In my college town, a combination pizzeria and bakery sat on the very edge of downtown, right next to the railroad tracks in a tiny faded yellow storefront no larger than an airport coffee stand. While tourists and incoming freshmen generally overlooked it due to its quaint size and location, all of the locals considered it one of the best pizza places in town.
With their main bakery production facility on the other side of the city, the owners opted to drive over a fresh batch of pastries every morning and install a few brick ovens in the back of the storefront, which took up much less space than traditional bakery ovens, to prepare just the pizzas on site. They offered all of the classic flavors, like Margherita and meat lovers’, to more interesting ones, like eggplant with feta and roasted bell peppers with goat cheese, all on a thin crispy crust with barely a hint of char from those brick ovens.
Throughout the day, they baked fresh pizzas to cut into jumbo slices (bigger than my face!) and placed those in a glass display case next to the cash register. Rotating between four classic styles—cheese, pepperoni, Hawaiian, and vegetarian—they quickly sold those individual slices because the majority of college patrons loved stopping by for an easy lunch or dinner after class.
While most of my friends stood in line for a slice or two, I occasionally opted for a fresh salad from their refrigerated display along with a leftover pastry. They discounted their breakfast treats to $1 or less after 4 pm, and I always looked forward to those tender muffins or buttery scones! While I loved the flavors of their blueberry scones the most, those treats sometimes turned a little dry and crumbly as they sat, so I swore that when I finally baked my own at home, I’d make them the exact opposite and incredibly tender.
So that’s what I did with these Ultimate Healthy Blueberry Scones! They’re perfectly tender, with just a hint of sweetness, and positively bursting with juicy berries. Unlike those bakery’s scones, these are much healthier with no refined flour or sugar and nearly 5g of protein!
To start, you’ll use white whole wheat flour. White whole wheat flour is made by finely grinding a special type of white wheat, whereas regular whole wheat flour comes from a heartier strain of red wheat. This gives white whole wheat flour a lighter taste and texture, similar to that of all-purpose flour (and perfect for these scones!), but it still has the same health benefits as regular whole wheat flour.
Note: Whole wheat pastry flour would be a great substitute, and I’ve included my preferred gluten-free option in the Notes section as well.
Unlike traditional scones that depend on a full stick or two of butter and heavy cream for a tender texture, this healthier recipe requires just 2 tablespoons of butter. Yes, that’s it! It’s extremely important that the butter is cold, straight from the fridge. With very cold butter, it won’t heat up until you put the scones in the extremely hot oven, and it will create little air pockets and a very tender crumb when it melts.
Note: This is why I recommend against using coconut oil, if at all possible, because coconut oil has a much lower melting point than butter and will quickly turn to liquid once you begin mixing it into the dough.
With just 2 tablespoons of butter, the rest of these scones’ tender texture comes from my favorite ingredient in healthier baking. Do you know what it is? I’m sure you do… It’s Greek yogurt! Greek yogurt provides the same moisture as extra butter for a fraction of the calories, and it gives your scones a protein boost too!
And now for the best part… Fresh blueberries! Sweet, juicy, fruity pockets of bliss folded into that buttery, tender scone dough. Seriously, does life get any better than biting into one of those purpley gems?? Especially warm and fresh from the oven… Mmmmmmmmmm.
Pure perfection! And when you make your own, remember to snap a picture and share it on Instagram using #amyshealthybaking and tagging @amyshealthybaking IN the photo itself! (That guarantees that I’ll see the notification from you! ?) I’d love to see your scones!
| The Ultimate Healthy Blueberry Scones | | Print |
- 1 ½ cups (180g) white whole wheat flour or gluten-free* flour (measured like this)
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp (28g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- ½ cup (120g) plain nonfat Greek yogurt
- 3 tbsp (45mL) pure maple syrup
- 3 tbsp + 2 tsp (55mL) nonfat milk, divided
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup (80g) fresh blueberries
- Preheat the oven to 425°F, and line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or the back of a fork until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Make a well in the center, and add in the Greek yogurt, maple syrup, 3 tablespoons of milk, and vanilla. Stir until just incorporated. Gently fold in the blueberries.
- Using a spatula, shape the dough into a ¾” tall circle on the prepared baking sheet. Brush with the remaining milk. Slice the circle into 8 triangular segments with a sharp knife. Bake at 425°F for 18-22 minutes, or until the tops are lightly golden. Cool on the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
For a gluten-free version, use the following blend: 1 cup (120g) millet flour, ¼ cup (30g) tapioca flour, ¼ cup (30g) brown rice flour, and 1 teaspoon xanthan gum. Most store-bought gluten-free flour blends will work as well, if they’re measured like this.
