Whole Wheat Scones
Tender, moist, and bursting with Greek yogurt and blueberries, these Whole Wheat Scones are a wholesome spin on a classic breakfast treat...but nobody would ever guess by their delicious, decadent flavor!
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How's the week been treating you all so far? It's been a busy one around these parts, but the highlight -- by far -- has been perfecting this recipe for wholesome and delicious Whole Wheat Scones. They're made with whole wheat pastry flour and Greek yogurt and studded with juicy blueberries...and you're going to LOVE them!
It's rare that I accompany my occasional coffee shop beverage with a baked treat, but when I do, you can bet it's either a chocolate croissant or a blueberry scone. While I haven't exactly mustered up the courage to attempt whipping up croissants at home, homemade scones are actually quite manageable. They're easy to make, in fact. And with a few simple ingredient swaps in order to achieve Whole Wheat Scones, you don't even need to feel guilty about enjoying them!
How to Make Flaky Whole Wheat Scones
Much like pie crust, one of the keys to light, flaky scones is to not overwork the dough. The chilled butter within should still be cold when you pop the scones into the oven. That way, the chilled bits of butter will melt while baking and create pockets of steam, resulting in tender, airy scones.
I have found that the easiest way to quickly work the dough (and not melt the butter with my hot little always freezing hands) is to use my food processor. As an added bonus, doing so also makes this recipe super quick and simple to throw together.
If you don't have a food processor, it's fine to incorporate everything by hand, of course. Just do your best to keep that butter cold!
Ingredients
Since scones are best eaten fresh from the oven -- meaning I wouldn't be able to hoard them all for myself over a period of days...meaning I'd be sharing them with my offspring -- I decided to make these blueberry scones a bit healthier. A few ingredient notes:
- Whole wheat pastry flour. Whole wheat pastry flour is 100% whole wheat flour, but it has a lighter taste and texture (more akin to that of all-purpose flour) than regular whole wheat flour. It's my secret ingredient for making the most delicious and whole wheat quick breads, muffins, pancakes, waffles, and so much more!
- Greek yogurt. This is my healthier sub for the standard heavy cream in most scone recipes.
- Butter. Let's be honest...I don't think it's possible to make scones without butter. But that's okay, because I've never been afraid of butter anyway. 😉
- Egg. While we're deviating from traditional recipes, I'm going to admit right here that I like to add an egg to my scone recipes. I think the verdict is mixed as to whether or not eggs truly belong in scones. But I lean towards throwing one into my dough because I think including an egg results in a moister scone. While I'm all about light, flaky scones, I really don't care for those that suck the moisture right out of my mouth.
- Blueberries. Fresh berries are great if you've got 'em. But in case you are using frozen blueberries instead, just don't thaw them first. Stir them in frozen so they don't bleed all over your dough.
Lightened up though they may be, I love finishing these Whole Wheat Scones with a sprinkle of large-crystal sugar -- either turbinado or sparkling. I had the latter in my pantry, and isn't it purty? It also creates fabulous crunchy tops and adds an extra touch of sweetness, since scones aren't overly sweet to begin with.
So to recap, these scones are tender and moist.
They're bursting with blueberries.
They're made from 100% whole wheat flour, but because we're using whole wheat pastry flour here, the scones don't end up tasting overly wheat-y.
Greek yogurt is a wholesome, protein-packed substitute for heavy cream in these babies.
And you won't miss the flavor benefits of butter, because it's still there! Heh.
So it's decided...your weekend would be so much brighter if you started it with a batch of fresh-from-the-oven blueberry Whole Wheat Scones!
And with all of that whole wheat and Greek yogurt and fresh fruit, you can not only feel proud of your homemade scone-producing domestic skills, but you can also feel justified having seconds. 😉
More Recipes with Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
- Homemade Whole Wheat Pancake Mix
- One-Bowl Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Lemon Blueberry Muffins
- Whole Wheat Waffle Mix
Whole Wheat Scones
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
- ¼ cup light brown sugar, any lumps broken apart
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 5 tablespoons butter, cubed and chilled
- ⅔ cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- ¾ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup blueberries, washed and dried
- 1 tablespoon melted butter
- 2 tablespoons coarse sugar, turbinado or sparkling sugar
Instructions
- Arrange oven rack in the center position and preheat oven to 375°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Measure the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of a large food processor; process with five (1-second) pulses until blended. Add the cold butter to the food processor; process with ten (1-second) pulses until the butter is reduced to pea-sized pieces. Add yogurt, egg, and vanilla, and pulse until a ball of dough just begins to form, which should take about about five (1-second) pulses.
- Transfer the dough to a floured surface. Sprinkle the dough with blueberries and gently press and fold them into the dough, turning the dough over and repeating on the other side, if necessary. Taking care not to overwork the dough, quickly form it into a 1-inch thick circle. Use a scraper, sharp knife, or large pizza cutter to cut it into 8 triangular wedges. Transfer the wedges to the prepared baking sheet, spacing them at least 1 inch apart.
- Brush the scones with melted butter and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean and the tops are light golden brown. After a couple of minutes, transfer to a rack. Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before serving, or cool completely before storing in an airtight container.
Notes
- I tested this recipe with regular Greek yogurt. Fat-free or low-fat Greek yogurt should work as well.
- Scones are best enjoyed on the same day that they're made. However, if you'd like to enjoy them on day 2, they're best reheated for 5 to 10 minutes in a 350°F oven...or 30 seconds in the microwave if you're less worried about texture than time. 😉
Nutrition
Adapted from King Arthur Flour
I think I prefer the scone recipes that use frozen butter and then grate it into the dry mix, because it ends up being more tender after being baked. I also think it may be easier to use a food processor but the result might be a more tough baked product if you accidentally use it too long... the less handling of dough with baking powder, the better.
A note on the health benefits of whole wheat (containing the whole grain) versus whole wheat pastry flour. Whole wheat flour is higher in protein content, which results in a denser baked product. It's suitable for bread and pizza dough, but less suitable for cakes and dessert type recipes. If you only use whole wheat pastry flour, you are missing out on certain health benefits of the whole grain version. I think you can easily substitute something like honey or applesauce (maybe in combo with coconut sugar as a topping) in this recipe to make it healthier. But generally speaking, if you're just talking about health, it's better to eat less sweets and baked goods...
Hi, can we use sour cream instead of Greek yogurt? I just have a tub to be used lol! Thank you!
That substitution should work! 🙂
Hi there! This looks like an excellent recipe -- I was just wondering, any reason not to add some lemon zest? (Would it be too much tang with the Greek yogurt?)
Thanks!
Julia
I think adding lemon zest would be fine, Julia! I love lemon + blueberry. 🙂
I’ve made this many times and it always gets raving reviews! A nice healthy breakfast, really. I am Diabetic and this is really gentle on my bloodsugar! Also you can go heavier on the coarse sugar or light if you prefer! Very nice recipe, and I’m going to attempt making them today with cranberries and orange zest!
Today was our lucky day. I had all the ingredients on hand, and we loved these scones. The recipe came together easily and as always, your directions are crystal clear. Thanks for another winner!
Yay, Carolyn! It always makes me smile to hear that y'all enjoyed one of my recipes. 🙂 Hope you're having a great week!
We love scones and we love blueberries at our house so this is awesome!!! 🙂