Scones are a cross between an English and American biscuit, slightly crumbly, very flavorsome, not too sweet, not too dry, the perfect winter breakfast. While no one can be sure about where scones truly originated, they are traditionally connected with Scotland, Ireland and England. Needless to say, when it comes to cold weather foods, I think of warm baked fruits and rich hearty breads. Mornings filled with warm blankets and nights in front of the fire. I am not gonna lie, these are the best scones I have ever had! They even smell like winter, like the aroma of fresh herbs and spices. Perfectly paired with coffee and warm apple butter, these scones are sure to bring on the holiday cheer.
I love slow-cooker recipes! You throw it together, leave it on low and slow, wait and enjoy the creamy goodness. Fruit butters are exceptionally easy to make in a slow cooker. They require little ingredients and little preparation, which is exceptionally important during the busy holiday season.
Walnuts are packed with so many health benefits. As I know you have probably heard before, walnuts are excellent heart healthy snacks, but did you know that these common nuts also help to boost the metabolism? Walnuts have also been found to help prevent certain types of cancer as well as fight inflammation.
Rustic Walnut Scones
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups + 3 tbs spelt flour
1/2 cup walnut meal*
1 tbs baking powder
1 1/2 tbs flax meal
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
3 tbs maple syrup
1/2 cup virgin coconut oil, chilled and cut into pieces
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp vanilla
4 - 6 tbs unsweetened almond milk
Instructions:
First, make your walnut meal (below) and preheat your oven to 350F degrees. (If you are using a baking stone, be sure to leave it in the oven to preheat as well.)
Next, add all the dry ingredients to a high speed blender or food processor and pulse until well incorporated. Add in the cubed coconut oil and continue to pulse until the mixture resembles wet sand. Remove this mixture from the blender/food processor and set it aside in a large mixing bowl.
Now, whisk together the wet ingredients, including the vanilla and apple cider vinegar, in a separate mixing bowl. Add the wet to the sand-like mixture and continue to stir and combine. The batter should be thick, moist and easy to shape. Add more spelt flour if it looks too wet and 2 tbs almond milk if it looks too dry. Once the mixture is well incorporated, fold in the chopped walnuts. Transfer the dough to a baking stone or a parchment lined baking sheet.
Divide the dough into two sections, and shape each into a large disc about 5 inches wide and 1 1/2 inches thick. Cut each disc into 4 wedges and sprinkle with leftover chopped walnuts. Bake for about 23 - 25 minutes or until golden (they're kind of hard to tell when they're done cooking so I just broke one in half to check). Serve with rosemary sprigs, slow-cooker apple butter and your favorite hot tea, enjoy!
*To prepare the walnut meal, add 1/2 cup walnut halves to a high speed blender or food processor and pulse until a fine meal is created.
*These would also be delicious with my Simple Orange Scented Fig Jam
Slow-Cooker Apple Butter
Ingredients:
about 4 cups peeled and cubed apples (a variety of types works best, I used gala, golden delicious and wine sap)
2 whole cinnamon sticks
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 pinch cloves
1/3 cup filtered water
Instructions:
Add all the ingredients to a slow-cooker and stir to combine. Set it on low and close the lid. Let it cook low and slow for about 10 - 12 hours. Checking to stir it ever so often. Once your apple butter is done, it should smell divine and look dark and creamy. You can also blend the apple butter, like I did, to make it extra smooth! Enjoy it on top of a warm scone.
*If you are looking for a quick apple butter, check out my Homemade Naked Apple Butter!