Tasty Snack Tuesday - Cinnamon Roll Scones

You have probably noticed that Tasty Snack Tuesday usually carries a certain degree of healthfulness to it..... so you may be skeptical about today's snack.  But, it is a much lighter recipe when you compare it to the pastries at certain large chain coffee shops, which I'm not saying aren't delicious, I'm just saying that I was completely devastated when I found that my favorite scones - pumpkin spice and cinnamon chip - were nearly 600 calories!  These come in at a little over a third of that - score!

I love the texture of these scones, which I would describe as scone-meets-cinnamon-roll.  The exterior has that delicious golden brown taste and slight crunch, and the inside is nearly fluffy, thanks to the oatmeal in the recipe.  This is also one of the easiest scone recipes I have ever used, and I have made more than my share of scones.  Check out the recipe:

Cinnamon Roll Scones

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup dry oatmeal (quick-cooking or old fashioned)
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, divided
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick butter, unsalted
3/4 cup milk
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extraxt
2 teaspoons cinnamon

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F and line your largest baking sheet with parchment paper (or just plan on doing a couple of rounds of baking, no big deal).  In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, oatmeal, 1/4 cup of sugar, baking powder, and salt.  Cut in the butter until you have what looks like course meal (I learned an awesome way to do this from Joy the Baker - just use your fingers, its so much easier and faster than using a pastry blender or two knives or two forks).  In a separate small bowl, whisk together the milk, egg, and vanilla, then add that to the large bowl and stir until just combined.  In another small bowl, combine the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar and the 2 teaspoons of cinnamon (or, if you're like me and LOVE cinnamon, just eyeball it, I rarely measure it because it loses so much potency when baked).  Sprinkle this mixture evenly over the dough and, using a knife, swirl it into the batter without completely blending it in.

Use a 1/4 cup measuring cup to drop dough onto your baking sheet, leaving at least an inch between dough mounds, yielding 12 scones.  Bake for 11-13 minutes (13 was perfect for me) until golden brown.  Remove from oven to cool.

If you want to make a glaze, feel free to consult the original recipe, or just grab a scoop of powdered sugar, add a splash of vanilla, and then thin it out to your liking with some milk.  You know what would also be great?  Skip the glaze, but before baking, sprinkle with a pinch or two of raw sugar, which tends to give baked goods a delicious caramelized crunch.

 And in case you're wondering, because I would be, when I calculated the calorie content, without the glaze, I came up with 212 calories, 9 grams of fat, 28 carbs, and 4 grams of protein!  I did not include the glaze because I usually just eyeball that part.  I can say with pretty high confidence that I would add 50 calories if you put some glaze on yours, and even if, we're talking 262 calories for a delicious scone!  Over the weekend, when craving something sweet (which, honestly, is pretty often), I would slice one in half and nibble on it.

So go on, make yourself a tasty snack today, and if you make these scones, let me know how you liked them!

Original recipe adapted from Recipe Girl