Fragrant Vanilla Cake

Tag: scones

  • Vegan Strawberry Lemon Scones

    Vegan Strawberry Lemon Scones

     

    I used to work at a natural foods store that made all of their baked goods from scratch.  They made the best scones, that were very popular with the customers, and we would always make different flavors.  I learned how to make them from a lady that worked there before me, and then came up with a veganized version to sell there as well.  Sadly the store is no longer open, but I still love to make my own veganized version of the scones at home!  The other day I was thinking that some Vegan Strawberry Lemon Scones sounded amazing so I made a batch! 

    Scones are actually quite simple to make, and they will turn out well as long as you are careful how you mix up the dough.  You always want to start with the dry ingredients, mix them together well, then mix in the fat with your hands, leaving good sized chunks of it to create flakey pockets in your scones.  I use coconut oil in these because it is what we used to use there, since it was cost effective, but you could use vegan butter instead if you are not a fan of coconut oil.  After your dough is clumpy with the fat added, you mix in the full fat coconut milk until just barely mixed but still pretty clumpy.  You want the coconut milk to be chilled, because it is important the dough doesn’t get too warm or things will mix too much.  You do not want a smooth dough for these or they will be very dense which is not the goal here.  I also added in vanilla and lemon with the coconut milk in these.

    Next, you want to just fold in the strawberries so that they are evenly distributed before you shape them.  You want to pat the dough into a round, not handling it too much, then cut it into wedges and place them on a parchment lined tray.  I then drizzle them with a little more coconut milk and sprinkle them with a bit of sugar to create a nice crunchy outside.  These smell amazing while baking!  So heavenly!

    These scones are super delicious!  These are rich and delicious, melt in your mouth with sweet jammy berries baked into them throughout, scented with aromatic lemon and vanilla!  They are perfect with a cup of coffee or tea for a mid morning snack!  If you are in the mood for a delicious fresh baked scone that is way better than the ones you will find in most coffee shops, give these Vegan Strawberry Lemon Scones a try!

     

    Vegan Strawberry Lemon Scones

    Makes 8

    Ingredients:

     

    • 3 cups organic whole wheat pastry flour* or organic all purpose flour
    • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
    • 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
    • 1/4 tsp salt
    • 3/4 cup solid virgin coconut oil, cut into chunks (if your house is above 65F degrees, chill it first)
    • 1 1/2 cups (or as needed) cold full fat organic canned coconut milk (whisked until smooth if chunky)
    • 1 Tbsp lemon juice plus 2 Tbsp lemon zest
    • 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1 tsp lemon extract
    • 2 cups strawberries, quartered (or cut into eighths if large)
    • coconut milk for topping (if needed)
    • graulated sugar for sprinkling

     

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat oven to 375F degrees with the rack set at the middle position.
    2. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
    3. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the coconut oil with a pastry blender or 2 knives until the mixture starts to clump into pea sized pieces. In a small bowl, stir the vanilla and lemon juice and zest and lemon extract into the coconut milk. Add the coconut milk to the dough, and stir a few times, but do not over-mix. The dough should hold together when squeezed, but still be clumpy.
    4. Fold in peaches until evenly distributed.
    5. Place dough on a floured work surface, and shape into a 4 inch wide log. Use a bench scraper to cut into 8 triangles.
    6. Place scones on the prepared baking sheet, reshaping slightly if necessary.
    7. Brush the tops lightly with the coconut milk (only if they seem dry, you want the sugar to stick), and sprinkle with granulated sugar.
    8. Place in the oven and bake for about 20 minutes , then after about 20 minutes you may need to reshape with 2 bench scrapers if the scones are spreading. Turn them then place back in the oven and bake 10-15 minutes more until they are lightly browned and cooked throughout.
    9. Cool on a wire rack.
    10. Enjoy!

    *If you prefer to make these gluten free, you can swap the whole wheat pastry flour for an all purpose baking flour like Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Baking flour (I have tried this brand with success).

  • Vegan Peaches and Cream Scones

    Vegan Peaches and Cream Scones

    On weekends, I like to enjoy a treat with my coffee.  Whether that be a slice of cake, a brownie, or something more brunchy like a cinnamon roll or a scone.  I do love scones with coffee!  But they have to be good scones, I am really picky.  The deli I formerly worked in made scones that our customer loved, and the lady that originally made them and taught me how to make them had a technique for making them the perfect texture!  You didn’t want to mix the dough too much just enough to make it hold together and leave it a little lumpy.  This created pockets of the fat you used (she used butter in hers, I use coconut oil), and flakey scones that were tender on the inside and just the right amount of crunch on the outside (but not dry like some scones).  I used her technique to create my own vegan scone recipe which I think is pretty darn good.  I used to sell a lot of mine at the deli!  But I still like to make them at home. So this past weekend, I made some Vegan Peaches and Cream Scones!

    I had a bunch of ripe peaches on hand and I like to make goodies with them besides just eat them.  I was missing the work scones, since I do not make them at my new job so I whipped some up just in time for my weekend!  I used whole wheat pastry flour for the base of these which differs from the work ones, since they used all purpose flour.  But if you wanted them to be more bakery style by all means use the all purpose, or if you want them to be gluten free, I can recommend Bob’s Red Mill gluten free all purpose baking flour as a good substitute (1:1).  I have used it before with good results.  The scones are pretty simple ingredient wise, just the flour, baking powder a touch of salt, and sugar for dry ingredients. You can use either white sugar, maple sugar, brown sugar or even coconut sugar (the latter though is probably my least favorite because it doesn’t blend in as well).  Maple and brown are my favorite!

