Bake the best ever Vegan Raspberry and Lemon Scones with this easy dairy-free recipe. They're light, fluffy and bursting with fresh raspberries and zesty lemon making them perfect for afternoon tea, a snack or dessert. Get the recipe below.
If you're looking for the perfect Vegan Raspberry and Lemon Scones, you've come to the right place. These beautifully light and fluffy dairy-free scones are packed with juicy raspberries and bright lemon flavour, making them ideal for afternoon tea or weekend baking. They're wonderfully soft inside with a lightly golden crust and are every bit as delicious as traditional scones.
The combination of sweet raspberries and fresh lemon zest is a classic pairing that never disappoints. The raspberries add bursts of fruity sweetness while the lemon brings a fresh citrus note that keeps these vegan scones tasting light and summery. Best of all, they're made with simple pantry ingredients and come together in under an hour.
I like to serve mine with vegan whipped cream and raspberry jam but you could also top these with lemon curd. If anyone has found a decent vegan clotted cream yet you have to let me know in the comments below!
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Ingredients
Get your list at the ready, you're going to need:
- Self-raising flour
- Caster sugar
- Bicarbonate of soda
- Vegan block butter or vegan margarine (NOT the spreadable kind)
- Lemon
- Raspberries (fresh or frozen work)
- Dairy-free yogurt
- Plant milk
Step-by-step instructions
- Step 1: Sift together the flour, sugar and bicarbonate of soda and stir through the lemon zest.
- Step 2: Rub the vegan butter into the flour until it resembles breadcrumbs.
- Step 3: Whisk together the dairy-free yogurt and plant milk.
- Step 4: Stir through the raspberries into the dry ingredients.
- Step 5: Pour in the wet ingredients and bring into a crumbly dough.
- Step 6: Bring the dough together and press it out gently on to a flour dusted surface. Cut out the scones and place on a baking tray.
- Step 7: Glaze the scones with a little plant milk.
- Step 8: Bake until risen and golden.
Hint: don't twist the cutter when cutting out the scones. Twisting seals the edges and prevents them from rising evenly.
Substitutions
Don't have all the necessary ingredients? Whilst baking is a science, you could make the following substitutions:
- Soy milk: Oat milk, almond milk or pea milk all work well.
- Dairy-free yogurt: Coconut, oat or almond yogurt can be substituted.
- Caster sugar: Golden caster sugar adds a subtle caramel flavour.
- Vegan butter: A good-quality vegan baking block gives the best texture, although vegan margarine can also be used.
Variations
Take these scones to another level with one or more of these variations:
- Add white vegan chocolate chips for extra sweetness.
- Stir in a teaspoon of vanilla extract.Add a handful of chopped pistachios for crunch.
- Replace the lemon zest with orange zest for a different citrus flavour.
- Sprinkle the tops with demerara sugar before baking for a crunchy finish.
- Drizzle cooled scones with a simple lemon icing.
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Sieve
- Measuring jug
- Wooden spoon or spatula
- Pastry cutter
- Fine grater or zester
- Baking tray
- Baking paper
- Cooling rack
Storage
Store the scones in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
For longer storage, freeze them for up to 3 months. Defrost at room temperature and warm in the oven for 5–10 minutes before serving.
Top tip
The secret to beautifully fluffy vegan scones is to keep everything cold. Cold butter creates steam as the scones bake, producing taller, lighter scones with a tender crumb.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Add them straight from the freezer without defrosting them to help prevent them from breaking apart and colouring the dough.
This is usually caused by overworking the dough, twisting the cutter or using warm butter. Chilling the dough before baking also helps produce taller scones.
They're delicious with vegan cream, lemon curd, raspberry jam, dairy-free butter or simply enjoyed warm on their own.
The recipe
Vegan Raspberry and Lemon Scones
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- sieve
- measuring jug
- wooden spoon or spatula
- Fine grater or zester
- Rolling pin (optional)
- Round pastry cutter
- Baking tray
- baking paper
- Cooling rack
Ingredients
- 350 g self-raising flour
- 50 g caster sugar
- ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- 100 g vegan block butter or vegan margarine
- 1 lemon zest only
- 150 g raspberries fresh or frozen
- 75 g dairy-free yogurt
- 75 ml soy milk plus extra for glazing
Instructions
- Sift the self-raising flour, caster sugar and bicarbonate of soda into a large mixing bowl. Stir through the freshly grated lemon zest.
- Add the chilled vegan butter and rub it into the flour using your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
- Gently fold the raspberries into the flour mixture, taking care not to crush them too much.
- Pour in the dairy-free yogurt and soy milk. Stir with a knife or spatula until the mixture just comes together into a soft, slightly crumbly dough.
- Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and gently press it together. Pat it into a round approximately 2–3cm thick. Avoid kneading the dough as this can make the scones tough.
- Using a 7cm round cutter, press straight down without twisting. Place the scones onto a baking tray lined with baking paper.
- Loosely cover and refrigerate the scones for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan) / 425°F / Gas Mark 7.
- Brush the tops with a little soy milk before baking for 15–20 minutes until well risen and lightly golden.
- Allow to cool slightly on a wire rack before serving warm with your favourite toppings.
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