Over the past couple years, my parents and I developed a new morning routine on the days we drove from San Diego to their home in the San Francisco suburbs. It started with alarm clocks ringing before the sun rose so we were on the road by 7 am…
But it also included a stop at Starbucks within the first hour of our drive. Sometimes we visited the Starbucks in Grandma’s neighborhood, in between her house and the freeway on-ramp, while other times we waited until we reached the Anaheim area. Either way, we all appreciated the caffeine boost!
We always ordered the same drinks: a nonfat, no-water chai latte for Mom and plain black dark roast coffee for Dad and me. The baristas occasionally gave us a strange look. “No room?” they tripled checked before pouring our cups. Apparently they weren’t used to patrons asking for such simple, “non-froufrou” drinks! (As my Dad calls them…)
Dad also ordered a hot breakfast sandwich—something with eggs, cheese, and either bacon or sausage—but Mom and I held off and opted for healthier snacks we packed in the car. It wasn’t always easy… Especially with those chocolate muffins and vanilla bean scones tempting us from the display case!
So I finally developed a recipe for these Healthy Copycat Petite Vanilla Bean Scones! They’re soft and tender, full of rich vanilla flavor (just look at all of those tiny black flecks!), and just 67 calories!
Before testing this recipe, I did a little research on Starbucks’ website. Their petite vanilla bean scones are 120 calories and contain ingredients like fructose, corn syrup, invert syrup, and granulated sugar… Along with the expected refined flour and heavy cream. Yikes!
So to make these healthy homemade petite vanilla bean scones, you’ll ditch all of those! And you still get the same rich, cozy, comforting flavors. Totally winning, right??
Your scone dough starts with white whole wheat flour (like this!). Don’t worry—it’s not a mix of white (aka all-purpose) flour and whole wheat flour! White whole wheat flour is made exactly the same way as regular whole wheat flour, and it has the same health benefits too! The only difference? White whole wheat flour comes from a softer variety of white wheat (hence the name!), which has a lighter taste and texture than the red wheat that regular whole wheat flour comes from.
Tip: This is the white whole wheat flour I use! If you can’t find that, then whole wheat pastry flour (like this!) works just fine.
Next, you’ll work in a small amount of cold butter. I use a pastry cutter (like this!) because it makes the process so easy. Pastry cutters are also great for making pie crusts and even mashing bananas for banana bread!
It’s important that the butter is cold, straight from the fridge, because the butter creates air bubbles that make the scones rise, as well as tender little pockets as it melts when the scones bake in the oven. You don’t want the butter to soften too early because then you’ll miss out on that tender texture!
Instead of heavy cream, you’ll mix Greek yogurt into the dough to provide an even more tender texture. You’ll also stir in pure maple syrup (like this!) for sweetness. Skip the sugar-free syrups and pancake syrups! You want the kind that only has one ingredient: pure maple syrup. Since traditional scones aren’t very sweet, I didn’t add very much… But you’re welcome to replace some of the milk with more maple syrup if you prefer sweeter scones!
Time for the star of the show: the vanilla beans! Because vanilla beans are so expensive (and surprisingly hard to find in my local grocery stores!), I opted for this vanilla bean paste. (I bought it online here!) It’s much more affordable and completely shelf-stable… And each teaspoon is the equivalent of one full vanilla bean! Just look at all of those beautiful tiny black vanilla bean flecks!
You’ll use that vanilla bean paste in both the scones and the glaze! We’re going for maximum vanilla flavor here. ??? You’ll also need this natural no-calorie sweetener, which made from erythritol. It’s a great replacement for powdered sugar, especially because you don’t consume any empty calories or experience any sugar rush!
Now I know that Starbucks’ petite vanilla bean scones come completely coated with glaze… But I thought the little drizzle lines looked much cuter! ? You can easily make more glaze and dip your scones in it for the true copycat effect!
