I've been in experimental mode this week trying to make nutritious treats that are easy and actually taste good. These Protein Powder Scones qualify on both counts! They're made with almond flour, protein powder, Greek yogurt, butter, honey plus fruit or chocolate chips.
Jump to Recipe
Making Paleo or Keto
Protein powder scones fall into the Paleo category, but if you are a keto baker, you can probably figure out easy subs to make them keto or even lower carb. So far I've made blueberry, raspberry and maple chocolate chip and have experimented with different protein powders and sweeteners.
Protein Isolates, Pea Protein and Ears
For the protein powder, whey protein isolates and pea protein powder both work. Whey protein isolate has a neutral flavor and is considered easier to digest. Unfortunately it makes my ears ring louder, so I started testing again with pea protein. With pea protein, the texture is slightly heavier, but not in a bad way. The flavor is less neutral, but not obtrusive. And so far no ear ringing! Here's a picture of the texture when made with pea protein.
Almond Flour and Greek Yogurt
The other key ingredients in protein powder scones are almond flour and Greek yogurt. Almond flour has protein, fiber and good fat, which means you can use a lot less butter and still have rich scones. I like Bob's Red Mill and Blue Diamond. For Greek yogurt, just about any brand should work and vanilla flavored should be fine too.
Honey or Birch Benders Syrup
Honey works so well, but if you want to cut the sugar, Birch Benders brand maple syrup is an option. My husband actually prefers the sugar free maple syrup version. For the maple version I usually use sugar free chocolate chips (Lily's). The scones have a pretty strong maple flavor and the chips add extra sweetness.
Frozen vs. Fresh Berries vs. Chocolate Chips
For the berries, fresh are best, but frozen are okay too. Using frozen blueberries is convenient, but because they are so icy cold the insides of the scones take a little longer to cook and the outside of the scones become very brown. The sugar free chocolate chips are also very good in these and add richness and sweetness.
No Xanthan Gum
This is a very simple recipe without gluten, xanthan gum or psyllium so no binders other than the yogurt. Because there are no binders, they need to cool slightly so they won't fall apart. The maple version with the chocolate chips seems to hold together better than the blueberry honey version.
Recipe
Almond Flour Protein Powder Scones
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (28 grams)
- 2 tablespoons honey or Birch Benders keto maple syrup (or regular maple syrup) (40 grams)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup Greek yogurt, plus a little more if needed (30 grams)
- ¾ cup almond flour (75 grams)
- 20 grams protein isolates or protein powder, weigh 20 grams for best results (20 grams)
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup fresh blueberries or about ¼ cup sugar free chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper to catch any leaking berries. You can leave it ungreased, but it's good to protect the sheet. Alternatively, you can use a cast iron skillet.
- Mix the melted butter with the honey (or maple syrup) and vanilla together in a mixing bowl. Stir in Greek yogurt.
- In a second bowl, stir together the almond flour, protein powder, baking powder and salt.
- Add the almond flour mixture to the butter mixture and stir until halfway blended, then carefully stir in the blueberries, doing your best not to mash them.
- Spoon dough into 4 rounds. Poke more blueberries in if desired.
- Bake at 375 for about 20 to 23 minutes. These don't have any binders like xanthan gum or psyllium so they are very soft and delicate at first. Let them cool for about 15 minutes before serving.
Leave a Reply