Gluten Free Cherry Almond Scone Recipe (Healthy, Keto, & Vegan)

This might be my favorite scone of all time, it’s also a DD customer fave. I’ll admit, I was never a scone girl, but this recipe officially converted me to a scone lover and connoisseur. A dry scone can ruin anyone's impression of the classic English pastry. But, a GOOD scone can turn a dull morning into a culinary event.

The perfect scone should taste delightfully sweet and buttery, have a moist and soft interior, with perfectly crumbly edges. It should NOT be sandpapery or dry! If you’ve traveled to England, you’ll know that their scones are more like an American biscuit and are often served with butter, jam or cream. Today’s American scones are sweeter and don’t require butter because there’s already so much butter baked inside. When made correctly, both of them are equally delicious. This recipe for gluten-free and keto scones is a sweeter (but not too sweet), American style scone…‘detoxed.'

Scones are so fun and easy to make, they are aesthetically beautiful and for a simple scone, you only need basic ingredients you probably already have in your panty. The almond extract and chewy dried cherries give the perfect burst of flavor to these lightly sweetened, crumbly scones. Don’t skip the almond glaze, it adds an extra layer of almond flavor and enhances the curb appeal!

This healthy recipe for vegan cherry almond scones whips up in about 15 minutes. They store well, travel well and make a lovely guilt free breakfast or late morning snack. I pair one of these healthy scones with a glass of plant milk blended with protein powder to get about 30 grams of total protein in my meal. This creates a perfectly balanced macronutrient breakfast that will keep you feeling full and satisfied for hours.

Cherries bring a lovely burst of color and flavor to baked goods.  I love adding them to desserts because they are relatively low in calories, full of fiber and loaded with vitamins C, A, and K. Try to find unsweetened dried cherries to eliminate any extra sugar or skip them all together if you avoid fruit.

The Detox Desserts Flour Swap promotes healthy digestion and makes it easy to turn these scones gluten-free. The psyllium husk contained in the Flour Swap and inulin contained in the Egg and Sugar Swaps both feed and increase the number of healthy gut bacteria. Plenty of good flora in your intestines can promote a strong immune system along with added digestive benefits that accompany a hefty dose of fiber. Whole psyllium husk also binds waste and toxins in the intestines and helps clear them from the body. This easy recipe for keto scones is not only free from all the unhealthy ingredients found in traditional desserts but it’s actually gently detoxifying to the body…double win!

The plant soluble fiber from the psyllium husk and the digestive resistant fiber in the inulin work together to slow down digestion of this healthy scone. The slowed digestion helps provide more blood sugar stability throughout your day which can keep you feeling full and satisfied. This also keeps energy levels consistent without the normal sugar crashes one would experience with a traditional, carb-loaded scone.

I’ve tested this sugar free cherry almond scone recipe with Whole-Grain and Grain-Free Flour Swap countless times. The Whole-Grain Swap scones will have a few extra slowly digesting healthy carbs, a more hearty & earthy flavor, and bake perfectly. The Grain-Free Flour will provide the lowest carb (keto/paleo) version of this scone.  It's very moist, and has a slightly sweeter, nutty flavor. I LOVE this recipe using both flours in equal parts (1 cup Whole-Grain plus 1 cup Grain-Free Flour to equal the full 2 cups of Flour Swap the recipe calls for) because it creates a flavor and texture profile that is most similar to a traditional scone. Plus, mixing the flours is a great way to create a lower carb version of a gluten-free scone and still allows for a small dose of healthy grains.

For most of my patients, I’m a big advocate for balanced macronutrient meals breakfast, lunch and dinner. Here is an easy way to know what type of Flour Swap to choose to create a balanced macro meal. We’ll use dinner as an example. If your dinner consists of just protein and veggies, I recommend eating a Whole-Grain Swap scone for dessert to serve as your healthy carb for that meal. Conversely, if you already had a healthy carb with dinner (quinoa, sweet potato, beans, etc), I would recommend the Grain-Free Swap scone for dessert so you don’t overeat carbs at that meal. Easy, right?! Balanced macro meals are the best thing you can do to keep your metabolism firing optimally, create blood sugar stability and keep you feeling full and satisfied throughout your day (or night). If you’re a diabetic or need to stay in ketosis, always bake using the Grain-Free Flour Swap. 

4. Fold-in the dried cherries and slivered almonds.

5. Transfer the dough to the parchment paper lined baking tray. Press and form the dough into a circle then use a knife to cut into 8 equal pieces. Spread the pieces apart on the baking tray and sprinkle with a little extra Sugar Swap if desired. 

6. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes then turn down the oven to 350 degrees and bake an additional 8-9 minutes more (10-12 minutes more for Grain-Free) until the tops and edges are golden brown. Watch your Grain-Free scones closely, if they start browning early, turn down the oven to 350 degrees before 10 minutes!

7. Remove from the oven and cool on a rack completely before glazing your scones.

8. Mix the glaze ingredients until a smooth consistency is reached. Add liquid small amounts at a time to get the perfect thick but slightly drippy consistency. Drizzle each scone with glaze and leave your scones out for a couple hours to allow the glaze to harden.

9. Store covered in the fridge for up to 7 days or wrap tightly and freeze for long-term storage.

For best taste, texture and health benefits, refrigerate all Detox Desserts overnight before indulging.