How to Make Easy Low Sugar Pumpkin Scones
These low sugar pumpkin scones are a perfect, simple way to jump on the all-things-pumpkin bandwagon. They are so easy a child can make them. Literally. And they are veggie-loaded, low in sugar, wholegrain and have a vegan option to boot!
Do your kids enjoy baking, but turn their noses up at healthy food with a “yuck“?
It’s a minefield, I know. And everyone has their solution or opinion or quick fix.
But the truth is, there are no quick fixes. A lot of it is trial and error. Most of it is patience and perseverance. All of it is deep breaths, constant worry and the occasional glass of wine.
There is no single quick way to make kids eat healthy food overnight. I wish there was.
But I’ve been working alongside some amazing experts in nutrition, child psychology, medicine and more for a few years now, and the truth is, they all say the same thing: there are many techniques and they will eventually work with most kids, but it will take time and patience.
One of my favourite ways to create these long-term habits that often instil a lifelong love of healthier food is to cook healthier foods with your kids.
It gets messy. Especially with little ones.
I’ve definitely spent a few evenings re-hoovering the flour off the kitchen floor for the 17th time and changing the kids into yet another clean outfit as the laundry piles up in the corner.
It takes planning.
I’ve learned that the hard way from not pre-measuring out ingredients, preheating ovens and reading through recipes, then trying to do these things while shouting “NO, don’t pick up the butcher’s knife! PLEASE put the open bag of flour down! DON’T PICK UP THE GLASS OF WAT—oh no…”
Bake Off has nothing on trying to cook with young children!
But the truth is, with a little prep work and patience, it can actually start to be, dare I say it, fun. And more than that, it exposes our kids to vegetables and other healthy ingredients as they cook and bake with us. It helps them learn about nutrition and choices we can make to make certain recipes or foods more healthy. It teaches them numeracy and literacy skills. It shows them what good, healthy food looks like and where it comes from. It allows them to enjoy exploring healthy foods with all their senses.
And above all, it creates great family memories and bonding time.
Getting children into the habit of helping to prepare healthy meals is a great one, and will teach them a skill they will need for life. Getting them to bake healthier versions of favourite treats is wonderful, too, and can be more fun for them at first.
Like these low sugar pumpkin scones (biscuits in the US I believe). They are adaptable enough to serve with chilli or jam as a savoury or sweet side. They are fluffy, sweet and soft. They are packed with pumpkin but don’t overly taste of it. They are wholegrain, low in sugar, and can be made dairy free if that is a requirement in your family.
And they are SO easy to make.
I measured out ingredients. Then I let my 3-year-old son make them while I gave him minimal instructions.
He got to get his hands messy and eat scones fresh out of the oven with plenty of butter… so he was pretty much over-the-moon.
And I got to know he had made a healthy, low sugar treat that he took pride in and enjoyed.
So maybe he will continue to refuse the butternut squash in his pasta that he loved 3 weeks ago, but at least with these low sugar pumpkin scones, I’ve found one way he will eat some orange veg for now!
An easy veggie-loaded sweet or savoury snack or side, these low sugar pumpkin scones (biscuits in America) are sweet, fluffy and soft. Perfect served warm with lots of butter!
- 450 g (3 cups) wholewheat or wholegrain spelt flour (or use half-and-half wholemeal and plain if you prefer)
- 3 teaspoon baking powder
- pinch sea salt
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar or 2-3 drops liquid stevia (use both for a sweet scone or use 1-2 tablespoons of a baking blend of sugar and stevia if you prefer)*
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin spice or mixed spice
- 110 g (1 stick / 1/2 cup) unsalted butter, cold and cubed (or use the same amount of cold coconut oil for dairy free)
- 200 g (3/4 cup) pumpkin puree (the pure stuff, not pie filling) or sweet potato puree (cook a couple in the microwave or oven until soft, then peel and blend until smooth)
- 85 ml (1/3 cup) milk (dairy or unsweetened non-dairy) – start with this amount, but you may need to add more
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Preheat oven to 230C/450F/gas 8. Get a big mixing bowl and stir together the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar and spice mix. Rub in the cold butter cubes with clean fingers until most of the butter is rubbed into the flour, with little lumps still appearing every now and then. It shouldn't be an even breadcrumb look – more a mix of small and larger breadcrumbs.
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Mix in the pumpkin puree, then pour in most of the milk. Bring the dough together with a wooden spoon or your hands, adding a splash more milk as needed until it just comes together as a smooth-ish (but not sticky) dough.
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Dust a clean work surface with flour and roll out the dough to about 2cm (1/2") thick. Use a 6cm (2 1/2") round cookie cutter to cut out scones, re-rolling the leftover dough to use it all up. Place the scones on a lined baking tray and brush with extra milk, then bake in the oven for 13-18 mins, until the scones are puffed up and golden brown on top with a slight crack in the middle. Allow to cool slightly, then serve warm with plenty of butter. The scones are best eaten fresh, but will keep for a few days in an airtight container on the counter. You can eat them cold, but they do dry out so we usually microwave them for a few seconds to reheat before serving. They also freeze pretty well for a month or so!
*2 tbsp maple syrup also works well here, with 2 drops liquid stevia if you want them sweet. For totally sugar free, xylitol works (2-3 tbsp).
Looking for more autumnal (fall) recipes? Why not take a look at some of these.
I made these biscuits to try and they tasted AMAZING
So glad you enjoyed them Jenna! Thanks for taking the time to rate and leave feedback. 🙂