I’m on “holiday mode” at the moment, and rightly so I suppose as it is the summer and I’m in between studies. But my laid-back attitude has stretched to my sleeping routine. I’m going to bed later and later and getting up later and later…There’s nothing wrong with this of course but I just feel so much better and more productive when I’m up and moving by 7am.
I miss my leisurely starts to the day so I’m making an effort to go to bed earlier and get up earlier, easing into it with 15 minutes earlier everyday as suggested by Leo at Zen Habits. Getting up later also means breakfasts have got rather dull. When I eventually get up I feel like I should be getting on with things and so have just been grabbing a quick bowl of Nature’s Path Cereal, porridge with fruit and almond milk or an uninspired smoothie, and leaving it at that.
The lure of fun breakfasts is definitely helping my early-rising quest though! While at university I would regularly wake up early and head to the kitchen for a spot of baking in my pyjamas, enjoying the silent corridors and having the kitchen all to myself 
before heading off to lectures or getting down to work. The only disturbance was the occasional rower returning from their (super) early-morning training sessions on the river, bursting in on my pancake-making to heat up some instant oats in the microwave.
These scones were made before starting my new plan to get up early so they were baked later than I’d have liked, inducing a little bit of guilt about wasting my morning. But finding time to nourish the mind and the body shouldn’t be frowned upon and baked goods don’t have to be unhealthy.
These scones incorporate wholegrain flour, are ever so slightly sweetened, and have a touch of lemony flavour and a soft crumb. Served warm from the oven topped with coconut butter and my quick blackberry chia jam they made for a lovely breakfast, and a very welcome change from cereal and milk!
- 1 C Blackberries
- 1 Tbsp Agave nectar
- 1 Tbsp Chia Seeds
- 2 C Flour (I used 1/2 white spelt and 1/2 whole spelt)
- 1/4 C Coconut Sugar (use 1/3C if you’d like a touch more sweetness)
- 1 Tbsp Baking powder
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1 1/4 C Coconut Milk, chilled (NOT light)
- Zest of 1 large lemon
- 1-3 tsp Demerara sugar, for sprinkling (Optional)
- Briefly whizz blackberries in a blender, leaving slightly chunky. Stir in agave nectar and chia seeds, pour into a jar and leave to thicken in the fridge for at least 10 minutes.
- Keep in the fridge for up to a week.
- Preheat oven to 220C/425F, lightly grease a large baking sheet.
- In a large bowl, stir together all your dry ingredients. Whisk the lemon zest into the coconut milk and pour into the dry ingredients. Gently mix until just combined.
- The dough should be thick.
- Sprinkle your work surface with flour and shape your dough into a large disc, approx 3/4” thick. Carefully transfer the disc onto the prepared baking sheet. Using a sharp knife cut into 8 triangles.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until very lightly golden.
- Brush with a touch of non-dairy milk and sprinkle with Demerara sugar, if using. Leave to cool slightly and gently separate the scones. Serve warm with coconut butter and blackberry chia jam if desired.
- (Or how about fresh strawberries and whipped coconut cream for a healthy strawberry shortcake?)
- The coconut milk doesn’t make these coconutty if that’s a concern, but the richness of the milk adds a buttery taste without the need for any added fat.
Are you an early-riser? Or a baker?
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I love scones and am interested in you using coconut milk instead of butter here but mostly love the blackberry chia jam - have seen it around and been really interested in it - yours looks great. I am not a morning person but probably should be rather than being up too late too often
The chia jam is great. I can’t do too much sweetness first thing in the morning so it’s a great alternative to regular jam for me, and quick too.
That looks like a lovely breakfast meal! Love the sound of lemon & coconut milk in the scones. The scones look beautiful! I’ve seen a lot of jams involving chia seeds lately, but the blackberry is one of my favorite fruits and I would love to try it someday!
How long will you be on the holiday for until studies start?
Blackberries are fabulous. I’ll soon be going berry-picking as I’ve been seeing them ripening up all over the wild bushes.
I don’t start my masters until mid-September so I’ve still got some time left. I’m going away next week and I’m moving into a new flat not long after that so I’ve got plenty to keep me busy though!
A neighbour picked some organic blackberries from a local farm yesterday. Oh my goodness, they are so tasty! ^_^
Just made these for afternoon tea with homemade apple and plum jam. They were really good. Glad to find a vegan scone recipe that doesn’t ask for “vegan margarine” (no idea what’s in it but it doesn’t sound v wholesome) and uses natural ingredients instead.
Fabulous! So pleased to hear you enjoyed them. And I totally agree, if a product has ingredients I can’t pronounce I avoid it!
Just made these, but the dough didn’t get as thick as you describe? I used half spelt and half whole spelt flour and left out the sugar, which shouldn’t be a big thing so I’m really confused.
Hi Maria, I’m sorry they didn’t turn out as described. I’m not sure what could have happened though. Perhaps differences in altitude? I haven’t made the recipe for quite a long time as I tend to bake gluten-free these days. Did you add more flour to thicken up the mix?
I thought of doing that next time
They taste so good with the coconutmilk. Do you have an alternative recipe gf here? Thanks Maria x
The chia jam is great *
Great Recipe!
Thanks Karine. I have a ton of blackberries in the freezer so I think I might make a big batch of this soon too. Thanks for reminding me of it!
This recipe sounds really really good, so thank you for this! However, I just have one substitute question: I am on the paleo diet and was wondering whether I could sub the spelt flour with a paleo-proof flour, and if so, which one(s) you would recommend. Maybe half chestnut half almond meal? Or some coconut flour - or would that absorb too much liquid? Thank you!
Hi Sarah, I know that grain free flours react very differently in baking so I would think the recipe would need quite a lot of adapting. I’d recommend going for a different recipe altogether if you’d like it to be paleo. There’s this one from The Kitchn which seems to be suitable : http://www.thekitchn.com/grainfree-lemon-blueberry-scones-200707