    Then you mix in the coconut milk and vanilla and fold in the peaches. Like I mentioned earlier, the secret to these is all in the mixing. You do not want to over mix these like a cake batter or something, you want to mix the dry ingredients, leave pockets of coconut oil (like pea sized pockets or slightly larger), then just mix until combined and lumpy when you add the wet ingredients and peaches.  Don’t worry if it looks weird, it will all melt together beautifully in the oven while baking!  They smell so heavenly as they bake too!

    You might need to reshape with two bench scrapers, to keep the nice shape since they spread a little but they come out so nice at the end! These scones are scrumptious!  Flakey and tender on the inside with jammy peaches, scented with vanilla and a crispy sugar coating on the outside thanks to the turbinado I sprinkle on them before baking!  They are perfect with mid morning coffee or tea!  It is 100% worth it to make your own scones versus just buying most of the store bought ones. I can honestly say the ones at the deli I used to work at, the ones I sold are hands down the best I have had compared to the dry dense ones you buy at other places!  If you want to enjoy some delicious scones, give these Vegan Peaches and Cream Scones a try!

    Vegan Peaches and Cream Scones

    Makes 8

    Ingredients:

     

    • 3 cups organic whole wheat pastry flour* or organic all purpose flour
    • 3/4 cup maple sugar or brown sugar
    • 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
    • 1/4 tsp salt
    • 3/4 cup solid virgin coconut oil, cut into chunks (if your house is above 65F degrees, chill it first)
    • 1 1/2 cups (or as needed) cold full fat organic canned coconut milk (whisked until smooth if chunky)
    • 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
    • 2 cups sliced ripe peaches
    • coconut milk for topping (if needed)
    • turbinado sugar for sprinkling

     

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat oven to 375F degrees with the rack set at the middle position.
    2. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
    3. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the coconut oil with a pastry blender or 2 knives until the mixture starts to clump into pea sized pieces. In a small bowl, stir the vanilla into the coconut milk. Add the coconut milk to the dough, and stir a few times, but do not over-mix. The dough should hold together when squeezed, but still be clumpy.
    4. Fold in peaches until evenly distributed.
    5. Place dough on a floured work surface, and shape into a 4 inch wide log. Use a bench scraper to cut into 8 triangles.
    6. Place scones on the prepared baking sheet, reshaping slightly if necessary.
    7. Brush the tops lightly with the coconut milk (only if they seem dry, you want the sugar to stick), and sprinkle with coconut sugar.
    8. Place in the oven and bake for about 15 minutes , then after about 15 minutes you may need to reshape with 2 bench scrapers if the scones are spreading. Turn them then place back in the oven and bake 15 minutes more until they are lightly browned and cooked throughout.
    9. Cool on a wire rack.
    10. Enjoy!

    *If you prefer to make these gluten free, you can swap the whole wheat pastry flour for an all purpose baking flour like Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Baking flour (I have tried this brand with success).

  • Vegan Strawberry Rhubarb Scones

    Vegan Strawberry Rhubarb Scones

        

    Strawberries and rhubarb are one of my all time favorite combinations!  I think it all started when I was little.  My Grandma used to grow a row of giant rhubarb plants behind her garage, and she would use them to make this really delicious strawberry rhubarb sauce which she would give to us in large jars.  It was so good I would eat it by the large bowl full just by itself.  I remember my Grandma telling me not to eat so much at a time or I would get a tummy ache, but I never did.  It was wayyy better than applesauce!  It had the perfect balance of tart and sweet.  So good over ice cream also for a sundae!  I still like to make strawberry rhubarb desserts now as an adult.  Last weekend I decided to make some Vegan Strawberry Rhubarb Scones!  This is something I have been baking a lot at work lately because we have a giant box of rhubarb, and the customers seem to love them so I wanted some for myself at home! 

    I have actually never made strawberry rhubarb scones at home so this seemed like the perfect opportunity.  I have only made strawberry and knew I loved those.  I made a couple of changes though from the ones I make at work, such as using whole wheat pastry flour instead of the ap flour we use there so they are a little darker in color.  If you wanted to make these gluten free, you could use Bob’s Red Mill all purpose baking flour swapped 1:1 for the flour I have used.  I have used it before and it comes out successfully.  Also, I used maple sugar instead of granulated sugar because that is what I prefer to use at home, but you can also use either brown sugar, white sugar or even coconut sugar if you prefer those and they will still be delicious!

    Other than that, the ratios of oil and coconut milk I used are similar  and work well so I did not change them.  No these are not a low fat scone, I developed them to make them the best texture and flavor and we could all use a nice treat once in a while lol!  I love scones even more than muffins because they are a little less sweet, but they have that crunchiness on the outside and tenderness in the middle.  For these, just mixing the dough until combined and leaving lumps of coconut oil is best for the lovely texture. You do not want to over-mix, you want to handle these just enough to create the tender texture kind of like you would treat a biscuit dough.   I have made them so many times I know how it should feel, and if it is your first time you may be tempted to mix it until smooth but don’t do it!

    These smelled so lovely while baking!  I could not wait to try one! They are definitely something that should be enjoyed still slightly warm from the oven because it brings out the flavor!  They are just sweet enough with a tender texture, and pockets of jammy sweet berries and tart rhubarb throughout, with a crisp sweet coating on the outside!  If you are looking for a treat for brunch or just because, definitely give these Vegan Strawberry Rhubarb Scones a try!

