Gluten-free cheese scones are a savory, fluffy scone recipe flavored with cheddar cheese and garlic. If you love Red Lobster’s Cheddar Bay Biscuits, you will love this easy, flaky gluten-free copycat version!
Gluten Free Cheese Biscuits
Biscuits are the one gluten free homemade bread I make consistently. Everything mixes up easily in a bowl, drop them on a pan, and bake. Most importantly, they turn out amazing and not like an inferior gluten free version!
My recipe for gluten-free scones and fluffy gluten-Free-biscuits is such a hit on the blog, I figured why not use them as a base recipe for absolutely divine cheddar garlic flavored scones.
The cheddar garlic biscuit experiment was a raging success. Now I’m having a hard time going back to my original gluten free biscuit recipe because these are just too damn good to pass up! 😍
What is the best gluten free flour to use?
This easy scone recipe is hard to mess up, but the quality of the taste does depend on which gluten free flour you use.
I solely use Cup 4 Cup all-purpose gluten free flour because I personally find the taste, hands-down, the best. Substituting Cup 4 Cup in any “regular” baking recipe, such as gluten free pie crust, always yields great results.
However, Cup 4 Cup can be pricier than other gluten free flours. More economical brands such as, Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 gluten free flour or Pillsbury gluten free flour also gives good, consistent results. However, I find the taste a slightly grittier and, well, gluten-free-tasting in biscuits.
King Arthur’s Measure-for-Measure also gets good reviews, but I find it dry in baked goods. I suggest adding extra yogurt if using King Arthur brand.
Wondering how different gluten free flour brands compare? Four of the most popular gluten free blends were thoroughly tested. See the surprising results for the best gluten free flour!
What else can I add to Gluten Free Cheese Scones?
Savory cheddar scones are pretty unbelievable tasting as is, but any of these additions would be fantastic flavor additions!
- scallions / chives
- crumbled cooked bacon
- fresh herbs
- crumbed cooked sausage
- cayenne pepper
- peeled, chopped apple
- substitute cheeses, like pepper jack, mozzarella, swiss, parmesan, or gouda
Can I Freeze Gluten Free Scones?
For sure. This is another reason why I make them so frequently. I can always pull one out of the freezer when I need delicious, homemade gluten free bread for myself.
Tip: Make sure they are cooled completely before freezing so ice crystals don’t form on them. Throw them in a gallon freezer bag after they have cooled.
For extra protection, or to store longer, wrap each scone in plastic wrap before storing in freezer bag.
How To Make Gluten Free Cheese Scones
(Below shows step-by-step photos and modified instructions. For the complete recipe, along with ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card.)
- Whisk gluten free flour, baking powder, garlic powder, baking soda, and salt together. Cut in butter with pastry cutter or fork.
- Whisk the oil, egg, yogurt, and lemon juice together in a separate bowl.
- Pour the wet ingredients and shredded cheese into flour / butter mixture. Stir to combine.
- Cover dough and let rest for 30 minutes to allow starches to relax and blend with liquids.
- Grease a measuring cup with cooking spray to evenly and easily scoop out dough onto parchment lined baking sheet, spaced close together in the middle.
How to avoid dry, crumbly Gluten Free Scones
Save yourself from dense, dry scones by using some of these recipe hacks from America’s Test Kitchen.
- Instead of buttermilk, use yogurt. Since gluten free flour doesn’t absorb liquid as well, buttermilk causes them to spread too much.
- Resting the dough. Mix everything together, cover with plastic wrap, and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. This allows time for the flour to hydrate and not be gritty.
- Placing the biscuits closer together on the baking sheet. Biscuits become more tender because of the trapped steam.
Tips and Tricks for making perfect Gluten Free Cheese Scones
- You can substitute sour cream for the yogurt with great results. I’ve also substituted vanilla yogurt without affecting the taste.
- If you don’t have lemon juice on hand, substitute vinegar.
- Using sharp cheddar really gives a great cheese flavor, but mild cheddar may be substituted
- I prefer using freshly grated cheese because it melts better. It’s free from the anti-clumping coating bagged shredded cheese contains.
Before You Bake:
- Plan for allowing dough to rest for 30 minutes.
- Bake on two baking sheets stacked together. These bake at a very high temperature. You don’t want to burn bottoms before fully cooked.
- Space the biscuits close together in center of baking sheets to trap steam and make them more tender.
Click here to see the
step-by-step web story instructions for this recipe!
more gluten-free Bread Recipes
- Gluten Free Blueberry Scones – These easy blueberry scones drizzled with a sweet glaze, are so tender and fluffy, no one will know they are in fact gluten free!
- Gluten-Free Beer Bread – Savory cheddar loaf bread that easily mixes up in minutes without yeast or kneading!
- Applesauce Muffins – Extremely moist and flavorful with applesauce, banana, oats, cinnamon, and the perfect amount of sweetness.
