These easy date scones are nicely crispy on the outside, flaky & tender on the inside and filled with sweet caramelized pieces of dates. This is a quick & easy recipe that only requires 7 simple ingredients.
Making scones for the blog was a task my sister and I took seriously (yes, my sister Sonia is the main artist behind this recipe). Scones aren't simply triangle shaped muffins and they can be too hard or dry if not done properly.
I also used to think they were something really tricky to make at home. The kind of treat you would only get at the corner bakery.
So, if you think scones are something you would never dare try making yourself, then I am so happy you are here! You will be shocked on how easy and quick they are to prepare.
And these scones are so darn delicious. Their flaky middles are studded with sweet and caramelized dates and they have great crispy edges, without containing any dairy products or eggs.
So what makes these vegan scones as delicious as the classic recipe? It is all about the coconut oil.
I already shared in this lemon cookie post how coconut oil is key and irreplaceable for lots of vegan baking recipes. It helps keep moisture in and does a great job to create a crispy/crumbly texture. In this case, the coconut oil replaces the butter, but I assure you won't be able to tell that they are plant-based at all.
So, make sure to follow the step-by-step explanations below and you will make the BEST scones right in your kitchen!
What's the difference between scones and biscuits?
Scones and biscuits have a lot of ingredients in common, but still are quite different.
Biscuits are light, flaky, airy and more buttery with a hint of acidity coming from the buttermilk. They taste more savory than scones and hold together better when dipped in gravy and sauces. Scones are flaky as well, but more crumbly and sweeter. They might feel dryer too, yet should not be dry at all. They are usually meant to enjoy with a warm beverage.
Why dates in scones
There are so many ways to flavor scones, so why choose dates?
Dates are naturally very sweet with a caramel-like flavor, which pairs very well with a scone that's only slightly sweet. They will help keep the added sweetener to a minimum as well. Also, they add a lot of texture with their chewy & caramelized consistency after cooking. You will then find soft, candy-like pieces of fruit within the flaky dough, so delicious.
Ingredients you'll need
You'll only need 7 ingredients to make fluffy date scones:
- Flour: I love to use this white whole wheat flour from King Arthur when baking, but regular all purpose flour will work too.
- Medjool dates: make sure to use soft & large Medjool dates for best results.
- Baking powder: this is the leveling agent to help puff the scones.
- Maple syrup: will slightly sweeten up the scones.
- Chia seeds: perfect for egg-free scones, they help the batter hold together.
- Coconut oil: not to be replaced, choose refined coconut oil to avoid any coconut flavor.
- Milk: I used almond milk, but any kinds will work.
How to make these easy date scones
- Before getting started on the dough:
1- Measure the coconut oil and transfer to the fridge to chill.
2- Make the chia egg by combining the chia seeds with the water.
3- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and pre-heat the oven.
- In the food processor, add the flour and baking powder. Process just so it's combined. Then, add the chilled coconut oil by scattering small pieces over the flour (this will prevent over-processing). Pulse a few times just to break up the coconut oil in smaller pieces, while making sure you keep some chunks of oil intact (do not process to a smooth texture, you are looking for a dry crumbly texture).
- Transfer the flour-oil to a bowl and add the rest of the ingredients, including the chia egg and dates. Start to combine the ingredients with a spoon, then use your hands to ensure all the ingredients are incorporated together. DO NOT OVER PROCESS THE DOUGH. You want to make sure you keep some pieces of coconut oil intact, so combine just until smooth-ish, but still a coarse mixture.
- Roughly form a ball with the dough into the bowl, then transfer to the baking sheet. Using your hand, form a disc of about 8 inches, right on the baking sheet. Flatten the disc using your hands so it's about uniform. The dough will be sticky, it's normal.
- Then, cut the disc into 8 triangles (like pizza slices) and simply space out the scones on the baking sheet so they don't touch each other.
- Bake in the oven for about 17 minutes, or until slightly browned on top.
Watch how to make them
Tips to make the BEST vegan date scones
- You really don't want to work the dough too much. Once the ingredients are combined, then don't manipulate anymore. This will ensure you keep some chunks of coconut oil, which is crucial to avoid ending up with scones that are too dense or worst, hard.
- Make sure your ingredients are cold, mostly the vegan milk and coconut oil. You do not want melted oil in the dough. If you wonder if your coconut oil got too warmed up, then you could try chilling the scones before baking them.
- To prevent having to process the dough for too long, then I recommend to distribute the chilled coconut oil in small pieces in the food processor. Then, you will only have to pulse a few times to break up the chunks, opposed to having to process for longer to break one large block of oil (remember, you want scattered small pieces of oil all over the dough).
- The dough is sticky, so you can gently flour your knife before dividing the disc into 8 scones so it does not stick to the knife.
Variations to the recipe
- Make some date and orange scones by adding the zest of one large orange to the dough. Also add some more zest over the scones at serving.