    Vegan Strawberry Rhubarb Scones

    Makes 8

    Ingredients:

    • 3 cups organic whole wheat pastry flour* or organic all purpose flour
    • 3/4 cup maple sugar or brown sugar
    • 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
    • 1/4 tsp salt
    • 3/4 cup solid virgin coconut oil, cut into chunks (if your house is above 65F degrees, chill it first)
    • 1 1/2 cups (or as needed) cold full fat organic canned coconut milk (whisked until smooth if chunky)
    • 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1 cup fresh rhubarb sliced into 1/4 inch slices
    • 1 cup fresh or frozen strawberries, cut into quarters or sliced
    • coconut milk for topping (if needed)
    • turbinado sugar for sprinkling

     

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat oven to 375F degrees with the rack set at the middle position.
    2. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
    3. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the coconut oil with a pastry blender or 2 knives until the mixture starts to clump into pea sized pieces. In a small bowl, stir the vanilla into the coconut milk. Add the coconut milk to the dough, and stir a few times, but do not over-mix. The dough should hold together when squeezed, but still be clumpy.
    4. Fold in strawberries and rhubarb until evenly distributed.
    5. Place dough on a floured work surface, and shape into a 4 inch wide log. Use a bench scraper to cut into 8 triangles.
    6. Place scones on the prepared baking sheet, reshaping slightly if necessary.
    7. Brush the tops lightly with the coconut milk (only if they seem dry, you want the sugar to stick), and sprinkle with coconut sugar.
    8. Place in the oven and bake for about 15 minutes , then after about 15 minutes you may need to reshape with 2 bench scrapers if the scones are spreading. Turn them then place back in the oven and bake 15 minutes more until they are lightly browned and cooked throughout.
    9. Cool on a wire rack.
    10. Enjoy!

    *If you prefer to make these gluten free, you can swap the whole wheat pastry flour for an all purpose baking flour like Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Baking flour (I have tried this brand with success).

     

  • Vegan Maple Apple Scones

    Vegan Maple Apple Scones

    The deli I have worked at for over 13 years has always made scones. Everyone says that they are the best scones around, and I have to agree, because before I went vegan 7 years ago had tried them. They were tender and flakey, just the right amount of sweetness, and not dry and heavy at all. I learned how to make them from the baker, then came up with my own veganized recipe at home years later. They tasted just as good.

    Recently, in the last few months, I got the go ahead to start making some vegan scones at work since we are having a higher demand for plant based products. I couldn’t have been more thrilled! It makes me happy that more people are going vegan, and wanting more products. It is kind of fun to be able to bake at work too, since I usually just make the salads and vegan hot bar entrees. You would think I would get sick of it with blogging but I like variety and it is different there than at home.

    I was making them and smelling them last week (since my work station is next to the baked goods cooling rack as well), and I said to myself, I need to make some at home later. I had a bunch of apples that I had been gifted, so apple scones it was! It honestly makes me so happy that we are into apple season (almost) and on the edge of fall, my favorite time of the year!

    These apple scones turned out super delicious! I flavored them with a bit of maple and spice and they smelled amazing as they baked and tasted even better. They are so good served while slightly warm from the oven with a cup of tea! If you have apples on hand, give these a try!

    Vegan Maple Apple Scones
    Makes 8

    Ingredients:

    • 2 1/2 cups organic whole wheat pastry flour*
    • 1/2 cup pecan meal* or almond meal
    • 1/2 cup maple sugar or coconut sugar
    • 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
    • 1/4 tsp salt
    • 1/2 cup solid virgin coconut oil, cut into chunks (if your house is above 65F degrees, chill it first)
    • 1 cup cold full fat organic canned coconut milk (whisked until smooth if chunky)
    • 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1 tsp maple extract (optional)
    • 1 1/2 cups tart sweet apples (such as honeycrisp) cut into small chunks
    • coconut milk for topping (if needed)
    • maple sugar or coconut sugar for sprinkling

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat oven to 425F degrees with the rack set at the middle position.
    2. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
    3. In a large bowl, combine the flour, pecan meal, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the coconut oil with a pastry blender or 2 knives until the mixture starts to clump into pea sized pieces. In a small bowl, stir the vanilla into the coconut milk. Add the coconut milk to the dough, and stir a few times, but do not over-mix. The dough should hold together when squeezed, but still be clumpy.
    4. Fold in apples until evenly distributed.
    5. Place dough on a floured work surface, and shape into a 4 inch wide log. Use a bench scraper to cut into 8 triangles.
    6. Place scones on the prepared baking sheet, reshaping slightly if necessary.
    7. Brush the tops lightly with the coconut milk (only if they seem dry, you want the sugar to stick), and sprinkle with coconut sugar.
    8. Place in the oven and bake for about 20 minutes or until golden brown (after about 15 minutes you may need to reshape with 2 bench scrapers if the scones are spreading, then place back in the oven).
    9. Cool on a wire rack.
    10. Enjoy!

    *If you prefer to make these gluten free, you can swap the whole wheat pastry flour for an all purpose baking flour like Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Baking flour (I have tried this brand with success).

    *For the pecan meal, blend about 3/4 cup pecans in a blender or food processor just until ground finely, but not too long or they will become butter. This should give you enough for the recipe.

  • Vegan Maple Pecan Scones

    Vegan Maple Pecan Scones

    The deli I work in makes the most delicious smelling scones.  I say delicious smelling because I have never actually tasted them since they aren’t vegan.  I don’t actually bake at work, surprising I know considering my blog.  But it keeps making desserts and baked goods enjoyable to me.  I am the one who makes all of the salads and the vegan soups, plus vegan hot food bar.  My work station is next to the cooling rack and as I am chopping my veggies, the heavenly aroma always makes me happy.  I mean, yes the cookies and everything else smells good too, but a couple of the scone flavors are my favorite smells.  In the Summer it is the strawberry, but in the Fall, it is the maple pecan.  Whenever my coworker makes them I always want to go home and bake some vegan ones so I can enjoy one.  Surprisingly though, I have never made them until this week.  I have been telling myself I should make some for years.  I have made other flavors but not the maple pecan.  Finally I got decided I had to.

