Matcha Scones

These gluten-free and vegan matcha scones are so easy to make. They have the best green tea flavor and simple, delicious glaze that pairs wonderfully. These scones have the perfect crumbly texture that melts in your mouth every time you take a bite. If you love matcha, you will love this scone recipe!

If you've never tried matcha before, I urge you to try these scones! Matcha has a lovely green tea flavor and makes for fun and colorful baking in the spring. They are perfect as a Saint Patrick's Day dessert! These scones have just the right amount of sweetness so the authentic matcha flavor can shine through.

If you love baking with matcha, you have to give these matcha white chocolate cookies a try sometime, too!

Jump to:

• Why You'll Love These Scones
• Ingredient Notes
• How to Make Matcha Scones
• Glazing The Scones
• Expert Baking Tips
• Flavor Variations
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Storing & Freezing
• More Gluten-Free Recipes
• Recipe

Why You'll Love These Scones

• Best matcha scone recipe - I argue that this is the best matcha scone recipe because of how easy it is to make and how delicious the scones taste. Plus, they're healthier than other scone recipes!
• Simple, healthy ingredients - You need less than 10 ingredients to make these scones. All the ingredients are healthy and plant-based.
• Vegan and gluten-free - Lots of scone recipes are packed with sugar, butter, and cream, but these matcha scones are completely vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free.
• Easy to make - Even beginners can make these scones with no problem. You only need one bowl to mix the dough. No mixer is necessary!
• Green tea flavor - These scones have such a delicious green tea flavor from matcha powder. You will be surprised at how delicious the tea flavor is when paired with the sweet glaze. You can impress your friends with such a unique treat!

Ingredient Notes

Because these scones are so easy to make, you only need a few ingredients.

Here are some helpful notes on some of the key ingredients, including recommendations for substitutions you can make. Remember to see the recipe card at the end of the post for a full list of ingredients and quantities.

• Gluten-Free Flour - I recommend using gluten-free 1:1 flour with xanthan gum in the ingredients list. If your gluten-free flour blend does not have xanthan gum, you will need to add it yourself. If you are not gluten-free, you can use all-purpose flour instead. Do not use coconut flour or almond flour in this recipe.
• Matcha Powder - Culinary-grade matcha powder is the best for baking. I use Jade Leaf matcha powder since it is easy to find at Walmart and other stores.
• Coconut Oil - Make sure to use melted coconut oil in the scone recipe. If you do not have coconut oil, you can use canola oil, vegetable oil, or olive oil.
• Maple Syrup - Be sure you use 100% pure maple syrup to sweeten the scones. You can replace the maple syrup with honey if you aren't vegan.
• Plant Milk - Any unsweetened plant milk should work. I prefer to use unsweetened almond milk, but coconut milk, cashew milk, and soy milk are acceptable alternatives. Use what you have on hand.
• Powdered Sugar - If you're vegan, make sure to use vegan powdered sugar for the glaze. Wholesome has organic powdered sugar that is vegan and gluten-free.
• White Chocolate - This is an optional ingredient. You can mix in vegan white chocolate chips if you want to make white chocolate matcha scones.

How to Make Matcha Scones

It only takes 10 minutes to make the dough for the scones. Start by preheating the oven to 350 F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Set it aside while you make the dough.

STEP 1: Add the gluten-free flour, baking soda, matcha powder, and salt to a large mixing bowl. Stir the ingredients together until they are evenly combined.

STEP 2: Next, add the melted coconut oil, milk, maple syrup, and vanilla extract to the bowl. Use a large spoon to mix the ingredients together until a thick dough forms. It will be clumpy and damp, like the texture of wet sand. If you want to add vegan white chocolate chips, gently fold them into the dough.

STEP 3: Use your clean hands to form the dough into a ball. If the dough is too crumbly to form, add one more tablespoon of plant milk until it is just wet enough to hold together.

STEP 4: Transfer the ball of dough to the prepared baking sheet and flatten it into a round disc shape, about 8-inches across. You can use your hands for this (that is what I did), but you can also use a rolling pin if it is easier for you. Make sure the edges are even and there are no cracks in the dough.

