Homemade scones with shredded carrots and tahini are a perfect treat! These carrot scones are lower in sugar than most breakfast-baked goods and have flavors inspired by Persian cuisine.

Carrot and tahini are words you are probably not thinking of when you think of scones.  My family can attest that some of my creative combinations are anything but delightful.  With this one, however, I think I hit the mark!  The cup o’ carrots add sweetness, and some sneaky vitamins and fiber you won’t even know are in there.  The tahini flavor is subtle and lends for a bit of moisture to an otherwise typically dry type of baked good.

Healthy tidbits on these scones:

• beta carotene and vitamin C from the carrots – good for your pretty eyes and your immune system
• fiber from the carrots
• healthy fats from the tahini (sesame seed paste)
• lower in sugar than most traditional baked goods

My mom loves scones!  When I say she loves scones, I mean she really, really loves ’em.  I think she decided they were a healthy alternative somewhere along the line, hearing that relative to other baked goods they have lower sugar content.  My mama, Maman is one of the sweetest people you’ll ever meet.  Add to her sweet personality an extremely sweet tooth that’s she’s managed to pass down all the way to her grandgirls.

Recently, we’ve gotten to spend more time with our Maman. I’ve enjoyed long walks and more recently, some deep dives into gardening.  With efforts to cut down on grocery shopping and many bakeries closed, I’ve taken to playing with and refining this scone recipe.

Scones are not generally a simple recipe, but they don’t have to be difficult!  There are two steps that take a bit of work.  The first with this version is grating carrots.  If you have a fancy tool to help with that, awesome.  Over here I pull out my old fashioned hand grater.  There is also some cutting in of cold butter.  Not my favorite of baking tasks but the process gives good results – think homemade flaky pie crust.  A good scone has a dry, almost flaky consistency which I’m thinking comes from using cold, cut in butter.

There is also a bit of kneading required which I personally love.  Kneading bread and doughs can be weirdly satisfying.

Notes on kneading:

• flour the surface
• push out the dough with your palms
• rotate 45 degrees and fold the dough over in half
• push it out again with your palms
• repeat
• sprinkle in more flour as needed if the dough feels too sticky

I can say with confidence that these Carrot Tahini Scones are on the healthier side of the spectrum, containing only 1/4 cup sugar.  Even so, they do have a fair share of white flour which I can’t do without for a decent tasting and texture of scones.  

One clever strategy to be sure these scones reach both of our wonderful moms and help us with managing portions (this is a carb-y treat) is to make mini scones.  

Steps for shaping and cutting:

• knead the dough about 10 to 12 times on a floured surface
• divide the scone dough in half
• shape two balls on a lightly floured surface
• flatten and shape until about 1/2 inch thickness and about 6 inches or so in diameter
• cut into eighths using a sharp knife – round the sharp edges and tuck in carrot pieces that may be sticking out

White sparkling sugar is great for scones.  It is granulated in bigger sugar crystals and makes the scones look professional when baked.  I use Wilton white sparkling sugar from Amazon.

We like adding dried cranberries or yellow raisins to these scones.  Pecans or walnuts would also be lovely.  If you’re feeling decadent, throw in some dark chocolate chips.  For some Persian flair with flavors, I like to add about a Tablespoon of orange rind, 2 Tablespoons of orange blossom water, and 1/2 cup of coarsely chopped walnuts along with a mixture of raisins or dried cranberries – mmmm!

In our family, we think of scones as breakfast or brunch treat, delicious with a warm cup of coffee or tea.  With this healthier, low sugar, veggie-rich version, enjoy Carrot Tahini scones as a snack any time of day.

Yield: 16

Carrot Tahini Scones

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Carrot and tahini are words you are probably not thinking of when you think of scones.  The cup o' carrots add sweetness, and some sneaky vitamins and fiber you won't even know are in there.  The tahini flavor is subtle and lends for a bit of moisture to an otherwise typically dry type of baked good.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose white flour
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/4 cup sugar, plus more for sprinkling on the top (white sparkling sugar is nice for the tops)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup cold butter, cut into small pieces
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries or yellow raisins
• 1 cup shredded carrots (about 2 to 3 large carrots)
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 3 Tablespoons tahini

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425 F
2. Shred carrots
3. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk flours, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda together
4. Add cold butter and cut it in until crumbs form (with two knives or a pastry cutter)
5. Stir in cranberries/raisins until they are coated with the flour mixture
6. Add in the shredded carrots and stir until combined and covered with flour mixture
7. In a small bowl whisk together egg and buttermilk (with a fork or whisk)
8. Add tahini and stir until incorporated
9. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredient bowl and stir until all of the ingredients are moistened and hold together
10. Gather the dough into a ball and transfer to a lightly floured surface
11. Knead the dough about 10 to 12 times on a floured surface
12. Divide the scone dough in half
13. Shape two balls on a lightly floured surface
14. Flatten and shape until about 1/2 inch thickness and about 6 inches or so in diameter
15. Cut into eighths using a sharp knife - round the sharp edges and tuck in carrot pieces that may be sticking out
16. Sprinkle with sugar (sparkling sugar is nice for the top)
17. Place wedges slightly apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper
18. Bake for about 15 minutes or until edges and tops are just beginning to brown

Notes

Worth noting that the dough of these scones is a little yellow-ish in color. This is due in part to the beta carotene that seeps from the shredded carrot. The tahini also adds a tanner/more yellow-colored dough.

Buttermilk substitute: dilute 1/2 cup of yogurt with a little milk and add about 2 teaspoons of lemon juice and stir

For some Persian flair with flavors, I like to add about a Tablespoon of orange rind, 2 Tablespoons of orange blossom water, and 1/2 cup of coarsely chopped walnuts along with a mixture of raisins or dried cranberries - mmmm!

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• 
  Wilton White Sparkling Sugar, 8 oz.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

16

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 169Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 27mgSodium: 205mgCarbohydrates: 23gFiber: 1gSugar: 9gProtein: 3g