Dairy-free scones
Light, flaky dairy-free scones with golden tops and tender crumb — ready in under an hour for a proper afternoon tea.
These dairy-free scones give you all the rise and flakiness of a classic teatime treat without the dairy. They’re quick to make, forgiving on technique and ideal for serving warm with jam and a dairy-free spread.
Make them for afternoon visitors, a picnic or whenever you need a comforting bake that plays nicely with dairy-free diets — and yes, they’ll still be properly crumbly and golden.
Ingredients
- 375 g plain flour — plus a little extra for dusting (reserve about 1 tbsp)
- 30 ml baking powder
- 25 g caster sugar
- 5 ml salt
- 90 g dairy-free block margarine — cold, cut into small cubes
- 235 ml unsweetened soya milk — measure out and reserve 1 tbsp (15 ml) for glazing, use the rest for the dough
Equipment
- baking tray
- 5 cm round cutter
- pastry brush
- wire rack
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 200°C fan/220°C conventional. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
Tip the plain flour, baking powder, caster sugar and salt into a large mixing bowl. Add the cold, cubed dairy-free block margarine.
Use your fingertips (or a pastry cutter) to rub the margarine into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs with some pea-sized pieces of fat remaining.
Make a well in the dry mix. Pour in the unsweetened soya milk (use the amount left after reserving 1 tbsp), then fold gently with a wooden spoon until the dough just comes together — it should be slightly sticky but not wet.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Gently pat or roll to a uniform thickness of about 3 cm. Using a 5 cm round cutter, press straight down without twisting to cut out scones. Re-shape scraps once and cut again.
Place the scones on the lined baking tray with a little space between them. Brush the tops lightly with the reserved 1 tbsp unsweetened soya milk.
Chill the tray of scones in the fridge for 30 minutes to help them hold their shape and produce a better rise.
Bake in the preheated oven for 12–15 minutes until well risen and golden on top.
Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes before splitting and serving.
Tips
- Keep the margarine and milk cold until the moment you use them — cold fat creates steam in the oven, which makes scones rise.
- Handle the dough as little as possible; patting instead of rolling keeps the crumb light.
- Chill the cut scones on the tray for 30 minutes — this helps them keep their shape and improves lift in the oven.
- To freeze: bake, cool completely, then freeze in an airtight bag for up to 3 months. Reheat from frozen at 160°C fan/180°C conventional for 8–10 minutes.
- Warm scones gently in a low oven for 5 minutes before serving to refresh their texture.
Substitutions
unsweetened soya milk → unsweetened oat milk, same quantity
Stays closedairy-free block margarine → solid coconut oil (kept very cold), same quantity
Noticeably differentplain flour → gluten-free plain flour blend, same weight (results slightly denser)
Noticeably differentcaster sugar → golden caster sugar, same quantity
Stays close
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 270
- Calories
- 6 g
- Protein
- 39 g
- Carbs
- 10 g
- Fat
- 2 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
- Sugar
- 190 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I make these vegan?
Yes — as written they contain no animal products, so they are vegan provided you use a vegan-certified dairy-free margarine.
My scones were heavy — what went wrong?
Most likely the fat warmed up or the dough was overworked. Keep ingredients cold, rub the margarine in quickly, and avoid kneading or rolling too much.
Can I add sultanas or cheese?
You can fold in 75 g sultanas or other dried fruit with the dry ingredients. For a savoury version use 75 g grated dairy-free cheese and reduce caster sugar to 5 g.
How should I store leftovers?
Store cooled scones in an airtight container at room temperature for 1–2 days. Refresh in a warm oven for a few minutes before serving.
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