Honey or agave may be substituted in place of the pure maple syrup.
Any milk may be substituted in place of the nonfat milk.
In a pinch, coconut oil may be substituted for the butter, but the texture of the scones will be affected. Very cold butter is required to achieve their tender texture, and since coconut oil melts at a much lower temperature, the results will not be the same.
Frozen and thawed blueberries may be substituted for the fresh. They may stain the dough a slightly gray color, but the flavor will remain the same.
{gluten-free, clean eating, low fat, low calorie}
View Nutrition Information + Weight Watchers Points
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I just made these and they were delicious and a huge hit! My family loved them! I do not have a pastry/dough blender so I used a potato masher and it worked pretty well! I used honey instead of the maple syrup, since you stayed it was an alternative above. I also added sliced almonds, and a mixture of cinnamon and sugar (just a small amount) to the top! I love how they are not overly sweet like other scones! Thanks for the great recipe, can’t wait to make them again!
I’m so glad you and your family loved these scones Nicole! That truly means a lot to me — thank you for taking the time to let me know! 🙂 I love your idea of using a potato masher. That’s so creative and completely brilliant! Adding a sprinkling of cinnamon sugar on top sounds phenomenal too. I think I just might have to try that with the next batch I bake! 😉
Hi Amy, these scones are looking gorgeous! Can i change the low fat milk with almond milk? Thanks!:)
I’m honored that you’d like to try making this recipe Devilim! I’ve actually answered this exact question in the Notes section of the recipe (located directly underneath the Instructions). I know it can be easy to miss! 😉 I’m excited to hear what you think of these scones if you try making them!
Hi Amy, I really want to try this recipe but all I have is Ghee not butter. Would that work? Thank you!
I’m honored that you’d like to try making these scones, Maria! I think ghee should work, especially if it’s chilled before you use it in this recipe. 🙂 I’m excited to hear what you think of these!
Awesome! Thank you for the quick response, I will try to make these tonight and let you know how they turn out! 🙂
It’s my pleasure, Maria! I’m really excited to hear what you think of these scones! 🙂
Hi Amy thank you so much for the recipe! I really want to try it but I want to make a savory version. Could I make the same thing with less maple syrup (preferably none?) and add crushed garlic, scallions and cheese instead? Would that change the consistency in any way?
That sounds like such a delicious idea, Aadya! If you’d like to make a fully savory version, then replace the maple syrup with milk so the texture will remain the same. 🙂 I’d absolutely love to hear how your savory scones turn out!!
Thank you so much for the quick reply and suggestion Amy! I’ll definitely try that soon and let you know!! 🙂
It’s my pleasure, Aadya! I’m always happy to help! 🙂 I can’t wait to hear all about your savory scones!!
Hello, just made these today really delicious wondering how I should store them?
I’m so glad you enjoyed these scones! Thank you for taking the time to let me know — that truly means a lot! 🙂 I’ve actually included the best storage method in the paragraph of text directly underneath the recipe title in the recipe box. I know it can be easy to miss! 😉
My first time making these ultimate healthy blueberry scones. They came out great! Your directions are so easy to follow and I love the videos.
I am a loyal follower and I love your recipes.
Linda
Oh my goodness, Linda — you just made my ENTIRE day!! I’m so honored that you’re enjoying my recipes and videos, and I truly appreciate you taking the time to let me know. That really means a lot! Thank you so much!! 🙂
Can I substitute brown sugar or granulated sugar in place of the syrup?
I’m honored that you’d like to try my recipe, Sue! If you’d like to use brown sugar or granulated sugar, then you’ll need 3 tablespoons (36g) plus an additional 1 ½ tablespoons of milk (any type will work!) to compensate for the missing liquid volume. 🙂 I’d love to hear what you think of these scones if you try making them!
Oh my goodness. These are outstanding! I’ve made a new batch of these every week for the last month. My husband and I have been counting calories, and it feels like we’re cheating eating something this tasty (but we’re not)! I’m so glad there’s no artificial sweeteners in these – just deliciousness. 🙂 Thank you for posting!!
Oh my goodness!! That’s the BEST compliment, Nicole! I’m truly honored that you’ve made these scones so many times already and that both you and your husband feel like these taste like a “cheat,” rather than a healthy version. You just made my entire day — thank you for taking the time to let me know! 🙂