- Sweet Irish Soda Bread – Has a golden, crunchy, sweet crust with a moist, buttermilk interior, and tangy cranberries dotted throughout.
SAVE THIS GLUTEN FREE CHEESE SCONE RECIPE TO YOUR PINTEREST BOARD!
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Gluten Free Cheese Scones (Extra Tender)
Equipment Needed
Ingredients
- 2 cups (292 g) all-purpose gluten free flour blend I recommend Cup4Cup gluten-free flour
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 3 tablespoons (42 g) butter chilled and cut into small pieces
- ¾ cup (190 g) plain whole-milk yogurt (low-fat may be substituted)
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons (27 g) vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoon lemon juice (I’ve substituted vinegar for this with good results)
- 1 cup (125 g) shredded Sharp cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Whisk flour, baking powder, garlic powder, sugar, salt, and baking soda in a large bowl. Add the butter to the mixture cut in with a pastry blender, fork, or fingers until small, pea-size pieces remain.2 cups (292 g) all-purpose gluten free flour blend,4 teaspoons baking powder,1 teaspoon garlic powder,1 teaspoon sugar,½ teaspoon salt,¼ teaspoon baking soda,3 tablespoons (42 g) butter
- In a separate bowl whisk together yogurt, egg, oil, and lemon juice. Stir the yogurt mixture and cheddar into the flour mixture until no flour pockets remain. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let sit for 30 minutes to allow the starches to blend with the liquids and make the dough easier to shape. Preheat oven to 450ºF (230ºC)¾ cup (190 g) plain whole-milk yogurt,1 large egg,2 tablespoons (27 g) vegetable oil,2 teaspoon lemon juice,1 cup (125 g) shredded Sharp cheddar cheese
- Place one baking sheet inside a second so you have a double layer, and line the top baking sheet with parchment paper. Grease a 1/3 cup measuring cup and scoop a heaping amount of batter into it. Drop on prepared baking sheet, spacing the scones only about 1/2 inch apart in the center of the sheet (this traps a little extra steam between the scones and makes them more tender).
- Bake until golden, about 15-17 minutes, watching carefully and rotating pan 1/2 way through.
- Place baking sheet on wire rack and cool for 5-10 minutes before serving
- DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?? DON'T FORGET TO LEAVE FEEDBACK AND/OR CLICK A STAR RATING ON THE RECIPE CARD!
Recipe Notes
Tips and Tricks:
- You can substitute sour cream for the yogurt with great results. I’ve also substituted vanilla yogurt without affecting the taste.
- If you don’t have lemon juice on hand, substitute vinegar.
- Using Sharp cheddar really gives a great cheese flavor, but mild cheddar may be substituted
- I prefer using freshly grated cheese because it melts better. It’s free from the anti-clumping coating bagged shredded cheese contains.
Donna says
Hi Melissa,
Thank you for responding so quickly. Disappointed that AP Flour can’t be used instead of the
GF Flour for this recipe and a lot of others, but that is what your site is all about. I am not GF
but my son is so that is why I like to check out your recipes, but I usually only see him once or
twice a year since he lives out of state.
Donna
Donna says
Hi Melissa,
Just wondering if this recipe and any of your other recipes that are GF
can be made using regular flour to make them non GF. Your recipes look
so good that I would like to know if they can be made using regular AP
flour or would that not work?
Thanks, Donna
Melissa Erdelac says
Hi Donna,
I appreciate that! If the bread recipe says “gluten-free” than it was specifically tested with gluten free flour and would not work with AP flour. A few of the “quick breads” would work with AP flour, like the cheese bread and beer bread, but these biscuits would not. Some of the cake recipes are interchangeable with AP flour, but if they say “gluten-free” in the title they are not. Hope that makes sense!
Best,
Melissa
Kate says
Just tried these scones and they were SO good. The dough was firm, maybe because I used my kitchenaid mixer with dough hook. I separated into 7 clumps and then flattened them being careful not to over handle them. Definitely not sticky or scoopable, but turned out fantastic. I have arthritis so mixing by hand is pretty hard. I did put some melted butter on top and wow! Thank you for such a great GF recipe.
Melissa Erdelac says
Hi Kate,
Yes, I haven’t tried it with a dough hook, but I understand you have to do what works for you! I appreciate you taking the time to let me know you enjoyed the recipe!
Best,
Melissa
Kate says
I’m making them again tonight for my son and daughter in law who is Celiac and I can’t wait for them to try them. Store bought items don’t even compare. This will now be my go to recipe every week!
Melissa Erdelac says
Thank you so much, Kate! I really appreciate it!
