When I was at high school, Saturday morning was always baking day, when Mum and I baked up a weeks worth of goodies for our lunch boxes or after school snacks. If we can keep up this tradition, we can choose healthier options for our families, and hopefully save some dollars at the same time.
The recipes below are a mix of standard recipes, gluten free, vegan and low carb recipes. See our Bread recipe page for some notes on options for different flours. If you want to take a standard recipe and reduce the sugars, some options are:
- Reduce the total amount of sugar each time you make the recipe, and your family’s taste buds will probably adapt
- Use a natural sugar instead of a refined one – this could include date sugar or dehydrated cane sugars such as rapadura, shakkar, muscavado. Honey and maple syrup are options for some recipes, but be aware they might change the consistency. Note that agave syrup is processed and not a natural sweetener.
- Include small amounts of dried fruits in the recipe and reduce the sugar – note this probably won’t reduce the carb count.
- If you want to go low carb, you will probably already be familiar with low carb sweeteners such as stevia, monkfruit, allulose or erythritol and how to use them.
Date & Orange Scones
Makes 24
- 1kg self raising flour
- 315g wholemeal flour
- 2 ½ tsp baking powder
- 5 tsp cinnamon powder
- 200g butter
- 400g diced dates
- 125g mixed peel
- 1 cup of freshly squeezed orange juice
- 800ml organic milk
Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Sift together both flours, baking powder and cinnamon. Grate in the cold butter and stir to combine. Add the dates, peel, orange juice and milk. Combine and ensure there are no dry clumps. Split the dough in half, shape into two rounds and pat down to 4cm thick. Divide each round into 12 pieces. Place on a lined tray and bake for 20 minutes.
Recipe from Suzanne.
More scones
If you want to serve your scones with whipped (or clotted) cream and jam, you will probably go for a plain scone. Otherwise, you might prefer a fruity scone of some kind.
- Basic scones – from the Edmonds cookbook, with wheat flour
- Raisin scones – with wheat flour
- Plain GF scones – gluten free
- Plain GF scones – gluten free, with dairy free, vegan and low FODMAP options
- GF scones – with blueberry, lemon or chocolate chip options
- Plain keto scones – low carb, starch free, with almond flour
- Keto blueberry scones – low carb, starch free, with a coconut & almond flour mix
Muffins & slices
- Blueberry muffins – two versions – one standard with banana & choc chips / one made with rice and almond flour, can be GF, EF, DF, SF
- Orange Cranberry muffins:
- Apple & chocolate muffins – GF, nut free
- Carrot cake muffins – GF, low starch
- Banana cashew muffins – GF, starch free, low sugar
- Banana oatmeal muffins – only 3 ingredients – banana, oatmeal, baking powder
- Banana mini muffins – only 3 ingredients again: egg, banana, nut butter
- Blueberry Oat bars – vegan; GF if using certified GF oats; for whole foods, use maple syrup instead of agave
- Carrot cake bars – vegan, soy free, can be made GF
Breads, brownies and cakes
- Gluten free banana bread
- Cashew banana bread – GF, starch free, low sugar
- Rosemary, Olive Oil and Chocolate Cake – gluten & dairy free
- Zucchini chocolate mud cake – made with wheat flour
- Chocolate zucchini cake – this version is gluten free and vegan
- Fudgy Brownies – gluten free, keto, can be dairy free
- Eggless chocolate caramel cake and more eggless baking recipes
- Quick & easy brownies – use the Noshu 99% sugar free brownie mix – grain and added sugar free. Note that all of the Noshu products are low sugar, but they are not all gluten free
Faye’s Shortbread
- 250 gms softened butter
- 125 gms icing sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 1 cup cornflour
- 2 cups plain flour (GF option – I use Edmonds GF Plain and about 1/2 teaspoon extra Xanthan Gum)
Cream butter and sugar. Add dry ingredients. Mix until it comes together in clumps. Tip out onto bench. Knead the mix well, then divide to form two logs shapes. Slice logs through to form rounds about 2cm thick. Place on baking tray then prick with a fork.
I chill the tray of GF for about 20 minutes before baking, but plain flour can go straight into preheated oven. Bake 40/45 minutes @ approx 130 degrees C. Cooked shortbread should be firm to the touch but not browned. This shortbread freezes well.
Nice with some finely grated lemon zest added to mix for a change too.
Shortbread photo from Pixabay
More cookies and biscuits
- Anzac biscuits – from the Edmonds cookbook, with wheat flour and rolled oats
- Ceres Organics Golden Crunch Anzac biscuits – with spelt flour and muesli
- Coconut almond cookies – GF version of Anzac biscuits, can be made starch free
- Butterscotch biscuits – standard recipe from my childhood – or this version here has dairy and gluten free options
- Keto Choc chip cookies – with almond flour
Related posts
- A variety of breads – something for every eating plan
- Baking – savoury
- Snack balls and bars
Recipe posts compiled by Deb.
For more recipes, go to the Recipe Index page
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