Scones You Would Climb Up 25 Stories to Eat

You just never know what life is gonna hand you.

Sometimes it's a scone. When you're hanging on a building. On the 25th floor.



The other day I was outside on my deck snapping pictures of freshly baked Lemony Medjool Date and Pomegranate Scones, when I heard a whirring sound close by. I turned, and standing right next to me were two smiling window washer guys.

Me: "Um, Hi."

Jerry: "Hey. How's it going?"

Me: "I'm all right. You guys hungry?"

Jerry: laughing "Yeah! Whattya got?"

Me: "Freshly baked scones with dates and pomegranates."

Jerry: "Cool. Yeah, I'll have one. You know, this doesn't happen too often in my day."

Me: "Yeah, it doesn't happen too often in my day either."

And with that, Jerry selected his scones and posed for a few pics.



Lemony Medjool Date and Pomegranate Scones (Low-Fat!)

These sweet-tart scones are low in fat yet high in flavor. With bright red pomegranate arils and soft, chewy Medjool dates, they make an ideal addition to a holiday brunch.

Makes 8 scones
Print recipe only here.

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons Smart Balance, chilled (butter substitute)
1/4 cup non-fat cottage cheese
1/4 cup low-fat buttermilk
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup fresh Medjool dates, coarsely chopped (about 6)
1/4 cup pomegranate arils (the edible red pieces of fruit)
1/4 cup coarsely chopped cashews or walnuts


egg wash: 1 egg, lightly beaten OR 1 egg mixed with 1 teaspoon low-fat milk, lightly beaten
1-2 tablespoons turbinado sugar (sugar in the raw) for sprinkling on tops of scones

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place oven racks in top and bottom thirds of the oven. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a small bowl, whisk cottage cheese, buttermilk, lemon zest, and vanilla; set aside.

In another bowl, mix dry ingredients: flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add chilled butter (in small pieces), and mix with a pastry blender or fork, until a coarse meal forms with tiny pea-sized butter pieces. Mix in dates, pomegranate arils, and nuts. Add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture and, using a fork, mix until just combined. Do not over mix or the dough will become leaden.

Using a floured surface, shape the dough into a disk, about 1/2-inch thick. With a wet knife (to make slicing easier) cut the dough into 8 triangular shaped scones. Place scones on parchment paper-lined baking sheets.

Brush egg wash over the tops of the scones and sprinkle with turbinado sugar before baking.

Bake scones for 15 minutes, rotating pans mid-way through. Bake until puffed and golden; transfer to a rack to cool.




You might also like these brunch-friendly items:


Healthy Muffins




Holiday Orange, Date, and Pecan Bread




Breakfast Egg Sandwich with Avocado and Chipotle-Mayo





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Ginger-y Cranberry Walnut Scones (No Elephants were Harmed for this Post)

I tried an experiment this morning. I baked a batch of heart-healthy ginger-y cranberry walnut scones and wanted to know what biologic effects they have, if any. So I fed them to my favorite elephants at the San Diego Zoo this morning, and, lo and behold, they smooched. Eat your heart out David Attenborough.

First she said, "Hey, big fella. You smell good. Watcha' wearing: Come get me? or Don't leave me?"


Then he said, "How'd you get your skin so soft? They been washing you with that Oil-of-Olay in-shower body moisturizer?"


Then they engaged in a big elephant French kiss.
Food Blogga Disclaimer: No animals were harmed in this experiment.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Since Zorra of the beautiful Kochtopf is looking for some homemade edible hearts, I'm sending her my heart-healthy scones. Made with non-fat cottage cheese and yogurt and Smart Balance butter substitute, these scones are low in fat, cholesterol, and calories. They're also filled with antioxidant-rich cranberries and walnuts, which are high in omega-3 fatty acids --the ones linked to decreased risk of cardiovascular disease.

Like my Date, Fennel, and Pistachio Scones from last fall, they are moist and flavorful and will fill your home with the enticing aromas of tart cranberries, tangy orange zest, and spicy ginger.

These would make a great antidote to the chocolate overdosage that will occur across the world today. So eat 'em guilt-free. Your heart will love you for it.


Ginger-y Cranberry Walnut Scones
Print recipe only here.

1/4 cup non-fat cottage cheese
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon non-fat plain yogurt
1 tablespoon orange zest
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground pumpkin pie spice
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons Smart Balance, chilled (butter substitute)

2/3 cup fresh or frozen cranberries (Do not defrost is using frozen berries; it will help prevent them from "bleeding" color.)

1/2 cup coarsely chopped toasted walnuts, pecans, or pistachios

Optional egg wash for top of scones:
1 egg (or white only), lightly beaten OR 1 egg mixed with 1 teaspoon low-fat milk, lightly beaten


Place rack in center of oven and preheat to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

To toast the walnuts, add to a dry skillet over medium heat for 1-2 minutes, until aromatic and lightly toasted. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk cottage cheese, yogurt, orange zest, ginger, vanilla, and cinnamon; set aside.

In another bowl, mix dry ingredients: flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add chilled butter (in small pieces), and mix with a pastry blender or fork, until a coarse meal forms with tiny pea-sized butter pieces. Add the yogurt mixture to the flour mixture and, using a fork, mix until just combined. Stir in the berries and nuts. Do not over mix or the dough will become leaden.