Best,
Melissa
Jonah says
These are amazing. Made a couple batches a while back adding scallions, a bit of grated Parmesan, just a punch of ground white pepper for a bite, and a tiny bit of fresh herbs from the garden. I was also limited on baking sheets so used a cast iron skillet and altered the shape a bit. They were the best scones I’ve had, with or without gluten! Same review from my family too
Melissa Erdelac says
Thanks for sharing, Jonah! I love the tip about using a cast iron pan. That would work great instead of the double baking sheets.
Best,
Melissa
Anne says
I made these cheese scones omitting the sugar and salt and using white wine vinegar for lemon juice. They are very good and very cheesy. I converted 250 grams to 9 ounces and 125 grams to 4 1/2 sharp cheddar cheese. Delicious.
Melissa Erdelac says
Thank you so much, Anne, for sharing your conversions. Very helpful!
Best,
Melissa
Vivienne says
These are the best gluten-free scones I’ve ever made, thankyou so much for the recipe.
Melissa Erdelac says
I really appreciate this, Vivienne! Thanks for sharing!
Best,
Melissa
J Sharp says
My true feelings about this recipe would be about a 4 1/2 star rating. Instead of putting garlic in the dough, I like to melt butter and season it with garlic and parsley and brush that on top when they come out of the oven. It’s a well thought out and delicious recipe except for that one change.
Melissa says
Hello,
I think that sounds like a great idea! Thank you for sharing and I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Best,
Melissa
Ella says
Looks delish. Can’t wait to make these for the holidays when we have crab legs.
Melissa says
Sounds like a great pairing!
Omega says
I have made this several times before and absolutely love it. I added a teaspoon of cayenne pepper and it was delicious. A song to my tastebuds!!
Melissa says
Hi Omega,
Oh, I love the spicy addition! Thanks for the great suggestion!
Best,
Melissa
Mindy says
I had to substitute the yogurt with homemade buttermilk, so I’m wondering if that’s why they weren’t completely cooked in the middle after 20 min in the oven? Next time I’ll add some chives for more flavor as the garlic isn’t coming through at all and the cheese is very mild. Was so hopeful after reading the rave reviews.
Melissa says
Hi Mindy,
Yes, definitely. The reason I use yogurt instead of buttermilk is because GF flours don’t absorb moisture like regular flour. The yogurt adds a moist texture without adding extra liquid. You can boost the garlic amount if it wasn’t enough and I always use sharp or extra sharp cheddar when baking because otherwise the flavor is muted. I hope this helps and thank you for writing!
Best,
Melissa
Hailey says
My mom was craving the cheese scones from Trader Joe’s, but I don’t eat dairy, so I tried making these with vegan substitutions (3T Just Egg [vegan], Follow Your Heart vegan sour cream, Violife vegan cheddar shreds, and Miyoko’s Creamery oatmilk butter). She said they were way better than the Trader Joe’s scones were ;D. I’ve never had a vegan and gluten-free bread-style recipe work this well for me!! Thank you so much.
Melissa says
Hi Hailey,
Woww, this is pretty impressive that it still worked out vegan and I’m so happy you let me know! I’m sure this will be helpful for other readers as well. Thank you so much for taking the time to write!
Best,
Melissa
Lori Cantelo says
Make these often now that I have found your recipe. We ALL love them but I am the only celiac! So easy & I use your tips & they turn our SO DELICIOUS! Hard not to eat them all!
Thanks!!
Melissa says
Hi Lori,
Isn’t that the best feeling when everyone loves your “special” food? I’m so glad they are such a hit with your family. Thank you so much for taking a moment to write. It’s appreciated!
Best,
Melissa
Anonymous says
Amazing!! I added some cayenne pepper and chives this time. Next time will try some bacon. Such a wonderful scone base, thank you for sharing. I’ve been gf for 12 years now and this is the best I’ve found!!
Melissa says
Hello!
This is fantastic! Thank you so much taking the time to write and sharing your additions. Great ideas all around 🙂
Best,
Melissa
Calvin says
We really liked this recipe and also added about 6 twists of fresh ground pepper plus one chopped up scallion for bonus flavors!
Thanks for this.
Melissa says
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe. Thank you so much for taking the time to write and especially chime in your yummy additions!
Best,
Melissa
Lori says
These are WONDERFUL! I have to eat gluten free but my husband & son really like them too!
They are easy & SO good!! Thanks for the great recipe!
Melissa says
Hi Lori,
Thank you so much for taking a moment to write. I’m so glad they make EVERYONE in your family. That’s the best feeling!
Best,
Melissa
Lori Cantelo says
These are WONDERFUL!!! I have celiac disease so must eat gluten free but my husband & son really like
them too! They are easy & turn out SO nice! Thanks for the great recipe!
Kelsey says
I’ve made these 5 times now and every time they come out amazing!! Definitely a staple in our household now!
Melissa says
Kelsey,
This makes me SOOOO happy! Thank you so much for taking the time to write.
