Vegan Cranberry Scones with Maple Glaze

The best vegan scones— crusty golden on the outside with a tender, rich crumb that’s studded with cranberries and a hint of orange. Drizzled with a maple glaze. Naturally sweetened and vegan.

For the longest time I was never a big fan of scones. Maybe I never had any good ones, but I always thought they tended to be rather dense and bland, solid chunks more akin to bricks than pastries. Not worth the indulgence when you could make cookies or muffins instead.

But then I came across an article on Serious Eats describing how substituting coconut oil and coconut milk for butter and heavy cream resulted in better scones (in both flavor and texture) compared to the traditional dairy-laden ones— a baking improvement that’s unintentionally vegan. I had to give it a try, of course, and was pleasantly surprised. The scones were beautifully golden and crusty on the outside but with a rich, tender crumb.

The original recipe calls for blueberries, but I created a more holiday-inspired variation using cranberries and orange zest, with a sweet maple glaze to counterbalance the extra tartness. I think you’ll love these scones! They’re perfectly buttery and light and studded with tart bursts of fruit, with a lovely dimension of citrus added by the orange zest.

How to make Vegan Cranberry Scones with Maple Glaze:

Combine dry ingredients. 

In a food processor, combine flour, baking powder, coconut sugar, coconut oil, and salt and pulse until it forms a powdery meal. Transfer to a medium mixing bowl and add in cranberries and orange zest, tossing until combined.

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Combine wet ingredients. 

Shake the can of coconut milk so the fats and liquids are combined, then measure out one cup milk. Pour coconut milk and maple syrup into the bowl with the dry ingredients, stirring to form a soft dough.

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Shape scones. 

Pat dough into a 7-inch wheel on a floured parchment paper sheet and chill in the refrigerator for 15 minutes for fats to solidify (also makes it easier to cut).

In the meantime, preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Cut the round of dough into 8 wedges, and arrange pieces on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Bake scones. 

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown, and let cool before icing.

Make the glaze. 

Since the scone itself is not that sweet, you’ll also be making a luscious maple glaze to drizzle on top. The maple syrup I use is from The Maple Guild— they have many varieties of high quality Vermont-made syrup, including a bourbon aged syrup that I think is perfect for these scones (also would be great for gifting!)

Add maple syrup and 2 tablespoon of the remaining coconut milk to a microwave-safe bowl and cook on high for one minute until bubbling. Add powdered sugar, salt, and vanilla, whisking until it forms a thick, but still pourable glaze. Drizzle onto scones and let cool for 10-15 minutes before serving.

Notes for Vegan Cranberry Scones with Maple Glaze:

• Although there is both coconut oil and coconut milk in the recipe I couldn’t detect any coconut flavor in the finished product.
• Chilling the dough for fifteen minutes after shaping ensures the coconut oil stays cold, which means a fluffier scone that doesn’t spread out as much in the oven.

Scones are pretty forgiving in comparison to a lot of baked goods; the dough will definitely taste great as long as you don’t overwork it (and the more misshapen the more rustic, right?) I think it’s a perfect holiday treat to make for friends and family, or even just for yourself. If you try it out let me know how it goes!

If you made this recipe let me know how you liked it by leaving a comment and a rating below. Or tag me on Instagram @hannah__chia, I love seeing your re-creations!

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