Fluffy vegan blackberry scones are super easy to make with simple ingredients. Use fresh or frozen blackberries!
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Berry season is so close, I can taste it! Make the most of those delicious blackberries with these simple and flavorful vegan blackberry scones.
These scones are packed with succulent blackberries, and you can use fresh or frozen berries to make them. They're a lovely breakfast or snack with a cup of coffee or tea to go with it.
This recipe is adapted from my matcha strawberry scones, which are absolutely incredible! If you love scones, also check out my vegan scones with maple glaze and my pistachio scones. And if you're a sweet breakfasts girlie, like me, also try my vegan sheet pan pancakes, that you can make with whatever mix-ins you want!
✓ Ingredients and substitutions
- non-dairy milk - Choose soy, oat, or almond almond milk, or use your favorite creamy, vegan milk.
- apple cider vinegar - The vinegar is going to react with the non-dairy milk in the wet ingredients mixture to create vegan buttermilk.
- vanilla extract and lime zest - For flavor. You can use lemon zest or omit the zest, if zesting citrus isn't on your to do list for today.
- all purpose flour - Or white wheat flour. You can use a 1:1 gluten-free flour for gluten-free vegan blackberry scones, if needed.
- sugar - For sweetness.
- baking powder, baking soda, and salt - To condition the scone dough.
- vegetable shortening - Or vegan butter. This is the fat, and it's important for getting the right dough texture. Keep your shortening/butter chilled until you're ready to use.
- blackberries - To add to the scone dough and for glazing the scones after baking. Fresh or frozen are both fine to use.
🔪 How to make vegan blackberry scones
In a small bowl, stir together the wet ingredients. Set this aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together all of the dry ingredients.
Cut the cold shortening into the flour mixture. Use your hands to knead it together until it reaches the consistency of beach sand. See how it's a little clumpy and sandy now?
Now, add the blackberries and the wet ingredients mixture to the bowl, and mix that together until you have a cohesive ball of slightly sticky dough. Chill the dough in the freezer for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425° F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place the ball of chilled scone dough into the center of the lined baking sheet. Use your hands to flatten it into a 7" disc, then use a pizza cutter, pastry cutter, or knife to slice it into 8 wedges.
Separate the triangles, so they are evenly spaced on the baking sheet. If you like, brush the tops with a little bit of plant-based milk and sprinkle on some sugar. This is optional. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until the scones are golden on the edges.
When the scones are done baking, let them cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then move them to a plate to cool completely.
💡 Helpful tips
- The dough should be a little bit tacky but not stick all over your hands. If the dough is too sticky, add more flour, a tablespoon at a time, until it's a bit firmer. You want the dough to be on the dry side for the best results.
- If you're using fresh blackberries, be gentle when mixing the wet ingredients into the dry. It's OK if they break up a little bit, but you don't want to mush them too much!
🫙 Storage directions
Store leftover scones in an airtight container on the kitchen counter. They will keep for 2 to 3 days. You can keep them in the fridge for up to a week, though they have the best texture in the first couple of days.
💬 Frequently asked questions
Any creamy, non-dairy milk will work in these blackberry scones! Soy, oat, and almond are my top three for baking, in order of preference.
The plant-based milk, vinegar, and baking soda in this recipe work together as your egg substitute to help the scones bind and rise.
There are two secrets to fluffy scones:
❶ Cutting in that cold shortening or vegan butter is key. You want your added fat chilled, then cut it into small pieces and add to the dough for the best texture.
❷ Don't overwork the scone dough. That will yield blackberry scones that are tough.
📖 Recipe
💜 Vegan Blackberry Scones
Ingredients
Wet ingredients
- ½ cup soy or oat milk
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon lime zest or lemon zest, optional
Dry ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup organic sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
To add later
- ½ cup vegetable shortening or vegan butter - keep this cold, and cut it into small pieces before adding to the mixture
- ½ cup blackberries
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix together the wet ingredients. Set this aside.
- In a large bowl, mix together all of the dry ingredients, then cut the shortening or vegan butter into the flour mixture. Use your hands to knead it together until it reaches the consistency of beach sand.
- Now, add the blackberries and the wet ingredients mixture to the bowl, and mix that together until you have a cohesive ball of slightly sticky dough (see note). Chill the dough in the freezer for 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425° F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place the ball of dough into the center of the baking sheet. Use your hands to flatten it into a 7" disc, then use a pizza cutter or a knife to slice it into 8 triangles. Separate the triangles, so they are evenly spaced on the baking sheet. If you like, brush the tops with a little bit of plant-based milk and sprinkle on some sugar. This is optional. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until the scones are golden on the edges.
- When the scones are done baking, let them cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then move them to a plate to cool completely.
Got a question? Tried this recipe? Leave a reply!