Best,
Melissa
Zaan says
I love these! Only substitution was English mustard powder instead of garlic powder.
Melissa says
Fantastic idea! Thank you so much for sharing!
Best,
Melissa
Laura says
Hi, just made these for my friend who is missing her gluten free biscuits from her favorite bakery due to the Coronavirus shut downs. I omitted the garlic powder. I added 3/4 tsp xanthan gum (the flour did not contain it). Also, used 1/4 cup to drop the biscuits. It made 10 of them. I have not tasted them yet, but they smell good. They aren’t as pretty as yours, but not too bad.
Melissa says
Hi Laura,
What a sweet friend you are. The good thing is no matter what they look like, they are still delicious!
Best,
Melissa
Stacey B says
These were wonderful! My daughter was excited to have something gluten free AND delicious! I only had plain Greek yogurt, so the dough was actually quite dry before cooking, but they still turned out delicious!
Melissa says
Hi Stacey,
Thank you so much for taking the time to write. I’m so excited it made your daughter happy and thank you for letting us know Greek yogurt works as well.
Best,
Melissa
Lisa says
These scones look like they were shaped or cut with a biscuit cutter. Did you use a biscuit cutter or otherwise shape the scones?
Melissa says
Hi Lisa,
I spray a 1/3 cup measuring cup with cooking spray and then just scoop the batter out. That gives it the even shape. Thanks for writing!
Best,
Melissa
Virginie says
Made these today with scallions, chopped up bacon and sharp cheddar, using Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 flour and they are FANTASTIC warm! Looking forward to having them for breakfast tomorrow! Thanks so much for sharing.
Melissa says
Hi Virginie,
How could they not be amazing with all those yummy add ins. Those sound absolutely to do for! Thank you so much for taking a moment to write.
Best,
Melissa
Anonymous says
Excellent! Easy to make and delicious. Thank you!
Faith says
WOW!! These look like such a treat. Thanks for sharing
Melissa says
You’re so welcome, Faith. So glad you enjoyed them!
Rosanna Dobbin says
I haven’t made this yet but am about to – can you tell me what the consistency of the batter will be once it has rested for 30 minutes? Your method suggests that it will be quite soft as you use a 1/3 cup measuring spoon. Just would like to know what to expect. Many thanks
Melissa says
Hi Rosanna,
The batter is more dense than a quick bread, but sticky enough you wouldn’t want to work it with your hands. Using the measuring cup sprayed with cooking spray helps pick it up and transfer to a baking sheet easier. If you wanted to shape the dough in a circle and cut it into scone wedges, that would work as well. Hope this helps!
Best,
Melissa
Rosanna Dobbin says
Melissa
Thank you so much
– I didn’t expect such a quick reply as you are still early morning and I am mid afternoon (Scotland) – this has come just in time as I am about to scoop.
Thanks again, this is amazing to me and I will let you know how I get on.
Rosanna Dobbin says
They came out really well – I added cayenne pepper and mustard powder and 50/50 Sharp cheddar/Parmesan .
Thanks again for this recipe, you’re a star baker
Rosanna Dobbin says
I have commented below
These are absolutely delicious
Melissa says
Hi Rosanna,
I’m so glad these turned out well for you. Thank you so much for taking the time to follow up and letting me know! It is an extra good feeling when gluten free bread turns out delicious, isn’t it?
Best,
Melissa
Elle says
We’ve been really struggling to make good gluten-free cheese scones, but these were just perfect. This is definitely going in my go-to recipes.
Melissa says
Hi Elle,
Thank you! That makes me so happy! I’m so glad you took the time to write and let me know. 🙂
Best,
Melissa
Candice says
Can I use whole milk vanilla yogurt instead of plain?
Melissa says
Hi Candice,
Yes, that’s fine. I always substitute vanilla yogurt for my GF biscuits recipe because that’s what I have in the fridge. I never notice a difference in taste.
Enjoy!
Melissa
Candice says
Thank you, Melissa!
Melissa says
You bet!
Kerry says
Omg. Just made them delicious. I added a tablespoon of fresh rosemary and thyme. Awesome. The texture is amazing!
Melissa says
Hey Kerry,
Love the addition of fresh rosemary and thyme! Thanks for sharing and I’m so glad you enjoyed the scones!
Best,
Melissa
Gill says
Fab recipe. I did add half a teaspoon of xanthan gum per cup of flour. Doubled up and added English mustard powder instead of garlic.
Everyone loved them and I could eat them too.
Thanks for sharing such a fab recipe 😁👍😁
Melissa says
Hi Gill,
Thanks for writing and adding your baking tips. That is always so helpful. Isn’t that the best feeling when everyone enjoys the “gluten free” version? That is what I always aim for!
Best,
Melissa
Dianne says
Delicious and easy to make
Melissa says
Thank you! So glad you enjoyed!
Best,
Melissa