Gluten Free-Vegan Pumpkin Pecan Scones
Lately, I’ve enjoyed learning how to bake without eggs and starchy flours. After years of removing gluten from our diet, we’ve had to remove many of the starches and eggs due to further sensitivities which has led to lots of experimentation and these delicious gluten free vegan pumpkin pecan scones.
There are a few options to replace eggs in baking: Flax seeds, Chia Seeds, Bananas, Apple Sauce, and EnerG Replacer. I have used EnerG Replacer in the past, which is a starchy powder that you whisk with water. It is made with tapioca starch and tapioca is currently on the sensitivity list. So I’ve chosen to work with chia seeds, when mixed with liquid they seem to have the same consistency of eggs and they don’t add any sweetness or taste to the recipes.
I’ve tried using chia seeds whole and ground and they work either way. If you use them whole you will find them in the final baked product. You will feel them pop on occasion. I have found that if ground up in a coffee grinder, you never notice them. I add enough in a coffee grinder so that when ground up I’ll have 1 level tablespoon of grounds. Place the grounds in a bowl and add 3 tablespoons of liquid. I have used soy milk, almond, milk, hemp milk and water, it doesn’t seem to matter. Allow this mixture to set for about 15 minutes and when whisked together it will have an egg like consistency.
Don’t be surprised if it takes a couple of batches before you figure it out and when you do you’ll be able to convert your recipes to egg free as well!
Who’s ready for pumpkin scones?
Pumpkin Spice Scones-Gluten Free and Vegan
1 1/2 cup Almond flour
1/2 cup Coconut flour
1 tsp Baking powder
1tsp Xanthum gum
1/2 tsp Sea Salt
1/2 tsp Nutmeg
1/4 tsp All Spice
1tsp Cinnamon
3 TBS Coconut Sugar
2 TBS Light Brown Sugar
5 TBS Spectrum Organic Vegetable Shortening
4 TBS Organic Pumpkin
1 TBS ground chia seeds combined with 3TBS soy milk(or Almond, Hemp milk or water)
1/2 cup chopped Pecans, if desired
2 tsp Vanilla
Preheat oven to 350F. Grind up enough chia seeds in a coffee grinder/blender to make 1 TBS of chia seed grounds and combine with 3TBS of liquid and set aside.
Combine dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl and whisk together.
Add 5 TBS vegetable shortening and cut into the dry ingredients with a fork or a whisk.
Add pumpkin and vanilla and combine.
Take the bowl of chia seed grounds and liquid and whisk together, it will form an egg like consistency. Add to large bowl and mix it all together. I use a heavy duty whisk and spatula for this.
Mixture should be wet enough that it will stick together when you try and form a ball or scone, but not runny at all, if it seems runny add a sprinkle more coconut flour. Section dough into 8 equal balls and form to whatever shapes you wish on a silicone liner on a cookie sheet. I use a this Silpat version.
Place cookie sheet in the oven and set the timer for 15 minutes. If the tops are just starting to brown, the scones are done, if not set the timer for another 5 min. I usually go 20 minutes in my oven. A side note about ovens, I have found that it is necessary to get an oven thermometer when baking with gluten free and vegan treats and remember to check the temp on the thermometer frequently. My oven is thermometer is 30 degrees off. This made a huge difference in my baking experience when I finally figured out that I had to preheat my ovens temp to 380 for it to actually reach 350.
I enjoy these plain or with a dab of Vegan butter spread(Earth Balance whipped spread) or with a delicious vegan frosting dribbled over the top.