Category: Breads

Carrot Cake Scones

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Sweet carrot cake is completely justifiable for breakfast or brunch when it comes in the form of a scone. If you don’t love walnuts or raisins, swap them with other nuts and dried fruit or omit them completely – these are an easy baked good that is open to interpretation. These are perfect for cool mornings with a cup of Pear-Ginger-Orange Tea.

carrot-cake-scones

Carrot Cake Scones

 

For the scones:
3/4 cup sorghum flour
1/2 cup millet flour
1/2 cup tapioca flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/4 teaspoons xanthan gum
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon fine sea or Himalayan salt
6 tablespoons coconut oil, softened, but not melted
1/2 cup grated carrots
1/3 cup toasted walnut pieces
1/3 cup raisins
1 teaspoon (5mL) cider vinegar
1/3 cup (80mL) nondairy milk

For the glaze:
1 cup (240mL) icing sugar
1 teaspoon (5mL) vanilla extract
1 to 2 teaspoons (5 to 10mL) nondairy milk

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

To make the scones, put the sorghum flour, millet flour, tapioca flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, xanthan gum, ginger, cardamom, nutmeg, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk well to combine.

Using a pastry cutter or two knives, cut in the coconut oil until it is mixed in with the flour mixture and about the size of peas. Stir in the carrots, walnuts, and raisins. Add the cider vinegar to the nondairy milk. Drizzle in the nondairy milk mixture, a little at a time, just until the dough comes together, using your hands to knead it together. Pat the mixture into to about 7-inches in diameter, then cut into 6 triangles. Pull the triangles apart slightly.

Bake for 13 to 16 minutes, until firm to the touch and just turning golden on the edges. Cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

To make the glaze, put the icing sugar in a small bowl. Stir in the vanilla extract. Add in just enough nondairy milk for a drizzly consistency. Drizzle over the cooled scones.

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Savory Spinach, Caraway, and Kalamata Crackers (Biscotti-Style)

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I was trying to come up with a savory cracker with a texture similar to biscotti… and then I realized I should just make a savory biscotti. These get their green hue from pureed cooked spinach, and are dotted with black olives and caraway seeds. You can nix the olives or add different herbs and spices and they’ll likely stand up to any sort of variation. One last note: they are pretty spinachy–this isn’t one of those “mask the greens flavor”-types of recipes, and the vibrancy is just an added bonus.

Savory Spinach, Caraway, Olive Biscotti Crackers

Savory Spinach, Caraway, and Kalamata Crackers

  • Servings: about 22 mini biscotti
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1/2 cup sorghum flour
1/4 cup tapioca flour, plus more for your hands
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/8 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons cooked, pureed spinach
1/2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons kalamata olives, chopped
1 tablespoon caraway seeds

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Put the sorghum flour, tapioca flour, baking powder, xanthan gum, and salt in a bowl. Whisk to combine.

Put the spinach and olive oil in the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl. Beat on medium speed until combined. Add the flour mixture. Beat until well mixed. Add the olives and caraway seeds, beating until combined.

Dust your hands with tapioca flour, and transfer the dough to the prepared baking sheet. Use your hands to make a log, about 2 inches wide, 1 inch high, and 12 inches long. Bake for 25 minutes.

Carefully transfer the log to a wire rack and cool for 10 minutes. Decrease the oven temperature to 300 degrees F. Using a sharp knife, cut the log into 1/2-inch thick slices, making about 22 in total. Put each piece, cut-side down, back onto the baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, until firm (but slightly soft) to the touch. Flip the pieces and bake for 5 to 10 minutes more, until nearly firm to the touch. Let cool completely on the pan.

The pieces should firm completely once they are cool, but if they aren’t crispy enough, biscotti is forgiving–just put them back in the oven and bake at 300 for 10 to 15 minutes.

Apple Raisin Scones with Maple Glaze

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Light, flaky scones with a double dose of apple and sweet raisins. These are also delicious without the glaze, and dipped into pure maple syrup for a sweet morning treat. This recipe was developed for Cuisine Soleil, a Canadian-based gluten-free and certified organic flour company that produces over 12 flours and a variety of mixes. Here I’m highlighting their buckwheat flakes, a light flake similar to quick-cooking oats, with an earthy buckwheat taste and a lot of versatility.

Apple-Raisin Scones with Maple Glaze

Apple Raisin Scones with Maple Glaze

For the scones:

3/4 cup buckwheat flakes
3/4 cup sorghum flour
1/2 cup tapioca starch
1/2 cup millet flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons xanthan gum
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup vegan buttery spread, chilled
3/4 cup chopped apple pieces (about 1/2-inch squares)
1/3 cup raisins
1/4 to 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce

For the glaze:
1 cup icing sugar, sifted
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup, preferably dark
1/4 teaspoon maple extract (optional)
1 to 2 teaspoons nondairy milk

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
To make the scones, put the buckwheat flakes, sorghum flour, tapioca starch, millet flour, sugar, xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Whisk well to combine.

Using a pastry cutter or two knives, cut in the vegan buttery spread until it is mixed in with the flour mixture and about the size of peas. Stir in the apples and the raisins. Drizzle in the applesauce, a little at a time, just until the dough comes together, using your hands to knead it together. Pat the mixture into to about 7-inches in diameter, then cut into 8 triangles. Pull the triangles apart slightly.

Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until firm to the touch and just turning golden on the edges. Cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
To make the glaze, put the icing sugar in a small bowl. Stir in the maple syrup and, if your maple syrup isn’t very strong, add the maple extract, too. Add in just enough nondairy milk for a drizzly consistency. Drizzle over the cooled scones.

(Disclosure statement: I received monetary compensation and free product from Cuisine Soleil from a recipe development partnership. I only, however, promote and partner with companies I love and use regularly in my own kitchen. As always, all opinions and recommendations expressed are completely my own.)