’t had any luck so far! My scones never rise. Thanks!
Aimee says
Ah I’m sorry about that, I will edit it now! It’s meant to be 2 tablespoons (which equates to 6 teaspoons) and I always add some extra bicarb for vegan recipes to help give it an extra rise without the eggs, but its probably not strictly necessary.
Rajeev Chakraborty says
This recipe s just amazing! I made these for my wife and children and now it has becomethe most awaited baked food at home. I realised that using soya milk gives me better results than oat milk.
Aimee says
I’m so glad you and your family like them! Thanks for the tip about soy milk, thats interesting.
Michelle says
Have you tried this recipe with gf flour ?
Kathryn says
I made these to try with my daughter who has an egg allergy. They are the most delicious scones ever. Much better than ones with egg in them. All the family loved them, highly recommend to anyone.
Aimee says
So happy you enjoyed them, Kathyrn. Thanks for your comment.
Deborah chambers says
Hi we’re planning on trying to make these at nursery for our morning and also afternoon sessions with shape cutters (2&1/2 -3 inch in diameter) for our snack. I was trying to find out how many the recipe made so I could work out the amount of ingredients I need to order wether I need to double, triple or quadruple to make enough for the am class and the same again in the afternoon.
Roughly what size are the ones you make and how many do you get out of this recipe? Thankyou
Amanda Wood says
just made these tonight for a picnic at work tomorrow. I’m vegetarian but I know our group contains others who don’t eat eggs.
This are great. I used a 3 inch cutter, at 18 minutes at 390 convection oven turns them a light golden brown. Brushed soy milk and sugar on the top and they are deliciously crunchy and soft in the center. Will be keeping this recipe handy for the future. Thanks.
The only point I would make is that the soy milk looked awfully lumpy when I added the vinegar, but i persevered and the 240 floz was just perfect for the flour.
Rebecca says
When you add vinegar to the milk it curdles and makes buttermilk. It’s supposed to do that.
Gerta says
Hi, you’ve written salt in step 1 but have t said how much salt.
Lottie says
Hi do these work with gluten free self raising flour and do they freeze ok? I need a batch of vegan, gluten free scones for my wedding in two weeks time and would rather make in advance and freeze so just justwondered.also how long does the coconut cream keep for? Thanks
Alexander says
I have not made this recipe yet, but I often find that 1g of Xanthim gum per 100g flour helps to bind the gluten free flour mix when I make gnocchi, cakes and pancakes…cannot see why it would fail here … hope that helps you out.
Emily Aagaard says
These scones look gorgeous!!! I’ve recently fallen in love with scones, clotted cream, and jam, but they’re not the most healthy thing! So glad to find a vegan alternative to clotted cream!! Will definitely have to try this, thanks for sharing!
Sharpy says
Reading the comments I decided to try adding the lower amount of icing sugar (50g) which still turned out pretty sweet (and I have a sweet tooth). It also looked a little runny and slightly lumpy/separated. As such, I took another suggestion from the comments and added a bit of flour after adding the coconut cream. It all changed, becoming creamy, thick and less sweet. It also bulked up the mixture.
So, my suggestion for amended recipe:
50g icing sugar blended with 50g vegan butter
Gradually mix in 5 tbsp coconut cream
Gradually add plain white flour until desired consistency (~25g should be fine)
SharLise says
You may want to cook the white flour in your microwave in 30 seconds intervals until the flour reaches 160 F. It kills off any potential bacteria in raw flour. Then add to to your recipe. 😊 https://honeyville.com/blog/how-make-raw-flour-safe-eat/
Šárka says
Tried it today. Didn’t go so well. Even though I did everything as described, the scones didn’t rise at all in the oven and the clotted cream curdled dreadfully. Dammit.
Ecfinn says
The clotted cream didn’t turn out. :( I had the same issues noted by others: would not thicken and was too sweet. I wound up inventing my own based on my recent memory of clotted cream: I used vegan cream cheese, vegan butter, sugar, and coconut cream. Turned out great. Thanks for the idea.
Stephanie says
This is a wonderful recipe! I made them this morning and my family ate them right up! The clotted cream was a lovely consistency (a bit sweet for me as I think I added a little extra sugar, but still very nice). My daughter said we were having a royal tea.
