These scones have a melt-in-your-mouth texture due to the yogurt, maple syrup and puréed squash. You can try roasting your own (see below) and use the rest for a dinner side-dish, make soup or stew, or freeze in small containers for later use. A quicker version is to use cooked yams, sweet potatoes or canned pumpkin instead of the squash.
I love scones straight from the oven with butter. Since they are best fresh out of the oven, I sometimes make a batch up to the point when I scoop out the dough and put half of the scones (unbaked) on a cookie sheet in the freezer until they firm up. Then I place them in a glass container or zipper bag to pull out when I would like a sweet surprise for my family for breakfast or I pop a few in the toaster oven for afternoon tea and scones with a friend. Place them on a greased cookie sheet straight from the freezer, and cook for an additional five minutes or so until just about golden.
INGREDIENTS
Dry
- 2 c brown rice flour or gluten-free flour mix
- ½ Tbsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp xanthan gum
- ¼ tsp ground cardamom or ginger
- ½ c or 8 Tbsp of butter (vegan alternative: Earth Balance), chilled and cut into pieces
Wet
- ½ c butternut squash puree*
- 4 Tbsp yogurt (you can use Greek, coconut or almond)
- ⅓ c maple syrup
- 1 egg (vegan alternative: 1 Tbsp of ground flaxseeds or chia seeds and 3 Tbsp water)
*Note: For squash purée from scratch, cut a squash in half. Rub with some oil and bake at 400°F on a cookie sheet or baking dish covered with foil for 25–30 minutes. Let cool. Scoop seeds out and discard. Scoop flesh from the shell, discarding shell. Purée squash until smooth. Refrigerate or freeze in portions until ready to use for baking, soups, stews, etc.
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease a cookie sheet or line with parchment paper.
- Sift the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Next, cut in butter with a pastry cutter or food processor and pulse with the butter pieces until crumbly.
- In a separate bowl, mix the wet ingredients until blended. Add to the dry ingredients and mix until combined.
- Using an ice cream scoop or tablespoon to drop dough, make 12 “half balls”, placing on greased/lined cookie sheet with enough space in between so they are not touching.
- Bake for about 15 minutes.
These are great served warm, but I also enjoy them for the next day or two. Best stored in the fridge if kept for a few days.
You May Also Like: Herbed Grain-Free Cheesy Scones, Squash Pie with Oatmeal Cranberry Pecan Crust, Sweet and Spicy Squash Pudding.
