These Oatmeal Date Scones are a vegan-friendly, easy-to-make, perfect morning or mid-afternoon snack. They are flakey, buttery, and delicious with hints of sweetness and the perfect moist crumb. Fail-proof and omnivore approved!
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links.
This post was sponsored by Bob's Red Mill. All thoughts and opinions are mine.
For years I worked in bakeries. My favorite bakery of all was a small mom-and-pop shop in Michigan. The bakery sold all sorts of delicious and decadent treats and one of the most popular items on the menu was the oatmeal date scones. Sadly, they weren’t vegan and so I never had the chance to see what all the hype was about.
Until now.
Today I have veganized this popular date scone recipe by making some simple adjustments. The results? The vegan pastry of your dreams!
These vegan scones are perfectly flakey, melt-in-your-mouth buttery, and simply delicious! Bite into one and you will get hints of sweetness alongside moist crumb, hearty oats, and that signature golden crust.
Best of all? This vegan scone recipe is nearly fail-proof! With no difficult techniques or hard-to-find ingredients, you can be treating yourself to this classic pastry in under an hour!
Recommended Ingredients & Equipment
These simple vegan oatmeal scones require 11 ingredients - most of which I’d bet you already have on hand - and all of which can be easily found at your local grocery store.
Here is everything you’ll need.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Rolled Oats- Bob’s Red Mill is my go-to brand of rolled oats and the only one I recommend. They offer a great selection of non-GMO whole grains to support healthy lifestyles for all. Read all about why I love Bob’s Red Mill below.
- All-Purpose Flour – I also reccommend Bob’s Red Mill all-purpose flour. It is organic, unbleached, and high quality.
- Granulated Sugar – Check out my guide to vegan sugars and sugar alternatives. For a healthier alternative, I suggest coconut sugar.
- Vegan Butter – Look for a high-quality non-hydrogenated vegan butter. I recommend either Earth Balance or Miyoko’s.
- Dates - Use Medjool dates which are sweeter and softer.
- Chickpea Flour - This is used as an egg replacer. Because of its high protein content, chickpea flour gives the scones structure without being too crumbly. It is also flavorless, meaning it won’t affect the taste of the scones itself (unlike some other vegan egg replacers).
- Soy Milk - I recommend soy milk because it curdles the best. Almond milk will often curdle but not as well. This may affect the overall texture of the scones.
- Apple Cider Vinegar - This is my vinegar of choice when making vegan buttermilk (vinegar + soymilk) but white vinegar, white wine vinegar, and lemon juice are great alternatives.
Why I Recommend Bob's Red Mill
Bob’s Red Mill is a 100% employee-owned company, one of only 8,000 companies in the US to achieve this spectacular feat. If that weren’t enough to celebrate, they also have one of the largest lines of organic whole grain foods in the country.
For over three decades, the company has been committed to providing people everywhere with the best quality, whole grain foods available. All of their products are certified Kosher and made with ingredients grown from non-GMO seeds. Their minimally processed foods are about as close to nature as you can get, and they package everything in clear bags so you can see the quality of their products for yourself!
Not only are whole grains packed with nutrition, but they also taste delicious. These oats are the best on the market, and they’re certified gluten-free!
Find Bob’s Red Mill at your local grocery store to see why I’m such a huge fan of their fabulous product line.
Recommended Equipment
You will need a baking sheet, with a silicone baking mat, mixing bowls, a pastry cutter, an 8″ cake pan, and basic kitchen utensils. (<<affiliate links)
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step One – Make the Buttermilk & Chickpea Egg
To begin, make your vegan “buttermilk”. In a small bowl combine the soy milk and apple cider vinegar. Whisk together and set aside to let it curdle.
Pro Tip: I recommend soy milk because it curdles the best. Other readers have had success with almond milk, oat milk, and hemp milk. Getting a good curdle helps give these scones their flaky texture.
Whisk together the chickpea flour with three tablespoons of water until you have a thick gooey paste. Make sure the chickpea mixture is evenly hydrated throughout.
Pro Tip: For best results, mix together your chickpea egg in a small mason jar. Tightly fasten the lid and shake it by hand until you have a smooth egg-like consistency. Alternatively, you can use a small blender.
Step Two - Make the Dough
In a large bowl combine oats, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Cut in small chunks of chilled butter and mix with hands or pastry cutter until small crumbs have formed.
Stir in the date pieces.
Combine the flax egg with soy milk mixture and add them to the dry ingredients Stir until just combined. You may need to use your hands to fully incorporate the wet and dry ingredients. Be careful not to overmix or your dough will lose its flakiness.
Step Three – Shape and Bake
Use some additional flour to dust the bottom of an 8-inch cake pan. Press the dough evenly into the pan to shape the scones. Flip the flattened dough onto a floured countertop and cut it into 8 equal pieces.
Place the scones on a parchment-lined cookie sheet and brush the tops with extra non-dairy milk and top with additional oats.
Pro Tip: Place the scones in the freezer for at least 20 minutes prior to baking. This firms up the scones and prevents them from spreading in the oven.
Once the scones are chilled, place them in the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove them from the oven when they are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped.
Serving And Storing
Serving - Serve these scones immediately with some vegan butter and a Chai Tea Latte.
Storing - Store leftover scones in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. You can also freeze them for up to 3 months.
Tips And Tricks
- Don’t over mix the batter. This can cause the scones to become dense and lose its flakiness.
- Use chilled vegan butter. This prevents the butter from melting too much in the oven, providing the scones their signature flakiness.
- Press the scone dough into an 8″ cake pan to ensure a perfect circle. More importantly, this step allows you to press the dough together so that it holds better in the oven.
- Chill scones in the freezer for at least 20 minutes before baking to allow scones to keep their shape in the oven.
