Vegan Whole Wheat Banana Walnut Scones with Tahini Glaze
Delicious banana scones filled with bits of walnuts and topped with a rich tahini glaze create this indulgent yet more nutritious treat! Made with 100% whole wheat flour, these scones pack in all the benefits of whole grains, including extra fiber, nutrients, and vitamins.
Scones are one of my favorite things to bake. Aside from being delicious, 1) they’re relatively easy and quick to make, 2) they can incorporate virtually any flavors, and - perhaps my favorite reason - 3) they’re one of the few baked goods that can use 100% whole grain flours without compromising on flavor and texture! It’s no accident that time and time again, whenever I’m developing a more nutritious treat, scones are my go-to format. (BTW, have you tried my other whole grain scone recipes, like my whole wheat chocolate espresso scones or apple walnut spelt scones yet?)
While testing out an entirely different scone concept, I developed a tahini glaze that was pure 🔥. You know the kind of thing that you find yourself tasting non-stop just to “make sure” it really is as good as you think it is? Yeah, this tahini glaze is on that kind of 🔥 level. The problem was that it didn’t quite work with the scone I was testing. But it was so good that I knew I had to find some way to use it. The solution? These whole wheat banana walnut scones, which pair beautifully with this tahini glaze!
Why You’ll Love these Banana Walnut Scones
Super tasty! Banana and walnut is a classic flavor combo that you absolutely cannot ever possibly go wrong with (IYKYK). But if you throw some tahini into the mix?! 🤯 It’s game over. Tahini adds extra richness and (when turned into a glaze) sweetness, and most importantly, actually enhances the banana and walnut flavor combo to make your taste buds *sing* (in harmony, much like a culinary BTS song).
And while you’ll be able to taste that this is a whole grain scone (it’s not made using white flour, so it’s not going to taste like most traditional scones; more on the whole grain aspect below), the wheat flavor isn’t overwhelming. If you’re afraid of a dry scone with flavors reminiscent of a cardboard box - don’t fear. The banana throughout and tahini glaze on top ensure that the final flavors work with the whole wheat flour to create a balanced, very pleasant, and super delicious scone.
Perfect texture. Like any good scone, these have a slightly crispy exterior you bite through to get into that soft, tender interior, which is loaded with crunchy pieces of walnuts. Plus they’re coated with a rich tahini glaze that gives them a sugar-y layer 🤤 and topped with even more tiny bits of walnuts for that extra bit of texture (and to make them extra pretty!).
100% whole grain. These scones are made entirely with white whole wheat flour, which is milled from soft white wheat, a whole grain. This is not to be confused with white flour, i.e. all-purpose, which is not a whole grain! White whole wheat gets its name from the fact that it’s milled from hard white wheat, not the hard red wheat that “regular” whole wheat flour is milled from.
White whole wheat flour contains all three parts of the wheat - the bran, germ, and ensdosperm - meaning that it retains all the nutrients found in that whole grain. Contrast this with all-purpose white/plain flour, which is ground from only the endosperm of wheat, which strips out most of its fiber, phytochemicals, antioxidants, and other nutrients (although all-purpose flour is generally enriched to add some nutrients and vitamins back in).
So by using white whole wheat, these scones retain all those whole grain benefits - like the extra fiber, nutrients, and vitamins - in their whole food format. Since whole grains are an essential component of a nutritious diet, I try to incorporate them into as many things as possible, and that includes baked goods (as long as the flavors work!)!
Ingredient Overview
White whole wheat flour. The base of these scones! In terms of flavor, white whole wheat lands somewhere between all-purpose flour and “regular” whole wheat flour (the kind milled from red wheat). It doesn't taste quite as bitter and grainy as whole wheat flour but maintains all of the nutritional benefits of a whole grain. However, it’s still not quite a blank canvas like all-purpose flour. White whole wheat has a slightly nutty, pleasant whole grain flavor. So although you’ll be able to taste that this is a whole grain scone, the white whole wheat pairs well with the banana and tahini flavors, while also making these scones a lot more nutritious than traditional scones made with all-purpose flour. Good flavor + better nutrition = win-win!
Light brown sugar. To sweeten the scone dough just slightly (more sweetness comes from the glaze on top!). Brown sugar is best here as it pairs beautifully with the banana flavor, thanks to the molasses in it!
Cinnamon & nutmeg. Just a hint of subtle spicing to complement the banana flavor.
Baking soda, baking powder, and salt. The leaveners!
Coconut oil (frozen). The fat source! Frozen coconut oil works best in scones because it creates little air pockets that help the scones rise up higher during baking. And beautifully-domed scones are the reason we’re all here, aren’t they?
Bananas. Bananas helps add moisture and tenderize the texture of the scones while also infusing them with their namesake flavor. Be sure to use very ripe bananas (just as you would when baking banana bread!) and mash them very thoroughly before adding them in.
Non-dairy milk and apple cider vinegar. Combined with the mashed banana, a small amount of non-dairy milk adds enough liquid to form a dough. Plus it’s mixed with apple cider vinegar to form a “buttermilk” mixture that provides enough acid to allow the baking soda (a base) to react.
Vanilla extract. For warmth!
Walnuts. Not only do walnuts make *the* perfect nut pairing for bananas, they also add crunchy bits throughout the soft scones for some delicious textural contrast. And to make the scones look as appetizing as they taste, we sprinkle some more very finely chopped walnuts on top of the glazed scones.
Tahini, powdered sugar, and non-dairy milk. To form a tahini glaze!
