Vegan Cranberry-Pistachio Scones

Vegan Cranberry-Pistachio Scones

Chilled coconut oil and coconut milk replace the usual dairy in these flavorful scones that are studded with red dried cranberries and green pistachios.

Vegan Cranberry-Pistachio Scones
Serves: Approximately 12
 
Ingredients
  • 6 tablespoons unrefined coconut oil
  • 2¼ cups unbleached white fine pastry flour*
  • 2 tablespoons golden coconut sugar
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ⅓ cup chopped dried cranberries
  • ¼ cup chopped green pistachios**
  • 2 teaspoons fresh orange zest
  • 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon cold coconut milk, divided
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400°. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Place coconut oil in a shallow bowl. Using a fork, score coconut oil deeply to create a fine grid pattern. Refrigerate until firm, 10 to 20 minutes. Using a fork or hands, quickly break coconut oil into very small pieces.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Using a pastry blender or 2 forks, cut cold coconut oil into flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. (If coconut oil is too hard or too soft, it will be difficult to work with. If too hard, let sit at room temperature for a few minutes. If too soft, refrigerate for a few minutes.) Stir in cranberries, pistachios, and orange zest until combined.
  4. In a small bowl, whisk together 1 cup cold coconut milk and vanilla extract. Add to flour mixture, stirring until mixture is evenly moist. Working gently and quickly, bring mixture together with hands until a dough forms.
  5. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface, and knead gently by quickly patting dough and folding it in half, 4 to 5 times. Using a rolling pin, roll out dough to a ¾-inch thickness. Using a 2¼-inch round cutter dipped in flour*, cut as many scones as possible from dough, gently rerolling scraps as needed. Place scones 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheet. Freeze for at least 20 minutes.
  6. Brush tops of frozen scones with remaining 1 tablespoon coconut milk, if desired.
  7. Bake until edges of scones are golden brown and a wooden pick inserted in centers comes out clean, approximately 16 minutes. Serve warm.
Notes
*We used Bob’s Red Mill pastry flour.

**Pistachios in the shell will yeild a brighter shade of green than those that can be purchased already shelled. Shell just before using.