Introducing Scuffins!
I bake healthy snacks at least a few times a week. Usually a variety of nut-free muffins, or my pumpkin seed oat bars, or snackles.
Whatever the choice, most days it’s got to be fuss-free. I want to get those ingredients into a bowl, mixed and into the oven. I try to find ways to be inventive with new flavors and textures without adding extra steps.
Enter Scuffins. I love the idea of scones, but they are a little more fussy to make. I have a recipe in ed&bv for Raspberry Chocolate Chip Scones. They’re delicious – not difficult to make – but they take just a little more time than I have right now.
I wanted to make something like those scones
and started experimenting. I was pretty chuffed with the results. These Berry Scuffins aren’t exactly like a scone – they aren’t quite as hefty and rich – but they are darn close. Plus, they are quick, easy, and darn tasty!
I first made them with frozen blueberries. I prefer the small wild blueberries as they produce more even baking than the larger berries, but use what you have (you can always bake another minute). Fresh blueberries can also be used.
Without blueberries one day, I use fresh (chopped) strawberries. Delightful! The smell while baking is intoxicating, and the scuffins are so tender and fresh-tasting. Our girls devour them. Well, two of our girls. 😉 (I sometimes bake a couple without berries, I’ve accepted it.)
I think these Scuffins are best fresh out of the oven or enjoyed the same day, so I’ve created the recipe yielding a modest batch. Enjoy on their own, with a slather of nut butter or berry jam, paired with a hot tea or cool glass of almond milk! Although, since these are nut-free, they make another terrific snack to pack for back-to-school (you may want to make extra if you have a couple of kiddos because they disappear fast)!
Hope you love the scuffins. Please share your feedback, let me know which berry version you prefer and how YOU best enjoy them!
x Dreena
Berry Scuffins
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups oat flour
- 3/4 cup rolled oats
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp lemon zest use organic
- 1/2 cup plain non-dairy yogurt see note
- 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
- 3-5 tbsp non-dairy milk see note
- 1/2 cup blueberries strawberries (cut in pieces), or raspberries (see note)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, combine all dry ingredients (including zest). In a small bowl, whisk together the yogurt, maple syrup, and milk until well combined. Add wet mixture to the dry, folding through until just nicely combined. Add blueberries, and gently/quickly fold in so they don’t bleed too much color. Using a scoop, place mounds of the batter (about 3-4 tbsp each) on your baking sheet. You should have about 9-10 ‘scuffins’. Bake for 15-16 minutes, or until set (gently touch one in the centre, it shouldn’t sink to the touch). Remove, let cool for a minute or two on the pan, and then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Makes 9-10.
Recipe Notes
- Milk note: How much milk you use will depend on the consistency of your brand of non-dairy yogurt. Some brands are quite dense and thick, so I find I may need another 1-2 tbsp of milk. Other vegan yogurts are much looser, and you may need just 3 tbsp of milk. Start with 3 when whisking the wet ingredients, and then with folding through, if the mixture is very stiff, add the 1-2 tbsp of extra milk.
- Berry Note: If using frozen berries, baking time may be a little longer. Test, and give another minute or two if needed to set. With raspberries, the color will bleed a little more, but flavor is delicious!
- Yogurt Note: If you only have vanilla yogurt, you can use it, but reduce the maple syrup so the scuffins aren’t too sweet. Use 1/3 maple syrup, and use the extra couple tablespoons of milk.
Ellen
These scuffins are excellent! I have made them twice already, both with sour cherries (from a neighbor’s tree!) I had frozen. These scuffins are flavorful and light. Oftentimes fat free baked goods are dense, but these are absolutely not. Thank you very much for sharing!
Tiffany
Hi Dreena, I can’t believe I waited so long to make this recipe! It was amazing. I used your cashew yogurt and absolutely adored these strawberry scuffins. I used a mini ice cream scoop and it made the perfect size and I got about 13 scuffins.
Thank you!! Xoxo
katie
Hello I’m not vegan but try to be a plant-based dieter. This recipe is really convincing!! I gonna make an oat flour myself but want to know how to measure it. Should I measure it after grinding? And how about the yogurt.Can i sub it with a plain greek yogurt? Thanks 🙂
Bitter and Murky
I haven’t had yogurt in years, since going vegan, but I do plan to try your simple yogurt recipe soon.