Sorry Starbucks… I’ll still order my plain black coffee, but I’m never going to be tempted by your petite vanilla bean scones again! ?? 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 I’ll see your picture! ?) I’d love to see your scones!
| Healthy Copycat Petite Vanilla Bean Scones | Print |
- for the scones
- 1 ½ cups (180g) white whole wheat flour or gluten-free* flour (measured like this)
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ 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
- 2 tsp vanilla bean paste
- for the drizzle
- 5 tsp confectioners’ style erythritol
- 1 ½ tsp nonfat milk
- ¼ tsp vanilla bean paste
- Preheat the oven to 425°F, and line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
- To prepare the scones, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter (highly recommended!) or the back of a fork until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Make a well in the center. Add in the Greek yogurt, maple syrup, 3 tablespoons of milk, and vanilla bean paste. Stir until just incorporated.
- Divide the dough in half, and transfer each half to the prepared baking sheet. Using a spatula, shape the dough into two ¾” tall circles, and brush with the remaining milk. Slice each circle into 8 triangular segments with a sharp knife. (No need to separate them!) Bake at 425°F for 15-18 minutes, or until the tops are lightly golden. Cool on the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
- Just before serving, prepare the drizzle by stirring together the confectioners’ style erythritol, milk, and vanilla bean paste in a small bowl. Transfer the mixture to a zip-topped bag, cut off a tiny piece of one corner, and drizzle on top of the cooled scones.
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 (like this one!) will work as well, if they’re measured like this.
It’s very important that your butter is cold, straight from the fridge. (Freezing it isn’t necessary for this recipe!) 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.
Honey or agave may be substituted in place of the pure maple syrup.
Any milk may be substituted for the nonfat milk.
This is the vanilla bean paste that I used! It’s much more affordable than buying regular vanilla beans, and it’s completely shelf-stable. Each teaspoon is the equivalent of one full vanilla bean! I bought it online here. You may substitute regular vanilla extract, but the vanilla flavor won’t be quite as prominent.
As written, these scones aren’t overly sweet. If you prefer sweeter scones, substitute an additional 1-2 tablespoons of pure maple syrup for an equal amount of 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.
For a vegan version, I recommend Earth Balance sticks in place of the butter, your preferred non-dairy yogurt in place of the Greek yogurt, and non-dairy milk in place of the nonfat milk.
In the drizzle, this is the confectioners’ style erythritol that I used. In a pinch, regular confectioners’ (powdered) sugar may be substituted for the confectioners’ style stevia. However, regular powdered sugar is more absorbent, so start with ½ teaspoon of milk and add more as necessary to achieve the desired consistency.
If you’d like to fully coat your scones with the drizzle instead, like a true Starbucks petite vanilla bean scone, you definitely can! Just make 3-4 times the amount of drizzle, and dip the tops of your scones directly into the bowl instead of transferring the glaze to a plastic bag and snipping off the corner.
{gluten-free, clean eating, low fat, vegan option}
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You may also like Amy’s other recipes…
♡ The Ultimate Healthy Blueberry Scones
♡ Healthy Pumpkin Spice Latte Scones
♡ Healthy Cranberry Orange Scones
♡ Healthy Chocolate Chip Scones
♡ Healthy Cinnamon Roll Scones
♡ Healthy Triple Chocolate Scones
♡ Healthy Raspberry Almond Scones
PERFECTION. The perfect little taste of sweetness I need with my coffee in the morning (and in the afternoon, and sometimes before bed). Love these!
Awww Karly, your comments ALWAYS make my day! Thank you so much!! Wish I could share these with you! 🙂
These also look bigger than Starbucks scones, no? They look much tastier, I wouldn’t touch Starbucks scones with a ten foot pole!
Aww that means a LOT, coming from you!! Thanks so much Brittany!! 🙂 If anything, I thought they might be a tad bit smaller… I should’ve brought one home to do a side-by-side comparison. Maybe on my next Starbucks run! 😉
Hi Amy!
Can I substitute granulated sugar in place of the maple syrup?