Fluffy Scones with Almond Flour (2024)

By Melissa Erdelac · June 4, 2024 · 2 Community Comments

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Taste ultimate gluten-free success with these tender, fluffy scones made with almond flour. Blueberry almond flour scones are easy enough for a novice, but yield bakery-style results with the crisp, chewy edges, a buttery, nutty taste, and light texture thanks to a magical simple ingredient!

Ingredients Notes and Substitutions

I love the touch of chewiness almond flour gives GF baked goods and the slightly sweet, nutty taste. It elevates the texture of crunchy almond flour biscotti and brings soft, pliable moisture to almond flour tortillas.

• Blanched almond flour – When measuring almond flour, I use the method of scooping the measuring cup and leveling off. This yields a measurement of about 92 grams per cup. If you use a spoon in and level method I suggest measuring by weight to make sure the amounts are accurate. Also, be sure to use flour and not almond meal an alternative flour for this recipe.
• Sweetener – I use white sugar, but this ingredient is flexible, as long as it is in granulated form and not a liquid, which would throw off the texture. In fact, you can make these completely sugar-free. (Full disclosure – I know this because I’ve forgotten to add the sugar during recipe testing.) Alternatively, replace with a low-carb powdered sweetener, like monk fruit. You can also reduce the sugar amount.
• Cornstarch – I tested the recipe using corn flour and tapioca starch and both work well. I wouldn’t recommend coconut flour because it absorbs liquids differently and has a different weight.
• Egg – You will need one egg, which helps with binding. I haven’t tested it, but I don’t think using flax egg would be an issue. If you make egg-free scones, please leave me a comment below.
• Butter – When making scones, fat is required for a flaky, tender crumb. Since almond flour contains a lot of natural fat, I reduced the amount of butter to reduce the risk of an overly greasy pastries. For a dairy-free option, use vegan butter sticks, but coconut oil is not recommended.
• Sour cream – This is a hack I like to use in a lot of gluten-free baking. Instead of all the fat coming from butter or oil, replacing some with sour cream, or yogurt works well too, helps coat the starches and builds structure without weighing down the crumb. Non-dairy alternatives may be substituted.

Let’s Make This Together!

(Below shows step-by-step photos and modified instructions. For the complete recipe, along with ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card.)

Work in the butter

After the dry ingredients are whisked together (blanched almond flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt), it’s time to work in the cold butter. You can use a pastry blender, like the one shown, but if you don’t own that fanciness, a fork or fingers work too.

Mix in the Berries

At this point I like the stir in the mix-ins, either berries, nuts, chocolate chips, whatever you are feeling. This coats them in the almond flour and you don’t have to worry about working it into a thicker dough after the wet ingredients are added.

Stir and chill

Mix the few wet ingredients in a small bowl (egg, sour cream, and vanilla extract), and then stir it into the almond flour mixture. The dough is done. See, wasn’t that easy peasy? Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes. This re-solidifies the butter because you’ll want the fat to be cold when baking for an extra tender crumb.

Shape and cut

Dump the mixture onto a greased parchment-lined baking sheet or silicone baking mat. Shape it into a thick disc, about 6-7 inches diameter. Take a sharp knife and cut it into 8 wedges (or if you are my Mom, playing Trivia Pursuit, call them “wedgies.” 🤣) Spread them apart on the baking sheet and bake at 425ºF for 20-25 minutes.

Oh The Possibilities and Variations!

You may use fresh or frozen blueberries, but fresh are easier to work with because they don’t add extra moisture. Of course, if you are looking for something besides blueberry scones, substitute strawberries, raspberries, or blackberries in an equal amount.

Additionally, the dough works well for so many other almond flour scones possibilities. Here are some I’ve dreamed up, but would love to hear about your creations as well! For all the mix-ins, I recommend not adding more than 1 ½ cups.

• Chocolate chip – I like to use a mixture of semi-sweet, miniature chips, and milk chocolate.
• White chocolate raspberry – White chocolate chips and fresh raspberries
• Cinnamon apple – Peeled and diced apple with 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• Lemon blueberry – Add 1 tablespoon lemon zest with dry ingredients and replace vanilla extract with lemon. Drizzle on a lemon glaze, combining powdered sugar with fresh lemon juice.
• Savory cheese scones – Add freshly grated cheese and, if desired, fresh or dried herbs.
• More add-in ideas – Chopped nuts (walnuts, pecans, pistachios, macadamia), dried cranberries, currants, orange zest, grated ginger or chopped crystallized ginger

Freeze and bake method

The dough is best baked when cold, so freezing before baking is a great make-ahead option. Place the dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before shaping and cutting. Cut into wedges, brush with optional cream, sprinkle with sugar, and transfer the baking sheet to the freezer.

Once they are frozen solid, wrap the scones individually in plastic wrap and transfer to a gallon freezer bag or airtight container. When ready to bake, unwrap and place on a lined baking sheet. Bake from frozen, adding 1-2 minutes to baking time.

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Did you make this recipe? I love hearing from you! Leave a star rating and comment below the recipe card. It helps others when searching for recipes and I appreciate feedback from our community. You will always hear back from me! -Melissa

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