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Soft vegan lemon blueberry scones with bold citrusy flavour and juicy blueberries that are easy to make at home. This dairy-free, egg-free scone recipe uses homemade vegan buttermilk for a fluffy, light inner texture, and they bake up with golden crisp edges on the outside.
I've included a gluten-free option so everyone can enjoy this scrumptious treat with morning coffee or afternoon tea!
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The combination of lemon and blueberry is one of my favourites (I already have a few other recipes featuring this combo!). The flavour is fresh and lemony, while the blueberries bring a bit of natural sweetness and a nice contrast in texture against the fluffy inside and crisp outside.
It’s the kind of flavour (and texture!) that works perfectly in scones, especially in these vegan lemon blueberry scones.
They’re simple to pull together, and I bet once you try them, they’ll become a favourite you make again and again, whether by craving, by request, or both!
I'll walk you through all the steps, so you can see how to make them. Let's get started!
Everything You'll Need
Ingredient Details and Swap Info
(NOTE: Only ingredients with special notes are listed below. The full ingredient list can be found in the recipe card.)
Flour - This recipe is made with all-purpose white flour. I haven’t tested it with other types, except for the specific gluten-free blend mentioned below.
For vegan gluten-free lemon blueberry scones: I tested with Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour in the BLUE bag (NOT their gf flour in the red bag!), and the scones turned out great. See the recipe notes for details.
Dairy-Free Milk - This is one of the ingredients you'll need to make vegan buttermilk (the other is lemon juice). Buttermilk helps to create a soft, fluffy, and moist inner texture. Unsweetened, unflavoured soy milk makes the best homemade vegan buttermilk, but if you don’t have it on hand, any dairy-free milk can be used instead.
Vegan Butter - Use firm vegan butter that comes in ½ cup sticks or in blocks, and make sure it’s very cold and straight from the fridge before using. Avoid soft, spreadable margarine from a tub since it’s too soft and contains more water, which can affect the texture of the scones.
Lemon Juice and Zest - These two ingredients work together to give the scones the best lemon flavour. Fresh lemon juice (not bottled) and zest are essential and shouldn’t be left out or substituted.
Blueberries - I tested this recipe with both fresh and frozen berries, and fresh gave the best results. If needed, frozen blueberries can be used, just keep them frozen until adding and mix the dough gently (don't overmix!) to limit blue streaks. Some colour may still bleed into the dough, creating blue swirls in the dough and finished scones, but this won’t affect the flavour.
Quick Zesting Tips
- Always zest the lemon before juicing, it will be much easier to handle.
- A microplane grater is the best tool for quick, fine zest.
- Zest the lemon right before making the scones so it stays fresh and doesn't dry out.
- Only zest the yellow outer layer of the lemon and avoid the white pith, which can taste bitter.
The Visual Step-by-Step
(Note: I’ve outlined the key steps here, but find the full recipe, ingredients, and directions in the recipe card at the end of this post.)
Start by preparing the vegan buttermilk, then set it aside to thicken.
Whisk the dry ingredients together, then add the cold cubed butter.
Using a pastry blender, cut the butter into the dry ingredients.
No Pastry Blender? No Problem
If you don't have one, use a fork or freeze the butter beforehand and grate it into the dry ingredients instead.
Stop once the butter is broken into pea-sized pieces.
In a different bowl, mix the sugar and lemon zest until it looks like wet sand. This releases the lemon oil from the zest and boosts the lemon flavour. Add the wet ingredients to this mixture and stir well.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, then add the blueberries.
Stir until a dough has formed and there are no longer any dry parts. Do this gently so the blueberries don't burst.
Keep It from Sticking...
Don’t be shy with the flour when preparing your work surface (I like to use a piece of parchment paper). The dough is slightly sticky, so dust generously on the bottom and give a light sprinkle on top so it's easy to work with.
Transfer the dough to a piece of floured parchment paper. Shape and press into an 8-inch circle. Refrigerate the dough to chill.
After the dough has chilled, remove it from the fridge and slice it into 8 equal wedges.
A Quick Chill for Perfect Scones
Don’t skip chilling the dough. This firms it up and keeps the butter cold, which helps the scones develop the perfect texture when baked.
Transfer the sliced wedges to the prepared baking sheet and brush the top of each one with dairy-free milk or vegan heavy cream.
Sprinkle coarse sugar on top of each scone.
Arrange the scones on the baking sheet, then bake.
Remove the finished scones from the oven, then transfer them to a cooling rack.
Don't Crowd Them
When placing the scones on the baking sheet, give them plenty of space. This allows them to expand properly, prevents them from baking together, and helps them develop crisp, golden edges.
Enjoy Them Your Way!
Serve warm or fully cooled with tea, coffee, or your favourite homemade vegan drink.
I prefer to have them just as they are, but you can add a smear of vegan butter, a dollop of vegan whipped cream, or a spoonful of vegan lemon curd.
Don't Miss These Extra Tips!
- Measure and have all your ingredients ready to go before starting. This will make the process run smoothly, quickly, and easily.
- Keep everything cold for the best texture. If the dough starts to warm up at any point, especially on a hot day, stop and chill it before continuing.
