Gluten-Free Lemon Blueberry Scones

5 from 2 votes

Gluten-Free Lemon Blueberry Scones

These gluten-free lemon blueberry scones are fresh and zesty with the perfect scone texture. Crisp on the outside, soft and buttery on the inside, this recipe is perfect for a springtime brunch or snack, with just 15 minutes of hands-on time!

Prep Time15

Cook Time22

Total Time37

Course: Breakfast, Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegetarian

Servings: scones

Calories: 368kcal

Author: Olivia Parsons

Ingredients

For the scones

2 ¼ cups gluten-free all-purpose flour with xanthan gum I use Bob's Red Mill 1:1 Baking Flour (blue bag) or Robinhood gluten-free flour mix.
½ cup white sugar
2 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
1 lemon for zest and juice
½ cup milk plus more for brushing the scones
1 egg
2 teaspoon vanilla
½ cup salted butter cold and cubed, add an additional ¼ teaspoon salt if using unsalted
1 heaping cup fresh or frozen blueberries see note about using frozen blueberries
Coarse sugar optional, for topping

For the glaze

1 cup icing sugar
2 teaspoon lemon juice
2 teaspoon milk
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Zest the lemon into the dry ingredients.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, egg, vanilla extract, and juice of the whole lemon. Set aside.
Place the cold butter cubes in the bowl of dry ingredients. Toss to coat them in flour, then use your hands or a pastry cutter to break apart the butter pieces and blend them into the flour. Keep cutting the butter into the flour until the pieces are small and the mixture looks like sand. Work quick to avoid the butter melting.
Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir with a rubber spatula just until combined. Gently fold in the blueberries until evenly dispersed. The dough will be quite sticky. Add flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, if it is too sticky to handle.
Flour a surface and turn the dough out of the bowl. Flour your hands and press the dough together into a circle about 8-inches wide and ½-¾" thick. Cut into 8 slices and transfer the scones to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Press a few blueberries on top for presentation. Brush the tops with milk and sprinkle with coarse sugar. If the dough is feeling soft, chill the scones for 15-20 minutes until firm.
Bake for 21-22 minutes, until firm with a light golden colour. Scones made with frozen blueberries may take 2 minutes longer. Allow the scones to cool on the baking sheet for 15 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack. Enjoy warm or allow to cool before icing.
Stir the glaze ingredients together in a small bowl. Use a spoon to drizzle over the cooled scones while they are still on the wire rack. For easy clean up, place a piece of parchment or aluminum foil under the rack. The icing will dry in about 10 minutes. Scones are best enjoyed fresh!

Notes

If using frozen blueberries:

Do not thaw the blueberries before stirring them into the batter.
Frozen blueberries will dye the batter slightly purple. Fresh blueberries will not do this.
Scones made with frozen blueberries will need to bake for about 2 minutes longer. Use a toothpick to poke near a blueberry to judge if the scones are done. If it comes out clean, they are done.

Dairy-Free Scones: Use a solid dairy-free butter such as Miyokos Creamery or a Becel brick. Almond, cashew, or soy milk should work well in the dough.
Storage Instructions: Scones are best enjoyed on the day that they're made. Leftover scones can be stored in an airtight container lined with paper towel for 1-2 more days.
Freezing Instructions: Baked scones freeze quite well. Ensure the scones are cooled, then place in a freezer safe container or bag with parchment paper between layers. Freeze for up to 3 months. To defrost, remove scones from the container and place on a wire rack to thaw for 1-2 hours. Enjoy soon.
Reheating Instructions: Place scones in the air fryer at 350ºF for 5-7 minutes, or the oven at 400ºF for the same time. They will be nice and crisp on the outside while still soft in the middle.

Nutrition facts are an estimation.

Nutrition