Hearty granola scones are chock full of goodness, an easy, packable, breakfast-on-the-go for busy work mornings, traveling, or outdoor adventures, but also a satisfying snack with butter, jam, and a steaming mug of tea. They're loaded with oats, nuts, seeds, and dried fruits - like a bowlful of granola, but baked up as rustic scones,and easily customizable to what you have on hand.
A taste of country goodness, these chunky, nutty, fruity scones are a treat, whether for tea, breakfast, or a snack. The bright flavour comes from an abundance of hearty ingredients, plus the subtle combination of orange zest, vanilla, and cinnamon to play off all the buttery goodness.
They're sturdy but incredibly tender and flaky at the same time - great to pack in a lunch box or a container in a backpack or travel bag. I've made them to take on hikes, on airplanes, and on road trips, and they're a hit every time. We love to have them on hand for grab-and-go breakfasts, but my favourite is to enjoy a warm granola scone with a hot cup of milky tea and a good book, seated in our cozy red armchair.
I love how flexible they are, too. It's easy to sub in whatever nuts, seeds, or dried fruits you have on hand. These granola scones a great clear-our-your-cupboard kind of bake. (And they freeze well, either baked or unbaked - see recipe notes, below.)
Ingredients
The beauty of granola scones is that you can customize them and change the add-in ingredients to what you have on hand.
- flour - use regular flour or a good gluten-free cup-for-cup blend (I have only tested the recipe with my foolproof homemade gluten-free flour blend, which works beautifully). If not making the granola scones gluten-free, you can also sub in half whole wheat or spelt flour.
- rolled oats - use the large-flake old-fashioned oats for the best texture (gluten-free, if necessary), but quick oats (not instant oats) will work, too. Or sub in rolled quinoa (gluten-free) or barley flakes (not gluten-free).
- butter - can use solid coconut oil
- cream - or milk, coconut milk, or other non-dairy milk
- egg - for binding. Can also use a flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flax soaked in 3 tablespoons water)
- baking powder, baking soda - needed for leavening
- cinnamon, orange zest - add delicious flavour notes, but can be omitted, or changed with another spice or different citrus zest
- salt - to balance the sweet flavours
- vanilla - pulls all the flavours together
- honey - just a touch for minimal sweetness and a bit of moisture. Use maple syrup or agave syrup instead, if desired.
- dates - add caramelly sweetness, but can use chopped dried prunes instead, or raisins
- dried cranberries - add a nice tanginess, use dried sour cherries, or sub with raisins, dried goji berries or other chopped dried fruits, like apricots, prunes, pears, apples . . .
- sliced almonds - or use other nuts of choice, chopped. Or sub in more pumpkin or sunflower seeds to make the scones nut-free.
- flaked coconut - unsweetened. I like large flakes, but you can also use unsweetened shredded coconut.
- pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds - use both or total amount of one kind, or other nuts.
- coarse raw sugar/turbinado sugar - for dusting the tops, optional
Let's Make Granola Scones
Stir together the flour, rolled oats, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
Cut in the butter until it is reduced to pea-sized lumps. You can use a pastry cutter or two butter knives.
Now add in all the good bits - the dried fruits, nuts, seeds. It looks like a bowl of granola ready to go! Stir it all up to coat everything with the flour.
Whisk together the egg, cream, honey, vanilla, and orange zest and pour it into the dry mix. Form it into a chunky dough.
Set the granola scones on a baking sheet, brush with cream, sprinkle with coarse sugar for a crunchy top, and bake til golden.
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Guten Appetit!
Granola Scones
Ingredients
- 1 cup (140 g) gluten-free flour blend (or all-purpose flour for non-gluten-free)
- ¾ cup (75 g) old-fashioned rolled oats (large flake)
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ cup (115 g) cold salted butter, diced
- ¾ cup (50 g) sliced almonds
- ¾ cup (50 g) flaked, unsweetened coconut
- ½ cup (55 g) dried cranberries or dried sour cherries
- ½ cup (70 g) chopped, pitted dates or raisins, currants, or chopped dried apricots
- ¼ cup (35 g) pumpkin seeds/pepitas
- ¼ cup (35 g) sunflower seeds
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream, plus 2 tablespoons for brushing the tops, optional
- 1 tablespoon liquid honey
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest
- 1-2 teaspoons coarse sugar/turbinado sugar for sprinkling on the tops, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400℉ (200℃). Grease one large or two small baking sheets or line them with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, stir together the flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
- Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or two butter knives until it is reduced to pea-sized chunks.
- Stir in the almonds, coconut, cranberries, dates, sunflower seeds, and pumpkin seeds.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the ½ cup of whipping cream, the egg, honey, vanilla, and orange zest. Pour this into the dry ingredients and stir it together until the flour is just all mixed in - don't overmix.
- Divide the mixture evenly in half and form each into a ball.
- On a generously floured board, pat each ball into a 6-inch round disc that is about 1 inch thick. Cut the disc into 6 equal wedges.
- Place the wedges onto the prepared baking sheet, about 1 inch apart, and tuck in any bits of dough or dried fruit sticking out of each scone.
- Brush the top of each scone with the remaining 2 tablespoons of cream and sprinkle with the coarse sugar. Note - don't brush the sides of the scones, so that they rise easily.
- Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until the edges are golden and the scones are well risen.
- Move the scones to a cooling rack to cool.
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