Using a floured surface, shape the dough into a disk, about 1/2-inch thick. If desired, use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to form scones. Otherwise, with a wet knife (to make slicing easier) cut the dough into 8 triangular shaped scones. Place scones on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet leaving about 2 inches between them.

If using, then brush egg wash over the tops of the scones before baking. It will create a shinier finish, and slightly softer crust. Otherwise, place in oven.

Bake scones for about 15 minutes, or until puffed and golden. Transfer to a rack to cool.

Unfortunately the scones didn't work on the gorillas. Maybe she had a headache.

You might also like:
Banana Coconut Almond Bread
Ricotta Hotcakes
Chestnut Pancakes with Pancetta, Creme Fraiche, and Cinnamon Maple Syrup

Other lovely cranberry treats I've seen:
Coconut Cranberry Muffins from Canela & Comino
Cranberry, Orange, and Chocolate Chip Muffins from Happy Home Baking
White Chocolate and Cranberry Tartlets from Palachinka
Cranberry Harvest Muffins from Rice and Wheat


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Date and Pistachio Scones Without Apple Sauce

I once made a half dozen low-fat cranberry muffins. It was during the no-fat craze of the early '90's. Snackwell cookies dominated grocery store shelves. Back then any time a recipe called for butter you were supposed to substitute apple sauce. I dutifully used apple sauce in my low-fat cranberry muffins. "Rubbery" was probably the best thing I could say about them.

"Rubbery" is never a good thing to say about muffins.

This was not to be my last baking difficulty. Baking requires precision; forgetting one ingredient such as baking soda can completely ruin a dish. Trust me.

My mom, unlike me, has managed to become an extraordinary baker. She even modified her recipes to accommodate the no-fat days of the '90s and the no-carb days of this century without ever sacrificing flavor.

When Joanna of Joanna's Foods announced low-fat baked goods as this month's topic for Heart of the Matter, a wonderful heart healthy food event which she co-hosts with Ilva of Lucullian Delights, I thought I'd give low-fat baking another try. But first, I called my mom. I asked her if she had a recipe for a baked good that had no butter or cream and very little margarine, oil, and egg yolks; she suggested scones.

I noted it did not include apple sauce. Instead, non-fat cottage cheese and buttermilk (which is lower in fat than regular milk) keep the scones moist. I told her I had some fresh, sweet medjool dates I wanted to use. We started brainstorming and came up with a dynamic combination of flavors: dates, fennel seeds, pistachios, and orange zest.

Mom assured me that scones are about “the easiest things you can bake.” They really were easy; the hardest part was having to refer to the recipe 27 times to make sure I didn’t miss anything. I heeded her warnings, most especially the one about not over mixing the batter or it’ll become "like lead."

When I served one of the freshly baked scones to Jeff on Sunday morning, I didn't tell him it was a low-fat recipe. (He remains scarred from an unfortunate incident with an Entemann's fat-free pineapple cheese dessert in 1991.) Not only did he love them, but he also never guessed that they were low fat, well, that is until he read this post.

The savoriness of the pistachios and toasted fennel seeds pair beautifully with chunks of sweet, sticky dates; they are also delicious served with blood orange marmalade (from Mom). Feel free though to choose your own heart-healthy add ins. It's an easy, versatile recipe that I will certainly make again. They were moist and light and helped revive my faith in low-fat baking.


Heart Healthy Date, Fennel, and Pistachio Scones
Print this recipe here.

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp sugar
2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt
6 Tbsp Smart Balance, chilled (butter substitute)

1/4 cup non-fat cottage cheese
1/4 cup low-fat buttermilk
1 tsp orange zest
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup fresh Medjool dates, coarsely chopped (about 10-12)
1 Tbsp fennel seeds, toasted

1/4 cup pistachios

Optional egg wash for top of scones:
1 egg, lightly beaten OR 1 egg mixed with 1 tsp low-fat milk, lightly beaten

Simply brush on top of scones before baking for a shinier, softer finish.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place oven rack in the middle of the oven. To toast the fennel seeds, add to a dry skillet over medium heat for 1-2 minutes, until aromatic. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a bowl, whisk cottage cheese, buttermilk, and vanilla; set aside.

In another bowl, mix dry ingredients: flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add chilled butter (in small pieces), and mix with a pastry blender or fork, until a coarse meal forms with tiny pea-sized butter pieces. Mix in orange zest, dates, fennel seeds, and pistachios. Add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture and, using a fork, mix until just combined. Do not over mix or the dough will become leaden.

Using a floured surface, shape the dough into a disk, about 1/2-inch thick. With a wet knife (to make slicing easier) cut the dough into 8 triangular shaped scones. Place scones on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet leaving about 2 inches between them.

If using, then brush egg wash over the tops of the scones before baking. Otherwise, place in oven.

Bake scones 15 minutes, or until puffed and golden. Once baked, transfer to a rack to cool.

For another easy and tasty low-fat dessert, check out these Warm Citrus and Banana Cups. In fact, I made these the other night and substituted fresh pineapple and mango for the oranges.

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