In our five years of marriage, our holiday travel schedule has evolved. In the beginning, we'd fly from NYC to Kansas City, stay, visit, rent a car, drive to Oklahoma, stay, visit, turn around and drive back to KC to catch our plane home. Now things are a little less complicated and we're certainly less travel weary when it's all said and done.
Although a badge of honor of sorts, these days we're fortunate to leave the NY area airports out of our routine. Things are simpler, quieter, less populated. We spend the few days leading up to Christmas in Oklahoma with Heath's family and leave early Christmas morning to head back to Kansas City and see mine. Both of us have grown to love that early Christmas morning time on the road. Hardly a soul is out, allowing for the expansive Oklahoma landscape to really fill your view with full force. The red Oklahoma earth turns slowly into farm fields and rolling hills, until the Kansas Flint Hills surrounds and gives way unto our path into Missouri.
While always armed with coffee, the realization that there is nothing open to grab a bite to eat on a holiday morning like this never hits until it's too late. This year I am prepared to change that. These gingerbread scones are made with coconut oil instead of butter and with whole grain sorghum and almond flour for a healthier and more protein-packed scone. The bursts of tart cranberries with the drizzle of orange icing complement the spice of the gingerbread in a delightful way. Table or road ready in less than an hour.
Whether you're on the road or home with loved ones, safe travels and happy holiday season to you! xo.
Gingerbread Scones With Cranberries (Gluten-free + Vegan)
Ingredients
For Scones
- 1 flax egg 1 tablespoon flaxseed meal plus 3 tablespoons hot water
- ¾ cup sweet white rice flour I use Bob's Red Mill for flours
- 1 cup almond meal/flour
- ½ cup whole grain ground sorghum
- ½ cup arrowroot starch
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ cup coconut sugar
- 5 tablespoons coconut oil solid
- ¼ cup unsweetened almond milk plus 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ cup molasses
- ½ cup fresh cranberries halved.
Orange Icing
- ½ cup organic powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons orange juice
Instructions
- Heat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl combine and stir together your flaxseed meal and water, set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine white rice flour, almond meal, sorghum, arrowroot starch, salt, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and coconut sugar. Whisk to fully combine.
- With a pastry cutter or two knives, cut in coconut oil to dry ingredients until coconut oil is small and pea-sized. If you need, use your hands to cut in coconut oil.
- In a medium bowl, add almond milk, apple cider vinegar, and vanilla extract and whisk to combine. Add molasses and whisk. Whisk in flax egg mixture.
- Add liquid mixture to dry ingredients, stirring with a spatula until all ingredients are thoroughly incorporated. (If mixture seems too dry, add a tablespoon or two more of almond milk, or if it seems too wet and sticky, add additional almond flour). Fold in cranberries. With your hands, form dough into a ball and place in center of baking sheet. Flatten ball until it is about an inch thick. Cut into 8 triangles.
- Bake for 15 to 18 minutes until bottom edges start to brown. Cool baking sheet with scones on wire rack for 5 minutes.
- While scones are baking, whisk together ingredients for the orange icing. When scones come out of the oven, drizzle with icing using a fork.
- After scones have cooled for 5 minutes, serve immediately. Scones are best the day they are made but can be kept in an airtight container for a day or two.
Notes
Christina @ Bake with Christina
Mmm gingerbread scones sound SO good right now! And I love the addition of cranberries too! Pinned!
Merry Christmas!! :)
Tessa
Merry Christmas to you, Christina! Thanks so much!
Thalia @ butter and brioche
You definitely have inspired me to make some scones after seeing this post. You gingerbread and cranberry scones look SO delicious!
Tessa
I'm always so intimidated to make scones but they come together so easily! Thanks, Thalia!
Oana
I've been trying to make scones a couple of times but was never satisfied with the result. Yours however look great, well done!
Tessa
Thanks so much, Oana!
Nikki @ Active Vegetarian
Mmm.... anything Gingerbread - I am sold! Can't wait to try these, Thanks for sharing! :)
Tessa
I am a big gingerbread fan as well. Hope you enjoy, Nikki!
Jennifer S
Any idea of the nutritional content of these???
Tessa
Hi Jennifer! I'm not sure of the nutritional content such as calories, fat, etc., but I do sometimes use this website, to calculate those things from different recipes. Sorghum flour is high in dietary fiber, protein, and iron, and almond meal provides vitamin E, manganese, and healthy monounsaturated fats, giving these scones a little more nutritional value than the average scone. I hope that helps - happy new year!
Kelly - A Side of Sweet
Love the lighting in these photos! They are absolutely gorgeous!
xxo,
Kelly
http://asideofsweet.com
Tessa
Thanks so much, Kelly! Happy New Year!
Sue
can eggs be substituted for the flaxseed? If so, how many eggs would be used?
Tessa
Hi Sue! I have not made this recipe using eggs, but one egg should work as a substitution for the flax egg. If you try it with an egg, I'd love to hear how it works out for you. Thanks so much!