During my first quarter of graduate school, I taught or attended chemistry classes at 9 am for four days of the week, so I woke up by 6 am to fit in a run or yoga session, shower, and eat breakfast before biking to campus. At least I only lived a few miles away!
Since the weather in my college town rarely cooled off until November, I typically turned to cold cereal for breakfast. I loved a blend of bran flakes and crunchy granola clusters, usually with a little freeze dried fruit thrown in too.
Yet when I finally started feeling a little chill in the air during my early morning runs, usually shortly after Halloween, I often switched to hot oatmeal instead. It tasted so warm and cozy, especially right before I biked to campus in the breezy, slightly foggy mornings!
On those days, I poured oats and water into a bowl. After a couple of minutes in the microwave, I stirred in sweetener and a hefty dose of cinnamon, let it sit for a few minutes to thicken (and so I wouldn’t burn my tongue!), and savored my comforting breakfast. It made my kitchen smell like oatmeal raisin cookies!
With local schools starting soon, I began thinking about my previous school morning routines. As much as I enjoyed my bowls of cold cereal and hot oatmeal, these Healthy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Scones would’ve been a very welcome treat!
These oatmeal scones are supremely tender and ready in just 30 minutes, and since they taste lovely both warm and cold, they’re ideal for healthy breakfast meal prepping. Plus they contain no eggs, refined flour or sugar and only 142 calories!
Let’s talk about how to make these healthy oatmeal chocolate chip scones!
You’ll start with instant oats (like these—or these for a gluten-free version!). Instant oats are also called “quick cooking” or “one minute” oats. They’re smaller and thinner than traditional old-fashioned rolled oats, which means they soften faster and make your healthy oatmeal chocolate chip scones really moist and tender! You can usually find instant oats right next to the old-fashioned rolled oats at the grocery store.
You’ll actually mix those instant oats with Greek yogurt, pure maple syrup (this kind!), milk, and a touch of vanilla extract. Mixing the oats with these liquid ingredients ahead of time lets the oats start soaking up the moisture sooner. That also leads to really soft and tender healthy oatmeal chocolate chip scones!
In your second bowl, you’ll whisk together whole wheat flour (or gluten-free—see the recipe’s Notes section!), baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. This is my favorite type of cinnamon! It has a stronger, richer, and slightly sweeter taste than traditional cinnamon. It gives these healthy oatmeal chocolate chip scones an even cozier flavor, and I use it all the time in my baking!
Remember, it’s extremely important to measure the oats and flour correctly, using this method or a kitchen scale. (← That’s the one I own and love!) Too much of either ingredient will dry out your scones. This is especially true of the oats because they act like little sponges and soak up as much moisture as they can!
Now it’s time to work in a small amount of very cold butter. (Freezing isn’t necessary for this recipe!) When you put your healthy oatmeal chocolate chip scones in the oven to bake, the cold butter melts and creates tender little pockets in the dough. If the butter starts to soften or melt ahead of time, you don’t get those tender little pockets. And since I definitely love really moist and tender oatmeal chocolate chip scones, I highly recommend using cold butter!
Tip: This nerdy baking science is why I strongly advise against using coconut oil. Coconut oil melts at room temperature, so it’s nearly impossible to keep it solid until you put your scones in the oven.
After you’ve mixed in the oat mixture, it’s time for my favorite part… Mini chocolate chips! It’s pretty hard to make healthy oatmeal chocolate chip scones without the chocolate, right? These are my current favorite because they taste so rich and melt really well.
Just before baking, you’ll brush the tops and sides of your healthy oatmeal chocolate chip scones with milk. This seals moisture into the dough and creates a hint of a crust on the outside. Then cut your dough into triangles, press a few more mini chocolate chips on top for good measure, and…
Easy + healthy breakfast bliss! ?? 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 healthy oatmeal chocolate chip scones!
| Healthy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Scones | | Print |
- ½ cup (50g) instant oats (gluten-free if necessary and measured like this)
- 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
- 1 cup (120g) whole wheat flour or gluten-free* flour (measured like this)
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 ½ tbsp (21g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 2 ½ tbsp (35g) miniature chocolate chips, divided
- Preheat the oven to 425°F, and line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, stir together the oats, Greek yogurt, maple syrup, 3 tablespoons of milk, and vanilla extract. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, 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 oat mixture. Stir until just incorporated. Gently fold in 2 tablespoons of miniature chocolate chips with a spatula.
