A vegan recipe for light and fluffy Scottish scones with a good rise. Perfect for a teatime treat with dairy-free spread and jam.

Afternoon Tea Scones

Don't you just love a fluffy, buttery scone?

They are so associated with afternoon tea here in Scotland (and in England too), that it just wouldn't be the same without them.

I just love them, especially when they're still warm from the oven.

Scottish High Tea

Scottish High Tea

Scones are offered in Scotland as part of a high tea. Have you heard of high tea?

High tea is an early evening meal, where you're served a selection of small cakes, including scones after your main meal with a pot of tea. Toast is often served too. It's all included in the price of the meal.

Many hotels and pubs offer high teas in Scotland, but you better be prepared to dine early between 4:30pm and 6:00pm.

Oh and they are pronounced scone which rhymes with gone.

also try Blueberry Lemonade Scones

Vegan Scones

These scones are vegan. I used my traditional recipe for scones and changed the butter to dairy-free spread, the plain yoghurt to vegan plain yoghurt (I use Alpro) and the milk to almond milk.

It was as simple as that and they had a really good rise and were light as air when you bite into them. All soft and fluffy inside.

Who said vegan baking was difficult?

I couldn't find my regular cutter for scones, so I used a smaller cutter, which made 12 small scones instead of the 6-8 large scones I'd usually make out of the scone dough.

Also try my Air Fryer Vegan Fruit Scones.

For more Scottish recipes have a look at my recipe index of Scottish Recipes for Vegans and Vegetarians

What's the Secret to Light Fluffy Scones?

1. Cold butter or dairy-free spread, straight out of the fridge.
2. When you're rubbing the butter/spread into the flour, don't overdo it, just rub the butter in until it's just combined.
3. When you add the wet ingredients, cut it in with a knife, don't use your hands or a spoon.
4. Bring it together with your hands but don't overwork the dough. The less you handle it the better.
5. Roll it out thickly, 3-4 cm thick.
6. When you cut it, be careful not to twist the cutter as you lift it out of the scone dough or your scones will bake squint, instead of straight up.

pin it for later

also try - Classic Scones

How to serve a scone

In Cornwell and Devon scones are served with jam and clotted cream (the name of my friend Beth's blog actually Jam and Clotted Cream).

There is great debate down south as to what goes first the jam or the cream. 

Devon scones - Jam first then cream

Cornwall scones - Cream first then jam

Who knows who's right? I like to serve them still a little warm with butter/dairy-free spread and jam.

The History of Scones

Some say the word scone originates from the Dutch word schoonbrot or schoonbrood which means beautiful/pure bread or the Scots Gaelic word sgonn, which means a large piece of something.

In Scotland they were originally made by crofters with oats and buttermilk on a girdle (griddle) outside on a fire and cut into triangles.

They were also said to be named for the Stone of Destiny which stood in Scone, Perth where the Kings of Scotland where crowned.

Later scones would be baked in an oven.

In the 1800s they became part of afternoon tea when the Duchess of Bedford requested tea and sweet breads. Scones were duly served, she loved them and it soon became a trend that is still popular today.

What Shapes Should a Scones Be?

ROUND! 

Always cut scones with a round cutter. It can be plain or fluted, but has to be a circle cutter.

If you want triangle scones, bake one large bannock and cut into triangles.

Baked triangles of scones are always going to be an uneven bake, quite hard at the tip and lighter at the base, Round is definitely the best option for a light bake all the way through.

Calories in Scones

I've worked out the calories per scone using my recipe, if you make 12 small scones as I did or 8 larger scones. 

6 large scones = 258 calories each
8 fairly large scones = 193 calories each
10 medium scones = 155 calories each
12 small scones = 123 calories each

Scone Toppings

Adding dairy-free spread and jam will of course add calories. 

1 teaspoon of dairy free spread = 25 calories *
1 teaspoon jam = 19 calories *

* depending on the brand

Jam Scones

Jam is the perfect pairing with freshly made scones.

Why not have a try at making some homemade jam.

If you've not made jam before my Scottish Raspberry Jam is a good place to start.  It's easier to make than you may think and no need for a thermometer, just a saucer in the freezer and your little pinky to test the jam to see if it's ready.

MORE JAMS TO TRY

• Caramelised Nectarine & Apricot Jam
• Mango & Orange Peel Jam
• Rhubarb & Orange Jam
• Strawberry & Peach Jam
• Strawberry & Rhubarb Jam
• Strawberry & Vanilla Chia Seed Jam
• Summer Fruit Jam

While you are at it, why not have a look at a jam factory in action?

Buttery Scottish Teatime Scones - Vegan Recipe

scones, Scottish scones, vegan scones, sweet biscuits, Scottish bake, Scottish recipe, vegan, dairy-free

snack

Scottish, British, vegan

Yield: 6-12 scones (depending on the size of cutter you use)Author: Jacqueline Meldrum

Buttery Scottish Teatime Scones

Light and fluffy Scottish scones with a good rise made to a vegan recipe. Perfect for a teatime treat with dairy free spread and jam.

prep time: 10 minscook time: 15 minstotal time: 25 mins

ingredients

• 250g/2 cups self-raising flour
• 50g/¼ cup dairy-free spread
• 2 tbsp caster sugar
• 125ml/½ cup dairy-free plain yoghurt
• 65ml/¼ cup almond milk
• pinch of salt

instructions

1. Heat the oven to 220c/200c fan/gas mark
   7.
2. Sieve the flour into a large bowl, add the dairy free spread and gently rub them together with your finger tips. 
3. Gently mix in the salt and sugar.
4. Whisk the yoghurt and milk together in a jug and then pour the liquid into the dry mix and cut into the mixture with a knife until it starts to come together. 
5. Finish bringing the dough together with your hands (don't over do it), then roll out to 3-4 cm thick on a floured surface.
6. Cut into circles with a cookie cutter and place on a baking sheet.
7. Brush with almond milk and bake for 12-15 minutes until well risen and starting to turn golden.
8. Remove from the oven and cool on a rack.
9. Serve with dairy-free spread and jam while still warm.
10.      Enjoy!

NOTES:

Calories and nutrition for 12 small scones. See above (in post) for calories and nutrition in larger scones.

calories
129

fat (grams)
4.5

sat. fat (grams)
1.9

carbs (grams)
18.2

protein (grams)
2.6

sugar (grams)
3.3

Created using The Recipes Generator