There are three things I try to do every summer: bake a lot, enjoy local produce, and stay healthy. Fortunately, there is a farm market right by my house that sells local produce, making it easy for me to enjoy fruit from my area.
When strawberries are in season, I love to bake with them: strawberry crisp, strawberry pound cake, you name it. Often, using up the abundance of summer berries requires an equally abundant amount of butter and sugar. This makes it difficult to balance my love of baking and my desire to eat healthily.
These scones, however, perform the balancing act between healthy eating and baking (though I doubt I will ever be the kind of person who is a personal trainer by day, baker by night). They are made with coconut oil and coconut sugar, minimizing refined sugar and containing healthy fats. The complex carbs in the oats and the whole wheat flour will fill you up and keep you energized and satisfied.
And just when you thought they couldn’t get any better, the perfect combination of strawberry and peanut butter fills them with flavor. The peanut butter keeps these scones moist (and adds protein!) and pairs well with the tart berries for a rich, fresh bite. Think a revamped PB&J!
#SpoonTip: The health benefits of coconut sugar are debated. According to multiple nutritionists, it is not much better for you than sugar because it has the same amount of fructose. This recipe uses such a small amount of coconut sugar and a little bit of any sugar is okay in moderation. Long story short, if you don’t have coconut sugar on hand, just use brown or granulated sugar. The key ingredient in this recipe is coconut oil which has several proven health benefits..
Strawberry Peanut Butter Scones
Ingredients
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
Whisk together the flour, oats, coconut sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Use a fork to cut the coconut oil into the flour mixture.
The oil should be pea-sized, evenly dispersed throughout.
Whisk together buttermilk and egg yolk in small bowl.
#SpoonTip: If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, just combine a scant cup of milk with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, mix, and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes.
Make a well in the flour mixture and pour your buttermilk mixture into it.
Add the peanut butter and gently fold all of the ingredients together with a rubber spatula. Gently fold in the berries.
Make disk with dough on parchment-lined baking sheet and brush with egg white and top with raw sugar and/or lemon zest.
#SpoonTip: This makes for a sweet, crunchy bite that goes so well with the rich peanut butter and tart strawberries.
Cut the dough into 8 wedges, but don’t separate them. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, or until the scones are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (or with a few crumbs attached).
Serve slightly warm with strawberry jam. Enjoy!