These homemade gluten free buckwheat scones are deeply flavorful, tender, and flaky. Honey mellows the earthy buckwheat notes while chopped kumquats add bright citrus bursts. They’re perfect for breakfast, brunch, or tea and can be made in under an hour.
❤️ Sandi’s Recipe Summary
The Quick Bite: These gluten free buckwheat scones bake up with crisp edges and tender, flaky layers. Buckwheat gives a nutty whole-grain depth while honey softens the flavor and chopped kumquats add lively citrus notes. This easy recipe is ideal for morning or afternoon treats.
- Time: 45 minutes
- Makes: 8 scones
- Main Ingredients: Gluten free flour blend, buckwheat flour, honey, kumquats, butter, eggs, and milk.
- Tools: Mixing bowls, whisk, pastry blender (or grater), silicone mat or parchment, and a cookie sheet.
- Free From: Gluten, soy, nuts, and oats. Dairy-free option available.
- Top Tip: Keep the dough cold so butter pockets steam during baking, producing tall, flaky layers.
Scones are a favorite because of their flaky layers and how well they pair with coffee or tea. Fresh kumquats add a sweet-tart brightness that complements buckwheat’s earthy flavor. If you prefer, top the scones with a kumquat butter or the brown-butter orange icing described below.
Kumquats are small, oval citrus fruits eaten whole, rind and all. They have a unique sweet-and-tart profile that works well in baked goods; remove seeds while chopping for the best texture.
Buckwheat flour is naturally gluten-free and brings a rich, nutty depth to these scones. If you want to experiment, other gluten-free recipes for scones are available, but note that different flour blends may require slight adjustments to liquid or flour amounts.
Ingredient Notes:
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts.
- Gluten Free Flour Blend – A measure-for-measure blend works well. If your blend behaves differently, add small amounts of flour or milk to achieve the right dough consistency.
- Buckwheat Flour – Buckwheat is gluten-free and adds an earthy, nutty taste that pairs nicely with citrus.
- Binder – If your flour blend lacks a binder, add xanthan gum (about 3/4 teaspoon) to help the scones hold together.
- Baking Powder – Use aluminum-free baking powder to avoid any metallic aftertaste.
- Kumquats – If kumquats aren’t available, chopped mandarin segments (without peel) are an acceptable substitute.
- Honey – Honey provides natural sweetness; add a tablespoon or two of brown sugar if you prefer a sweeter scone.
- Eggs – Use large eggs.
- Butter – Unsalted butter is recommended so you can control salt in the dough.
- Milk or Non-Dairy Milk – Any regular or non-dairy milk works; avoid canned coconut milk because it’s too thick.
How to Make Gluten Free Buckwheat Scones (Step-By-Step)
Step 1: Rinse the kumquats and remove any stems.
Step 2: Chop kumquats into small pieces and remove seeds.
Step 3: Whisk together eggs, honey, vanilla, chopped kumquats, and milk in a small bowl.
Step 4: In a large bowl, whisk buckwheat flour, gluten-free flour blend, baking powder, salt, and ground cinnamon.
Step 5: Cut cold butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Those butter bits create steam pockets for flaky layers. If you don’t have a pastry blender, freeze the butter and grate it into the flour, then toss with a bit of flour to prevent clumping.
Step 6: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix gently until a workable dough forms.
Step 7: The dough should be easy to shape and not overly sticky. If it’s too wet, add flour a tablespoon at a time; if too dry, add milk a tablespoon at a time. If the butter softens, chill the dough 15–20 minutes.
Step 8: Shape the dough into a 2-inch-thick disc on parchment. Either bake the whole disc with shallow cuts to separate wedges after baking, or cut all the way through and bake individual wedges on a lined baking sheet.
Step 9: Bake at 350ºF for 25–30 minutes, depending on whether scones are baked as a whole disc or individual pieces. They’re done when slightly golden and firm to the touch.
Brown Butter Icing:
- Heat 3 tablespoons of butter over medium-low heat, stirring frequently.
- Cook until the butter browns and develops a nutty aroma, then reduce to a gentle simmer until fully browned.
- Whisk in orange juice and zest, let cool slightly, then mix with powdered sugar to desired consistency.
- Spread over warm scones for a glossy, citrusy finish.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Yes. Use plant-based butter and non-dairy milk to make the recipe dairy-free.
Store scones in an airtight container. Because gluten-free baked goods can spoil faster, freeze leftover scones in a freezer-safe bag and reheat briefly in the microwave when needed.
More Gluten-Free Scone Recipes:
If you enjoy these scones, try other gluten-free scone variations such as:
- Gluten Free Buttermilk Scones
- Gluten Free Strawberries and Cream Scones
- Gluten Free Cheese Scones
- Gluten Free Pumpkin Spice Scones
Love This Recipe?
Leave a comment and let me know how the scones turned out, and which flour blend you used — it helps others achieve the best results. Thank you!
Gluten Free Buckwheat Scones with Honey and Kumquats
Ingredients
- 1 cup buckwheat flour
- 1 cup gluten free flour blend
- 2 teaspoons aluminum-free baking powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ⅔ cup non-dairy or regular milk
- ½ cup kumquats, chopped
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons orange juice
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
Equipment
- Pastry blender (or large cheese grater if grating frozen butter)
- Mixing bowls
- Whisk
- Silicone mat or parchment paper
- Cookie sheet
Method
- Preheat oven to 350ºF and position a rack in the middle.
- Rinse 1/2 cup kumquats and remove stems, then chop and remove seeds.
- Whisk 2 large eggs, 1/4 cup honey, 1 teaspoon vanilla, chopped kumquats, and 2/3 cup milk in a small bowl.
- In a large bowl, whisk together 1 cup buckwheat flour, 1 cup gluten-free flour blend, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon.
- Cut 6 tablespoons cold butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture is crumbly.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until a workable dough forms.
- Adjust consistency: add flour a tablespoon at a time if too wet, or milk a tablespoon at a time if too dry. Chill 15–20 minutes if butter softens.
- Shape dough into a 2-inch disc on parchment. Either bake as a disc with partial cut lines or cut into wedges and bake individually.
- Bake at 350ºF for 25–30 minutes until slightly golden and firm to the touch.
- Brown 3 tablespoons butter over medium-low heat, stirring frequently until nutty and browned.
- Whisk in 3 tablespoons orange juice and 1 teaspoon zest, let cool slightly, then combine with 1 cup powdered sugar.
- Spread icing over warm scones.
Notes
- Measure-for-measure gluten-free blends work well; different blends may need slight adjustments to liquid or flour.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container and freeze uneaten scones to extend freshness.
- To make dairy-free, swap in plant-based butter and a non-dairy milk.
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it turned out!