This recipe is a bit unlike any of my other scone recipes; its fondness lies in the simplicity. I struggle to think of a scone recipe that includes neither butter nor a very particular dairy agent such as heavy cream, buttermilk, or greek yogurt. However, this particular recipe requires none of the sorts, in that you may just have each ingredient already resting within your kitchen. To be rather honest, my adoration for this recipe grew largely while living in a college dorm room. For the first time, I actually already had all of the things I needed… a very rare event considering the minimal “kitchen” cart I obtained. I was over the moon!
The recipe originated on a day where I opened the fridge to find I was out of greek yogurt. I remember it quite clearly; I was going to make a batch of scones to take back to college for the week when I noticed the absence of an ingredient I had once believed to be necessary. But I persisted anyway… without the yogurt and solely reliant on banana, crossing my fingers and holding my breath that there would be an edible outcome. I had never included banana in a scone before, so my hopes remained oddly high. These little banana scones contain whole wheat flour, olive oil, cinnamon, maple syrup and of course banana, creating a just barely (but perfectly) sweet pastry that I adore, especially with a cup of tea! I know they do not look like much, but they mean a great deal to me.
What You Will Need
- Whole Wheat Flour
- All-Purpose Flour
- 1 large Banana
- Olive Oil
- Maple Syrup
- Almond Milk
- Vanilla Extract
- Baking Powder
- Salt
- Cinnamon
*The Olive Oil in this recipe was originally used out of convenience (as it was all that I had). Since it’s used in a minimal amount, I do not find the flavor to be overpowering or “odd” in the slightest. However, any other fat source such as butter or coconut oil could certainly be used in it’s place!
Tips on How to Make these “Banana Bread” Scones
Flour: I use a mix of equal parts whole wheat and all-purpose flour within this recipe. If you prefer a less “whole wheaty” flavor, feel free to reduce the portion to 3/4ths a cup, and thus use 1 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour.
Molding & Shaping: The Pictures depicted above illustrate a step-by-step idea of how to divide the dough. I typically prefer smaller scones, so this recipe might yield 14-15 smaller scones. If miniature scones are not of preference, one batch may yield 10-12 decent sized scones!
When am I done Mixing? Scones, like biscuits, occupy a unique set of “rules” or guidelines. One of which is to not overmix. A shaggy, not completely cohesive and compact dough is actually preferred. It is more than okay for there to still be some floury bits that have not been completely immersed into the dough when you begin the folding process. I often find that these remnant pieces find their way into the dough throughout the folds!
Olive Oil Substitutions: Butter, Coconut Oil, or any other fat source will work within this recipe. Olive oil seems to be my go-to as I always seemed to have it on hand. I also enjoy using monounsaturated fat sources in place of saturated fats when I can!
Banana’s: I have a pretty steady stash of frozen ripe banana’s within my freezer! I recommend using frozen bananas if possible, simply microwaving them for approximately 1 minute before mashing with a fork. Although, if you do not have a freezer banana stash, any overripe banana will do, just make sure to mash it as well as possible!
Flavor Variations: While I love these scones as they are, they also make a wonderful base recipe. In fact, there are many flavors that I believe will pair especially well on my personal baking agenda! Perhaps strawberries, blueberries, lemon, cherries, chocolate chips, raisins, or even a streusel topping… (I would suggest adding 3/4 cup of any fresh or frozen fruit, and 1/4 cup of raisins or chocolate chips!)
Banana Bread Scones
Course: Tea, Dessert, Breakfast12
servings20
minutes14
minutes140
kcal35
minutesIngredients
1 1/8 cup all purpose flour
1 1/8 cup whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon
2 tablespoons olive oil (or butter)
1 large banana
3 tablespoons maple syrup (or coconut sugar)
1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees
- Combine both flours, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl.
- Drizzle the olive oil into the bowl, then mix it into the dry ingredients. The mixture should be soft and semi crumbly, resembling dry sand.
*If using butter in place of olive oil, Dice up the cold butter and work it into the dry ingredients, using either a pastry cutter or your hands. - In a small bowl, mash up a ripe banana as much as possible. Add the maple syrup, almond milk, and vanilla extract to the bowl and mix well to combine.
- Pour the wet mixture in the small bowl into the dry ingredients, then mix until a cohesive but still a little crumbly dough ball forms.
- Remove the dough “ball” from the bowl and place it on a clean surface. It shouldn’t be necessary to flour your surface, however you certainly can if you desire. Flatten the dough with you hands a little bit, until its about 1 1/2 inch tall.
- Fold each side of your flattened dough over the other (like wrapping a present), then slightly flatten it down again. Repeat this process once more, flattening the dough to your desired height.
- Cut the dough using a decently shard knife into whatever shapes you would like (I typically do triangles but I think circles or any cookie cutter shape could be cute too!). I like smaller scones so I typically get about 12-14 scones!
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the scones on the lined baking sheet, about 1-2 inches apart. Bake at 425 for 13-15 minutes, until the tops look slightly brown and the inside appears to be fully baked!