Frequently Asked Questions
Unfortunately, no. Chickpea flour is uniquely dense in protein and works as an egg replacer in a way that all-purpose flour cannot. You should be able to find chickpea flour at your grocery store. Or you can pick some up online at Bob's Red Mill.
Nope! While I love the combination of dates and oats, feel free to swap them for raisins, pumpkin seeds, chocolate chips, or omit them altogether.
If you want to make this recipe in advance, you can store unbaked scones in the freezer for up to 2 months. Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and let them freeze all the way through. Once they are frozen, transfer them to a large Ziplock bag. When ready to bake, you can bake them straight from the freezer following the instructions below. They may need a few extra minutes in the oven since they will be frozen.
Yes. I have had a lot of luck with Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour. In fact, when it comes to gluten-free baking, this is the only 1:1 flour I recommend.
More Vegan Scone Recipes
Make sure to check out all of my vegan pastry recipes for more inspiration.
Oatmeal Date Scones
Ingredients
Scones
- ½ cup soy milk
- ½ tsp. apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup Bob's Red Mill Old Fashioned Rolled Oats
- 1 ½ cup Bob's Red Mill All-Purpose Flour, plus more for dusting
- ¼ cup + 2 tbsp. granulated sugar
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- ½ tsp. baking soda
- ½ tsp. salt
- ½ cup + 2 tbsp. vegan butter, chilled
- ¾ cup dates, finely chopped
- 1 chickpea flour egg*
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat and set aside.
- In a small bowl mix together soy milk and apple cider vinegar and let sit for 10 minutes to allow it to curdle.
- Meanwhile, make the chickpea flour "egg". To do this, combine 1 tablespoon chickpea flour with 3 tablespoons of water. Whisk together until the flour is evenly hydrated and you have a thick but pourable paste. Set aside.
- In a medium-size bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Cut butter into small pieces and add it to the dry ingredients. Mix in with a pastry cutter or your fingers until a fine crumb has formed. Fold in the dates.
- Whisk together the chickpea flour egg with the curdled soy milk and add it to the dry ingredients Stir until just combined. You may need to use your hands to ensure the batter is evenly mixed.
- Flour the bottom of an 8" cake pan and press the dough evenly into the pan to shape. Flip onto a floured surface and cut into 8 equal pieces. Place scones on the prepared baking sheet. Place in the freezer for 30 minutes to harden before baking. This ensures the scones keep their shape in the oven.
- Before baking brush the tops with additional tops with soy milk and sprinkle with extra oats. Bake for 25 minutes, until golden brown. Remove scones from the oven, let cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Don’t over mix the batter. This can cause the scones to become dense and lose it’s flakiness.
- Use chilled vegan butter that is not at room temperature when mixing the batter. This prevents the butter from melting too much in the oven, providing the scones their signature flakiness.
- Chill scones in the freezer for at least 20 minutes before baking to allow scones to keep their shape in the oven.
Hi, I’m Sarah. I’m a 14-year (and counting) vegan, professionally trained photographer, former pastry chef, founder of My Darling Vegan, and author of the
Jody says
Can't I just use a regular egg? cuz I'm not vegan. Or flax egg which i often do in recipes. Thanks.
Pam says
I love it and have tried a few more times since finding it,Thank you for sharing!!!
Patty says
These look great but can I use coconut sugar instead of granulated sugar?
Sarah says
I believe so. I haven't tried it but I think it should be fine!
Carol says
Sarah - just wanted to let you know I can't keep these in the house. Even the non-vegans love them!. A friend of mine who is a plumber always lets me know when he'll be in the neighborhood because he wants a batch!
Sarah says
That's amazing! Thanks for sharing.
Carol says
As soon as I saw these I had to make them. They are UNBELIEVABLY delicious! Soft and moist with a nice crumb to them. I love scones and will definitely be making them again and again. Thank you!!
Sarah says
So glad to hear that!
Vange says
Didn’t see the freezing bit until it was too late. So ended up putting in fridge for an hour as we had no room. Substituted all purpose for whole wheat flour and it turned out sooo well. Thanks for sharing.
Sarah says
What is the logic behind freezing it solid before baking? Thanks!
Sarah says
You want it frozen so that it keeps it's form in the oven. There is so much butter in the recipe that if the scone is not properly chilled it will melt and lose form. It doesn't need to be frozen all the way through to enjoy, but the more chilled you can get it the better it will hold it's shape in the oven
Julie says
Hi , any substitute for butter? We don't have any up here. Thanks !
Sarah says
The vegan butter is pretty essential in this recipe. Have you ever tried making your own? This is a really good recipe for homemade soy-based butter.
East Meets West Veg says
Truly beautiful scones and photos! I love anything with dates! These would make me want to wake up in the morning which is not an easy task. 😉
Sarah says
Thanks! It certainly helps 🙂
ameyfm says
oh wow, these look so beautiful, and they also sound so delicious. In the last year or so, I have really fallen in love with dates and now I just want dates in everything. Plus, dates and oatmeal together is such a great combo! 🙂
Sarah says
Thanks! It took me some time to fall in love with dates too, but once I did my life was changed.
Caitlin says
these scones look delicious! i would never think people would choose oatmeal raisin over walnut chocolate chip, but what do i know? i remember when i worked in a bakery (that didn't sell scones), cheese danish were so so popular and i never understood why. aren't the fruit and crumb ones just so much better? but, once again, what do i know because i've never eaten a cheese danish and haven't even eaten a danish in general for *probably* 14 years. 😛
Sarah says
I don't get the cheese danish thing either. Maybe I should try a vegan version and then I will understand.
kimbelina says
Oooh... These look delicious! I think I might need to try these next week for the kids' breakfasts. (They love dates!)
Sarah says
I hope they love them!