Gluten-free cheese scones are a savory, fluffy scone recipe flavored with cheddar cheese and garlic. What’s the secret to a tender, flaky recipe? Swapping out sour cream, rather than buttermilk, and a brief rest before baking eliminates grittiness. Let’s bake these with GF success, together!
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Best Savory Cheese Scones Made Gluten-Free
Homemade gluten-free cheddar scones are the 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!
This savory cheddar version is a spin-off on another of community favorite – these fluffy gluten-free-biscuits recipe. They are so highly reviewed in our gluten-free bread recipe collection, I figured why not use them as a base recipe for absolutely divine cheddar garlic flavored scones.
The cheddar biscuit experiment was a raging success. Now I’m having a hard time going back to my original biscuit recipe because these are just too damn good to pass up! 😍 They’re perfect served alongside breakfast dishes, as an afternoon snack, or for the ultimate treat – smother in creamy gluten-free sausage gravy.
These were amazing! My celiac son loved them and the rest of us at our share as well! You’d never know they were GF. I’ll definitely be making them again!
—Erika
Avoiding Dry, Crumbly Homemade Scones
- 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 chill 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.
- Use a quality gluten-free flour! I prefer Cup4Cup all-purpose gluten free flour because the added cornstarch softens the texture and it has a neutral, pleasing taste.
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Let’s Make This Together!
(Below shows step-by-step photos and modified instructions. For the complete recipe, along with ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card.)
Whisk the dry and cut in butter
In a large bowl whisk together all the dry ingredients. Then it’s time to work in the butter using a pastry blender, a fork, or even your fingers. You’ll want the butter to be mixed in enough so the mixture is sandy, without large clumps of butter.
Add liquid, cheesy goodness, and rest
In a separate small bowl whisk oil, optional milk, egg, yogurt, and lemon juice together. Pour those wet ingredients into flour / butter mixture with the freshly grated cheese and stir to combine until a nice, soft dough forms.
Now it’s time to chill the dough for 30 minutes. This gives time for the GF starches to soak up the moisture and fat, so they biscuits are soft and tender, instead of dry and gritty. Easy, but crucial step for success!
Easy to shape drop scones
If you are intimidated by making homemade scones, then you are going to love how easy these are to shape. Grease a 1/3 measuring cup with cooking spray and scoop out dough evenly into the cup. Plop it onto parchment-lined baking sheets.
To make sure they bake up tender, arrange them fairly close together in the center of the baking sheet. This helps trap in steam, so they are fluffy and soft.
Yummiest Add-In Ideas
Savory cheddar scones are pretty unbelievable tasting as is, but any of these additions would be fantastic flavor additions! Many of these additions work equally as well in my homemade gluten-free cheddar bay biscuits recipe as well.
- 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
Bonus Ingredient Swaps and Tips
- 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.
- 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.
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Did you make this recipe? I love hearing from you! Leave a star rating and comment below the recipe card. It helps others when searching for recipes and I appreciate feedback from our community. You will always hear back from me! -Melissa
Gluten Free Cheese Scones (Extra Tender)
Ingredients
- 2 cups (307 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
- ¼ cup (61 g) milk, optional, see recipe notes
- 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 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 butter
- In a separate bowl whisk together yogurt, optional milk, 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 chill for 30 minutes to allow the starches to blend with the liquids and make the dough easier to shape. Preheat oven to 425ºF (230ºC)¾ cup plain whole-milk yogurt, 1 large egg, 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, 2 teaspoon lemon juice, 1 cup shredded Sharp cheddar cheese, ¼ cup milk
- 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
Notes
Optional Milk
Since Cup4Cup has changed their formula, I’ve found the biscuit dough to be drier. Therefore I recommend adding ¼ cup for biscuits to hold their shape, up to ½ cup if the dough is still dry, or you prefer a softer biscuit with more spread.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.
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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
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
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
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.
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
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!
Thank you so much, Kate! I really appreciate it!
Best,
Melissa
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
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
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.
Thank you so much, Anne, for sharing your conversions. Very helpful!
Best,
Melissa
These are the best gluten-free scones I’ve ever made, thankyou so much for the recipe.
I really appreciate this, Vivienne! Thanks for sharing!
Best,
Melissa
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.
Hello,
I think that sounds like a great idea! Thank you for sharing and I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Best,
Melissa
Looks delish. Can’t wait to make these for the holidays when we have crab legs.
Sounds like a great pairing!
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!!
Hi Omega,
Oh, I love the spicy addition! Thanks for the great suggestion!
Best,
Melissa
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.
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
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.
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
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!!
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
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!!
Hello!
This is fantastic! Thank you so much taking the time to write and sharing your additions. Great ideas all around 🙂
Best,
Melissa
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.
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
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!
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
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!
I’ve made these 5 times now and every time they come out amazing!! Definitely a staple in our household now!
Kelsey,
This makes me SOOOO happy! Thank you so much for taking the time to write.
Best,
Melissa
I love these! Only substitution was English mustard powder instead of garlic powder.
Fantastic idea! Thank you so much for sharing!
Best,
Melissa
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.
Hi Laura,
What a sweet friend you are. The good thing is no matter what they look like, they are still delicious!
Best,
Melissa
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!
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
These scones look like they were shaped or cut with a biscuit cutter. Did you use a biscuit cutter or otherwise shape the scones?
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
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.
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
Excellent! Easy to make and delicious. Thank you!
WOW!! These look like such a treat. Thanks for sharing
You’re so welcome, Faith. So glad you enjoyed them!
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
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
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.
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
I have commented below
These are absolutely delicious
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
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.
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
Can I use whole milk vanilla yogurt instead of plain?
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
Thank you, Melissa!
You bet!
Omg. Just made them delicious. I added a tablespoon of fresh rosemary and thyme. Awesome. The texture is amazing!
Hey Kerry,
Love the addition of fresh rosemary and thyme! Thanks for sharing and I’m so glad you enjoyed the scones!
Best,
Melissa
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 😁👍😁
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
Delicious and easy to make
Thank you! So glad you enjoyed!
Best,
Melissa