When I think of the holiday baking season, it’s not just cookies that come to mind. I also absolutely associate this time of the year with breakfast treats. Scones specifically are one of my favorite things to make, and yet I tend to forget about them until the holiday season hits. But sitting in front of my sparkling Christmas tree with a warm scone and a cup of coffee or tea? It’s a tradition I look forward to each year.
And these sweet potato scones with a cardamom glaze are perfect for the season. They bake up with a slightly crunchy exterior, yet are still perfectly fluffy and soft inside. Made with coconut oil and coconut milk, they are both dairy-free and vegan. And with all their warming spices, you can’t help but feel cozy when enjoying them straight from the oven.
But what I really love about scones? The fact that you can make and freeze them ahead of time. Scones are definitely best enjoyed freshly made, and with only two of us in the house, freezing them helps make sure nothing goes to waste.
If you’d like to make these ahead of time, prepare the scone dough as directed and cut into the eight equal wedges. Place the wedges on a parchment-lined baking sheet and transfer it to the freezer. Once the scones are frozen, remove them from the baking sheet and place them into a freezer-safe container. When you are ready to enjoy, bake the scones directly from the freezer. You may need to add an extra few minutes to the bake time, so just keep an eye on them in the oven. Then whip together the glaze and enjoy!
A few last notes on the recipe. For the canned coconut milk - you don’t want the cream and liquid to be separated when you make this dish. If they are separated, either stir them together really well, or warm them up until no longer separated (if you do warm the milk, let it cool before using in the scones). And as far as the glaze is concerned, start with the lower amount of ground cardamom and add more to taste - cardamom is a stronger spice so you don’t want to add too much too quickly!
Ingredients
For the scones:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup white sugar (organic for vegan-friendly)
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Pinch of ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup solid-state coconut oil
- ½ cup sweet potato puree homemade or store-bought
- ¼ cup canned full-fat coconut milk plus extra as needed
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
For the glaze:
- ¾ cup confectioner's sugar
- 3 tablespoons canned full-fat coconut milk plus extra as needed
- ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom to taste
Instructions
For the scones:
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. Add in the coconut oil and use a pastry cutter to cut the oil into the flour. Continue until it resembles even-sized crumbs. In a liquid measuring cup or small bowl, whisk together the sweet potato puree, coconut milk and vanilla. Add to the large bowl and mix just until the dough comes together (if the dough is too dry, add in additional milk one tablespoon at a time).
- Dump the dough onto a well-floured surface. With well-floured hands, bring the dough together and then pat into a circle that is about 1 inch thick. Cut into 8 equal wedges and place on the prepared baking sheet (leaving space between the wedges). Bake for about 18 to 20 minutes, until light golden brown. Transfer the scones to a wire rack. Let cool for 10 minutes before adding the glaze.
For the glaze:
- In a small bowl, whisk together the confectioner's sugar, milk, and cardamom until smooth. If the glaze is too thick, slowly add in additional milk until it reaches your desired consistency. Drizzle over the scones.
Jessica @ Jessica in the Kitchen says
These look fantastic!!! Also, I'm not sure where from, but my cauliflower wings were really popular in your potluck section the other day. Thank you so much!!
Brenda S Compagnoni says
These are my favorite scones. Thank you for the recipe.
Lois Carter Crawford/Recipe Idea Shop says
These sound delicious. Can you make the recipes printable?
Alissa says
Thanks Lois! We just added the print button - you should be able to print the recipes from desktop now!
Sandy says
These scones are amazing! My daughter loved them, and asked me to make another batch, looks like these will be a staple in our house!