Gluten Free Blueberry Scones with Lemon

Scones are such a homey, rustic treat that don't need a lot of fuss to get right. Here, plenty of blueberries add a burst of sweet summer goodness to tender, buttery scones that are made with a simple combination of oat and almond flours.

Like in gluten free apple scones, the two flours create a soft yet sturdy crumb that holds up well to berries, nuts, and more (for an even simpler method, see my oat flour scones recipe). The dough first rests in the freezer to firm up the butter, resulting in gloriously flaky layers once baked.

Why I Love These Beautiful Scones

I am a sucker for a pot of tea on an afternoon, and if there's a warm plate of scones alongside, all the better. You can make these blueberry scones with fresh blueberries in season, but don't let winter stop you! They are equally as good with frozen berries. The zest of 1 lemon provides a nice, bright contrast to the sweetness of the fruit, and makes these stand out.

• Gluten-free and delicious. While some gluten-free scones can turn out dry and crumbly, these are the total opposite! I credit the yogurt and almond-oat flour duo for keeping these scones beautifully moist.
• Easy ingredients. There's nothing fancy here, just pantry and fridge basics - you could probably make this recipe right now!
• Adaptable. See some variation suggestions below or use the base scone recipe as your jumping-off point for all sorts of additions.

Ingredients Needed

I've outlined what you need for these scones below. Make sure to scroll down to my recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full ingredient amounts and instructions!

• Oat flour - Whole-grain, naturally gluten-free oat flour is so nice here, adding structure and flavor to the scones. Feel free to use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend or my homemade gluten free flour blend if you prefer, or swap a single-origin gluten-free flour like brown rice flour or sorghum flour.
• Almond flour - A bit of finely ground almond flour adds protein and moisture, a perfect complement to the oat flour. Feel free to substitute with more oat flour if you like, or another gluten-free flour.
• Salt - I use fine sea salt, and table salt is fine.
• Granulated sugar
• Baking powder
• Butter - Use cold, unsalted butter (emphasis on the cold; this will create lovely flaky, buttery layers in the scones).
• Eggs - I use large eggs.
• Yogurt - I used whole milk plain yogurt.
• Lemon - I love adding the zest of 1 lemon for a pop of bright citrus flavor.
• Blueberries - Fresh or frozen blueberries are fine.

Variations to Try

• Another fruit - This is such a lovely base scone recipe that you could use it to make raspberry, strawberry, apple, or whatever fruit scone your heart desires.
• Add chocolate - Stir in ½ cup of mini chocolate chips for a little chocolate indulgence. If you like white chocolate, try that!
• Nuts - For a bit of crunch, try chopped walnuts, pecans, or pistachios.
• A different citrus - Try lime or orange zest instead of the lemon zest.

Tips & Recipe Notes

• Start with cold butter.  Use butter straight from the fridge to make your scones, or even better, keep a few sticks of butter in the freezer so they'll be ready the next time you want to make scones.
• Make the dough ahead. You can prepare the scones, place them on a baking sheet, and store them, tightly covered, in the fridge or freezer for up to 24 hours.
• Don't overwork the dough. While there isn't any danger of over-activating the gluten in the flour through kneading because there's no all-purpose flour in the mix, it's still a good idea to go light on your handling of the dough. This will lead to more tender scones.
• Fresh or frozen blueberries. Your choice! Both work great. If using frozen berries, don't thaw them first, and note that they may bleed into the dough a bit (this will not affect the taste at all, of course).
• Use gluten free all-purpose flour. You can substitute 2 ¾ cups of gluten-free all-purpose flour for the combination of the oat and almond flours if needed.
• Dairy-free. Substitute non-dairy butter and yogurt for the butter and yogurt.
• Add a glaze. Drizzle some maple syrup over the tops of the scones right when they come out of the oven for an easy glaze, or make my maple glaze for a more robust flavor.
• To serve: Butter, cream cheese, jam, or just plain!

Proper Storage

Always make sure to cool scones completely before storing them so that they don't get soggy.

• Counter - Cover the plate of scones in plastic or place them in an airtight container and store on the counter at room temperature for up to several days.
• Freezer - Place the baked scones in a freezer-safe, sealable bag and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months. You can reheat them from frozen, which will take longer, or thaw them in the fridge before reheating.
• To Reheat - Place the scones on a baking sheet, tent lightly with foil, and warm in a preheated 350°F oven for about 10 minutes.