- Look for smaller berries. Avoid extra-large berries. When testing, I preferred those that were either small or average-sized. These berries distribute best in the dough, which ensures there's blueberry in every bite!
- Avoid overworking or kneading the dough, since this can melt the small pieces of butter and prevent the scones from developing a light, fluffy texture inside.
- Work quickly any time you touch the dough, so there is minimal contact between your warm hands and the dough.
- Read this post from top to bottom before you start. I’ve included a lot of tips and tricks. Also, read through the full recipe before getting started.
- Follow the recipe exactly as it’s written for the very best results.
When You Make Them...
Please tell me how these blueberry lemon scones turned out for you! Share your thoughts with a comment and rating below, and/or post a photo of your scones on Instagram and tag me so I can see them. (I'm @delightfuladventures on Instagram).
Soft Vegan Lemon Blueberry Scones (Fresh or Frozen Berries)
Suggested Equipment:
Ingredients:
For Vegan Buttermilk:
- ½ cup (125ml) unsweetened dairy-free milk
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
For the scones:
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour **please see important notes about the gluten-free option below**
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted vegan butter (cold and cubed)
- ⅓ cup (67g) granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons (12g) lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup (152g) fresh blueberries (rinse and patted dry, see note below if using frozen berries)
For the tops of the scones:
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened dairy-free milk (or vegan heavy cream)
- 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar
Instructions:
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
Make Vegan Buttermilk:
- Pour the dairy-free milk into a measuring cup or bowl.
- Add the lemon juice to the milk and stir. Set aside for 10 minutes.
Make Scone Dough:
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Add cubed butter to the bowl and, using a pastry blender, cut the butter into the flour mixture. Stop when the butter has broken down into pea-sized chunks. It's okay if some larger pieces remain.
- In a small bowl, add the sugar and lemon zest. Mix them, occasionally pressing the back of the spoon against the mixture to help release the oil from the zest. Mix until both ingredients have combined well and look like wet sand.
- Add the vegan buttermilk, lemon juice and vanilla extract to the sugar mixture and mix together until blended.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, add the blueberries, then gently stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture comes together to form the dough.
- Working quickly, use your hands to press any loose bits together and form the dough into a ball.
- Transfer the dough ball to a well-floured piece of parchment paper, sprinkle a little flour on top of the dough and form it into an 8-inch circle.
- Transfer the parchment paper with the dough to a plate and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
- After the chilling time has ended, remove the plate from the fridge. Place the parchment paper on a flat surface and, using a knife, a pizza cutter, or a bench scraper, cut the dough into 8 equal wedges.
- Separate and transfer each wedge to the prepared baking sheet. Arrange them at least 2 inches apart.
- Brush the top with the milk and sprinkle with the turbinado sugar.
Bake and Cool:
- Bake for 18 minutes. They will be slightly brown on top and have golden edges when done.
- Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack.
Recipe Notes:
- Please read all of the information above, as well as the notes below, before making this recipe.
- If you are making the vegan gluten-free version, use 2 cups (296g) of Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour (Amazon link) in the blue bag, NOT the red bag. Different gluten-free flour blends use different ingredients and ratios, so results may not be the same if you substitute. I’ve only tested with this particular brand. This recipe will not work with coconut flour or any other single gluten-free flour.
- If using frozen blueberries, keep them frozen right up until they are to be added to the mixture. Don't thaw them.
- Storing Leftovers: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, then refrigerate for another 2 to 3 days.
- Freezing: Once fully cooled, individually wrap the scones tightly, place them in an airtight container or freezer bag, and freeze for up to two months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight or at room temperature before serving.
- The nutrition info listed below is based on one of 8 servings made as the recipe is written. The scones made with gluten-free flour have a rough calorie count of 190 per serving. Info is only to be used as a rough guide. Click to learn how nutrition info is calculated on this website.
Ashley Morgan says
Also curious how long these will keep in an airtight container? I’m wanting to bake my friends treats for Christmas, but it seems like most vegan gluten free cookies and pastries only last 3 days. Looking for some recipes with longer shelf lives! Thank you so much!
Gwen says
Hi again, Ashley 🙂 Yes, you're right, they don't last long at all! The cookies you asked about will last much longer than these scones. I would only keep these around for 3-4 days and keep them refrigerated. Bring them to room temperature before serving and don't add the glaze until they're just about to be served 🙂 I hope this helps! Let me know if you have any other questions. You have some lucky friends!
Andrea Coleman says
These look so delicious! I've never tried making scones before (mostly because I tend to burn what I bake,) but I will have to try this recipe out! My husband and I are working on transitioning to a vegan diet and have found that many of the store-bought vegan pastries are quite expensive. I can't wait to make these with him 🙂 Thank you so much for sharing Gwen!
Gwen @ Delightful Adventures says
Hi Andrea! I hope you try them and that you like them (and that they don't burn 🙂 ) You are right, the fresh-baked vegan treats in stores can get quite expensive, it's nice to find recipes so you can make your favourites at home! This recipe is vegan and gluten-free but if you aren't gluten-free, I also have a couple other vegan scone recipes that you may like. Coconut Raisin Scones and Pumpkin Scones. If you make any of them, let me know how it goes! Thanks so much for your note 🙂