Vegan Blueberry Scones

Blueberries were on sale and I couldn’t pass them up, so here we are. I resisted eating them all just long enough to make these vegan blueberry scones. You can blame the lack of fruit recipes on the blog on me devouring whatever fruit I get before I even have time to test anything. Oops. But luckily, I exhibited enough self control to be able to make these. You’re welcome. They’re tender, moist, fluffy, and topped with a simple lemon glaze. The same one used for the you-can’t-stop-at-one-slice lemon cake.

Now, I’ve never had a Starbucks scone so I can’t tell you if they’re “better than Starbucks” or a “Starbucks copycat scone”. I don’t even know if Starbucks has a blueberry scone. But these are pretty darn good bakery-style scones, if I do say so myself. And I’m not even a scone person. A scone is probably the last thing I would order at a bakery or cafe. And yet, I would devour these, no problem.

How to make these vegan blueberry scones

The ingredients

I tested this recipe with refined coconut oil and vegan butter. There was no major difference between the two so you can use whatever you have on hand. Coconut oil just yields a slightly lighter and cakier texture. Whereas vegan butter adds a bit more flavour and flakiness.

I actually used half refined coconut oil half homemade vegan butter in the final test to get the best of both worlds. So that’s also an option. And yes store-bought vegan butter will probably work just fine too!

I also used fresh blueberries for this recipe. But you can also use frozen! Just don’t let them thaw or they’ll bleed into the dough and make it too wet. Simply toss them in the flour and butter mixture before adding in the buttermilk.

Besides that, just like the brown sugar and raisin scones, this recipe uses ”buttermilk” as the liquid, which is just vegan milk with an acid like apple cider vinegar, or lemon juice in this case. The acidity reacts with the baking soda and adds extra lift to the scone. Plus the lemon juice (and zest) pairs well with the blueberry flavour. Soy milk curdles best but any vegan milk should do.

The method

Once you’ve set the buttermilk aside to curdle for later and the dry ingredients are all mixed together, it’s time to incorporate the fat into the dry mixture with your fingertips or a pastry cutter. You’re looking for a coarse breadcrumb texture once you’re done. It’s ok if some pea-sized chunks remain, as those will create flaky buttery pockets in the final scone.

Then, you can add the blueberries and drizzle in the buttermilk as you mix. This is to prevent too many dry spots remaining. Mix gently though to avoid bursting the blueberries. Once everything is combined, the mixture won’t look like a dough at all. That’s normal. It will come together once you press it onto itself and into a circle.

I like to do that part on a cutting board, that way if it gets too warm I can easily pop the whole thing in the fridge so it’s easier to cut. It’s important that the mixture remains cold during the whole process of making the scones. If the fat melts or warms up too much, it will just combine with the rest of the ingredients and yield a cake texture rather than a flaky one. It’s the separation of the fat from the rest of the ingredients that creates layers.

Once you’ve formed the dough into an even circle and let it chill a bit, cut it into 8 equal portions. Brush the top of the whole thing with milk and sprinkle coarse sugar over the surface (if you want). Then place them on some prepared baking trays and stick them back in the fridge for about 30 minutes while you preheat your oven. Then bake and enjoy!

Tips and tricks for making scones

1. Firstly, as with most pastries, you don’t want to overwork the dough once you add the liquid ingredients. This will keep gluten development to a minimum and result in a light and flaky scone, instead of a dense and tough one. 

2. Rubbing the fat into the flour also helps with texture. It coats the flour and creates somewhat of a barrier between it and the liquids. Just like pie dough. Use your fingertips to rub the fat in to avoid warming up the mixture too much. Or, if you tend to have hot hands, use a pastry cutter.

3. Working with cold ingredients keeps the fat in pieces and sprinkled throughout the dough. That way, once the scones are in the oven, it melts and creates pockets that yield a flaky scone. You can also put your bowl in the fridge or freezer before you start working so the ingredients remain colder for longer.

4. Your scone dough shouldn’t feel sticky and it shouldn’t be smooth. It should look craggy and it will be slightly crumbly. The more liquid is added, the denser it will be and the more it will spread rather than rise.

5. Once you’ve shaped the scones, place them on your baking sheet and in the fridge for 30 minutes. This lets the gluten relax and the fat get really cold to prevent the scones from spreading too much in the oven.

Storing these vegan blueberry scones

Since there’s blueberries in these scones, I would keep them in a closed container at room temperature for no more than a day. But they’re best enjoyed the same day. Although you can keep them in the fridge for up to 5 days after that. You could also freeze the unbaked scones tightly wrapped for up to a month and bake them whenever you want fresh ones.

If you make this recipe please let me know in the comments! All feedback is very much appreciated and I would love to hear from you! You can also tag me on instagram @the.quaint.kitchen or use the hashtag #thequaintkitchen to share your creations!