Gluten Free Sunbutter & Banana Scones Recipe
Updated Apr 02, 2020, Published Mar 13, 2012
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I can’t think of a better way to start off a lovely Sunday than with gluten free scones. Scones just make even a normal day seem a little special. Perhaps the only thing better than a gluten free recipe for scones would be scones that are also dairy free, nut free and vegan. Oh, and … super tasty, too!
The inspiration for these particular scones came from a lonely over-ripe banana. I just have a thing about not throwing away bananas. When they start getting too ripe to eat I usually stick them in my freezer to hang out until I get enough to make a loaf of banana nut bread or some muffins. But lately my hubby has been giving me grief about my, shall we call them, idiosyncrasies? To listen to him you would think I am a crazy jar/bottle/frozen banana hoarder-lady. So instead of risking a surprise visit from Peter Walsh I decided to just use the banana up. One lonely banana is not enough for bread or muffins and I wasn’t in a smoothie kind of mood, so scones it was!
To stretch out the banana, I combined it with some Sunbutter (a fabulous nut-free peanut butter substitute) and whipped them up into some pretty healthy scones made with brown rice flour and some ground flax meal for added fiber.
Personally I think that banana was a lot happier being baked into these scones than it would have been hanging out in the freezer. And I didn’t have to hear (for the three thousandth time) about black bananas in the freezer! And we all got to indulge in some freshly baked gluten free treats. That is what I call a win-win-win situation!
Gluten Free Sunbutter & Banana Scones Recipe
Ingredients
Scones
- 2 cups brown rice flour
- 1 cup potato starch
- 3 tablespoons ground flax meal
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher or fine sea salt
- 5 tablespoons cold Earth Balance, (non-dairy butter)
- 1 ripe banana, , mashed
- ¼ cup Sunbutter, (nut free peanut butter alternative)
- 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- ¼ cup sugar
Glaze
- 2 tablespoons Sunbutter
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 – 3 tablespoons coconut milk
- ½ cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the brown rice flour, potato starch, flax, baking powder and salt. Work the Earth Balance into the mixture with your fingers until it resembles coarse crumbs with some larger pieces in it.
- In another mixing bowl, whisk together the banana, Sunbutter, 1 cup coconut milk, 1 tablespoon vanilla, lemon juice and sugar. Add to the flour mixture and fold together with a spatula.
- Using an ice cream scoop or large spoon, drop 6 mounds of the batter onto each of the prepared pans. Brush the tops of the scones with some coconut milk. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown.
- Let the scones cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes. Place a piece of waxed or parchment paper on a work surface then place a cooling rack on top. Let the scones finish cooling on the cooling rack. While they are cooling, prepare the glaze.
Glaze
- In a small mixing bowl whisk together the 2 tablespoons of Sunbutter, 2 teaspoons of vanilla and 2 tablespoons of coconut milk. If the Sunbutter does not blend easily, microwave for 10 – 15 seconds. Add the powdered sugar and whisk stir together with a fork until smooth. If the glaze is too thick, add some more coconut milk, a few drops at a time. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled scones.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Can you recommend a substitute for the coconut milk? I can’t have dairy, but I really dislike coconut. Would almond or soy milk work? Cheers
Sure, any kind of dairy free milk will work!
How beautiful are these?! I love them. I have to try them too!!
Thanks Bella, enjoy!
Hello, there, I just found this recipe and would love to try, the scones look delicious. A question, however. I try to avoid rice flour and do not stock it at home. I am trying to be more on the paleo side of the life style, although I cannot claim that I am fully there. So, what can i substitute the rice flour with? I have arrarot (tapioca), arrowroot, coconut, amarranth, almond, and water chestnut flours readily available in my kitchen. Any insights? Thanks in advance!!!
Hi Ellina,
Good question, and honestly, I’m not 100% sure on the answer. But, I do suggest that you try substituting the rice flour with almond flour and the potato starch with tapioca starch or arrowroot starch. Give it a try and let me know how it goes.
xo,
Carol