Two kinds of scones come through the Savvy Kitchen.
The first are what you might call traditional or “real” scones. These are the kind that are filled with butter and melt in your mouth, but should probably only be enjoyed on occasion.
The second are my “Savvy Scones.” The butter-less (and in this case, oil-less) morsels that are just as tender and delicious as the first kind, but much healthier. I’ve perfected the technique, and love playing around with new flavor combinations.
Like these pumpkin spice scones, for example. After all, it is the season for pumpkin!
Pumpkin Spice Savvy Scones
These scones are slightly sweet with a dash of pumpkin spice flavor. For more ‘pumpkin spice’ flavor, add more cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg. These scones contain no butter or oil, so they make for a great healthy snack or breakfast addition.
Makes 16
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
3 1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 packed cup light brown sugar
2 tablespoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/3 cup pumpkin pie filling
1 cup skim milk
Preheat oven to 400F and grease a large cookie sheet.
Whisk the dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. Add the pumpkin and stir to distribute evenly.
Add the milk in three parts, stirring well after each addition. In the end, you should have a slightly-sticky dough.
Divide the dough into two equal parts, and pat each into a 3/4″ thick disk on the cookie sheet. Evenly divide each disk into 8 wedges, sliding the pieces apart so that the edges cook evenly.
Bake at 400F for 11-14 minutes, or until the tops and sides of the scones are firm to the touch. After five minutes, transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Ahhh! This keeps happening to me this week, I go on a kick of trying to find a particular recipe and my favorite bloggers post one the next day! I found a scone recipe and was hoping it would be lighter and voila…here are yours! I’m making these for the Mr’s co-workers Monday.
2 questions.
1) Because I have little…okay, no scone experience under my belt, can I use plain whole wheat flour or does it have to be pastry flour. (Aka- do I need to send the hubby on a grocery run after work? heehee)
2) Do you know if they’ll keep overnight, like if I make them Monday night will they be okay to serve Monday morning?
Ah, I missed your comment before–I’m so sorry!
All-purpose flour would be a better substitute for the pastry flour than whole wheat flour. It has a similar protein level and texture, whereas with whole wheat flour you’d need to adjust the amount of wet ingredients.
If you navigate to my Brain Food 101 page (in the sidebar), you can see links to the posts I did about the science of flour!
I was really excited to try these but even after adding more pumpkin, cinnamon and dusting them with cinnamon and sugar they don’t have much flavor. They have a very distinct and somewhat bitter “whole wheat taste.” A good try at creating a healthy scone, but I would recommend trying another recipe.
I’m sorry to hear that you didn’t enjoy them!
Wow, they look fantastic too! Love love finding healthier options to treats. What a great recipe:-) Take care, Terra
Mmmmmmmmm whole grain, low fat, and with veggies! (pumpkin is a vegetable. I’m counting it.)
These look delicious! You think pumpkin puree would work in placec of the pumpkin pie filling? I’m guessing the filling is sweeter?
I think so, but you might want to add more spices and a touch of sugar (optional) to make up for it!
Yeah for more savvy scones! Great recipe
I love the idea of a butterless scone! I need this in my life. Pronto.
Mmmm.. this looks amazingly delicious. I am loving all the pumpkin recipes floating around lately. I don’t know if I’ll be able to buy enough pumpkin to try them all.
These look amazing!!! I can’t wait to try these, for once I have all of the ingredients…same question as Gina though, would pumpkin puree work?
See answer to Gina’s comment above
Yum
…Thursday is my day to search around and find a “special weekend recipe” — this is it!
Enjoy!
These look yummy!! Thanks so much for sharing… I’m headed to see the in-laws this weekend and these sound like a great little treat to bring!
I would totally dip one of these in a pot of melted cheese if that got you to make them for next weekend!
Maybe we’ll have them for Sunday breakfast!
They sound delicious and I’m impressed that there’s no oil or butter. Genius!
Thank you!
Thanks for including these in the tea swap. They were quite delicious and the hubs really enjoyed them (and ate most of them)
And I’m loving my teas. I can’t wait until I’m feeling better and can try the black teas (I like my blacks sweetened and milky).
I’m so glad you enjoyed them!
And I’m with you on the sweetened and milky black teas…that’s why my favorite tea is chai
WOW! I saw this recipe when you first posted it a while ago, but the occasion did not arise to make these until now… I loved them!!! I wasn’t expecting too much because they are “healthier,” but the texture was still crumbly and slightly soft, the spices perfect, and I did not miss the butter at all. I did use whole wheat flour (not pastry), but after reading a previous comment on altering the liquid content, I just added a bit more milk until I felt the dough texture was right. Love. Thank you!
I’m so glad you enjoyed them and that they worked out for you!
Baked them for breakfast, minus the brown sugar. Awesome! Had them with home made chilli and strawberry jam. Very good and thanks for sharing! I used whole wheat flour and had to add a bit more milk.
That makes sense that you’d have to add more milk. Whole wheat and regular flour absorb moisture differently. Glad you enjoyed!