Mandy George says
Just came across this recipe and it looks amazing. I’ve got 3 in my family who are allergic to dairy so eat a lot of vegan food (well the 9yo is vegetarian as well). Has anyone tried this yet using gluten free flour – hubby and I are both gluten free as well as my egg allergic friend – yeah it’s as complicated as it sounds to eat out lol
Tara says
I went from veggie to vegan only 3 month ago and was really sad about giving up scones with clotted cream and jam :( Tried the recipe yesterday and the scones turned out even better than the classic ones I used to bake ! Thank you so much. The clotted cream was too runny but I think it’s because the pured creamed coconut was too liquid (a solid block that you put in hot water to optain cream). I tried adding some coconut fat from the top of a can after to repair my mistake but it turned out still too liquid and too sweet. Still, I will definitely try this recipe again, with only 15-20g icing sugar in the clotted cream to suits my taste better ;)
LittleHouseLovely says
Thank you
What a lovely simple recipe – turned out perfect on the first go and we’re a success – even with the nonvegans in my house!
The scones were perfect.
My coconut clotted cream didn’t quite work out – it was a bit too runny but it still tasted delish!
Emma xx
Ellie says
Fab recipe, the scones turned out brilliantly. Thank you! Haven’t tried the cream, not a huge fan of coconut so not sure it’s work for me.
Aimee says
Hi Ellie – so glad to hear you enjoyed them :) Thanks
Lynette says
Easy to make, really good tasting. I folded raisins in and plan to have the scones for pudding this evening with Oatley vegan custard and applesauce my husband made this afternoon. They did takes nearer to 20 mins to cook in our gas fan oven AND the second batch rose more probably because I’d spaced them farther apart on the tray than the first batch. Thanks for the recipe!
Aimee says
So glad you enjoyed them Lynette! Thanks for that feedback too :-)
Jenny says
Thank you for providing a lovely recipe for vegan scones. I made a test batch in the week and they were great and then made a batch for my daughters 3rd birthday party picnic with family. I added half a punnet of blueberries and zest of one lemon and just a dash less plant milk to account for the extra moisture added and they were really yummy too. Thank you for a lovely recipe, it will remain a firm favourite of mine. Jenny
Alex says
Recently trying vegan baking, sadly this didn’t work out well for me at all. Scones didn’t rise and so had to cook for 20+ mins in order for them to be remotely cooked in the middle. Now they’re very hard like rock buns, I think I’ll have to throw them away. Not sure what went wrong? Are any of the steps particularly vital to follow exacty in order to prevent botched scones?
Aimee says
Hi Alex – Did you definitely use self-raising flour (with rising agents)? The only other thing I can think of is perhaps you might have mixed the dough too much to make it tough? Sorry to hear they didn’t work out – baking fails are the worst :-( Let me know if you need anymore help!
Lorna says
Hi, scones great but cream is too runny. I used some alpro coconut cream as when I opened the can of coconut milk there was no fat on top despite being in fridge for 48 hours. Is there a good coconut cream to use? Can I rescue the cream? How would I make it thinker? Thanks!
Aimee says
As long as the cream you use is thick (and sets almost solid in the fridge) then it should work ok. If the tin didn’t have any thick cream inside then it was probably a low-fat or watered-down version, make sure it’s full-fat coconut milk or cream. I haven’t used the alpro one but I know they do tend to water down their milks. I’m not sure how to rescue it now if it’s too watery but if you have enough time – purchase some full-fat coconut milk and put in the freezer for a couple of hours, drain the liquid inside and you should be left with a very thick cream. If all else fails, you can purchase vegan soy whipping cream in health food stores or just make some dairy-free buttercream instead. Hope that helps! Good luck :-)
Gemma says
Just made these scones and they really are fab! (I have already eaten three fresh from the oven oops)
Aimee says
That makes me so happy to hear, thanks Gemma! (and I always eat a couple straight from the oven – that’s when they’re the most delicious…)
sarah says
Hello! I’m excited to try this recipe. I’m new to vegan baking, but want to make sure to have some vegan options for a tea that I’m doing for my friend’s baby shower.
I was wondering – Can I freeze the dough for these ahead of time and then pop them into the oven day-of?
It’s a technique that works well with regular scones, but wasn’t sure if there would be a reason not to freeze these?
Since I’ll be making many dishes, it’s best to try to do some make ahead things so I don’t panic later ! haha
Nancy A Stein says
Looks like a wonderful recipe. Any chance you can post the recipe directions in USA measurement.
Marie-Jeanne says
Hi nancy. If you have a smart phone you can download an app called conversion calculator. It is a very handy app for calculating all kinds of stuff.
Lottes says
These look yummy. I will definitely be trying them :)
One question, does the cream taste coconutty?
Kerry says
I hated coconut before I made these! The cream is delicious and you can make it to your own taste, I’m totally converted! I think I will have to go and make some now!
Gemma says
Hello
Do you think it would be ok to use spelt flour for this recipe?
