Working in a restaurant also taught me to love REAL food. Up until that point, I pretty much relied on drive-thru windows and packaged foods you could pop in a toaster or microwave. I was a “picky” eater in the sense that I didn’t stray outside of my usual convenience foods. However, being a server changed all of that, because I had to taste the specials each night– and I realized that made-from-scratch salad dressings and sauces tasted way better than the bottled versions I was accustomed to. Many of the recipes you’ll find here on the blog are inspired by dishes we served at that restaurant, including these scones. Our in-house baker would show up at 3am to whip up scones from scratch every morning, and they were the best I’d ever tasted. I’d describe them as a cross between a biscuit and a muffin– slightly moist like a muffin, but still crumbly and almost flaky, like a biscuit. These vegan and gluten-free scones aren’t quite as decadent, but they make a delicious Fall treat that won’t leave you with a morning sugar crash later. I hope you’ll enjoy them!
— Gluten-Free Vegan Pumpkin Scones Makes 8 to 9 scones Ingredients: Pumpkin Scones: 2 cups gluten-free oat flour* 1 cup coconut sugar 1/2 cup coconut oil, chilled 1/2 cup pumpkin puree 2 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon ginger 1/2 teaspoon cloves 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar Creamy Maple Glaze: 2 tablespoons raw cashew butter 1 tablespoon arrowroot starch 1 tablespoon maple syrup 2 to 3 teaspoons water *Note: You can make your own oat flour by simply grinding gluten-free rolled oats in a blender or food processor. Directions: Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone liner. In the bowl of a large food processor fitted with an “S” blade, process together the flour, sugar, and coconut oil until crumbly. Add in the pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, salt and baking soda and process again until a thick dough is formed. Add in the vinegar last, and process once more to incorporate it thoroughly.
Use a heaping 1/4 cup to scoop the dough and drop it into 8 or 9 evenly-sized mounds on the lined baking sheet. Bake until the centers of the scones are firm to the touch and your kitchen is filled with a fragrant Fall scent, about 20 minutes. Allow the scones to cool completely before topping with the Creamy Maple Glaze. To prepare the glaze, stir together the cashew butter, arrowroot, maple syrup and 2 teaspoons of water. Add more water if needed to thin, then spoon the glaze over each scone and serve. Thanks to the use of arrowroot, this glaze will “set” to an extent, similar to a glaze made with powdered sugar, after a few hours. (I noticed the glaze was dry to the touch after 4 hours.)
These scones can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to one week. Note: If you want to keep these scones nut-free, use sunflower butter instead of cashew butter in the glaze, or omit it all together. The scones are delicious on their own! For those following proper food combining, these scones are considered a starch if you omit the glaze. — Reader Feedback: Have you ever worked in a restaurant? If so, what was your favorite dish on the menu?
