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If you love a savoury bake, you’re going to love these gluten free cheese scones. They’re perfect served warm with butter for an afternoon tea or alongside a bowl of hearty soup.
When you think of scones, usually the first thing that comes to mind is a plain or fruit scone slathered with cream and jam.
But I actually much prefer a gluten free cheese scone, still warm from the oven, and slathered with melting butter.
This cheese scone recipe is perfect to make for a savoury cream tea but they are also delicious served as a side to a bowl of tomato soup.
My cheese scones recipe is really easy to make, topped with golden cheese with a hint of mustard too.
I love them topped with butter but you can also have them with gluten free chutney, or even with some cream cheese on top.
Honestly, the list is endless. And if you fancy a sweet treat for afters, why not make my plain gluten free scones recipe too?
Savoury gluten free scones
If you’re new to gluten free baking then these cheese scones are a great place to start.
So what makes these scones so delicious?
For starters, they’re packed with mature Cheddar cheese, giving them a deliciously cheesy flavour.
Secondly, they have a cheeky bit of a wholegrain mustard in them too which gives them a lovely flecked appearance and depth of flavour.
My favourite part though? The crispy cheese topping!
Making cheese scones gluten free is very simple and you only need a few basic ingredients to do so.
Ingredients for gluten free cheese scones
There’s a full printable recipe card with the ingredients below, but for the shopping list here are some of the main ingredients you’ll need:
- Self-Raising Gluten Free Flour – I tend to use the FREEE or Asda flour you can find in the free from aisle in most UK supermarkets. If you don’t have self-raising flour you’ll need to use a plain or all purpose gluten free flour blend with 3 tsp baking powder – plus the extra baking powder in the recipe.
- Unsalted Butter – This recipe works best if the butter is cold as it will be easier to rub it into the flour mix without it melting on your hands.
- Mature Cheddar Cheese – I always like to use a strong Cheddar to ensure you get a lovely cheesy flavour. You could use a milder cheese or even use something like Stilton for a twist on this recipe if you like.
- Xanthan Gum – Even if your flour already has xanthan gum in I recommend still adding this as it really helps with the texture in gluten free baking. If your flour mix does not contain this already, you can add 3/4 of a teaspoon instead.
Wholegrain Mustard – This is optional and can easily be removed if you don’t like or can’t eat mustard. However I think it adds a lovely texture and flecked appearance to the scones.
Don’t forget the full list and quantities is in the recipe card below.
How to make gluten free cheese scones
These gluten free cheese scones are definitely best when served warm from the oven.
You could microwave them for 10 seconds if you’re eating them a few hours or days after baking.
This will freshen them up a little, plus I love a warm scone!
But for the best results, bake them right before serving and let them cool for 10 minutes before serving them up warm. The smell alone will be worth it!
So how do you make the perfect gluten free cheese scone? It’s easy.
Firstly, you don’t want to over-work the mixture.
When you bring the wet and dry ingredients together with a spoon, stop once you’ve got a dough formed.
Only knead it a couple of times before flattening and remember, scones look better when they’re a bit rustic!
A smooth scone is never as appealing – they look great when they are a bit rough around the edges.
Gluten free cheese scones FAQs
Here are some answers to frequently asked questions about my gluten free cheese scones to help with your baking.
Are cheese scones gluten free?
Traditionally cheese scones are made with wheat flour so are not gluten free.
However, I’ve developed this recipe to be completely gluten free and still taste amazing!
Can these gluten free cheese scones be dairy free / vegan?
This recipe also uses milk and eggs – I haven’t tried to make a dairy free or vegan version of these cheese scones before.
However for dairy free scones you could use a vegan cheese, a harder vegan margarine and a dairy free milk instead.
Can you freeze gluten free cheese scones?
These gluten free cheese scones are very easy to cook as a big batch and then freeze.
If you want to, you can freeze them ahead of time and then defrost them and warm them through before serving.
I’d always recommend serving gluten free cheese scones warm as it helps with the texture and makes them taste loads better too!
