I will preface this by saying I was not a scone person (before making these). I think I liked the idea of scones more than I actually liked scones — which I used to associate with being super dry, flaky, and not all that flavorful. If I was going to have something sweet, a scone was not going to be my first choice.
But the idea of scones…
Am I the only one who feels like when you’re eating a scone, you need to also be sipping coffee in one of those well-lit, white-washed “Instagram kitchens”, curled up in a chunky knit sweater with perfectly “I-didn’t-just-wake-up-like-this” hair? Or maybe you’re a fashionable upper-class woman who stops at the cafe every morning to sip espresso and eat a ~scone~ before work.
Scones are definitely the cool-girls of pastries.
I decided to give them a fair try, and tweaked and played with a few existing scone recipes to create this one — which is inspired by My New Roots and Cookie & Kate. My scone recipe is gluten- and dairy-free, as well as vegan. And I can confidently say it is the complete opposite of everything I used to hate about scones, plus everything I had hoped they would be.
These scones are crispy on the outside, but are wonderfully moist and soft on the inside. When you take a bite, you immediately get a great, creamy, pumpkin middle. The glaze, as well, is to-die-for, and I think a huge part of what makes this dish. I created my own glaze recipe from scratch, because I didn’t like that most scone glazes are primarily powdered sugar. Mine is refined-sugar-free, and just the right amount of sweetness. The trick is to pour the glaze over the scones while they’re only a few minutes out of the oven. They will soak it right up, and the glaze will fill every wonderful nook and crack in the scones.
Also – be generous. You’ll have excess glaze that will spill off the scones and onto the pan, but that’s ok. It lets the glaze seep into all sides of the scone, which makes it really delicious and fun to eat!
Pumpkin Pecan Oat Scones
- 1 cup raw pecans
- 2 cups oat flour
- 1 tbsp. baking powder
- ¼ cup coconut sugar
- 1 tbsp. cinnamon
- ½ tsp. ginger
- ¼ tsp. nutmeg
- ¼ tsp. cloves
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup solid coconut oil
- ¾ cup pumpkin puree
- ¼ cup unsweetened almond milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Maple-Almond Butter Glaze
- 1/4 cup natural almond butter (drippy is best)
- 1/4 cup real maple syrup
- 2 tbsp. unsweetened almond milk
- 1 tsp. vanilla
Instructions:
- Preheat your oven to 425º F.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, spread your 1 cup of pecans on top, and toast in the oven for 3-5 minutes. Keep a careful eye on them, as nuts do burn quickly. Once slightly cooled, chop the nuts into fine pieces.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the oat flour, 3/4 of the chopped nuts, baking powder, coconut sugar, and spices. Whisk together.
- Next, use either a pastry cutter or a fork to “cut” your solid coconut oil into your dry ingredients. Mix well.
- Stir in your pumpkin puree, almond milk, and vanilla extract. It should take a while to get everything incorporated, and your dough should be fairly dense and stiff. Don’t be afraid to use your hands to knead the last bits of the dough together.
- Form your dough into a circle that is about an inch tall all the way around. Cut into 8 even slices (like a pizza), and then place on your parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Bake for 15-17 minutes, or until lightly browned on the outside.
- While the scones are in the oven, prepare your glaze by whisking all ingredients in a small mixing bowl.
- After you take the scones out of the oven, let them cool for a few minutes, and then generously pour your glaze on top. Really let the glaze seep into all sides and cracks of the scone. While the glaze is still wet, sprinkle your remaining pecan pieces on top.