Until then, just playing with the idea, could you substitute a nut butter in the scuffins instead of yogurt?
Or is that already another recipe of yours? 🙂
Thanks!
Blake
I am going to make these for my sons preschool class, cut in half and with a spread of almond butter.They always have a whole grain, protein, fruit and dairy item. My son is not vegan like me (unfortunately he wants to eat like daddy), but I would like to do a vegan snack. I can’t think of a dairy alternative (they usually do string cheese and dishing out non dairy yogurt may be timely). Do you have a suggestion? Thank you!
shan
The scuffins look perfect and what a great name. They are like muffin tops?
Any suggestions for those without non-dairy yogurt and/tofu? I never have yogurt and am trying to cut back the soy.
Thanks so much!
Dreena
Thanks Shan – yes, very much like a muffin top! For the yogurt, I have a recipe on my blog, just posted it a few weeks ago – “Vanilla Cashew Yogurt”, you could try that. Also, there are many soy-free vegan yogurts on the market now – coconut, almond, etc – if you want to buy one that is soy-free. Good luck!
Christine
Oh, these are delicious!! The batter too!! I made half blueberry and half chocolate chip (so my boys won’t think twice when I offer them as dessert). I love the raspberry scones in ED&BV though so I’m going to try a raspberry version next. I’m curious about the strawberry version too! I’m sure those are great also! I foresee more baking in my future! 😉
Thanks for another great recipe!!
<3
Dreena
YAY! Can you believe I haven’t made them with chips yet Christine? um… why?!! Going to do so now that you’ve planted that seed. er, bean. 😉 xx
Liz
Dreena,
I don’t ever have yogurt in the house. Do you think some pureed silken tofu would work in lieu of that? Should I add an acid to it with a bit of lemon juice to leaven and lighten?
Dreena
Liz, you can sub with my cashew yogurt (posted a few weeks ago). You could also use pureed tofu with some acid, I think it would work ok. I’d puree first, then measure (I’d use maybe 2 tsp of lemon juice).
John Coblentz
As always, I love your recipes! This one is so beautifully simple and fast. This time, I switched out berries for 1/4 cup ginger chips and 1/2 cup chopped pecans. I switched out maple syrup for ginger syrup, and added 1 tsp. Lemon extract. I used a whole 6 0z. Carton of coconut yogurt. All else the same. One of the things I like about your work is that it stimulates my thinking. Some tasks become treasured moments… thanks.
Dreena
Those are wonderful substitutions, John, I bet those tasted amazing! So kind of you to say that, thank you.
Betty
I made these for a dinner dessert this evening and they were very good all by themselves–didn’t need nut butter or jam. Tomorrow for breakfast I’ll warm one up and expect it’ll still be good plain.
Annie
These look great. What can we substitute for yogurt since we are vegan
Thanks
Dreena
Hi Annie, I am vegan too (20 years this yr!) so all my recipes entirely vegan. I use either a soy or coconut yogurt, you can choose another dairy-free yogurt if you prefer.
Jennie
These are in the oven now and I love the lemon zest taste (batter is yummy!) Mine are blueberry this time around. Thank you for a great recipe and it will go great in my kids lunch boxes!
Dreena
Wonderful! Agree Jennie, the lemon zest makes such a flavor difference – just a little thing to go a long way. I think it’s especially good with the blueberry version. Glad you are enjoying the recipe already! 😀
Kristina
as a blueberry fan, those will be my first try (and I honestly love how blueberries make a kind of tye-dye stain…)
raspberries are my favorite, those might get in there too! 😉
Dreena
Thanks Kristina! Glad I’m not along with the blueberries – they add baking character! Plus, I love ’em, they are my fave berries. Blue teeth not quite as cool as blue tye-dye baking. 😉 xx
Maryea {happy healthy mama}
Oooh I don’t think I could pick a favorite variation! They all look so good. I’m trying these soon!
Dreena
We like them all too! Hope you enjoy. 🙂
Kate
Hi Dreena – these look yummy and easy! If there’s no maple syrup on hand (like now, at my house), can agave nectar be subbed?
Dreena
You sure can Kate, should work without a hitch!