Do gluten free cheese scones rise?
Gluten free cheese scones don’t rise as much as ‘normal’ scones do.
That’s why it’s important to make sure you don’t roll the dough too thin.
Instead, roll the dough out to around 5cm and you’ll have lovely thick scones to start with.
Often if your scones are too flat, you’ve either over-worked the mixture or rolled them too thin to start off with.
What’s the best way to store cheese scones?
When making these gluten free cheese scones, allow them to cool completely on a wire rack before storing them.
Then pop them in an airtight container for 3-5 days, and refresh them in the oven or microwave before serving.
Alternatively you can freeze them (as per the instructions above).
My gluten free cheese scones recipe
So without waiting any longer, here’s my gluten free cheese scone recipe for you to try at home!
This recipe is really easy to make, and you can have freshly-baked scones ready to eat in just half an hour.
Make them just before serving for the best results – though they will keep for a couple of days.
You can also freeze them, and if you want them super fresh, just microwave them for 10 seconds before serving.
If you make this recipe and love it, please do let me know by tagging me on my Instagram or using #theglutenfreeblogger. I love seeing your bakes!
And please do also leave a review to let others know you loved it too! It would mean the world to me to get those 5 stars.
Gluten free cheese scones
These gluten free cheese scones are really easy to make and ready in less than half-an-hour. Perfect for a savoury cream tea or to serve with soup.
Ingredients
- 300 g self-raising gluten free flour, (plus extra for dusting)
- 50 g unsalted butter, (cut into cubes)
- 100 g Cheddar cheese, (grated)
- 1 large egg
- 100 ml semi-skimmed milk, (plus extra for brushing)
- 1.5 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp xanthan gum
- 1 heaped tsp wholegrain mustard, (optional)
- Salt and pepper, (to taste)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200'C / Fan 180C / Gas Mark 6 and line a baking tray with a sheet of baking paper. Set aside while you make the scone mix.
- Add the butter to a large mixing bowl and sift in the gluten free flour, baking powder and xanthan gum, plus a good sprinkle of salt and pepper. Using your fingers, rub the mix together until it resembles breadcrumbs.
- Add the milk to a jug and then crack in an egg and beat lightly until combined. Pour into the flour mix. Add the mustard, and the cheese (reserve a small handful for topping) and use a wooden spoon to bring the mix together. As soon as it comes together as a dough, lightly flour the worktop and turn it out.
- Knead the dough a couple of times to bring it together (you don't want to over-knead) then use your hands to bring the dough into a circle. Flatten using your hands (or a rolling pin) to approx 5cm thick. Using a 7-8cm fluted cutter, cut out 12 circles from the dough. When you run out, just roughly bring the leftovers together and flatten again - don't keep kneading in between, it doesn't matter if they're a bit rustic!
- Place the circles on the lined baking tray with a 2cm gap between them. Brush each scone with a little milk and then sprinkle with a little grated cheese. Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes, until golden on top. Cool on a rack before serving. These are best served fresh and warm, approx 5-10 minutes after removing from the oven.
Notes
The scones will keep for 2-3 days in an airtight container. If not eating fresh from the oven, I recommend giving them a 10-second blast in the microwave before serving. These can also be frozen.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
12 sconesAmount Per Serving: Calories: 162Carbohydrates: 20.7gProtein: 3.9g
Need some more gluten free baking inspiration?
Want to have a go at some of the other gluten free baking recipes on the blog?
Give some of these other gluten free recipes a try! There are plenty to choose from – here are a couple to get you going:
- Gluten free plain scones recipe
- Gluten free Welsh Cakes
- Easy gluten free bread
- Chilli Cheese Scones
- Gluten free brie and asparagus quiche recipe
- My easy gluten free mug cake trio
If you do make this recipe please let me know! I’d love to see your photos using #theglutenfreeblogger, share them in my Facebook group or tag me on Instagram.
And if you have any recipe suggestions, please let me know in the comments what you’d like to see next!
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These are absolutely the best. Thank you. I cook up a half batch in my airfryer