    I actually learned the art of making scones from my coworker that makes the scones at work.  I have a pretty darn delicious vegan scone base I have developed over the years.  The trick is not to mix the dough too much, you don’t want it smooth, you want to leave clumps of coconut oil and to make sure that the milk and coconut oil are nice and cold before starting. For this specific scone dough, since I made pecan scones, I also added pecan meal to the dough.  It makes it extra rich and delicious!  I love adding nut meal to scones, and also pie crust sometimes for this reason.

    I didn’t actually use maple syrup in these, although you could brush them with it when they are done baking.  I used maple sugar because it has that same lovely maple flavor without the moisture.  The dough for these tasted amazing before they were baked, and I sampled quite a bit.  Yes I always have to test my dough for everything and give it a taste.  It is part of the fun of baking!  But they were even more amazing once they were done!  My kitchen smelled amazing, just like the scones at work.  Only this time I could eat them!  They have the most delicious tender buttery texture with crunchy nutty pecans and the scent of sweet maple. These would make the perfect addition to your weekend brunch!  Trust me, these aren’t your standard dry dense coffee shop scones, these are crave worthy deliciousness!

    Vegan Maple Pecan Scones
    Makes 8

    Ingredients:

    Scones:

    • 2 1/2 cups Bob’s Red Mill all purpose gluten free baking flour*
    • 1/2 cup pecan meal*
    • 1/2 cup maple sugar or coconut sugar
    • 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
    • 1/4 tsp salt
    • 1/2 cup solid virgin coconut oil, cut into chunks (if your house is above 65F degrees, chill it first)
    • 1 cup cold full fat organic canned coconut milk (whisked until smooth if chunky)
    • 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1 tsp maple extract (optional)
    • 1/2 cup chopped pecans
    • coconut milk for topping (if needed)
    • maple sugar or coconut sugar for sprinkling

     

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat oven to 425F degrees with the rack set at the middle position.
    2. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
    3. In a large bowl, combine the flour, pecan meal, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the coconut oil with a pastry blender or 2 knives until the mixture starts to clump into pea sized pieces. In a small bowl, stir the vanilla into the coconut milk. Add the coconut milk to the dough, and stir a few times, but do not over-mix. The dough should hold together when squeezed, but still be clumpy.
    4. Fold in pecans until evenly distributed.
    5. Place dough on a floured work surface, and shape into a 4 inch wide log. Use a bench scraper to cut into 8 triangles.
    6. Place scones on the prepared baking sheet, reshaping slightly if necessary.
    7. Brush the tops lightly with the coconut milk (only if they seem dry, you want the sugar to stick), and sprinkle with coconut sugar.
    8. Place in the oven and bake for about 20 minutes or until golden brown (after about 15 minutes you may need to reshape with 2 bench scrapers if the scones are spreading, then place back in the oven).
    9. Cool on a wire rack.
    10. Enjoy!

     

    *If you prefer to make these not gluten free, you can swap the gluten free flour for organic whole wheat pastry flour.

    *For the pecan meal, blend about 3/4 cup pecans in a blender or food processor just until ground finely, but not too long or they will become butter. This should give you enough for the recipe.

  • Vegan Banana Chocolate Chip Scones

    Vegan Banana Chocolate Chip Scones

    In the deli I work in, they make a lot of baked goods.  My work station is right next to the cooling rack, so I get to enjoy the aroma of freshly baked sweets all day long, and I admit it is certainly a mood booster.  Happy smells.  That is why I love baking so much at home too!  Yes, I know it is surprising that I don’t bake at work. I am actually the one who prepares all of the salads for our case and vegetarian and vegan soups and hot bar.  Plus, we don’t have any vegan baked goods prepared in house at the time, so I don’t eat them anyway.  I am hoping some day we do.  But in the mean time, I can still enjoy the baked goods delicious aroma at work.  Not only that, I am often times inspired to veganize them at home, and then share the recipes with you all!  One of my coworkers makes the most amazing scones. A long time ago I had tried them (before I went vegan, I have worked there 12 years), and they were the most delicious scones ever.  Perfect flaky texture, perfect amount of sweetness and super tender. And, I was lucky enough to have her teach me how to make scones, because she was making a big batch for a party and needed help.  So I learned how to properly mix the dough so that they turn out perfect.  The key is to leave clumps and not over-mix them.  I started making my own at home and they were just as delicious, and later I came up with the perfect vegan recipe.  It really wasn’t hard to veganize, swapping the butter for coconut oil, heavy cream for coconut cream, and leaving out the eggs made them even better in my opinion.

    So, the other day, she made banana chocolate chip scones, and there they sat, smelling amazing on the rack next to me.  I had to make a veganized version.  Surprisingly I have never made any banana scones before.  So it was a good time to try it!  I actually ended up making these twice, because the first attempt got over-mixed and slightly over baked.  And, I wanted them to be perfect to make sure they would be good if you all made them.  I make mistakes too sometimes, so don’t ever feel bad if you do!  Anyways, back to the scone recipe.  For the base, I used gluten free flour, coconut sugar to sweeten, and a touch of cinnamon and nutmeg.  Once I added in the coconut oil and full fat coconut milk, it was perfect!  Yes, I enjoy eating scone dough too.  Be sure to use full fat coconut milk for these by the way, you want the thick creamy part from the top of the can.  Because this is what replaces the heavy cream in classic scones.  No, these are not fat free, but hey, we all need a little fat sometimes in our diets and these are a treat.