Aimee says
Hi Gemma – Yes I’ve tried it with spelt a few times and it’s delicious! I used white spelt so if you’re using wholemeal spelt, bear in mind it might be a bit heavier and nuttier but should still be delicious.
Frank Gregory says
Just made the scones and they turned out great, have not tried the clotted cream recipe yet. Thanks a lot.
Scarlett says
I tried making the clotted cream today for my vegan sister. I must have over whipped it because it started to separate into oil and fat and didn’t look at all appetising. I rescued it by adding plain flour slowly until it reformed. The mixture still tasted lovely and if anything the flour has improved the consistency to even more ‘proper’ clotted cream. You can’t taste the flour at all so I thought I should share this in case anyone else is a bit too over-vigorous with the whipping! I probably added somewhere in the region of 50-75g of flour in the end.
Aimee says
Oh how interesting! I will have to experiment with this next time. Thanks for much for letting me know!
Tim says
My cream also separated – I wonder if chick pea (gram) flour would bind and give a lovely yellowy colour too?
Kerry says
I’ve just been diagnosed with a dairy allergy after years of illness and misery so finding your website has been a godsend! Made the scones and cream this afternoon, they were amazing! My 7 year old daughter loved them and after much persuasion my husband even tried them. He has the eating habits of a fussy toddler so for him to give them a huge thumbs up really says something!
Can’t wait to try more of your recipes, thank you! X
Aimee says
That makes me so happy to hear! Thanks for taking the time to let me know how much you enjoyed them, Kerry :-) Any recipe requests? I’m always looking for new ideas/inspiration for my next recipe…
Rowan says
The Cornish way should use a warm scone and the clotted cream be chilled. The jam forms a layer between to prevent the cream from melting.
This way you get a marvellous combination of warm and cold as you eat!
Rowan says
The Cornish way should use a warm scone and the clotted cream be chilled. The jam forms a layer between to prevent the cream from melting.
This way you get a marvellous combination of warm and cold as you eat!
Angel Persephone Agyei says
Thank you for this recipe! I think I’m going to try it out for a picnic this weekend.
Angel x
http://amoreangelina.com
Aimee says
How lovely! Let me know how it goes :-) Enjoy your picnic x
Jude says
Thank you so much for this. I’m making these for people at work as we are having a fund raising cream tea afternoon for charity so as a vegan I don’t want to be left out! Can’t wait to have a go and also teh clotted cream looks amazing!
Aimee says
How lovely! I hope you enjoy, let me know how your charity cream tea event goes :-)
L says
Yum yum, Thank you, the scones turned out perfectly, so happy as I’m not the best baker, recipe was easy to do. Next time I’ll make the full amount
Aimee says
So pleased to hear that! Thanks for letting me know how they turned out :-)
Vicky Sanders says
I’m wondering if you’ve tried to freeze the vegan clotted cream… Does it taste as good when it’s thawed and served? … Thank you in advance.
Aimee says
Hi Vicky, I replied on my facebook page but I’ll write it here anyway – the short answer is that I don’t know but if you try it please let us know how it turns out!
Neal Pearson says
P.S. They didn’t even cook in the middle, and so I had to cut them in half and put them under the grill to make them cooked enough to feed as scraps to my chickens!
Neal Pearson says
There was way too much Almond milk to make a rollable dough, it was more like wallpaper paste. I had to add a great deal more flour, sugar and salt to rescue what was allready in the mixing bowl, and so I then probably overworked the dough in trying to get something homogeneous and a suitable consistency to roll out on a board.
The dough then made 20 discs using a 6 mm circular cutter. They rose a bit, but not much, and lost the serrated cutter pattern. Painting them with almond milk still left them with a white and uninviting appearance, and they took over 20 minutes to cook.
I only made these because I’m visiting a Vegan friend tomorrow, and promised to take scones. I’m glad I’m an omnivore and can use more traditional and reliable recipes to make the kind of scones I would much prefer to eat when having a Cornish Cream Tea!
Aimee says
Hi Neal
I am sorry to hear yours didn’t work out. I use this recipe quite often (in fact I made them yesterday!)
When it comes to adding the milk, it’s important to add it slowly until you form a soft dough, once you get a soft dough, you don’t need to use any leftover milk. In terms of it not rising, did you definitely use self-raising flour? The other thing might just be because the mixture was too wet (which is why it took ages to cook in the middle) Hope that helps!
Louise says
The scones didn’t bake in 12 minutes, more double the time. What am I doing wrong lol. I have a fan oven
Aimee says
Did they turn out OK in the end? That’s how long they take to bake for me, but I suppose all ovens are different.
