Gluten Free Cheese Scones (Extra Tender)

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!

Prep Time 40

Cook Time 15

Total Time 55

Servings

Author Melissa Erdelac

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.

Adapted from America's Test Kitchen: The How Can it Be Gluten Free Cookbook

Nutrition