Embrace orange season with these Grain Free Ginger Orange Scones. Gluten free and dairy free, this healthy paleo scone recipe is made with fresh orange zest and orange juice. They are perfect for brunch or dessert.
Growing up, my grandparents spent their winters in Florida (how classic) and they would send us a box of fresh oranges every year. They were so sweet and luscious with so much orange flavor. My mom and I would always get creative with how to use them. So, of course I had to come up with some fun recipes this winter using oranges!
These delicious gluten-free scones are perfect to make in the winter months of November-March when Navel oranges are in season. Fresh orange juice from in season oranges really amps up the bright citrus flavor in these scones. They are softer than traditional scones, providing a more tender bite.
Want more orange recipes? Try my Orange Creamsicle Ice Cream Recipe made in the Ninja Creami. It's fully vegan too!
Why These Ginger Orange Scones Are Different
- Allergy friendly: these homemade orange scones are gluten free, dairy free, nut free, corn free, and grain free. Since candied ginger contains refined sugar, these scones aren't strictly paleo unless you make your own compliant crystallized ginger.
- Healthy: fresh orange juice adds a vitamin C boost for your immune system, while ginger helps inflammation. We can count these scones as immune boosting, right?!
- Lower sugar: made mostly without refined sugar, this easy orange scone recipe contains less sugar than bakery style scones while still being soft and delicious.
Grain Free Ginger Orange Scone Ingredients
- Cassava flour: provides structure similar to an all purpose flour.
- Tigernut flour or almond flour: using a mix of flours helps achieve the best texture in paleo baking. Tigernut flour is a nut free alternative to almond flour, but almond flour works fine if you tolerate nuts.
- Coconut flour: this mix of flours helps achieve the drier texture of traditional scones without gluten or grains.
- Coconut sugar: an unrefined sugar perfect for grain free baking. Besides the candied ginger, this recipe is fully refined sugar free!
- Coconut oil or (dairy free) butter: either coconut oil, butter, or dairy free butter will work in this recipe.
- Egg: 1 large egg helps hold these scones together.
- Yogurt: coconut based yogurt works best to keep this recipe dairy free. Any yogurt will work, but a variety that is higher fat is best.
- Orange zest and orange juice: orange zest and juice is used in this recipe for the best orange flavor in both the dough and glaze. I love using fresh squeezed orange juice from the same orange you'll zest.
- Candied ginger: candied ginger adds some sweetness and kick to these gluten free scones, taking the fresh orange flavor up a notch. The slight crunch adds a lovely texture to the soft scones.
- Powdered sugar: used in the sweet orange glaze. You can even make your own refined sugar free version.
- Baking powder, baking soda, salt, vanilla extract, ground ginger
How to Make Gluten Free Ginger Orange Scones
- Line a baking tray with parchment paper and set aside.
- Whisk together dry ingredients in a large bowl and place in the fridge.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg, vanilla extract, yogurt/coconut cream, fresh orange zest and juice and set aside.
- Use a pastry blender or fork to cut in the cold butter or oil to the flour mixture until you have a sand like texture (the oil/butter should be mostly broken down, but not melted).
- Add the remaining wet ingredients and use a fork to combine the dough until it holds together. Add an extra tablespoon of yogurt as needed to bring dough together into a soft dough.
- Fold in the candied ginger then use your hands or a rolling pin to form dough into a disk on the parchment-lined baking sheet. The disk should be about 8-9 inches in diameter and about 1 inch thick. Place the scone dough in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350F. Optional: brush scones with an egg wash before baking.
- Slice the dough into 8 scones and separate them on the prepared baking sheet. They will expand during baking.
- Bake scones for ~30 minutes in preheated oven until golden. Let cool for 10 minutes on the baking sheet then transfer scones to a wire rack to finish cooling.
- Once scones have cooled, make the icing.
- Mix together the yogurt and orange juice in a small bowl, then add in the powdered sugar and ginger. Mix until combined.
- Drizzle icing on top of the scones. Add a little extra orange zest on top and more candied ginger, if desired.
Substitutions and Variations
- Flours: You can make these scones gluten free vs. grain free by using 1 ¾ cup of 1:1 gluten-free flour blend with xanthan gum instead of the the cassava, tigernut, and coconut flour.
