Nutty and Wholesome: Quinoa Scones for a Healthy, Vegan Twist - All Purpose Veggies (2024)

These Quinoa Scones are eggless and butter free! A nutritious twist on the traditional recipe, incorporating protein-rich quinoa for a hearty and satisfying bite.

Perfect for breakfast and snack, this vegan scone recipe uses coconut oil instead of butter! The secret to the extra light and flaky scone texture is mixing the melted coconut oil with cold heavy cream so that the coconut oil hardens into little granules that get added to the dry ingredients, replacing the "butter-cutting" process used in a traditional scone recipe.

Ingredients Used to Make These Vegan Quinoa Scones

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Scone Ingredients

• All-Purpose Flour - You can use any brand of All-Purpose Flour. For best results, use a scale to weigh the flour. I haven't tried this recipe with whole wheat flour, oat flour or other gluten-free flour blends, so substitute at your own risk!

• Almond Flour - Almond flour contributes to a softer, more tender texture in this vegan scone recipe while adding a buttery-rich mouthfeel.

• Cornstarch - the cornstarch acts as a binding agent (it's sometimes used as a vegan alternative to eggs) and helps to tenderize the texture of the scones, resulting in a delicate, tender crumb. It's a key ingredient that prevents the scones from being too dense.

• Salt - any kind. I used Pink Himalayan Salt

• Baking Powder - like these ones.

• Sugar of choice – I used raw cane sugar, but you can use any sugar you have at home. If you want a low-sugar and low carb option, I recommend this granulated monk fruit sweetener.

• Melted Coconut Oil - You can use regular coconut oil, or refined coconut oil, like this one, which has a neutral scent and flavor (this is great for people who do not like the distinct smell and flavor of coconut). Please note that the key step in this scone recipe is mixing the melted coconut oil with the cold heavy cream so that the coconut oil solidifies into tiny little granules that get added to the dry ingredients. I explain why that's important in THIS POST.

• Heavy Cream of Choice - I used Dairy-Free Heavy Whipping Cream in this recipe, like the Silk brand in the pic. Regular dairy-based heavy cream will work just the same if you're not vegan.

Add Ins

• Cooked Quinoa

See All of My Scone Recipes HERE

How to Store Scones

• You can store any leftover scones covered at room temperature for 2-3 days. For longer storage, you can place them in a plastic freezer bag or airtight container to store in the fridge for up to 5-7 days, or freeze up to 3 months.

What are some ways you can eat Quinoa Scones

• Plain and warm
• with Flavored Butter or Cream Cheese
• Drizzled with Tahini, like below:

How to Reheat Frozen Scones

• When ready to eat, thaw the scones at room temperature or in the refrigerator overnight. To revive the fresh scone texture, reheat them in an air-fryer 300°F (150°C) for about 5-7 minutes. You can also microwave them for 20-30 seconds.

Can you Freeze Scone Dough?

• Yes, absolutely! This is something I like to do so that I can have scone dough ready in the freezer for freshly baked scones anytime. After shaping the dough into a disk, tightly wrap it in plastic wrap and place it in a freezer-safe bag or container. When ready to bake, thaw the dough for 30 minutes at room temperature, slice it into wedges, and bake at 350°F for 30-35 minutes.

Substitution Notes for Scones (that I've tried)

• Sugar - Instead of raw cane sugar you can also use granulated monk fruit sweetener and erythritol for a lower carb option.
• Almond Flour - You should use almond flour for the best texture, but if you are allergic or do not have almond flour available, you can replace ½ cup of almond flour with ¼ cup of cornstarch. The scones will be less buttery and moist without the almond flour, but will still have a light, melt-in-the mouth texture.
• Cornstarch - If you don't have cornstarch, you can use potato starch or arrowroot starch instead. It's not recommended to omit starch altogether, as the scones will end up dense and cookie-like.
• Coconut Oil - Instead of coconut oil, you can use grated stick butter (either plant-based or dairy/non-vegan). I wouldn't recommend using fractionated (liquid) MCT coconut oil, or other liquid oils since the scones will spread out while baking and give you a flatter scone. You CAN though, if you don't mind the shape! They still will be delicious.