- Make some walnut and date scones by adding a handful of roughly chopped walnuts to the dough. Pecans would also work great.
- Add some spices to the food processor alongside with the flour, like cinnamon or cardamom.
- You can also sprinkle the scone with coconut sugar before baking them for added sweet flavor.
How to serve these easy date scones
Scones are definitively an amazing sweet treat to serve at brunch, baby showers, Mother's day, or simply for the afternoon snack served with warm tea. I love how they are sweet enough for dessert, but also not overly sweet, so they make for a nice healthy snack or breakfast.
Scones are also typically served alongside with fruit jam and butter. They would make for a great match with this cherry marmalade or a blueberry chia jam, like seen in the picture. If you are up for a nice treat, then generously spread a date caramel sauce over your scones.
Storage tips
The scones are definitively at their best when freshly baked, so I would recommend to try eat them within 24 hours. If you have to store them for longer then one day, then transfer to an air-tight container and keep in the fridge. They will lose on some of their nice crispy crust, but will still be tender and delicious.
If you know already that 8 scones won't be eaten within 24 hours, then what I recommend to do is to prepare the dough and cut the scone as described, but only bake the scones you will need. Transfer the remaining uncooked triangle shaped scones on a plate (covered with parchment paper first), then freeze. Once frozen (3-4 hours), transfer them to a container or bag for longer storage (up to 3 months).
How to bake the frozen uncooked scones
Straight from the freezer, transfer the raw scones to a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Then, bake for 20 minutes at 375 º (instead of 17 min). They should get nice and crispy and golden brown just the same as if they were cooked fresh. It is then easy to double (or triple!) the recipe and freeze many uncooked scones and bake a few once in while if a scone craving arrives or for the spontaneous visit from a friend!
Other healthy baked goods you might like
- Banana muffins
- Strawberry muffins
- Mini matcha brownies
- Strawberry chocolate bars
- Vegan chocolate chip oatmeal cookies
- Cinnamon oatmeal cookies
I hope you enjoy these vegan scones as much as we do! If you try them, please leave a comment below and rate the recipe to let me know how they were. Your feedback is so helpful!
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*THANKS TO MY SISTER SONIA WHO HELPED DEVELOP AND TEST THIS RECIPE*
Date Scones (Vegan & Healthy)
Equipment
- Food processor
Ingredients
- 1 tsp chia seeds - + 2 tbsp water
- 2 cups flour - all purpose or white whole wheat
- 3 tsp baking powder
- pinch of salt
- ¼ cup coconut oil - cooled down in the fridge first
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
- ½ cup vegan milk
- 1 cup medjool dates (about 10-12) - pitted and chopped
Instructions
- Start by measuring the coconut oil, then transfer to the fridge to chill.
- Prepare the chia egg by combining the chia seeds with the water. Set aside.
- Pre-heat the oven to 375 º. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper
- Once the coconut oil is completely cooled down, use a food processor to process the flour, baking powder and salt just until combined. Then, break down or cut the cold coconut oil in smaller pieces and distribute in the food processor. Then, pulse only a few times until the oil is mostly broken down, but not completely dissolved in the flour. You want to avoid processing for a long time so the oil is not warming up. Once you have a mixture mostly combined with small chunks of oil, then stop processing and transfer to a large bowl.
- Add the maple syrup, milk, chia egg and dates. Stir until combined and use your hands once the dough gets thicker to make sure everything is well combined (again, do not overmix or completely dissolve the oil as you want to keep a few small clumps of oil). The dough will be sticky and easily form a large ball.
- Transfer the ball of dough to the prepared baking sheet and form a disc of about 8 inches wide using your hands. Then, divide in 8 pieces (shape of pizza slices) and space the triangles away from each other on the baking sheet.
- Bake for 17 minutes or until lightly browned on top.
Video
Notes
- You really don't want to work the dough too much. Once the ingredients are combined, then don't manipulate anymore.
- Make sure your ingredients are cold, mostly the vegan milk and coconut oil. You do not want melted oil in the dough. If you wonder if your coconut oil got too warmed up, then you could try chilling the scones before baking them.
- The dough is sticky, so you can gently flour your knife before dividing the disc into 8 scones so it does not stick to the knife.
- STORAGE: The scones are at their best when just baked, so I recommend to eat within 24 hours. Store in the fridge in an air-tight container if storing for longer than a day (the scones will lose on their crispy edges).
- PRO BAKING TIPS: Once you divided the disc in 8 pieces, then only bake the ones you want to eat within the day. Transfer the remaining ones on a parchment paper covered plate, then freeze (3-4 hours on the plate, then transfer to a bag for longer storage). When you want to bake the frozen raw scones, transfer them straight from the freezer onto a baking sheet (also covered with parchment paper), then bake at 375º for 20 minutes.
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