Vegan Dried Cranberry Scones

These easy vegan dried cranberry scones are packed full of flavour. They’re crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside, perfect served warm with some jam and dairy-free butter or cream.

Scones are one of those desserts that I LOVE making in the Spring/Summer. They are a deliciously light, versatile sweet-treat that can be enjoyed at picnics, afternoon tea or garden parties.

I have made a few different types of scones for my blog in the past but because I love them so much, I made another flavour. Today I’m sharing my vegan dried cranberry scones recipe with you- perfect for those of you who want to enjoy fruit scones without the raisins!

What are scones?

If you have never had a scone, you HAVE to try this recipe!

Scones are a British baked good that is sort of a cross between a cake and a bread. They’re firm on the outside and have a lighter, fluffier centre. The sweet kind of scones are usually served with clotted cream and jam here in the UK, but you can also find savoury flavours like cheese!

Traditionally, scones are made using eggs and butter but a few simple ingredient replacements makes them very easy to veganise. Instead of eggs, I used soy milk and extra raising agent, and I used a dairy-free butter instead of butter made with milk. Despite the ingredient switches, these scones taste just as good as the traditional ones. You’ll never know the difference!

Ingredients you’ll need:

• Self-raising flour. Using self-raising flour rather than plain flour helps to create tall, fluffy scones. If you don’t have self-raising flour, you can substitute it for plain flour plus 1 an extra teaspoon of baking powder and 1/2 a teaspoon of baking soda (bicarbonate of soda).
• Baking powder. For extra lifting power. Not to be confused with baking soda!
• Vegan butter. For this recipe, you’ll need to use a blocky-style of butter, rather than the spreadable margarine-style. I recommend something like Flora plant or Stork baking block. See: Is Stork dairy-free?
• Caster sugar. Adds just a touch of sweetness. Scones are quite savoury in nature, with the sweetness coming from sweet mix-ins or fillings.
• Soy milk. I recommend using unsweetened soy milk for best results. Sweetened soy milk will add extra moisture and make the dough wetter.
• Dried cranberries. You can use sweetened or unsweetened cranberries for this recipe.

More vegan scone recipes:

• White chocolate raspberry scones
• Classic scones
• Coconut scones
• Fruit scones
• Oil-free scones

How to make vegan dried cranberry scones

Step 1:

Preheat your oven to 220°C/430°F (or 200°C/400°F if you’re using a fan or convection oven). Line a large tray with baking paper.

Step 2:

Add 360g of self-raising flour and 1 teaspoon of baking powder to large bowl. Mix briefly to get rid of any lumps.

Step 3:

Next, add 90g of vegan block butter and rub it into the flour until you have a mixture that resembles breadcrumbs. It’s important that you use cold butter, straight from the fridge, to prevent it melting into the flour.

Step 4:

Stir in 50g of caster sugar. This helps to sweeten the scones just a little, without making them sickly-sweet.

Step 5:

Add 150ml of unsweetened soy milk to the bowl. Mix it in with a wooden spoon, until it starts to stick together, then use your hands to press it into a rough ball of dough.

Do not knead the dough or try to get a smooth ball- the scones will end up tough if you do this. Press it together just enough that it sticks together, as pictured.

Step 6:

Add 80g of dried cranberries and gently press them into the dough using your hands, again being careful not to overwork the dough.

Step 7:

Roll the dough out on a floured surface until it’s around 2cm thick (it needs to be thick to help create tall scones).

Use a 3-inch fluted cookie cutter to cut out your scones, re-rolling the leftover pieces as needed. You should end up with around 8 scones.

Step 8:

Place the scones closely together on your lined baking tray. This will help them to rise upwards, making them nice and tall.

Use a pastry brush to brush the tops of the scones with some soy milk. You can also use melted vegan butter if you prefer. This will help them to brown on top while baking.

Step 9:

Bake for 12-15 minutes, until golden brown. Leave them to cool on the tray for 10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Once cooled, slice them in half and enjoy with strawberry jam and vegan butter or whipped cream.

FAQ:

Top tips

• Use a blocky vegan butter (not margarine), straight from the fridge.
• Don’t overwork the dough or you will end up with tough scones. Press it together until it just comes together in a ball.
• Use unsweetened soy milk for best results. Any extra sugar added may make the dough too wet.
• Place the scones closely together on the baking tray. This will help them to bake upwards and create height.

I hope you enjoy the scones! If you make them at home please let me know how it goes by leaving a rating and/or comment below. Happy baking! xo

5 from 2 votes

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Vegan Dried Cranberry Scones

Fluffy vegan scones with dried cranberries throughout. Perfect with jam and dairy-free cream!

Course Dessert

Cuisine vegan

Keyword vegan cranberry scones

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Servings 8 scones

Ingredients

• 360 g Self-raising flour
• 1 Teaspoon Baking powder
• 90 g Cold vegan butter (use the blocky type, not margarine-style)
• 50 g Caster sugar
• 150 ml Unsweetened soy milk, plus extra for brushing (½ cup + 2 tablespoons)
• 80 g Dried cranberries

To serve:

• Strawberry jam and vegan whipped cream or butter

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 220°C/430°F (or 200°C/400°F for fan ovens). Line a large tray with baking paper.

2. Add the flour and baking powder to a large bowl and mix briefly.

3. Rub in the butter until you have a mixture that resembles breadcrumbs, then stir in the caster sugar.

4. Add the soy milk and mix until it starts to stick together. Use your hands to press it into a rough ball of dough. Don't knead it or press too much or your scones will end up tough.

5. Add the cranberries to the bowl and gently press them into the dough with your hands.

6. Roll the dough out on a floured surface until it's 2cm thick. Use a 3-inch fluted cookie cutter to cut out your scones, re-rolling leftover pieces until it's all used up. You should end up with 8 scones.

7. Place the scones close together onto your lined baking tray, so the edges are just touching. Use a pastry brush to lightly brush the tops with soy milk.

8. Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden brown. Leave to cool completely and serve with fillings of choice.

Recipe Notes

• Best enjoyed fresh but can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Nutrition Facts

Vegan Dried Cranberry Scones

Amount Per Serving (1 scone)

Calories 294 Calories from Fat 90

% Daily Value*

Fat 10g15%

Sodium 132mg6%

Carbohydrates 46g15%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 14g16%

Protein 5g10%

* All values are an estimate only and will vary depending on the food brands used.