Healthy Cranberry Orange Oatmeal Scones
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Yields: 8 scones
 
These scones are moist and tender on the inside with a hint of a crust on the outside, and they’re bursting with bright fruit flavors! The sweet orange pairs perfectly with the tangy cranberries, making these scones an irresistible (and surprisingly easy!) breakfast treat. Leftovers will keep for at least five days (if not longer!) if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, and they freeze well too!
  1. Preheat the oven to 425°F, and line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
  2. In a medium bowl, stir together the oats, Greek yogurt, maple syrup, orange juice, and vanilla. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Whisk in the orange zest. 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 the cranberries with a spatula.
  3. 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. (No need to separate them!) Bake at 425°F for 26-29 minutes, or until the tops and sides are a deep golden color. Cool on the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Notes: For the gluten-free flour, use Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour or the following blend: ½ cup (60g) Bob’s Red Mill Millet Flour, ¼ cup (30g) Bob’s Red Mill Tapioca Flour, ¼ cup (30g) Bob’s Red Mill Brown Rice Flour, and ½ teaspoon Bob’s Red Mill Xanthan Gum. Regardless of which option you use, make sure to measure it like this or with a kitchen scale!

Bob’s Red Mill Whole Wheat Flour or Bob’s Red Mill All-Purpose Flour may be substituted for the whole wheat pastry flour.

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 orange juice.

To quickly dice fresh cranberries, pop them in a food processor and pulse a few times! Frozen and thawed cranberries may also be substituted.

If you prefer using dried cranberries… Add them to a microwave-safe bowl, and pour water on top until they’re completely covered. Seal plastic wrap over the top (or place a plate on top!), and microwave the bowl on high for 1 minute. If you let the cranberries sit while mixing together the scone dough, this little trick hydrates them so they’re soft and plump!

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.

VEGAN VERSION: Use stick-style non-dairy butter 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.

{gluten-free, clean eating, low fat, egg free, vegan option}
Recipe by Amy's Healthy Baking at https://amyshealthybaking.com/blog/2019/11/10/healthy-cranberry-orange-oatmeal-scones/