Oatmeal and Date Scones

Pete has two favorite breakfasts – oatmeal and granola.  He’s a big fan of oats, and luckily we’ve found a brand of gluten-free oats that Pete can tolerate.

Over the holidays I combined Pete’s two favorite breakfasts and made him some scones.  They’re always are a holiday treat for us – with an Irish Grandmother and a Mother who loves to bake, I grew up eating scones.  Pete’s parents hail from England so he grew up on tea and biscuits. Scones are one of his faves too!

The quinoa flour in this recipe is pretty essential.  It really helps to capture that scone flavor.  As you probably know by now, I like my baked goods to be nutrient dense, so I also used some almond flour in this Oatmeal and Date Scone recipe.

If you’ve never made scones before, don’t be afraid.  They’re actually pretty simple to make and they can wow your guests, if you decide to share them.

With the combination of oats, dates and almond flour, this recipe is filling and makes a great breakfast treat.  If you don’t like dates, you might want to try raisins or even goji berries.  I like my scones plain, but Pete likes his smothered in coconut oil and jam.

Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free Oatmeal & Date Scones

• 1 cup almond flour
• ¾ cup quinoa flour
• ½ cup arrowroot flour or tapioca starch
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar (I used coconut sugar)
• 1 tablespoon psyllium seed husks
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ½ cup coconut oil (solid/room temperature)
• ½ cup medjool dates, pitted and chopped
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 cup unsweetened dairy-free milk
• 2 cups certified gluten-free oats
• 2-3 additional tablespoons dairy-free milk, for brushing

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
2. Line a tray with parchment or a silpat.
3. In a large bowl combine the flours, sugar, psyllium, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt.
4. Using a pastry blender, cut in the coconut oil until the mixture resembles mainly small crumbs.
5. Stir in the dates.
6. In a liquid measuring cup, add the vinegar and milk to create 1 cup of dairy-free ‘buttermilk’. Stir and let sit for a minute.
7. Add ‘buttermilk’ mixture to the dry ingredients, using a fork to combine the ingredients.
8. Stir in certified gluten-free oats until well combined.
9. Knead a couple of times on a floured surface (I use almond flour for dusting).
10. Pat the dough into a 2 cm thick round. Using a 6 cm round cookie cutter (or a cup), cut out rounds. Place on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with any remaining scraps of dough.
11. Brush tops of the scones with extra milk and bake in 425 degree oven for 12-15 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool.

Yield: 8-10 scones.