    I mixed in the bananas and chocolate chips, and shaped them into little triangles and they looked so good even before I baked them!  They smelled amazing while baking, and I could not wait to try them.  But of course they needed to cool so I had to wait a bit.  But it was so worth the wait!  The scone was tender and flaky, with sweet bits of jammy banana and gooey rich chocolate chips (I had it warm).  I love veganizing recipes!  If you are looking for the perfect thing to bake on a lazy weekend morning, this is it!  After all, the smell of fresh baked goods in the morning will make you feel happy all day.

    Vegan Banana Chocolate Chip Scones
    Makes 8

    Ingredients:

     

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat oven to 425F degrees with the rack set at the middle position.
    2. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
    3. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the coconut oil with a pastry blender or 2 knives until the mixture starts to clump into pea sized pieces. In a small bowl, stir the vanilla into the coconut milk. Add the coconut milk to the dough, and stir a few times, but do not over-mix. The dough should hold together when squeezed, but still be clumpy.
    4. Fold in bananas and chocolate chips until evenly distributed.
    5. Place dough on a floured work surface, and shape into a 4 inch wide log. Use a bench scraper to cut into 8 triangles.
    6. Place scones on the prepared baking sheet, reshaping slightly if necessary.
    7. Brush the tops lightly with the coconut milk (only if they seem dry, you want the sugar to stick), and sprinkle with coconut sugar.
    8. Place in the oven and bake for about 20 minutes or until golden brown (after about 15 minutes you may need to reshape with 2 bench scrapers if the scones are spreading, then place back in the oven).
    9. Cool on a wire rack.

     

    *If you prefer to make these not gluten free, you can swap the gluten free flour for organic whole wheat pastry flour.

  • Vegan Blueberry Peach Anise Scones

    Vegan Blueberry Peach Anise Scones

    Have you ever been to a coffee shop or bakery, bought a scone, and it tasted dry, crumbly and just sugary without much other flavor? Well, I have.  Honestly, I thought that I did not like scones at all until I started working at my job in the deli and was taught by one of my coworkers how to properly make them.  Her scones are amazing.  They are rich, flaky, flavorful and delicious.  However they are not vegan so I no longer eat them, but I have been working there since before I became vegan so I had sampled some in the past.  The trick is not to over mix the dough or it will become tough and not delicate and buttery.  Also, it helps if your milk (or coconut milk in my case) and butter (or coconut oil in my case) are chilled so that they create pockets of deliciousness that melt only when baked.  A while back I came up with a veganized version of those work scones, and I think they are just as good and you feel better after eating them.  Mine also happen to be gluten free too, which is another win.

    I was in a scone making mood after work one day last week, and I had a ripe peach and some blueberries so I thought why not blueberry peach scones?! I decided to add in some oatmeal as well, since I love the texture, and some anise for sweetness.  It was a delicious combination, and I knew it would be good when I sampled the dough.  I always have to sample my dough for cookies, scones, and brownie and cake batters.  Not only is it delicious and part of the process that I enjoy, but it has prevented me from forgetting to add ingredients like the sugar or sweetener before. This scone dough was heavenly.

    They smelled amazing while baking as well, almost like pie because the fruit started to get a little jammy in the hot oven just as it should.   These turned out just right, not dry or too crumbly.  Just incredibly tender and delicious, the jammy sweet fruit suspended in the flaky rich fragrant dough.  If you are looking for the perfect lazy Saturday morning treat, this would be it!

    Vegan Blueberry Peach Anise Scones
    Makes 8

    Ingredients:

     

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat oven to 425 with the rack set at the middle position.
    2. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
    3. In a large bowl, combine the flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, anise and salt and whisk together.
    4. Add the coconut oil, and cut in with a pastry blender or 2 knives until the mixture starts to clump into pea sized pieces.
    5. In a small bowl, stir the vanilla into the coconut milk. Add the coconut milk to the dough, and stir a few times, but do not over-mix. The dough should hold together when squeezed, but still be clumpy. fold in fruit until evenly distributed.
    6. Place dough on a floured work surface, and shape into a 4 inch wide log. Use a bench scraper to cut into triangles. There should be about 8.
    7. Place scones on the prepared baking sheet, reshaping slightly if necessary.
    8. Brush the tops lightly with the coconut milk (only if they seem dry, you want the sugar to stick), and sprinkle with coconut sugar.
    9. Place in the oven and bake for about 20 minutes or until golden brown (after about 15 minutes you may need to reshape with 2 bench scrapers if the scones are spreading, then place back in the oven).  Remove from oven.
    10. Cool on a wire rack.
  • Vegan Black Forest Scones

    Vegan Black Forest Scones

    Black Forest Scones 3

    When I was little, I thought cherries were something that you could only get in cans. I also thought that they were naturally fire truck red, and sickeningly sweet.  Something that went on top of your Sundae’s just to top it off…but didn’t taste all that good when you actually ate them. Needless to say I was never a fan of marschino cherries, or the canned super sweetened cherries that end up in diner pies across the country (that said, if you have a diner and you make pie from real cherries you pitted yourself, you are impressive and special).  My family always used those cherries to top off cheesecake and I thought it was gross.  So, with all of this negative cherry experience and thinking they tasted off (funny how even as a child I did not like fake foods) I was not a fan of cherries.  That is until I had my first real ones when I was a bit older.  I think I was in high school, and my Mom and I bought them at the co op.  Fresh organic cherries, a world of difference from the fake canned ones or cherries in syrup.  They tasted like summer.  Sweet, a little tart and juicy. After that, every Summer I have appreciated cherries.

