A simple recipe for gluten free lemon scones that tucks lots of fresh lemon zest into a tender, flaky oat flour scone that's topped with a pretty lemon glaze. Perfect at breakfast time or for afternoon tea!
These fragrant little lemon scones are so luscious! Simple, wholesome ingredients like whole grain oat flour and yogurt combine for a tender yet flaky gluten-free scone that's delicious with salted butter, a bit of creme fraiche, or even whipped cream. Jam, particularly my blackberry jam recipe or strawberry honey jam, is very nice too. But in this recipe, you don't need much, if anything extra, although I do love a thick lemon glaze swooped over the top.
To start, lemon zest is rubbed into the sugar to release the oils in the lemon skin. This forms a flavorful base for the scones and helps distribute that gorgeous lemon flavor throughout each one. You can use Meyer or regular lemons interchangeably in this recipe - I used the Meyers my generous neighbor gave me from his tree, and they were perfect.
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Why This Gluten-Free Recipe Works
Like in my gluten free chocolate chip scones, naturally gluten-free oat flour performs beautifully in this recipe, especially when paired with whole-fat yogurt for protein and moisture. Oat flour is a nice choice for scones because it's a whole-grain flour that adds a touch of natural sweetness while also providing sturdy structure.
What You'll Love
- So simple. This is almost a one-bowl recipe, and you only need minutes of active time to make the scone dough and form the scones.
- Easy to make in advance for morning baking. You can put together the dough for these scones the day or night before, keep them in an air-tight container in the freezer, and bake in the morning for fresh, warm scones. A bonus is that the dough really be hydrated from the long rest, and the lemon flavor will be extra flavorful.
- Just one gluten-free flour is needed. I lean on oat flour for so many recipes, and it works beautifully here. See my ultimate guide to baking with oat flour for even more oat flour recipes.
Ingredients Needed
Here's a look at what you'll need for these lemon scones. Make sure to scroll down to my recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full ingredient amounts and instructions!
- Granulated sugar
- Lemon - The zest from 1 lemon. You can use the juice to make the optional glaze.
- Oat flour - Learn how to make oat flour at home for an economical option, or pick up a package at the store. If you don't eat oats, try brown rice flour.
- Baking powder
- Salt - Fine sea salt or table salt works.
- Butter - I prefer unsalted butter, very cold.
- Eggs - Large or medium-sized eggs are best.
- Yogurt - Full or low-fat yogurt is best, and please use plain yogurt!
- Optional lemon glaze - Sifted powdered sugar and lemon juice.
Variation Ideas
- Orange scones - Make these into orange scones by swapping the lemon zest for orange zest.
- Add ginger - Whisk in 1 teaspoon of ground ginger to the oat flour for a bit of spicy flavor.
- White chocolate chips - Fold in ½ cup of white chocolate chips after combining the wet and dry mixes for extra creamy sweetness.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Here's an overview in photos of how to make this recipe:
1. Make the dry mix: First, rub the lemon zest into the sugar to release the oil, then add the rest of the dry ingredients. Work in the cold butter.
2. Mix eggs: Separately, whisk together the eggs and yogurt.
3. Combine: Mix the wet ingredients into the dry-butter mix, then chill.
4. Form: Fold and pat the dough into a circle.
5. Cut: Lightly cut the dough into 8 pieces, then place in the freezer for at least 30 minutes.
6. Bake: Place in a 375F oven and bake for about 20 minutes. Cool, then add glaze if using.
Tips & Recipe Notes
- Use cold butter. Take the butter straight from the fridge to make your scones, or even better, keep some 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.
- The dough may be sticky. I find that sometimes my scone dough is stickier, depending on how cold or humid my house is. The best practice, regardless of whether or not the dough is sticky, is to place it in the fridge for 20-30 minutes. This will allow the flour to hydrate, chill the dough, and make it easier to work with.
- 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 lightly handle the dough. This will lead to more tender scones.
- Try gluten free all-purpose flour. Though I really love the oat flour here, you can substitute 2 ¾ cups of gluten-free all-purpose flour if needed, or try my homemade gluten free flour blend.
- Feel free to skip the glaze. It's OK to leave off the lemon glaze; the scones will still be plenty lemony without it!
Proper Storage
- 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.
More Easy Scone Recipes
Happy baking! If you make this gluten free lemon scones recipe, I'd love to know. Please leave a comment below, reach out with any questions, and tag me on Instagram @Cucina Nicolina ❤️
Recipe
Gluten Free Lemon Scones
Ingredients
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 lemon zested
- 2 cups oat flour (240 grams)
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter cold and cut into pieces
- 2 large eggs
- ⅓ cup plain yogurt
- Lemon glaze optional
Instructions
- In a large bowl, rub the ½ cup granulated sugar and 1 lemon zest together until fragrant. Then, whisk in the 2 cups oat flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, and ½ teaspoon fine sea salt. Work in the ½ cup unsalted butter with your hands until crumbles form.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the 2 large eggs and ⅓ cup plain yogurt. Add this mixture to the dry ingredients and stir just until combined. The dough will be very wet. To make it more workable, place the bowl of dough in the fridge for about 20-30 minutes.
- When the dough has firmed up a bit, place a piece of parchment on the counter, sprinkle it with oat flour, then take the dough out of the bowl and place it on the paper. Pat it into a 1" thick circle and cut into it 8 triangular scones. Place on the prepared baking sheet, then place the baking sheet in the freezer for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Bake for 20 minutes, or until lightly browned and a toothpick or cake tester inserted into a scone comes out dry. Cool completely on a rack.
Notes
- Use cold butter. Take the butter straight from the fridge to make your scones, or even better, keep some 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.
- The dough may be sticky. I find that sometimes my scone dough is stickier, depending on how cold or humid my house is. The best practice, regardless of whether or not the dough is sticky, is to place it in the fridge for 20-30 minutes. This will allow the flour to hydrate, chill the dough, and make it easier to work with.
- 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 lightly handle the dough. This will lead to more tender scones.
- Try gluten free all-purpose flour. Though I really love the oat flour here, you can substitute 2 ¾ cups of gluten-free all-purpose flour if needed, or try my homemade gluten free flour blend.
Nutrition
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Heather D says
I did some substitutions, the dough was a bit wetter than expected but could be because I used Cup for Cup and no almond flour, or oat flour (didn't have any). I also used half and half, and oat milk for the liquid and added lemon juice and lemon extract to amp up the flavor. Made a lemon glaze to go on top, they were delicious. We will see how the dough performs when I pull the messy clumps out of the freezer!
Nicole Spiridakis says
I'm so glad they worked out - thanks for letting me know!