Banana Blueberry Scones

Okay so these little puppies are fast, easy, versatile, and good for breakfast or dessert!

If you’re like me, you buy tons of fruit and veggies in bulk. Usually that’s great for smoothies, and for big salads, but sometimes the bananas are green when you first get them and then you have to wait a while and there is no possible way you can eat 37 bananas before they go bad. This happens to you right? Maybe with less bananas?

Okay so tip number one is: YOU CAN FREEZE BANANAS. Like peel and everything. You know when you give those browning bananas the stare down day after day and you’re thinking I swear I’m going to turn you into banana bread, I’m gonna do it, oh yes I am, don’t test me. And then … you … don’t? Because life is busy and banana bread is a big mental endeavor. I mean first you have to grease the pan and then you have to wash the pan, and that’s just … work.

Enter the mystical land of freezing everything. I just toss bananas straight into the freezer as they are if I’m in a hurry. Sometimes,if I’m really on it, I remember to peel them and keep in a glass storage container, diced into 2” sections for smoothies and nice cream. But when I do freeze with the peel on, I pop my bananas in the microwave, peel and all, for about 30 seconds. Make a slice in the peel and squeeze them out. If you’re better at planning, you can set them out in a bowl in the sink for about 20 minutes and they’ll just slide on out of those peels no problem. Again, fresh bananas are totally fine too, this is just how I use the ones I freeze to prevent waste. They look a little slimy if you’re going the frozen route, but they’re totally fine. Also good for making smoothies extra creamy!

In a giant bowl, add in all of your ingredients in no particular order. I add my bananas, flour, baking soda, salt, and plant based milk. I usually opt for oat milk because it’s the best for the planet, but any kind of non-dairy milk will do. You can opt to reduce the salt a little if you’re watching sodium intake. These scones have no added sugar other than what’s in the bananas and blueberries, so I make up for it by using a bit extra salt for some more pronounced flavor. You’ll also need to add something binding. 1/3 cup of olive oil is usually my go to, but if you’re going oil free, 1/3 cup vegan yogurt or applesauce is an equally great choice.

Whisk this all together into a nice sticky dough. You can use a fork or a spoon too if a whisk isn’t handy. Of all of the recipes I post, it seems the ones that require less specialty ingredients and tools are the ones folks want to try first. This is definitely a beginner recipe, but it has a huge pay off. Take it to work and impress your coworkers, or do what I do and eat 6 big scones all by yourself and revel in it. Heh heh … heh.

When your batter is whisked into a smooth texture, it’s time to add in the blueberries. I use 3/4 to 1 whole cup, but you can use as many or as little as you want and it doesn’t affect the recipe at all. I use fresh, but dried or frozen are totally great too. In the summer when we have fresh berries, I add in 2 cups easily because they’re so hard to resist. Fold these in gently with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon so they don’t burst.

After the blueberries are folded in, shape your batter into a circle and leave it in the bottom of the bowl or on a baking mat. If you go the bowl route, you’re going to put the entire bowl in the freezer for 30 minutes so it’ll hold its shape when you bake it. If you want to get started washing that bowl or don’t have space for a giant mixing bowl in your freezer, you can put this circular dough on the baking mat or a plate in the freezer instead.

Cut that frozen dough circle into 6-8 smaller triangles like a pizza and pop it into the oven for 25-30 minutes at 400°. Make sure you leave a little space in between each of your triangles so they don’t bake into one another and form a giant delicious blueberry lump. Let these cool for about 30 minutes and either eat plain or make a glaze for a little extra sweetness. If you’re making a glaze, mix a teaspoon of vegan milk with three tablespoons of powdered sugar and a few drops of vanilla. You can sub in a few drops of lemon juice if you want a little tartness in the summertime. I always recommend starting with less milk than is called for, and adding in few drops at a time until you reach your desired consistency. That’s it! Leave me a comment if you wind up making these, I’d love to hear how they turn out and if you enjoy them!

After 30-60 minutes, pull your dough out of the freezer, and plop it onto a baking mat. Baking mats are awesome because you spend a very reasonable amount of money once, and get an amazing eco friendly mat you can use again and again and again. Saves you the calories from using oil to coat the pan and prevents buying tinfoil that you’re just going to toss in the recycling bin after a few minutes. Sidenote - if you didn’t know you can recycle tin foil, it’s true! Just squeeze it into a solid ball at least 3 inches into diameter so it’s big enough for the machines at the recycling plant to pick up. I don’t think I’ve bought a new roll of foil since college, so it can be done!

Substitutions:

Sub yogurt or applesauce for oil in a 1:1 ratio if you prefer.

Use blackberries, raspberries, or even hunks of chocolate in place of the blueberries if you’d like.

Use lemon juice in the glaze to brighten up the flavor instead of nondairy milk.

Substitute almond or chickpea flour in a 1:1 ratio if you prefer gluten free scones.