- Transfer the dough to the prepared baking sheet. Using a spatula, shape the dough into a ¾” tall circle, and brush with the milk. Slice the dough into 8 triangular segments with a sharp knife. Gently press the remaining chocolate chips into the tops. Bake at 425°F for 23-27 minutes, or until the tops and sides 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: ½ cup (60g) millet flour, ¼ cup (30g) tapioca flour, ¼ cup (30g) brown rice flour, and ½ teaspoon xanthan gum. Most store-bought gluten-free flour blends (like this one!) will work as well, if they’re measured like this.
Make sure to measure the oats and flour with this method or a kitchen scale. (← That’s the one I own and love!) Too much of either will dry out your scones and make them turn out crumbly, rather than moist and tender.
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.
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, non-dairy milk in place of the nonfat milk, and non-dairy miniature chocolate chips (or finely chopped dark chocolate!).
{gluten-free, clean eating, low fat, vegan option}
View Nutrition Information + Weight Watchers Points
You may also like Amy’s other recipes…
♡ Healthy Oatmeal Raisin Scones
♡ The Ultimate Healthy Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins
♡ Healthy Chocolate Chip Zucchini Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies
♡ Healthy Oatmeal Raisin Breakfast Quick Bread
♡ Healthy Chocolate Chip Granola Bar Bites
♡ Healthy Blueberry Oatmeal Breakfast Quick Bread
Have not made these yet but certainly will!
I’m so excited to hear what you think of these scones once you make them Elaine!! 🙂
I noticed a lot of your recipes call for Greek yogurt but I am lactose intolerant and can only have non dairy yogurt. It doesn’t have the same consistency of the Greek, it is more watery. Can I use my So Delicious yogurt and less non dairy milk?
For this particular recipe, you can substitute your non-dairy yogurt as a 1-for-1 substitute for Greek yogurt! No other modifications necessary, including reducing milk. 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you think of these scones Ryckie!
It does not specify where to add the vanilla extract listed under the ingredients?
Thanks for catching that Tatiana! All fixed — the Instructions have been updated! 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you think of these scones!
Can you use rolled oats instead of instant oats? Will it change the cooking time? Thank you!
If you only have rolled oats, then use the same amount! Instant oats are smaller and thinner than rolled oats, so pulse your rolled oats in a food processor, blender, or even a coffee grinder first. You want them to be about ⅛ to ¼ of their original size in order to get the same taste and texture in these scones. Does that make sense? As long as you pulse your rolled oats, you shouldn’t have to make any modifications to the recipe, including the baking time!:) I can’t wait to hear what you think of these scones Sarah!
These healthy scones were tender and delicious and loved by my whole family. My 6 year old granddaughter and I decided to double the recipe the next time we make them and shape into two round loaves so we will have 16 scones.
Thanks again for such healthy options!
I’m so excited you and your family loved these scones, Connie! That’s the best kind of compliment there is, if you’re already considering baking another batch — and a double one at that! Thank you for taking the time to let me know! 🙂 Your granddaughter is so lucky to have you as her grandma. I have fond memories of baking with my grandma as a young girl, and I’m sure your granddaughter is going to appreciate all of these special moments in the kitchen with you as she grows older — if she doesn’t already!
I just baked these & I love them! Thanks Amy!
I’m so glad you love them, Cynthia! That means a lot to me!
My son and I made these over the weekend. They came out perfect! Picky kid approved! We will be making them
again soon.
It means so much that you tried another one of my recipes, Letha! Those are the best kinds of compliments, if these were picky eater approved AND you already think you’ll make them again. You’re so sweet to let me know — thank you!!
These are new breakfast treats. I double the recipe and freeze and pop one in my bag to take to work where I enjoy it with a cup of coffee. Also healthy and also delicious!
I’m so glad you enjoyed these scones, Malke! That’s the best kind of compliment if you doubled the recipe. 😉 Thank you for taking the time to let me know — it means a lot!