Mimmi says
YES. I’m not vegan (I’m vegetarian), but I still love finding vegan alternatives like this. I love clotted cream, and this sounds like a fantastic vegan version!
Mimmi xx
Muted Mornings
Aimee says
Thank you Mimmi! I was really missing clotted cream before I created this recipe, scones just aren’t the same without it!
ane says
scones wonderful but cream didn’t work for me. Too sweet wouldn’t thicken then separated.
Aimee says
Hi Ane, sorry to hear the cream didn’t work for you. Did you use the thick cream (no water)? Glad the scones turned out well, anyway!
Olivia says
This were so delicious! Thanks <3
Elspeth N Gibb says
So pleased to have found you!!
Clotted cream…o how i tried, well done for not failing!!
Ellen says
Just made these with the clotted cream.
Oh. My.
Very good! I thought I’d never be able to have scones and cream again, but this is wonderful and the vegan clotted cream doesn’t taste too coconutty, either. Good one!
Aimee says
Thanks Ellen, so happy you enjoyed them :-) They really do hit the spot, don’t they… Might just have to make these again this afternoon because now I have a craving for them!
Thao says
Would I be able to use brown sugar? Would measurements be the same?
Aimee says
Yes, a couple of tablespoons of brown sugar is delicious. I often use that instead :)
Jessica says
Love your blog! I will be trying out the clotted cream recipe for sure. As a Cornish girl I can tell you that the jam definitely does go on first!
Jessica x
Cruelty Free Cottage
Aimee says
Thank you, Jessica! I’m just off to check out your blog now :-) And I definitely take the Cornish side on this debate… jam is first!
marcie says
These scones definitely look worthy of a special occasion and that clotted cream looks heavenly! I need to make scones much more often! :)
Aimee says
Thanks Marcie and yes, you need more scones in your life!
Kelly says
These scones look so fluffy and delicious, Aimee! I love the coconut in the clotted cream, it sounds perfect with those pretty strawberries!
Aimee says
Thanks Kelly, It makes the perfect pairing :-)
Ronda says
Clotted cream. You brilliant, brilliant, brilliant girl. I can not tell you how much I love this. Thank you.
Aimee says
Haha thanks Ronda! I am so pleased with it, I hope you get to try it too.
Kate - Gluten Free Alchemist says
The scones look so light and fluffy Aimee. Intrigued by the vegan clotted cream! Lovely photos too.
Aimee says
Thank you Kate :-) Coconut clotted cream > dairy clotted cream, in my opinion!
Chrissy says
I LOVE clotted cream and I can’t wait to try your recipe. Sounds like it has the perfect texture!
Aimee says
It’s definitely a shortcut version but I think you get a similar result and the taste is just so wonderful! Especially when paired with fresh strawberries…
Karla - The Candid Kitchen says
I´m loving this afternoon tea series =)
Aimee says
Thank you Karla! I’ve loved working on it (as you can imagine)
Kristi @ Inspiration Kitchen says
Love the coconut in the clotted cream! And it sounds perfect to go on scones!
Aimee says
It really is! Pair it with some fresh strawberries and it’s just heavenly…
Shashi at RunninSrilankan says
I adore scones – but it’s been so long since I made them – I really need to make them an every day treat like you do! Love this easy recipe – and those fluffy scones!
Aimee says
You need more scones in your life, Shashi!
Emma | Fork & Good says
Vegan clotted cream?! Are you a wizard?!
Seriously. This is amazing.
Aimee says
Hahah thank you Emma!
Anca says
I put jam first as I love a big scoop of clotted cream on top. Hubby prefers the other way: clotted cream as a base for a big scoop of jam :D We had a lot of discussions about this :))
Aimee says
People always seem to feel so strongly about it, one way or the other. Like they’re on rival football teams or something. Go jam-on-first team!!
Marie says
I rarely bake as I just don’t seem to have a “bakers hand” but I thought even I cant go wrong with this scone recipe. The scones have great colour and taste good but they have barely risen for me, what did I do wrong? Only alteration I did was half the ingredients as I was only making them for 2 people. Thanks.
Aimee says
Hi Marie, sorry to hear that. You definitely used self-raising flour, yes? Also, did you flatten them when you shaped them? I can’t think what else could have caused them not to rise.
Tiffany says
Over mixing, try adding a bit more liquid and instead if kneading…. Drop by Scoopful onton baking tray. Also, if you add a tsp if vinegar to your vegan milk ( soy is ALWAYS best for baking) and a pinch of baking soda to your flour mixture… You will have very light and fluffy vegan scones dear friend. Don’t give up just yet!