Dairy Free Cream Scones made without any butter, only non dairy heavy cream. Yet they're fluffy, light and oh so delicious. Perfect for brunch or afternoon tea!
A delicious vegan take on the classic British pastry, these Dairy Free Cream Scones are perfect for brunch or afternoon tea. Traditionally, scones are made with only cream or a combination of butter and cream. We like to make cream style scones and use non dairy heavy whipping cream. This results in a scone that is fluffy, light and perfectly tender, no dairy needed.
Scones are served traditionally with clotted cream and jam. If you want to try it this way a google search yields some recipes for a vegan version of clotted cream. Alternatively, a smear of non dairy butter with my simple Cranberry Orange jam is quite tasty.
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Ingredients
These scones are based on a traditional cream scone, but made dairy free thanks to the availability of non dairy heavy whipping cream. You can also use full fat coconut milk in place of store bought non dairy cream if it's not available or you simply prefer it.
- all purpose flour
- baking powder
- dried cherries or cranberries
- non dairy heavy whipping cream or canned coconut milk
- sugar
- salt
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
These scones are fairly simple to make with no special equipment needed making this is a great recipe to have the kids help with.
In a large bowl combine flour, cane sugar, baking powder and salt. Whisk well to thoroughly combine. Add cranberries and mix again.
Next, add 1 ¼ cup non dairy whipping cream into flour mixture stirring to combine. Add additional cream if needed until a cohesive dough forms
Lightly flour a working surface and bring the dough together in a circle about ¾ inch thick. Cut into 8 even pieces. Transfer to baking sheet.
Then brush the tops of scones with cream and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 15-17 minutes, until golden brown. Serve warm with vegan butter and jam.
Hint: If you prefer round scones, use a biscuit cutter or cookie cutter to cut rounds. Bring scrapes together and cut again until all dough has been cut.
Substitutions & Variations
- Fruit - instead of dried cherries or cranberries you can use chocolate chips, another dried fruit you like or omit all together.
- Flour - use gluten free measure for measure flour to make these scones gluten free
- Savory - instead of fruit, add chives or other herbs, vegan cheese or even tempeh bacon for a savory scone.
- Deluxe - serve with jam, non dairy whipped cream or clotted cream and tea of course.
Equipment
This recipe doesn't require any special equipment. Only typical kitchen tools you probably have such as bowls, measuring cups, baking sheets and utensils.
Storage
Allow scones to cool completely and store in an air tight container on the counter. Good for 2-3 days.
You can also freeze scones. Cool completely and transfer to a freezer safe container or storage bag. Use within 3 months. To serve, let sit at room temperature for a couple of hours to defrost.
💡Top tips
- It's important to handle the dough as little as possible. When bringing the dough together, knead just enough for it to hold together. Overworking the dough will result in more gluten developing creating a bread-y dense scone instead of light and fluffy.
- Instead of non dairy heavy cream you can use full fat coconut milk if you'd like to avoid additives. However, don't use lite coconut milk as the fat is necessary to produce a tender, fluffy scone.
FAQ
The name is thought to have originated from the Dutch word "schoonbrot" which means fine white bread and the closely-related German word "sconbrot" which means fine or beautiful bread.
Scones are made using a quick bread method with a higher liquid to flour ratio and sometimes no butter. Biscuits on the other hand, have a lot of butter and use a lamination process to create flaky layers.
A survey from 2019 found more the three-quarter of Scots agree "scone" should rhyme with "gone".
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with these dairy free cream scones:
Recipe
Heart Shaped Cream Scones
Ingredients
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 3 tablespoon cane sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup dried cranberries or cherries
- 1 ¼-1 ½ cup non dairy whipping cream or full fat coconut milk
Topping:
- 1 tbsp non dairy whipping cream of full fat coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon turbinado or Demerara sugar
Instructions
- In a large bowl combine flour, cane sugar, baking powder and salt. Whisk well to thoroughly combine. Add cranberries and mix again.
- Pour 1 ¼ cup whipping cream or coconut milk into flour mixture and toss and stir to combine. Add up to ¼ cup more cream if needed to form a cohesive dough. There should be no dry flour at bottom of the bowl and the dough should not be very sticky.
- Lightly flour a working surface and bring the dough together in a circle about ¾ inch thick. Cut into 8 even pieces.
- Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- Brush the tops of scones with additional cream and sprinkle with turbinado or Demerara sugar.
- Freeze scones for 15 minutes while you preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Bake for 15-17 minutes or until golden brown. Cool briefly before serving.
Notes
- If you prefer round scones, use a biscuit cutter or cookie cutter to cut rounds. Bring scrapes together and cut again until all dough has been cut.
- As written, this recipe will produce large scones. You can halve the dough before cutting triangles to make small scones, if desired.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!