    Black Forest Scones 2

    I do not have a cherry pitter, so I pit them by hand when using them in desserts, but it is always worth it.  My Mom bought a bag and shared some with me last week, and I decided to make some scones with them and share them with her as a thank you.  I was going to make just cherry scones, but then she said, why not black forest?  Black forest stuff is always amazing after all.  Who doesn’t like a little chocolate with their cherries?!  So I whipped up a batch of them, which didn’t take long at all.  Which is kind of the beauty of scones.  They only take 20 minutes to bake and they are good warm so not a lot of time before you can enjoy them.  I included chocolate chips in them along with the cherries in the chocolate scone base, and they were heavenly. People say scones need eggs, cream, and butter to be good…and I say no way!  Vegan scones are where it is at.  Just as good, better for you and no animals were harmed in the process.

    Black Forest Scones 1

    You know what would be really good for next time I make these (or for when you make them since you haven’t eaten them yet), to make Black forest shortcakes with berries and coconut cream.  Just an idea for anyone who wants to make this into something a little more elaborate.  I am always thinking about dessert possibilities you know?  Well, I hope you give these a try the next time you have fresh organic cherries, and a free Saturday morning, you will be happy you did!

    Black Forest Scones

    Vegan Black Forest Scones
    Makes 8

    Ingredients:

    • 3 cups all purpose gluten free flour
    • 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
    • 1/2 cup coconut sugar
    • 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
    • 1/4 tsp salt
    • 1/2 cup virgin coconut oil, cut into chunks
    • 1 cup cold full fat organic canned coconut milk (whisked until smooth if chunky)
    • 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/4 cup coconut sugar
    • 1 cup fresh organic cherries, pitted and halved
    • 3/4 cup vegan chocolate chips
    • coconut milk for topping
    • coconut sugar for sprinkling

    Directions:

    1. Preheat oven to 425F with the rack set at the middle position. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
    2. To a large bowl, add the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the coconut oil with a pastry blender or 2 knives until the mixture starts to clump into pea sized pieces. In a small bowl, stir the vanilla into the coconut milk. Add the coconut milk, cherries, and chocolate chips to the dough, and stir a few times, but do not overmix. The dough should hold together when squeezed, but still be clumpy.
    3. Place dough on a piece of parchment, and shape into a circle 1 1/2 inches thick . Cut into 8 wedges and place on a parchment lined baking tray. Brush the tops lightly with the coconut milk (only if they seem dry, you want the sugar to stick), and sprinkle with coconut sugar. Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden brown (after about 15 minutes you may need to reshape with 2 bench scrapers if the scones are spreading, then place back in the oven). Cool on a wire rack.



  • Vegan Chocolate Hazelnut Scones

    Vegan Chocolate Hazelnut Scones

    Vegan Chocolate Hazelnut Scones 4

    I made some home made Nutella last week, and it got me wanting to make more hazelnut stuff.  It was just so good, so addictive.  Like you can’t have just one spoonful.  That is the problem with me and nut butter.  Anyways, I decided to make chocolate hazelnut scones.  I see my coworker making scones all the time at work and it makes me hungry for them.  So often times, I will make my own at home.  That way I can make whatever flavor I am craving as well, and of course know the scone is completely vegan.

    Vegan Chocolate Hazelnut Scones 2

    Anyways, back to these scones.  They were triple chocolate double hazelnut.  Because I used cacao powder in the dough as well as chocolate hazelnut butter, and chocolate chips.  They also had crunchy chopped hazelnuts.  This was such delicious dough, you have no idea.  I ALWAYS taste my dough or batter, no matter if I am making cookies, scones, or cake.  It has prevented me from forgetting to add sugar before, and not only that it is the home baker’s privilege to taste that deliciousness.

    Vegan Chocolate Hazelnut Scones 3

    I kind of left clumps of the chocolate hazelnut butter in them so it would create pockets of goodness in them once baked.  They baked up beautifully and smelled amazing when I pulled them from the oven.  They were tender and flaky as scones should be.  I would feed these to anyone skeptical that vegan baking is as good as traditional baking.  Sooo good.  These would make the perfect Saturday morning treat, baking them in your pjs and enjoying them while relaxing sounds perfect.  But of course you can make them right now too if you can’t wait.

    Vegan Chocolate Hazelnut Scones

    Vegan Chocolate Hazelnut Scones
    Makes 8

    2 3/4 cups all purpose gluten free flour
    1/4 cup raw cacao powder
    1/2 cup coconut sugar
    2 1/2 tsp baking powder
    1/4 tsp salt
    1/2 cup virgin coconut oil, cut into chunks
    1/4 cup chocolate hazelnut butter or hazelnut butter
    1 cup cold full fat organic canned coconut milk (whisked until smooth if chunky)
    1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
    1/4 cup coconut sugar
    coconut milk for topping
    coconut sugar for sprinkling
    1 cup chopped, toasted hazelnuts
    1 cup vegan chocolate chips

    Preheat oven to 425F with the rack set at the middle position. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
    To a large bowl, add the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the coconut oil with a pastry blender or 2 knives until the mixture starts to clump into pea sized pieces. In a small bowl, stir the vanilla into the coconut milk. Add the coconut milk to the dough, as well as the hazelnut butter, hazelnuts and chocolate chip, and stir a few times, but do not overmix. The dough should hold together when squeezed, but still be clumpy (you want pieces of coconut oil and hazelnut butter).
    Place dough on a piece of parchment, and shape (by patting and pushing together) into a circle. Cut into 8 wedges, and place on a parchment lined baking tray. Brush the tops lightly with the coconut milk (only if they seem dry, you want the sugar to stick), and sprinkle with coconut sugar. Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.
     



  • Vegan Almond Joy Scones

    Vegan Almond Joy Scones

    At the deli where I work, we have almond joy scones.  Buttery, flaky scones with toasted coconut and almonds.  There is not any chocolate on them however, which always baffles me because I think there should be since they are almond joy, named after the popular candy bar.  Anyways, these scones are not vegan or gluten free so I have never had one, but they always smell amazing and I have always wanted to recreate them.

