One of my fellow Veggie Runners at today’s Run for the Animals asked me for the recipe for my cranapple scones. I brought a batch since I didn’t know if the post-run snacks would be vegan. They wound up having bananas and some bagels of dubious veganity. But I did notice tofu on the menu at a lot of the food trucks at the event.

Anyway, this is for you Ashley!

Cranapple Scones

Ingredients

3 cups white flour
2 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 Earth Balance buttery stick (equivalent to 1/2 cup of any solid fat) – keep them in the freezer for optimal results in biscuits
2/3 cup white sugar
1 cup vanilla flavoured soy milk or water
1/2 cup cold water
2 tsp vanilla (optional)
1/2 cup dried cranberries, chopped
1/2 tart apple (e.g. granny smith) very finely chopped (like almost minced – if they’re not very finely chopped they’ll prevent the biscuit from cooking properly)
1 cup confectioners sugar

Directions

Preheat your oven to 400

Mix flour, baking powder, salt and sugar in a deep bowl.

Cut your buttery stick into small cubes and cut into flour mixture with a pastry cutter

Pour vanilla into soy milk and pour over flour. Mix 3 or four times, scooping from the bottom.

Add water. Mix 4-6 times, scooping from the bottom.

At this point, the batter will still be only partially combined – there will still be lots of loose flour. Add the cranberries and apples and sort of push them onto the dough.

Using your hands, scoop from the bottom of the bowl until the dough more or less comes together. It will still be very loose and floury – not a cohesive ball. This is important – not overworking the dough is what makes the biscuits light and flaky.

Turn the dough onto a well-floured surface (maybe 1/4 – 1/3 cup flour). Flatten it out by gently pushing it down with your hands. Fold it over and flatten it out 4-5 times (this will give the finished biscuits their layers), then finally shape it into some sort of rectangle (whatever shape allows you to work the dough the least).

Cut into 9 or 12 equal sized triangles or rectangles with a very sharp knife – use one chopping motion – don’t “saw” them in half or they won’t rise as well.

Bake for 12-13 minutes for the 12 scones or 15 minutes for the 9 scones.

Cool for 15-20 minutes on a baking rack

Place confectioners sugar in a paper lunch bag. Put each scone in the bag and turn the bag gently 4-5 times to coat the scone.

Serve!