Tips for Baking these Scones
Accurately measure the flour. Measuring flour in grams using a food scale will give you the best results in baking! If you don’t have one (you should 100% invest in one - they’re inexpensive and invaluable for cooking and baking), measure the flour using the “spoon and level” method to avoid using too much flour (too much flour = dry/dense scones and no one wants that!). To do this, “fluff” the flour with a spoon to aerate it. Then, spoon the flour into a measuring cup until it overflows slightly, and use the back of a knife to “level” the excess flour off the top.
Use frozen coconut oil. For the best rise, use frozen pea-sized bits of coconut oil as the fat source! And don’t worry - that’s not as complicated as it might sound. Just measure out some room temp coconut oil (which is usually semi soft or maybe liquid if it’s really hot in your home), pop it into the freezer for a few minutes to freeze, then remove it and chop it! The frozen oil pieces will create little air pockets that will make the scones rise UP instead of spreading out during baking. Science! 🤓
Use overripe bananas - and mash them well! Just as if you were baking banana bread, you’ll want to use overripe bananas to incorporate that wonderfully sweet and delicious banana flavor. And to make sure the flavor is evenly distributed, make sure to mash them as much as possible before using.
Resist adding more liquid into the dough. Scone dough is on the dry side, so you really only want to add just enough liquid to form a dough, and not any more beyond that. As you begin mixing your dough, it will seem like there isn’t enough liquid to bring everything together. But as you keep mixing and you start using your hands to incorporate those last floury bits, your dough will eventually come together! Of course, if that’s still not happening, you can add a bit more milk (in ½-1 teaspoon increments) and continue mixing until you’re able to form a dough.
Freeze the dough before baking. A very cold dough is key in achieving the perfect scone shape and texture. Freezing the dough before baking ensures the coconut oil will be solid so your scones can puff up (and not spread out) during baking!
Cool before glazing - and don’t skip the glaze. Let the scones cool for at least 20-30 minutes before spreading on the glaze to avoid it melting off. And absolutely do not skip the glaze! Not only does the tahini work to enhance the overall banana-walnut flavor combo, the glaze is absolutely essential in giving these the extra sweetness needed to turn these into a mouthwatering treat.
Best when fresh. Scones are always best when fresh, i.e. within a few hours of baking, so I highly recommend baking these on the same day you’ll eat them! Leftovers will keep for a day or so at room temp but won’t be quite as satisfying as they lose their crispy exterior texture and start drying out.
Now that you’ve learned all the basics, let’s bake these scones!
Whole Wheat Banana Walnut Scones with Tahini Glaze
Vegan
Makes 8
Ingredients
Scones:
2 tablespoons non-dairy milk (oat, cashew, etc. - I used oat)
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
240 grams / 2 cups (spooned & leveled) white whole wheat flour
¼ cup (lightly packed) light brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon fine salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¾ cup (185 grams) mashed ripe banana
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
¼ cup coconut oil measured in liquid state, then frozen*
1 cup walnuts, chopped
Tahini glaze:
90 grams / ¾ cup powdered sugar
3 tablespoons well-stirred, drizzly tahini
2 tablespoons non-dairy milk (I used oat)
Topping:
¼ cup walnuts, very finely chopped
Directions
In a measuring cup or small bowl, combine the non-dairy milk and apple cider vinegar to form a “buttermilk” mixture. Set aside to “curdle” for a few minutes.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
To the buttermilk, add the mashed banana and vanilla extract and stir to combine.
Remove the frozen coconut oil from the freezer and use a knife to chop it into pea-sized pieces. Add the frozen coconut oil pieces to the dry ingredients and whisk to combine.
Add the buttermilk/banana mix to the dry ingredients and use a spatula to combine. At first, it will look like there isn’t enough liquid to form a dough, but keep mixing, using your hands at the very end to incorporate everything and form a dough, but being careful not to overmix once a dough forms.
Add the chopped walnuts and use the spatula (or your hands, as needed) to incorporate them into the dough.
Transfer the dough to a flat surface and shape it into a flat disk that’s about 1-inch tall. Using a large knife, cut straight through the disk to form eight even wedges.
Separate the wedges and transfer them onto a silicone mat or parchment paper, then move them to the freezer to chill for 15-20 minutes. At this point, pre-heat the oven to 425°F.
When the oven is ready, transfer the silicone mat/parchment paper with the scones onto a metal baking sheet and transfer it to the oven. Bake until the scones are lightly browned and crisped on the outside, about 16-19 minutes (mine were perfect after 18).
Remove the baked scones from the oven and let them cool for about 5 minutes before transferring them onto a baking rack to cool for 25 more minutes.
While the scones are baking, prepare your glaze. In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, tahini, and non-dairy milk until a drizzly glaze forms. If the glaze is too thick, add a splash more milk to thin.
Once the scones have cooled, drizzle the glaze onto each scone and immediately top with the very finely chopped walnuts.
Let the glaze set for a few minutes and enjoy! Best when fresh, although leftovers will keep at room temperature for a day or two but they’ll soften over time and lose their slightly crisp exterior texture.
Notes:
*To freeze the coconut oil, measure it out while it’s in liquid or semi-soft state and place it in a small shallow bowl or onto a plate with edges (or any flat-ish dish that will make it easy to scoop the frozen oil out of) and transfer it to your freezer to set until completely solid. Pinch bowls work best if you have them!
I hope you found these whole wheat banana walnut scones to be as delicious and satisfying as I did! I’d very much appreciate you leaving a review in the comments below and sharing the recipe with a friend who would love these! And if you snap a pic, tag me on Instagram (@teostinykitchen) so I can see your beautiful scones!