These gluten-free sweet potato scones are warm, fluffy, and full of cozy fall flavor. With just a touch of maple and a soft, tender crumb, they’re perfect for breakfast, snack time, or served with soups and stews. You can keep them lightly sweet or turn them savory with cheese and herbs—this recipe works both ways!
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❤️ Sandi’s Summary
1. Flexible sweet or savory option—choose your favorite flavor add-ins.
2. Make-ahead and freezer-friendly!
3. These gluten-free sweet potato scones have cozy fall flavors and are delicious with soup, stew, and chili.
4. Can be shaped as drop scones, rounds, wedges, or minis.
5. Easy to make dairy-free or gum-free.
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Why This Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Scones Recipe Works
- Sweet potato adds moisture and natural sweetness.
- Cold butter creates flaky, bakery-style layers.
- The dough is easy to shape and can be made ahead.
- Tested with two major gluten-free flour blends for consistent results.
I have so many delicious scone recipe favorites like these Gluten-Free Coconut Date & Pecan Scones and these Gluten-Free Strawberries and Cream Scones. If you are new to making scones, check out my Gluten-Free Scones Guide. It is full of scone recipes, baking tips, troubleshooting, and more!
Allergen Information:
This sweet or savory sweet potato scones recipe is:
- gluten-free
- soy-free
- oat-free
- nut-free
- Make these scones dairy-free by using dairy-free butter.
- Make them gum-free using my DIY All-Purpose GF Flour Blend.
Ingredient Notes:
For the full list of ingredients and amounts, please go to the recipe card below.
- Gluten-Free Flour Blend – I tested this recipe with King Arthur Measure for Measure and Bob’s Red Mill 1:1. Other blends will work, but you may need to tweak the wet and dry ingredient ratio depending on the grain-to-starch ratio. If your blend doesn’t contain xanthan gum, add one teaspoon.
- Brown Sugar – Light or dark, both work for sweetness and moisture.
- Baking Powder – Choose aluminum-free to avoid metallic notes.
- Maple Syrup – I always recommend pure maple syrup. You can read more about which brands of maple syrup are gluten-free.
- Eggs – Use large eggs.
- Butter – I used unsalted butter.
- Sweet Potato – Canned or homemade puree both work. Canned is smoother and easier.
- Milk or Non-Dairy Milk – I tested this recipe with almond milk, but any plant milk or regular milk will work.
How to roast and puree sweet potatoes for baking:
Want to use fresh sweet potato? Here’s how to get a smooth puree:
- Wash and pierce sweet potatoes with a fork to vent steam.
- Roast at 400ºF for 45–60 minutes, depending on size.
- Allow the sweet potatoes to cool.
- When they are cool, make a slit down each sweet potato lengthwise.
- Scoop out the sweet potato into a food processor. Add a tablespoon of water.
- Whip the sweet potatoes with 1-2 tablespoons of warm water until it is completely smooth.
Substitutions and Variations:
There are so many ways to vary this gluten-free scone recipe. Here are a few of my favorites:
- Swap: coconut sugar for the brown sugar to make them refined sugar-free.
- Add-ins: dark chocolate chips, pecans, chopped dates, or dried cranberries.
Savory Flavor Variation Ideas
Omit the brown sugar and maple syrup. Then mix in:
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar + 1 tsp thyme.
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan + 1 tbsp chopped chives.
- Top with flaky sea salt before baking.
Step-By-Step Photos and Directions:
Note From The Kitchen: These sweet potato scones are so versatile! I make the sweet version in the fall and the savory version to pair with soups. The dough can be shaped any way you like…round, drop-style, or even baked in a mini scone pan.
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Step 1: Preheat the oven to 375º F. Combine the wet ingredients (sweet potato, brown sugar, eggs, and maple syrup) in a small bowl and whisk to blend in all the flavors.
Step 2: Add the flour, baking powder, and salt to a large
Step 3: Add the cold butter and use a pastry blender to cut the butter into the flour. If you don’t have a pastry blender, you can freeze the butter and grate it with a large cheese grater into the flour. It will have a coarse crumb texture when you are finished.
I like to cut in the butter with a pastry blender when making scones. I chop a stick of butter into big chunks with a butter knife. This helps me press through the butter more easily with the pastry blender.
Step 4: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix into a semi-thick dough. If you look at the photo above, you can see the tiny bits of cold butter in the dough. That will help make those yummy flaky layers!
Texture Check: The dough should hold together when pressed but still feel slightly crumbly. The baked scones will have golden edges and a soft, cheesy center.
Step 5: Dust your silicone mat with flour and place the scone dough onto the mat. Use your hands to quickly shape the dough into a 2-inch-thick disc. Use a biscuit cutter to cut out scones. Do NOT twist the biscuit cutter. This would seal the edges and inhibit the rise.
👀 Sandi Says: If your dough is sticky, the butter bits are melting. Wrap the dough in plastic and chill for 30 minutes. Cold butter = flaky layers.
