Ginger Pear Scones
These coffee-shop worthy ginger pear scones are fluffy and moist, with a delicate gingerbread flavor. Consider making a double batch because these always go fast!
Equipment
- cutting board
- sharp knife
- baking sheet
- small bowl
- large bowl
- spoon
- cooling rack
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
Ingredients
- 2½ tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
- ⅓ cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
- 2 tablespoons organic light molasses (see Note)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup whole wheat pastry flour plus extra for dusting the cutting board
- ¾ cup spelt flour
- ¼ cup organic light brown sugar packed (see Note)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1½ teaspoons ground ginger
- 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- ⅓ cup pear peeled and diced into ¼-inch cubes
- 1 tablespoon organic cane sugar (optional; see Note)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Make the flax egg: Add the water and ground flaxseed to a small bowl and stir well to combine. Let the mixture rest at room temperature for 15 minutes, until it has thickened and congealed.
- Wet ingredients: To a large bowl, add the flax egg, applesauce, molasses, and vanilla extract. Stir well to combine.
- Dry ingredients: Add the whole wheat pastry flour, spelt flour, light brown sugar, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves to the bowl containing the wet ingredients. Stir well until the dry ingredients are evenly incorporated. Gently fold in the pear chunks.
- Cut the scones: Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and shape it into a rough circle. Try to avoid flattening it out too much as you do so—the dough should stay thick and somewhat puffy. Use a sharp knife to cut the dough into 8 triangles.
- Bake: Gently transfer the triangles to the prepared baking sheet, ensuring sufficient space between each triangle. If you want to sprinkle the tops with organic cane sugar, do so now. Bake the scones for 12 to 14 minutes, until they have puffed up and have some structure. They should still be somewhat soft when you remove them from the oven.
- Cool: Let the scones cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Then, transfer them to a cooling rack. Allow them to continue to cool until they are slightly warm or have reached room temperature. Enjoy as-is or with a mug of hot coffee or tea.
Notes
- Light molasses is the sweetest type and the most commonly used type for baking. Dark molasses (sometimes called “robust”) is darker in color and less sweet, but still works well here. A third kind of molasses, blackstrap molasses, is thicker and darker than the others and has a distinctive bitter taste. I do not recommend using blackstrap molasses in this recipe, as it will change the flavor balance.
- To ensure that the sugar and molasses you are using are vegan, opt for organic. Sugars that are not labeled “organic” may be processed with bone char, an animal product.
- Store any leftovers in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 2 days. After that, transfer them to a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 more days. Ginger pear scones will keep well in a sealed container in the freezer for up to 1 month.