    Almond Joy Scones 1

    Well, that finally happened last week.  I had made some aquafaba butter and I wanted to try using it in a scone recipe.  I wasn’t sure what kind at the time, but then that day at work my coworker made the almond joy scones and I knew what flavor I wanted.  Mine would have the chocolate though.  I told my Mom what I was making and she was so excited.  She has always been a big almond joy fan. When I was little I used to give her my Almond Joy candy that was in my Halloween basket because I did not like them at that point and she was happy to receive them.

    Almond Joy Scones 3

    She is always telling me I should make almond joy stuff.  If it were up to her I think this whole blog would be filled with almond joy.  I do love the combination of almonds, coconut and chocolate now though…because when you have the real stuff (not the candy bars with fake ingredients) it actually tastes good.  Anyways, these scones turned out sooo good!  The aquafaba butter yielded the most flaky best tasting vegan scones I have made.  My Mom who of course I had to share them with agreed.

    Almond Joy Scones 2

    Vegan Almond Joy Scones
    Makes 8

    3 cups all purpose gluten free flour
    1/2 cup coconut sugar
    2 1/2 tsp baking powder
    1/4 tsp salt
    1/2 cup aquafaba butter cut into chunks*
    1 cup cold full fat organic canned coconut milk (whisked until smooth if chunky)
    1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract

    3/4 cup large flake coconut
    3/4 cup coarsely chopped toasted almonds

    coconut milk for topping
    coconut sugar for sprinkling

    1/2 cup chopped vegan dark chocolate

    Preheat oven to 425F with the rack set at the middle position. Line a baking sheet with parchment
    To a large bowl, add the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the aquafaba butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until the mixture starts to clump into pea sized pieces. In a small bowl, stir the vanilla into the coconut milk. Add the coconut milk, coconut and almonds to the dough, and stir a few times, but do not overmix. The dough should hold together when squeezed, but still be clumpy.
    Place dough on a piece of parchment, and shape (by patting and pushing together) into a circle (about 2 inches tall). Cut into 8 triangles, and place on a parchment lined baking tray. Brush the tops lightly with the coconut milk (only if they seem dry, you want the sugar to stick), and sprinkle with coconut sugar. Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until golden brown (after about 10 minutes you may need to reshape with 2 bench scrapers if the scones are spreading, then place back in the oven). Cool on a wire rack
    Melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler, and drizzle over the scones, and serve!

    *Solid coconut oil may be used in place of the aquafaba butter, the scones just wont be quite as flaky.



  • Vegan Cinnamon Roll Scones

    Vegan Cinnamon Roll Scones

    All day at work in the deli yesterday, I was engulfed in the heavenly aroma of scones.  My work station is near the cooling rack, and my coworker had been making blueberry oatmeal and lemon poppy seed scones.  They smelled amazing. It is like free scent therapy.  You can not close your eyes and smell that and be in a good mood.  I was already in a good one though, because it was Friday, and everyone else seemed to be in a good mood.  You know they are when there is lots of laughter going on.  Anyways, smelling all these scones all day got me to thinking I should make some of my own when I got home.

    vegan cinnamon roll scones 2

    I thought long and hard about what kind I wanted to make, it had to be something I could make with ingredients I already had on hand because I didn’t want to have to buy anything (you know how it is, trying to make things on a budget).  Fruit was out of the question since I did not have any, and I wanted something other than chocolate chunk (as good as that is), so my mind kept going back to something cinnamon. Yes…cinnamon roll scones.  It was perfect.

    vegan cinnamon roll scones 3

    And very appropriate since this is Easter weekend.  I always think of cinnamon rolls around Easter thanks to my Kitty Grandma (I named her that when I was little because she had cats, and I love cats).  She would always bring cinnamon rolls to our Easter celebrations.  They were from a local bakery, and to be honest, they were the best part of the meal (I consider them dessert).  So I was excited about this scone cinnamon roll hybrid!

    vegan cinnamon roll scones 4

    They turned out wonderful, and smelled amazing while baking.  I drizzled them with a “cream cheese” glaze, and they were perfect! All the flavor of a cinnamon roll with the tenderness of a scone.  I think these would be great for serving with an Easter brunch spread (or really any time of the year since they are so good).

    vegan cinnamon roll scones

    Vegan Cinnamon Roll Scones
    Makes 8

    3 cups all purpose gluten free flour

    1/2 cup coconut sugar

    2 1/2 tsp baking powder

    1/4 tsp salt

    1/2 cup virgin coconut oil, cut into chunks

    1 cup cold full fat organic canned coconut milk (whisked until smooth if chunky)

    1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract

    1/4 cup coconut sugar

    1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

    coconut milk for topping

    coconut sugar for sprinkling

    Glaze:

    2 Tbsp raw cashew butter

    2 Tbsp coconut butter

    1/2 tsp cider vinegar

    2 Tbsp maple syrup

    1/8 tsp sea salt

    1/4 cup filtered water

    Preheat oven to 425F with the rack set at the middle position. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
    To a large bowl, add the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the coconut oil with a pastry blender or 2 knives until the mixture starts to clump into pea sized pieces. In a small bowl, stir the vanilla into the coconut milk. Add the coconut milk to the dough, and stir a few times, but do not overmix. The dough should hold together when squeezed, but still be clumpy.
    Place dough on a piece of parchment, and shape (by patting and pushing together) into a rectangle about 4 inches tall by 15 inches long. Mix together the cinnamon and sugar, and sprinkle over the rectangle evenly. Roll up from the top down (using the parchment to squeeze it a little tight and help roll).  Cut into 8 rolls, and place cut side up on a parchment lined baking tray. Brush the tops lightly with the coconut milk (only if they seem dry, you want the sugar to stick), and sprinkle with coconut sugar. Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden brown (after about 15 minutes you may need to reshape with 2 bench scrapers if the scones are spreading, then place back in the oven). Cool on a wire rack.
    Whisk together the glaze ingredients, and drizzle over the scones, and serve!



