This recipe for Vegan Vanilla Bean Scones is better than Starbucks! These scones are simple to make and use basic pantry ingredients. They bake up soft and fluffy and make a delicious breakfast or brunch treat.
I don't do enough cooking or baking with just vanilla. I add vanilla to everything, but it is rare for the vanilla to be the star of the show. I do love a slice of my Vegan Vanilla Cake or my Mini Vanilla Cake. And I can't resist a bowl of Vanilla Overnight Oats in the morning. And, my Vegan Vanilla Frosting is my most made buttercream frosting recipe!
So, today we are adding to the vanilla recipes with these Vegan Vanilla Bean Scones. And I just know you're going to love them.
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
These vegan vanilla scones:
- bake up light, fluffy and tender.
- Only require basic ingredients to make.
- Are topped with a delicious and simple vanilla bean glaze.
- Use a simple method to make, so they are great for beginners!
- Are full of big vanilla bean flavor and are absolutely delicious!
Ingredient Notes
Baking Powder and Baking Soda: Many scone recipes call for only baking powder, but I find that using a combination of the two yields more tender scones.
Vegan Butter: I recommend Soy-Free Earth Balance Buttery Sticks. I prefer the taste of the soy-free variety over the original.
Non-Dairy Milk: I used So Delicious Coconut Milk, but use what you have on hand.
Vanilla Bean: The vanilla bean is the is star of the show in these Vegan Vanilla Scones. Using vanilla bean will make a big flavor difference in this recipe just like it does in my Vegan Pound Cake and Vanilla Bean Syrup recipes. You can also use ½ teaspoon of vanilla paste if you prefer. I recommend buying vanilla beans online for the best price.
Lemon Juice or White Vinegar: Lemon juice or vinegar combines with the vegan milk to create a buttermilk. This will activate the baking soda for a tall rise.
Vanilla Extract: In addition to vanilla bean, I just vanilla extract to really amp up the vanilla flavor.
Powdered Sugar: Powdered sugar is mixed with more vanilla bean and some non-dairy milk for a quick, simple and delicious vanilla bean glaze!
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1. To scrape a vanilla bean, use a paring knife slice it down the center lengthwise. Then, turn the paring knife upside down and drag it along the inside to scrape the seeds out.
Step 2. Combine the sugar with the vanilla bean seeds and rub them together. Then, add the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir to combine and add cold cubed vegan butter.
Step 3. Work the vegan butter into the dry ingredients with your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
Step 4. Add the non-dairy milk, lemon juice and vanilla extract and gently toss the mixture together until a shaggy dough forms.
Step 5. Turn the dough onto a work surface and fold it onto itself a few times until the dough comes together. Then, gently press the dough into a circle.
Step 6. Cut 6 vegan vanilla scones out of the circle and place them onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake.
Step 7. Meanwhile, combine the powdered sugar, vanilla bean and non-dairy milk to make the vanilla bean glaze.
Step 8. Allow the baked scones to cool for a 10 minutes before glazing and serving.
Recipe FAQs
Scones stale quickly, so I recommend that you eat them the same day you bake them. Or place the scones into an airtight container and freeze for up to a month. They will stay much more fresh in the freezer.
Once the wet ingredients are added to the mixing bowl, be gentle with the dough! You will need to fold the dough onto itself a couple of times to get it to come together, but do not knead it.
Expert Recipe Tips
Keep the ingredients as cold as possible. Cube the vegan butter and place it back into the refrigerator until you are ready to use it.
Same with the vegan buttermilk. Mix it together, and place it back into the refrigerator until you need to add it to the bowl.
When the scones are cut from the circle of dough, use a sharp knife and leave the edges raw. It can be tempting to pat the sides of the scones, but don't! These Vegan Vanilla Bean Scones will rise higher if the edges are left alone.
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📖 Recipe
Vegan Vanilla Bean Scones
Equipment
- 1 Large Mixing Bowl
- 1 Knife
- 1 Cutting Board
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- 1 Baking Sheet
- Parchment Paper
Ingredients
- 8 tablespoon Non-Dairy Butter, cold and cut into ¼ inch cubes I used Earth Balance Soy-Free Buttery Sticks
- 6 tablespoon Non-Dairy Milk
- 1 ½ teaspoon Lemon Juice or White Vinegar
- 1 ½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- ½ Cup Sugar
- Seeds from 1 Vanilla Bean
- 2 Cups All Purpose Flour
- 2 teaspoon Baking Powder
- ¼ teaspoon Baking Soda
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher Salt ⅛ teaspoon if using fine grain salt
For the Glaze
- 1 Cup Powdered Sugar
- Seeds for 1 Vanilla Bean
- 5-6 teaspoon Non-Dairy Milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400* F and line a baking sheet with parchment.
- In a small bowl, combine non-dairy milk, lemon juice and vanilla extract. Stir place in the refrigerator until ready to use.6 tablespoon Non-Dairy Milk, 1 ½ teaspoon Lemon Juice or White Vinegar, 1 ½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- In a large bowl, combine the sugar and vanilla bean seeds. Use your fingers to rub the vanilla bean into the sugar. This will break the seeds up because they want to clump together and help release their flavor.½ Cup Sugar, Seeds from 1 Vanilla Bean
- Then, add flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into the bowl and mix to combine.2 Cups All Purpose Flour, 2 teaspoon Baking Powder, ¼ teaspoon Baking Soda, ¼ teaspoon Kosher Salt
- Add the cubed non-dairy butter to the flour mixture. Using a pastry cutter or your hands, work the butter into the flour until the mixture looks like coarse meal.8 tablespoon Non-Dairy Butter, cold and cut into ¼ inch cubes
- Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl and using a spatula, gently fold together, then use your hands to gently toss the ingredients until a sheggy dough forms. See note.
- Scrape the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and fold it over onto it self a fore times to get the dough to fully come together. Then, gently press into a circle that is 6-7 inches in diameter.
- Using a sharp knife, slice the circle into 6 triangles. Place the triangles onto a lined sheet tray and bake in a 400* oven for 17-20 minutes or until the scones are golden all the way across the bottom.
- Allow to cool for 10 minutes before glazing.
Vanilla Bean Glaze:
- In a small bowl, combine powdered sugar, vanilla bean and 4 teaspoons of non-dairy milk. Whisk until completely smooth. If you want a runnier glaze, add additional non-dairy milk.1 Cup Powdered Sugar, Seeds for 1 Vanilla Bean, 5-6 teaspoon Non-Dairy Milk
- Once, scones have cooled for 10 minutes, use a spoon to drizzle the desired amount of glaze onto each scone.
Clementine Reed
Your recipe is going into repeat at our house! It was SO easy and the scones are perfectly tender, with a wonderful vanilla flavor. Thank you for creating, and sharing! 🍦🤍
Megan Calipari
So happy you enjoyed these! Happy baking!
Bella f
I made these wonderful scones for my vegan cousins. Can’t even tell they are vegan and everyone in the house loved them!