Makes 12 scones / Active time: 30 minutes / Total time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Photo by VK Rees
These vegan blueberry lemon scones are tender, buttery, bursting with juicy blueberries, and finished with a tangy Meyer lemon glaze that makes them pop.
Meyer lemon is the secret here. It’s sweeter and more floral than a regular lemon, with a slightly orange tinged flavor that pairs beautifully with the blueberries. Regular lemons work too, just brighter and tangier. The glaze is the same either way: powdered sugar, lemon juice, a touch of coconut oil and vanilla. Pourable, drizzly, sets up glossy.
I also want to put in a good word for the scone shape. Once in a while, it’s fun to go traditional with the rounded triangle. It makes you feel a little refined, like you’ve got it all together. Late with your taxes or have a run in your stockings? No problem, not when you’ve got triangular scones. But if you want to make drop scones instead, use a 1/4 cup measure and plop 12 scones onto the baking sheet.
Either way, mwah, they are amazing scones. Toasty golden brown bottoms, crumbly inside and deliciously shortbread textured on top.
Pair these with a strong cup of black tea and a reckless amount of jam, or (maybe even better) some espresso or strong coffee, and watch the day become more manageable.
These vegan scones are great for Easter, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, midnight snack, afternoon tea or any time you could use a little tart sweetness boost.
What All Is In This Vegan Scone Recipe?
Meyer lemons. Sweeter, more floral, and slightly orange-tinged compared to regular lemons. Find them in winter and early spring at most grocery stores. If you can’t get Meyer, regular lemon works. Just expect a tarter, brighter glaze.
Vegan milk + lemon juice. Curdling the milk with lemon juice gives you a quick vegan buttermilk that helps the scones rise and tenderizes the crumb. Any thick, unsweetened nondairy milk works (soy, almond, oat).
Refined coconut oil. Refined doesn’t taste like coconut. It works the same way butter does in a traditional scone, cutting into the flour and creating those flaky pockets.
Fresh blueberries. Frozen will work in a pinch but they bleed more and your dough turns purple. Fresh holds up better and avoids purple dough syndrome.
Tips For The Best Vegan Blueberry Scones
Don’t overmix. Once the dough comes together, stop. Overmixed dough means tough scones. A few flour streaks are fine.
Fold the blueberries gently. Cut, don’t squish. A few broken berries are fine, but you don’t want a pile of mashed berries. And, again, I am going to recommend fresh blueberries, not frozen.
Drizzle warm for thin glaze, cool for thick glaze. Warm scones soak up some of the glaze and you get a thinner, glossier finish. Fully cooled scones hold the glaze on top in a thicker, bakery-style layer. Both are good. Pick your vibe.
Storage and freezing. Room temperature in an airtight container holds for 2 days. They also freeze beautifully (glaze and all) for up to 3 months. Reheat from frozen at 300°F for 10 minutes. The glaze will melt in, you won’t mind.
Glazed Blueberry & Meyer Lemon Scones
Ingredients
For the scones:
- 1 1/4 cups unsweetened vegan milk soy, almond, or oat
- 1 tablespoon fresh Meyer lemon juice
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup refined coconut oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 heaping tablespoon grated Meyer lemon zest
- 2 cups fresh blueberries
For the glaze:
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons fresh Meyer lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil melted
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a large rimmed baking sheet.
- In a measuring cup, whisk together the milk and lemon juice. Set aside to curdle.
- Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add the coconut oil in small clumps and use your fingers or a pastry cutter to cut it into the flour until the texture is pebble-like.
- Create a well in the center and add the curdled milk mixture, vanilla, and lemon zest. Mix with a wooden spoon until about half of the flour is incorporated. Fold in the blueberries and mix until all the ingredients are just moistened. Take care not to overmix.
- Place a piece of parchment on the counter. Divide the dough into two blobs. Shape each blob into a disk, roughly 8 inches in diameter. Using a sharp knife, cut one disk in half, then cut each half into thirds, so you have 6 triangles. Transfer the triangles to the baking sheet. Repeat with the other blob.
- Bake for 22 to 26 minutes, until the tops are lightly browned and firm to the touch.
- While the scones are baking, sift the powdered sugar into a large bowl. Add the lemon juice, coconut oil, and vanilla. Stir vigorously until a thick, smooth, pourable icing forms. If it seems too thick, add warm water by the teaspoon until the desired texture.
- When the scones are done, transfer them to a cooling rack. Allow to cool slightly, then drizzle with the glaze while still warm. Serve immediately, or allow the glaze to set for a few minutes first. For a thicker, opaque glaze, wait until the scones are fully cool before drizzling.
