These wholesome, vegan pumpkin oat scones are a perfect treat for fall! They’re made with rolled oats for fiber and texture. Serve them as an afternoon snack or a gently sweet breakfast.

When October rolls around, it’s time to give into pumpkin season. These wholesome vegan pumpkin oat scones are a perfect way to celebrate fall baking and the goodness of whole grains at the same time.

I like most breakfast baked goods, from muffins to coffee cake to quick bread. Scones are a favorite of mine, but for whatever reason, I tend to prepare them less often than muffins or cake. Lately, I’ve been thinking that I need to change that.

What I love about these pumpkin oat scones is the texture. Yes, I love scones that have an ultra-buttery, tender interior crumb. But I also love the texture that rolled oats bring to baked goods. I never hesitate to add them to muffins, cookies, or bars.

As it turns out, oats give scones an irresistable combination of crumble and chew. These scones have a wholesome quality, one that’s different from, say, my dark chocolate cashew scones. And the oats provide both fiber and protein, which is a win from a nutrition perspective.

How to make pumpkin oat scones

The process of making these pumpkin oat scones isn’t so different from making regular scones.

You’ll begin by mixing all dry ingredients. In this case, it’s a combination of sprouted whole wheat and all-purpose flours, plus quick oats. There’s also some raising agent (baking powder) and salt in the dry mix.

Next, you’ll cut some vegan butter into the dry ingredients. You can use a pastry cutter, two knives, or a food processor to do this. The process is much the same as making biscuits—you’re aiming for pea-sized little pieces of butter.

Once the butter has been cut in, you make a well in the center of the dry ingredient and butter mix. Mix your wet ingredients—here, that’s puréed pumpkin and non-dairy milk, along with a little white vinegar to help the scones rise—and combine with your hands. You’ll have a dry, shaggy dough, but it ought to hold together when pressed, so that you can shape it into disks.

These disks will be cut into triangular scones. Place the pumpkin oat scones on a parchment lined baking sheet and transfer them to the oven. After the scones bake, it won’t be long before you can enjoy them with a little vegan butter, pumpkin butter, or anything else you’re in the mood for.

Pumpkin oat scone ingredients

Whole wheat flour + unbleached, all-purpose flour

As with many of my other baked goods, I like to use a combination of whole grain and all-purpose flour in the pumpkin oat scones. The all purpose flour helps the scones to retain a light, crumbly texture, while the whole grain flour adds fiber and a pleasantly nutty flavor.

I don’t recommend using 100% whole wheat flour here, as the resulting scones may be dense or dry.

Quick oats

Quick oats are what give the scones their slightly chewy, wholesome texture. They also add soluble fiber to the recipe, which is a win for digestive health!

You can use rolled oats in the recipe, but I’ve found that quick oats “melt” into the dough a little better and create a more tender scone.

Vegan butter

You can use a vegan butter of your choice in the recipe. Earth Balance is my go-to for baking projects.

Non-dairy milk

I’ve tested the pumpkin oat scones with a number of non-dairy milks, including oat, soy, cashew, and almond. All of these options work well! I tend to use unsweetened, plain versions so that I can stay in control of the flavor and sweetness of the recipe.

Pumpkin

Pumpkin purée is the ingredient that gives the pumpkin oat scones their pretty, light orange color and all the October feels. Be sure to use puréed, plain pumpkin, rather than pumpkin pie filling, or else the flavor will be sweeter than is intended.

The wheat flour and quick oats that I use are from One Degree Organics. I’ve come to love this brand for its oats, cereals, granolas, breads, flours, and legumes.

One Degree products are sourced transparently, with traceable ingredients from trusted farming partners. They’re all organic, non-GMO, and free of artificial ingredients. Many of them are not only 100% plant-based, but also veganic, which means that they’re grown and cultivated without any animal inputs.

One Degree’s Sprouted Whole Wheat Flour gives a rich, nutty flavor to the scones.

Sugar

You can use either cane sugar or coconut sugar to sweeten your scones. I love the slightly caramel flavor of coconut sugar, but both options work.

While I’m usually a fan of pretty pronounced sweetness in baked goods, I like the fact that the pumpkin oat scones are only subtly sweet. It makes it easier to taste the whole grains in them.

Can the scones be gluten-free?

Yes! The pumpkin oat scones can be made gluten-free. Just be sure to use an all-purpose, gluten-free baking flour blend that you know and trust.

You should also make sure that your quick oats are gluten-free. Oats themselves don’t contain gluten, but they’re often grown and cultivated in a way that makes them contaminated with wheat.

Fortunately, One Degree Organics Organic Sprouted Quick Oats are certified gluten-free.

Scone preparation and storage

The pumpkin oat scones keep well in an airtight container at room temperature for up to four days. If you plan to store them longer, then I recommend freezing them for up to six weeks. They’re a nice make-ahead option for snacks and portable breakfasts.

You can serve the scones with any topping you like. You can also choose your accompaniments if you decide to have the scones for breakfast. I really love to enjoy them with a turmeric chai latte, which I make with this homemade turmeric chai latte mix!

I’ve never tried a famous Starbucks pumpkin scone. However, I know that they are much beloved. While the pumpkin oat scones are obviously very different—unfrosted, less sweet, and vegan—they’ve made me awfully excited for fall. Maybe they’ll have that effect on you, too!

xo  

This post is sponsored by One Degree Organics. All opinions are my own. Thanks for your support!