Though the weather may not always cooperate, I get so many beautiful mental images whenever that first day of spring arrives. There are tulips popping through, the morning bird serenades, Sunday brunch cravings, and cherry blossoms. We are still a couple months shy of full blown cherry season. Nonetheless, this fruit now planted firmly in my mind. So I was pleased to discover these brunch-friendly Cherry Oat Scones, because the recipe uses dried cherries for a year-round treat!
Photo credit: Chugrad McAndrews
This cherry oat scones recipe is from The Allergen-Free Baker’s Handbook: How to Bake Without Gluten, Wheat, Dairy, Eggs, Soy, Peanuts, Tree Nuts, and Sesame by Cybele Pascal:
These hearty oat scones are a perennial favorite, and now, thanks to gluten-free oats, even those on gluten-free diets can enjoy them. Feel free to swap out other dried fruits for the cherries. Dried apricots, cranberries, raisins, chopped dates, or figs are all wonderful substitutions. These are delicious with a little dairy-free butter!
Just be sure to stick with dried or freeze-dried fruit. Swapping in fresh fruit will alter the moisture level in the dough.
Special Diet Notes: Cherry Oat Scones
By ingredients, this recipe is dairy-free / non-dairy, egg-free, gluten-free, nut-free, peanut-free, soy-free, vegan, vegetarian, and generally top food allergy friendly.
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoons rice milk beverage
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar (can substitute white vinegar)
- 2 cups Basic Gluten-Free Flour Blend
- ¾ teaspoon xanthan gum
- 2 tablespoons double-acting baking powder
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1-1/4 cups gluten-free old-fashioned oats
- ⅓ cup dairy-free, soy-free vegetable shortening
- ½ cup dried cherries
- Sanding sugar (optional)
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Whisk together 1 cup of the rice milk and the cider vinegar.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour blend, xanthan gum, baking powder, granulated sugar, salt, and cinnamon.
- Add the oats and toss. Add the shortening in pieces, and work in with a pastry blender or two knives until you have a pea-sized crumb.
- Add the cherries, tossing until combined.
- Add the rice milk mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until combined but still clumpy.
- Flour a work surface lightly with a little gluten-free flour mix, and turn out the dough. Lightly flour your hands. Sprinkle the dough with a little flour mix.
- Divide the dough in half. The dough will be sticky. Shape into two 6-inch disks. Cut the disks into 6 pie-shaped wedges. Transfer the scones to the baking sheet. Brush with the remaining 2 tablespoons rice milk, then sprinkle with sanding sugar.
- Bake in the center of the oven for 17 minutes, or until lightly golden.
- Serve warm from the oven, or let cool on a cooling rack.
