Vegan Cranberry Scones

These Vegan Cranberry Scones are so sweet, crumbly, and delicious! Bursting fresh cranberries are baked inside a soft scone and then drizzled with a divine almond glaze. Add some excitement to any breakfast or brunch with these flaky, moist beauties!

These homemade scones make for the perfect breakfast, brunch, or just-because treat. Easily make a batch and freeze them for later or share them with others around Thanksgiving or Christmas!

They are a great way to use up any leftover fresh or frozen cranberries and are sure to please anyone who tries them.

Just like my Blackberry Scones, they are perfectly sweetened, moist on the inside, and flaky on the outside. They go especially well with coffee or tea!

The trick to making them light and fluffy is by keeping the vegan butter super cold so that it steams up in the oven, thus, creating little pockets of air.

You can change them up by making cranberry orange scones with orange glaze or you can even add nuts such as almonds. 

If you’re looking for more vegan cranberry recipes, be sure to check out my Cranberry Orange Muffins!

Reasons To Love This Recipe

• So tasty
• Easy to make
• Freezer-friendly 
• Dairy free and eggless
• They are light, airy, and fluffy
• Each scone is bursting with tons of healthy cranberries

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Ingredients and Substitutions

• Flour - All-purpose flour works best here. 
• Sugar - Use organic/vegan cane sugar or another dry, granulated sugar. 
• Baking Powder - Just a bit helps to lift these scones. 
• Spices - Cinnamon and nutmeg offer a lovely fall flavor to complement the cranberries. 
• Vegan Butter - Add ⅛ teaspoon salt if your dairy-free butter isn’t already salted. Stick butter tends to work better here rather than a spread because it has a bit more structure. 
• Vegan Yogurt - Yogurt keeps the scones moist. I use unsweetened, unflavored plant-based yogurt, but any kind works. For example, it will be just fine if your yogurt is sweetened and is already flavored with vanilla. 
• Vanilla - Pure vanilla extract adds a warm sweetness. 
• Cranberries - Fresh or frozen cranberries add a bursting festive touch to the scones. Feel free to add in a tablespoon of orange zest as well

For the Almond Glaze

• Powdered Sugar - Look for powdered sugar that is vegan or organic. 
• Plant Milk - Just a few tablespoons of any type of plant-based milk will thin the sugar out into a glaze. Water can be used instead or even orange juice to give it a tangy flavor. Yum!
• Almond Extract - Cranberry and almond go so well together and adding a bit of almond extract takes this icing out of this world! You can leave this out if you don’t have it on hand. Vanilla extract or orange juice work as well.

How to Make Vegan Cranberry Scones

Here are some quick visual steps. Find the full recipe with exact measurements on the recipe card below.

• Position an oven rack to the top third of the oven and then preheat it to 400°F. 
• Cut the vegan butter into smaller pieces or slices. Keep it in the refrigerator along with the vegan yogurt until you’re ready to use them so that they stay cold. This will help create steam pockets during the baking process, which results in a light and fluffy scone.
• Combine the flour, cane sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large mixing bowl. 
• Cut the cold butter cubes into the dry ingredients with a fork or pastry cutter until it’s crumbly.
• Mix the vanilla extract into the vegan yogurt, then add it to the bowl. Gently fold it in just until everything is moistened.

• Add the cranberries to the bowl and carefully stir them into the dough.
• With floured hands, fold the dough together some more to make sure the ingredients are fully combined. 
• Transfer the scone dough to a flat, floured surface such as a cutting board. Without overworking it, form the dough into a circular disc that's 1 inch in height.
• Place the scone disc in the freezer for 10 minutes. 
• Line a medium-sized baking sheet with with a non-stick mat or parchment paper.
• Remove the dough from the freezer. Slice it into 8 wedges and place them 1 inch apart on the lined baking sheet.

• Bake the scones on the top rack for 18-22 minutes. Start checking on them after about 15 minutes to prevent them from burning.
• Take them out of the oven when they are a light golden brown and place them on a cooling rack. 
• Make the icing by whisking together the powdered sugar, plant milk, and almond extract.

• Drizzle the glaze over the scones once they have cooled down and enjoy!

Tips

• Keep the butter and yogurt as cold as possible so that the scones beautifully puff up in the oven.
• Measure your flour by spooning it into the measuring cup and then scraping the excess off of the top with a flat edge.
• A nonstick baking mat will tend to work best here because it has more "grip" whereas parchment paper will allow the scones to spread a little flatter.
• Take the scones out of the oven as soon as you see a light golden hue start to form.

Recipe Variation Ideas

• Add 1-2 tablespoon orange zest to the dough for cranberry orange scones. 
• Add chopped almonds or any other nut to the dough for a crunchy, nutty bite.
• Use orange juice in place of plant milk in the icing for an orange glaze. 

No-Waste Ideas

• Use leftover cranberries to make Cranberry Orange Muffins. 
• The remaining yogurt can be used to make Blackberry Scones, Chia Pudding, Tikka Masala, Chocolate Bread, or Blue Smoothie Bowls.

Storage & Reheating

Store these scones in a closed container on the counter for 2 days, in the refrigerator for 5 days, or in the freezer for 3 months. Simply heat them up in the microwave for 30 seconds before enjoying them!

Related Vegan Recipes

• Pear Crisp
• Apple Galette
• Apple Turnovers 
• Cranberry Orange Muffins

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