How to Shape Scones
You can shape these scones in several different ways.
- Use a large cookie scoop to make them drop-style.
- Shape the dough into a disc and make cut lines to give the scones wedge shapes.
- Use a scone pan for mini scones.
- I used a biscuit cutter to make round scones.
Step 6: Line a baking pan with parchment paper and place the scones 2 inches apart. Bake for 20-22 minutes. The actual baking time will vary depending on the shape you make your scones and how thick they are.
Add a topping! Try sprinkling the dough with a mixture of cinnamon sugar before baking or mix 1/2 cup of powdered sugar with 1-2 teaspoons of maple syrup.
Troubleshooting Tips
- Flat scones? Check that the baking powder is fresh and the dough is cold.
- Dough too wet? Add 1–2 tablespoons of flour.
- Dough too dry? Mix in 1 tablespoon milk.
- Spreading too much? Chill before baking and make sure your dough isn’t too wet..
Storage, Make Ahead, and Freezer Tips:
- To store: Keep in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- To freeze: Cool scones completely, wrap individually, and freeze in a zipper bag.
- To reheat: Warm in a microwave for 30 seconds or the oven at 300ºF for 5–8 minutes.
- To freeze unbaked dough: Shape and freeze raw scones. Bake from frozen, adding 2–3 minutes to bake time.
Frequently Asked Questions:
For this scone recipe, I used canned sweet potatoes. I chose canned because they are pureed to a very smooth consistency, which is better in this sweet potato recipe. Here are some simple directions for using fresh roasted sweet potatoes. If you choose to use freshly roasted sweet potatoes, add a little water when you puree them. Canned sweet potato is not very thick in comparison, and if you don’t thin your sweet potato puree, it will make these sweet potatoes really dense.
Roll out the dough between two pieces of wax paper until it is about 2 inches thick. If you make the scone dough too thin, it will bake even flatter.
It is important to cut the scone dough before you bake it. These cuts will need to be re-cut after baking, but it helps keep the lines of the scones in place.
More Gluten-Free Scone Recipes:
Love This Recipe?
💬 Did you make this recipe? Drop a comment below, and let me know how it turned out! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Please include which flour blend you used. This will help others know this recipe is delicious. Thank you!
Cozy Gluten Free Sweet Potato Scones
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat the oven to 375º F.
- In a large mixing bowl, add 2 3/4 cups gluten free flour blend, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Use a wire whisk to blend.
- Use a knife to make chunks out of the cold 6 tablespoons unsalted butter and dump into the flour blend.
- Use a pastry blender to cut the butter into the flour. When you are done, it will look like there are big crumbs in the flour. If you don't have a pastry blender, freeze the butter and use a grater to shred the butter into the dry ingredients.
- In a small mixing bowl, add 2 tablespoons maple syrup, 2 large eggs, 2/3 cup pureed sweet potato, and 1/3 cup non-dairy milk. Whisk to blend.
- Pour wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix well into a shaggy, workable dough. If your dough is sticky wrap it in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
- Tear off a large piece of parchment paper and place it over a baking sheet.
- Dust a silicone mat with extra flour and place the scone dough on it. Press the scone dough to 2 inches thick. Use a biscuit cutter to cut out scones from the dough. Do not twist the biscuit cutter, or it will seal the edges, inhibiting the rise.
- Place each scone on the parchment paper.
- Bake for 20-22 minutes until done. The baking time will vary depending on the size and thickness of the scones.
- Remove the scones from the oven. Let the scones cool on a cooling rack.
Nutrition
Notes
- I have tested this recipe with King Arthur Measure for Measure GF and Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 GF blend. Others will work, but you may need to make adjustments. My rule of thumb is if your batter or dough is too runny, add more flour, and if it is too thick, add more liquids.
- If your gluten free flour blend doesn’t contain Xanthan Gum or Guar Gum, please add 3/4 teaspoon.
- To make this recipe dairy-free, substitute cold vegan butter.
- You can make sweet potato puree or use canned. I prefer canned because it is super smooth and not lumpy. If you roast your own sweet potatoes, add water to make them smoother.
- You can use any non-dairy milk, but I do not recommend canned coconut milk.
- These scones will keep fresh for up to 3 days in an airtight container, or for up to 4 months in the freezer.
Nutritional Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
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This recipe has been updated from my 2/2016 original post to give more details and instructions for making this scone recipe.
I would like to try these scones. How much butter is used? It looks like the unit of measurement is missing? Thanks!
Hi Sylvia, you will need 1/2 cup butter, which is one stick.
Hi – I’m a bit confused. The recipe says six tablespoons of butter, but in the above comment, I see you mention 1/2 cup, which would be eight tablespoons. I’m excited to try, but don’t want a flop, lol. Many thanks.
Hi Mary, I have used both quantities, but prefer the 6 TBSP. I don’t see where you see it say 1/2 cup? Are you talking about one of the flavor variations?