STEP 5: Use a knife or a pizza cutter to cut the dough into 8 triangles, just like cutting a pizza or pie. Make sure they are even in size so they bake properly. Once cut, spread the triangles 1-2 inches apart on the baking sheet.

STEP 6: Bake the matcha scones for 14-18 minutes. They should rise slightly and become more firm around the edges. Be careful not to overbake them! Once they are done baking, remove them from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for at least 5 minutes before moving them to a cooling rack.

TIP: Slightly underbake the scones and let them finish baking on the tray as they cool. This ensures they don't become too dry or hard from baking too long in the oven.

Glazing The Scones

While you are waiting for the matcha scones to cool, you can make the glaze. Be sure the scones are completely cool before adding the glaze on top of them.

STEP 1: Add vegan confectioner's sugar to a bowl with one tablespoon of plant milk. You can also use water instead of milk. Stir the mixture until a smooth, creamy glaze forms and all the sugar dissolves.

STEP 2: If necessary, adjust the consistency of the glaze by adding slightly more confectioner's sugar to make the glaze thicker, or add more plant milk one teaspoon at a time to make the glaze thinner. It should be thin enough to drizzle off a spoon, but not too runny or it will run off the scones and make a mess.

STEP 3: Use a spoon to drizzle the glaze on top of each scone in a zig-zag motion to create pretty stripes of frosting. If you don't like the striped look, you can use the back of a spoon to spread the glaze over the scones in an even layer.

STEP 4: Repeat the glazing process until all the scones have been glazed and you are out of frosting. Let the glaze set up for a few minutes to harden, then enjoy!

Expert Baking Tips

• Properly measure the gluten-free flour - It is very important to measure the gluten-free flour properly, or the scones will be very dry and the dough will be crumbly and hard to work with. Use a baking scale to weigh the gluten-free flour for best results, or use the spoon and level method. Gently sprinkle the flour into a measuring cup with a spoon, being careful not to pack the flour. Level the top of the measuring cup with the flat edge of a knife. This is how to properly measure flour.
• Don't overmix the dough - Be careful not to overmix the dough for the matcha scones, or they can become tough and hard. Mix until the ingredients are just combined. You should not go overboard on the mixing!
• Slightly underbake the scones - For softer scones, slightly underbake them (14-15 minutes in the oven) and let them finish baking as they cool on the baking sheet. You want to avoid baking them too long or they can be dense and dry.
• Let the scones cool before glazing - Make sure you allow the scones to cool completely before adding the glaze, or else the glaze will melt and run off the scones, creating a mess to clean up. To cool the scones faster, place them in the fridge after they sit on the baking tray for a few minutes.

Flavor Variations

These scones are super delicious when you make them "plain," but here are a few different ways to make the scones if you want to switch things up for next time:

• Matcha Almond Scones - Replace the vanilla extract with almond extract in the dough. Then replace the plant milk in the glaze with almond extra for the best matcha almond scones!
• Matcha Chocolate Scones - Add ⅓ to ½ cup of your favorite chocolate chips to the dough before rolling it into a ball. White chocolate is a delicious flavor to pair with matcha, or you can use dark chocolate or milk chocolate chips.
• Matcha Cranberry Scones - Fold in ½ cup of dried cranberries into the dough (unsweetened cranberries are best).

If you're looking for different desserts with vibrant flavors, try these raspberry white chocolate cookies or this blackberry lemon bread. Both recipes are so delicious!

Frequently Asked Questions

Storing & Freezing

Store the scones in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-5 days. This keeps them from drying out too much. You can heat the scones in the microwave for a few seconds if you want to enjoy a warm, soft scone.

Can I freeze scones?

These scones are most enjoyable when they are fresh, but you can freeze the scones in an airtight container to keep for 2-3 months in the freezer. Place parchment paper between each layer of scones so the glaze does not stick them together. Allow the scones to thaw at room temperature for a few hours before enjoying them again.

More Gluten-Free Recipes

Did you make these gluten-free matcha scones? Please leave a rating and review below! I would love for you to post a photo on Instagram and tag me so I can share it on my stories. To keep up with the latest recipes, please follow me on Pinterest and join my email list for exclusive content delivered to your inbox every week.

Recipe