September through December are my four favourite months of the year. I enjoy the summer, of course, and I find pleasures in every season, but September through December hold the magic – the changing leaves, the cool, crisp days, the first snowfall, Thanksgiving, harvest vegetables, blue skies, cozy sweaters and cowls, baking with pumpkin puree, knitting.

And scones. Or should I say, banana espresso scones with oat maple crumble.

Hearty, healthy(ish), and with just the right amount of maple oat crumble, these scones are made with brown rice flour, coconut oil, and mashed bananas, and they are tasty as all get out. They are also vegan and gluten-free. I debated putting chocolate chips in them, because I love to put dark chocolate in everything, but decided in the end that the bananas could shine all on their own.

Let me add some context to the allure of these scones: Once September arrives, I move back to my ‘cold weather’ breakfast of oatmeal or some kind of cooked hot cereal. But even though I faithfully get up every morning and put my oats on the stove (having typically assembled and measured the ingredients the night before), I wonder what it might be like to be the kind of person who gets up a mere 20 minutes before having to leave, whips through getting ready, and “runs out the door” with a tasty breakfast of a healthy, banana espresso scone and some kind of smoothie. Oh, and who still arrives at work looking impossibly fresh.

I doubt I’ll ever be that person – I’m not fly by the seat of my pants enough, I dislike rushing, and truth be told, I enjoy the ritual of sitting down before the workday to calmly consume my meal – but that doesn’t mean I don’t see the appeal of a special little breakfast that can be held in one hand.

Also, can I just add: brown rice flour, where have you been all of my life? I think making scones with brown rice flour might be my new favourite thing – for scones, you want as little gluten as possible (to keep them crumbly and sandy) and of course, brown rice flour is naturally gluten-free. It’s a combination made in baking heaven.

So a Happy September to all of you! Embrace the energy and tingle in the air, and munch a banana espresso scone with a cup of tea. I won’t even judge you if you deliberately get up later just so you have to eat one while you are running out the door.

Banana Espresso Scones with Oat Maple Crumble

• Author: Alive Magazine and Emily Joldersma, R.H.N. (follow the link to view the original recipe for Banana Buzz Scones on Alive Magazine’s website)
• Recipe Notes: vegan, gluten-free, soy-free
• Yield: 8-10 scones

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup rolled oats (certified gluten-free if you require 100% gluten-free)
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons maple syrup
• 2 cups brown rice flour
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup cold coconut oil
• 2 tablespoons organic cane sugar or coconut palm sugar
• two medium-sized mashed bananas
• 1/2 cup almond milk
• 2 teaspoons espresso powder
  • NOTE: if you don’t have espresso powder, use 1/4 cup almond milk and 1/4 cup strong coffee instead of the 1/2 cup almond milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions: 

1. Measure out coconut oil and chill in fridge until very firm.
2. Preheat oven to 425 F.
3. Stir together oats, maple syrup, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Set aside.
4. Whisk together brown rice flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar.
5. Using your hands or a pastry cutter (one of my favourite kitchen tools!), cut together cold coconut oil and flour mix until it resembles coarse sand (the goal here is to create bits of coconut oil covered with flour – to create the flaky scone texture). Put in fridge until ready for use.
6. Mix together almond milk, espresso powder, and vanilla. Add mashed bananas and stir until well combined.
7. Pour banana espresso mix into cold flour/coconut oil mix and stir gently. When halfway mixed, turn out onto a well-floured counter top and continue gently combining (you don’t want to squish the coconut oil bits you’ve so carefully prepared) until you’ve formed a crumbly soft dough. Note that all of the flour doesn’t have to be perfectly blended in – just so long as things hold together.
8. Form into a circle of dough about 1 inch thick. Using a sharp knife, slice into 8-10 wedges.
9. Put wedges on baking sheet and top with cinnamon oat crumble.
10. If dough is quite soft or day is warm, chill in fridge for 10 minutes before baking.
11. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until firm on the outside and lightly golden.

Enjoy! These are best served on the day they’ve been made, but they also keep in the fridge for another two to three days. Also, they are great with almond butter, but I ate mine with some homemade peach jam. So delicious I almost fell off my chair.

© Eat Well, Live Vibrantly