- Orange: I've used Navel oranges in this recipe, but blood oranges would add a unique and strong flavor. If you aren't an orange fan, you could lean towards the lemon flavor by using lemon zest and switching out half of the orange juice for lemon juice.
- Variations: you could add dried cranberries to take these scones to another level. Hello ginger cranberry orange scones! Or try adding some chocolate chips instead. Alternatively, drizzle melted chocolate on top of the ginger scones instead of the orange glaze. have an issue is with bringing the dough together. If it is too crumbly for any reason, just add an extra tablespoon of yogurt, as needed, until the dough holds together.
How to Serve These Ginger Orange Scones
- As part of a brunch spread or with your morning coffee.
- Alongside afternoon tea.
- For dessert with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
How to Store These Gluten Free Orange Scones
Keep these orange ginger scones stored in an airtight container in the fridge so that the icing doesn't melt and run off the scones. They will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days. Or you can keep them at room temperature and ice when ready to eat.
You can also freeze these gluten free scones for up to 3 months. I suggest freezing them without the icing and just whipping up a quick batch when ready to eat. Thaw the scones in the fridge or warm them in the oven slowly at no higher than 300F.
FAQ
Scones are naturally on the drier side, but if they are too dry and not holding together, you added too much flour or didn't add enough liquid. Be sure to measure flour by scooping into the measuring cup and leveling off so you don't pack in too much and throw off the flour ratios. If you measured correctly, next time add an extra tablespoon or two of yogurt. The dough should hold together when shaping it, not be falling apart.
These scones won't rise as much as traditional scones, it's just the nature of this particular recipe. They should spread some, though. If they didn't or ended up rock hard, you likely measured the baking powder and baking soda wrong. Don't forget those two key ingredients!
You could *technically* get away with it, but I don't advise it. They scones will spread and flatten more. Keeping the dough cold prevents the scones from coming out tough.
I have not tested a vegan version of these ginger orange scones. I'm unsure how an egg substitute would work or if you could just use more yogurt instead. If you try it, let me know how it went in the comments below!
More Great Scone Recipes
Gluten Free Raspberry and Cream Scones fluffy gluten free scones that are a great recipe for high tea.
Gluten Free Cinnamon Crumble Scones my favorite gluten-free scone recipe.
AIP Sweet Potato Scones for those on a strict autoimmune paleo elimination protocol who still want a fun treat.
Gluten Free Orange Scones with Candied Ginger
Ingredients
Scones
- ¾ cup cassava flour
- ¾ cup tigernut flour or almond flour
- ¼ cup coconut flour
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup coconut sugar
- 6 tablespoon cold coconut oil or (dairy) butter
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup (dairy free) yogurt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 2 tablespoon orange juice
- ¼ cup diced candied ginger
Icing
- 1 tablespoon (dairy free) yogurt
- 1 tablespoon orange juice
- ½-1 cup powered sugar sifted
- pinch of ground ginger
- extra orange zest
Instructions
Scones
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt for the scones and place in the fridge.
- Whisk together the egg, vanilla extract, yogurt/coconut cream, orange juice and zest and set aside.
- Cut coconut oil or butter into cubes and add it to the flour mixture. Use a pastry cutter or fork to cut in the oil/butter until you have a sand like texture (the oil/butter should be mostly broken down, but not melted).
- Add the remaining wet ingredients and use a fork to combine the dough until it comes together. Add an extra tablespoon or two of yogurt as needed so dough holds together and isn't falling apart.
- Fold in the candied ginger then form the dough into a disk on a parchment lined baking sheet. The disk should be about 8-9 inches in diameter and about 1 inch thick. Place the dough in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350F.
- Slice the scone dough into 8 scones and separate them on the baking sheet. They will expand during baking. Optional: brush scones with an egg wash before baking.
- Bake for ~30 minutes until golden. Let cool for 10 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Icing
- Once scones have cooled, make the icing.
- Mix together the yogurt and orange juice, then add in the powdered sugar and ginger. Start with ½ cup of powdered sugar and add until you reach your desired consistency. If you want a thicker icing, keep adding sugar. Mix until combined.
- Don't ice the scones until they are completely cooled! When ready, ice and add a little extra orange zest on top and more candied ginger, if desired.
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