Passover has been over for almost a week now, and that means we need to re-stock our kitchen with staples such as bread, pretzels, and of course some tasty leavened pastries! Personally, I wasn’t bothered so much by the different dietary guidelines during this Passover. I found it gave me a chance to explore different types of food, such as plantains and stuffed peppers, as well as getting to do a lot of baking and cooking since my family couldn’t just be lazy and buy take-out meals like we normally do during the rest of the year! That said, certain members of the family (a.k.a. the guys) were really tortured during those eight days with no hamburgers, Subway sandwiches, pizza, bagels, etc. As soon as Passover ended they splurged on a whole bunch of gluten-loaded, leavened fast food. Meanwhile, I began brainstorming for how I’d fill our pantry with all the healthy baked goods we’d been missing out on.

One of the first things I bought after Passover was a big container of oats. I was thinking of making a batch of granola, my mom’s favorite, but the scone envy overtook me somehow and I decided it would be scones. Make that healthy, vegan-friendly, lower-fat, whole grain oatmeal scones, packed with fresh and dried fruit and sweetened with Truvia baking blend and organic maple syrup. I improvised a maple glaze that I thought would add a nice touch. However, it is really subtle. When my mom tried a scone, she asked me, “what’s this wet stuff on top?” So I guess the glaze isn’t really crucial, and the scones will taste good, if a slight bit less maple-y, without it. (Cutting the glaze would also make them even lower in fat, sugar, and calories.)

In my opinion, the best thing about these scones is their texture. They are splendidly soft, yet firm and dense, with a buttery flavor from the Earth Balance, but aren’t too rich to enjoy. There’s just the right proportion of oats to add a special something without taking over. Chunky apricot, chewy dried cranberries, and crunchy pistachios add flavor and contribute to the interesting texture.

I hope you enjoy this easy recipe! Perfect for an informal breakfast or anytime snack.

Soft Apricot Cranberry Oatmeal Scones

makes about 12 medium-sized scones

Ingredients:

scone dough

• 1- 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/2 cup oats (I used quick-cooking)
• 1 tbs baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• generous dash of cinnamon
• pinch or two of nutmeg
• 2 tbs Truvia baking blend
• 2 tbs Earth Balance Original or Whipped Buttery Spread (just use whatever you have on hand)
• 1/4 cup organic 100% pure light amber maple syrup
• 2/3 cup plain almond milk (I used Almond Breeze brand)
• 2 small apricots
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries
• 2 tbs whole shelled pistachios

for wash

• 1 tbs plain almond milk

optional maple glaze

• 2 tbs Earth Balance Original or Whipped Buttery Spread
• 1-1/2 tbs organic 100% pure light amber maple syrup
• 1-1/2 tbs Truvia baking blend
• small dash cinnamon

Directions:

For scones: Preheat oven to 425 Fahrenheit. Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil, and apply  cooking spray generously.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, oats, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and Truvia baking blend. Mix.

Cut in the 2 tbs Earth Balance in small pieces. Add 1/4 cup maple syrup and 2/3 cup almond milk. Mix well. Mixture will be sticky and thick.

Chop apricots into small chunks and discard stones. Pour chunks into scone dough mixture. Add dried cranberries and pistachios. Stir gently just until ingredients are evenly combined.

Drop handfuls of batter onto prepared cookie sheet, at least an inch or two apart from one another. Make them as big or as small, as wide or as tall, as suits your fancy. You can make a lot of little scones, or a few big scones – I made 15 medium-sized ones.

Bake scones at 425 Fahrenheit for 8-10 minutes or until they are golden brown and a cake tester comes out clean.

For glaze: In a small bowl, combine 2 tbs Earth Balance, 1-1/2 tbs maple syrup, 1-1/2 tbs Truvia baking blend, and a small dash of cinnamon. Use a spoon to gently mix until ingredients are well blended. Spoon glaze evenly over scones once they have cooled for at least 10-15 minutes.

Enjoy scones warm!

You Might Also Like:

Mini Mint Chocolate Cheer Scones