This post was created in partnership with Bob’s Red Mill.
When I was writing my first cookbook four years ago, I was completely infatuated with developing gluten-free baking recipes and baking almost every day. More than that, I was really into making my own flours (by blending whole grains in my Blendtec), and mixing my own gluten-free flour blends. I am one of those crazy people that enjoys making everything from scratch, but I also did all of those things out of necessity, since there were no high-quality gluten-free flour blends out on the market. Things have really changed since then! Health food stores are now flooded with all kinds of exotic flours and flour blends, which makes me a little less compelled to make my own. I still do from time to time, but I feel comforted by the fact that I can pick up a gluten-free flour blend in the store and whip up some tasty scones without getting messy with the blender and tons of jars. I should add that I don’t have a gluten sensitivity, but a few people I like to share scones with do, and I also just really love the challenge that gluten-free baking presents.
I’ve been baking with Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 Gluten Free Baking Flour and can confidently say that it’s the best pre-mixed gluten-free flour blend I’ve tried. The blend was formulated to substitute wheat flour in baking recipes in exact amounts, which makes it super easy to use if you ever want to try your hand at a gluten-free version of your favorite recipe. These blueberry lemon scones are my favorite thing I’ve made with the flour so far. I’ve tested three batches, and each one has disappeared within a day, with the help of friends and family. They are a true crowd pleaser, and make for a satisfying little breakfast or dessert. Slightly crisp on the outside and nice and crumbly inside, with pockets of blueberries, and a sweet and tangy lemon ‘glaze.’ There’s a lovely zing from lemon zest throughout, and they are pretty low maintenance in terms of preparation, as scones should be. I hope you’ll give them a try :)
- ½ cup unsweetened almond milk
- ½ tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons gluten free rolled oats
- 1½ cups 1 to 1 Gluten-Free Flour Blend
- ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon coconut sugar, plus more for sprinkling on top
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- pinch of sea salt
- zest of 2 organic lemons, divided
- ¼ cup neutral coconut oil - scoopable, at room temperature
- ½ cup pistachios - chopped, plus more for garnish
- 1½ cup fresh or frozen (not thawed) blueberries
- ¼ cup aquafaba (water from a can of chickpeas or other beans)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup cashew butter
- 1½ tablespoons maple syrup or honey
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric - for color
- juice of 1 lemon
- Preheat the oven to 400° F (200° C). Prepare a baking sheet by covering it with a piece of parchment paper.
- Combine the almond milk and apple cider vinegar in a small bowl and set aside to make a vegan 'buttermilk.'
- Pulse the rolled oats several times in a high speed blender or food processor to grind them partially. Combine the oats with the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and ⅔ the amount of the lemon zest in a medium bowl, toss to mix thoroughly. Add coconut oil and work it into the flour mixture with a fork until mostly mixed in, with some small clumps remaining.
- Add the pistachios and blueberries, toss to combine. Make a well in the center, add the 'buttermilk,' aquafaba and vanilla, and mix to combine. Take care not to overwork the batter. Transfer the batter to a floured surface and use your hands to form a disk about 1-inch thick. Cut into 8 wedges with a floured knife. Transfer the wedges onto the prepared baking sheet with a spatula or a pie server. Sprinkle some coconut sugar on top of each scone.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the edges are golden and crispy. Let cool and drizzle with the glaze (recipe follows), sprinkle with the rest of the lemon zest and pistachios.
- In a small bowl, combine the cashew butter with the maple syrup and turmeric, mix until smooth. Add lemon juice and whisk until shiny and smooth, add more lemon juice or water if the glaze seems too thick. Drizzle over the scones and enjoy.
Myriam says
Looks delicious! I will try them this week end …also with a different brand of GF as this one here is, I assume, not available here :) Thank you
Anya says
Hi Myriam, please let me know how they work out with a different GF blend :)
Domenica says
Would you have any suggestions what types of flours to mix to make your own gluten free four flour (low glycemic index preferred but not must) that would work in this recipe? It does not have to be 100% gluten free in my case, I just avoid wheat and its varieties like spelt flour.
Thank you for all the great recipes!
D.
Anya says
Hi Domenica,
Here are the flours in the GF blend I used from Bob’s Red Mill: Sweet White Rice Flour, Whole Grain Brown Rice Flour, Potato Starch, Whole Grain Sweet White Sorghum Flour, Tapioca Flour. I would stick to something close to that when blending your own :)