During my first quarter of graduate school, I taught or attended chemistry classes at 9 am on four days of the week, so I woke up by 6 am to fit in a run or yoga session, shower, and 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 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 to feel 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 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, even with no eggs or cream, and ready in just 30 minutes. Since they taste lovely both warm and cold, they’re ideal for healthy breakfast meal prepping too!
HOW TO MAKE HEALTHY OATMEAL CHOCOLATE CHIP SCONES
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 only contain one ingredient: oats! They’re smaller and thinner than traditional old-fashioned rolled oats, which means they soften faster… And therefore make your healthy oatmeal scones really moist and tender!
Hint: You can usually find instant oats right next to the old-fashioned rolled oats at the grocery store!
You’ll mix those instant oats with Greek yogurt, pure maple syrup (the kind that comes directly from maple trees!), milk, and a touch of vanilla extract. Combining the oats with these liquid ingredients first lets the oats start soaking up moisture sooner. That also leads to really soft and tender healthy oatmeal scones!
Note: These scones are lightly sweetened and only contain a small amount of pure maple syrup. They’re meant for breakfast, after all! If you’d like to make your batch sweeter, then see the Notes section. I’ve shared how to tweak the recipe to do that there!
In a second bowl, you’ll whisk together whole wheat flour (or gluten-free — more on that momentarily!), 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 scones an even cozier flavor, and I use it all the time in my baking!
Tip: If you’d like to make these healthy oatmeal chocolate chip scones gluten-free, then use certified gluten-free instant oats, and see the Notes section of the recipe for my gluten-free flour recommendations. I’ve included the best options to use there!
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!) 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 lots of moisture!
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 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 — hence why I highly recommend using very cold butter!
Tip: This nerdy baking science is why I strongly advise against substituting coconut oil. Coconut oil melts at room temperature, so it almost always starts to liquify before you put your dough in the oven… And you’ll miss out on those beautifully tender pockets in your scones!
After you’ve mixed in the oat mixture, it’s time for my favorite part… Mini chocolate chips! I love using miniature ones because their size ensures a more even distribution and that every bite contains one morsel of chocolate (if not more!). 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 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 — but don’t separate them! Leave them touching and nestled right up against their neighbors. This prevents the sides from drying out and helps keep your scones nice and tender inside!
Finally, press a few more mini chocolate chips on top for good measure, pop them in the oven, and…
Enjoy! ♡ 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
Ingredients
- 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 (see Notes!)
- 2 ½ tbsp (35g) miniature chocolate chips (divided)
Instructions
- 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 remaining milk. Slice the dough into 8 triangular segments with a sharp knife (but don't separate them!). Gently press the remaining chocolate chips into the tops. Bake at 425°F for 23-27 minutes, or until the tops and sides are golden. Cool on the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Notes
View Nutrition Information + Weight Watchers Points
You may also like Amy’s other recipes…
♡ Healthy Oatmeal Raisin Scones
♡ Healthy Carrot Oatmeal Scones
♡ Healthy Pumpkin Oatmeal Scones
♡ Healthy Gingerbread Oatmeal Scones
♡ The Ultimate Healthy Oatmeal Muffins
♡ Healthy Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies
♡ Healthy Oatmeal Raisin Breakfast Quick Bread
♡ …and the rest of Amy’s healthy scone recipes!
Hello! These look delicious and I can’t wait to make them. I don’t have whole wheat flour though. Is it ok to use regular flour, or even oat flour? Ok thanks Amy!
I just saw the note about the flour! All purpose flour is good. So sorry! Lol