  • Vegan Strawberry Lavender Scones

    Vegan Strawberry Lavender Scones

    Strawberry Scones

    They make the most delicious smelling scones in the deli where I work, and since my work station is next to the baked goods cooling rack, I get to enjoy the heavenly aroma.  It is one of the happiest smells in the world.  If I am having a bad day, and there are some there, I need just take a deep breath through my nose, and it is better.  I am one of those people who associates smells strongly with memory, and those bring back good memories.  The strawberry ones smell like strawberry shortcake, which is a classic that I love.  So after a bunch of scone smelling last Friday, I decided I wanted some.  I had some fresh organic strawberries, and I decided that they would be awesome in the scones along with some lavender.  Berries and lavender are a match made in heaven and I love them together.

    Strawberry Scones 2

    These smelled absolutely amazing while they were baking, and since I knew I got to enjoy one they made me even more happy than the scones at work.  Eating one of these babies makes me think of a lazy Saturday morning, sleeping in late and sitting out on the porch for breakfast with one of these and some tea (since I don’t drink coffee).  I don’t ever sleep in on Saturdays, and I don’t have a porch, but a girl can dream! Maybe someday!

    Strawberry Scones 3

    Vegan Strawberry Lavender Scones
    Makes 8

    • 3 cups all purpose gluten free flour
    • 1/2 cup coconut sugar
    • 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
    • 1 Tbsp dried lavender flowers (make sure they are very fresh)
    • 1/4 tsp salt
    • 1/2 cup virgin coconut oil, cut into chunks
    • 1 cup cold full fat organic canned coconut milk (whisked until smooth if chunky)
    • 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
    • 2 cups fresh organic strawberries cut into chunks
    • coconut milk for topping
    • coconut sugar for sprinkling

     

    Preheat oven to 425 with the rack set at the middle position. Line a baking sheet with parchment. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the coconut oil with a pastry blender or 2 knives until the mixture starts to clump into pea sized pieces. In a small bowl, stir the vanilla into the coconut milk. Add the coconut milk to the dough, and stir a few times, but do not over-mix. The dough should hold together when squeezed, but still be clumpy. fold in strawberries and lavender until evenly distributed. place dough on a floured work surface, and shape into a 4 inch wide log. Use a bench scraper to cut into triangles. There should be about 8. Place scones on the prepared baking sheet, reshaping slightly if necessary. Brush the tops lightly with the coconut milk (only if they seem dry, you want the sugar to stick), and sprinkle with coconut sugar. Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden brown (after about 15 minutes you may need to reshape with 2 bench scrapers if the scones are spreading, then place back in the oven). Cool on a wire rack.
  • Vegan Maple Oatmeal Walnut Pear Scones

    Vegan Maple Oatmeal Walnut Pear Scones

    I work in a deli, and my coworker often bakes scones. They all smell amazing, and I think they are my favorite thing to have sitting next to me on the cooling rack because the heavenly aroma they give off makes me happy.  I used to make a lot of scones at home, but sadly, it has been a while since that last batch.

    I haven’t baked scones in years actually, and I figured it was about time I revamped my old recipe and healthified it to fit my standards. Because they were sounding so good to me! So, one night last week when I wanted something warm from the oven, scones it was!  I have been wanting to try scones made with oat flour in place of regular flour and coconut oil in place of the butter for a while, so now was my chance.  Would they behave like my other scones did in the oven? Or would the coconut oil melt too much?

    Turns out they baked up beautifully!  I ended up making pear scones, since I had a lovely perfectly ripe pear sitting on my counter.  I added in oats for substance, walnuts for crunch and maple just because I love the scent of it with oats and fruit.  These smelled amazing while baking and tasted even better.  I think they may even be more delicious than my old scones!

    Vegan Maple Oatmeal Walnut Pear Scones
    Makes 8

    2 cups plus 2 Tbsp gluten free oat flour
    1 cup gluten free rolled oats
    1/2 cup coconut sugar
    2 1/2 tsp baking powder
    1 tsp cinnamon

    1/4 tsp salt

    1/2 cup coconut oil, cut into chunks
    1 cup cold full fat orgainc canned coconut milk (whisked until smooth if chunky)
    1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
    1 tsp maple extract
    2 medium sized ripe, organic pears cut into chunks
    1/2 cup raw walnuts, coarsely chopped
    coconut milk for topping
    coconut sugar for sprinkling

    Preheat oven to 425 with the rack set at the middle position. Line a baking sheet with parchment. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Cut in the coconut oil with a pastry blender or 2 knives until the mixture starts to clump into pea sized pieces. In a small bowl, stir the vanilla and maple extract into the coconut milk. Add the coconut milk to the dough, and stir a few times, but do not overmix. The dough should hold together when squeezed, but still be clumpy. fold in pears and walnuts until evenly distributed. place dough on a floured work surface, and shape into a 4 inch wide log. Use a bench scraper to cut into trianges. There should be about 8. Place scones on the prepared baking sheet, reshaping slightly if necessary. Brush the tops lightly with the coconut milk, and sprinkle with coconut sugar. Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden brown (after about 15 minutes you may need to reshape with 2 bench scrapers if the scones are spreading, then place back in the oven). Cool on a wire rack.