This WW recipe was a hit, the toasted oats combined with all-purpose flour, chilled butter cut in and chopped dates makes for one tasty scone. At 5 WW points per serving, 189 calories and 31g total carbs. The original recipe is found on page 119 in the September chapter of the cookbook Weight Watchers Magazine Annual Recipes for Success 2000, and at only $5.99 for the hardcover edition, it’s a steal deal!
My version of the recipe is listed below, the modifications I made are using unsalted butter in place of the margarine, and making my own buttermilk, all of which contribute to the extra 1 WW point per serving.
A note on making your own buttermilk: It’s hard to find cooking uses for 1-quart carton of buttermilk, and I typically don’t use it often enough to encourage buying the whole quart. So, I make my own using 2% non-fat organic milk and lemon juice. Typically, its about 3-4 tablespoons lemon juice per cup of milk, so for the 3/4 cup of low-fat buttermilk called for in the scone recipe, I take a 1 cup measure and add in 2 tablespoons lemon juice, then I add the milk to bring the total liquid up to 3/4 cup measure.
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups oats
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 4 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- 1/2 cup chopped dates
- 3/4 cup low-fat buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- cooking spray
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450°F.
- Spread oats on a baking sheet and bake in the 450°F oven for 5 minutes, or until lightly toasted, stirring half-way through. Let oats cool completely.
- Combine 1 cup of the toasted oats with the flour and next 5 ingredients, then cut in the butter pieces with a pastry cutter until mixture has a coarse meal consistency. Add the dates and stir well. Add the buttermilk and vanilla, stirring until just moist.
- Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead the dough with floured hands at least 5 turns, or until the dough is smooth.
- Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray and turn the dough onto the pan, pat the down down to a 9-inch circle about 1 1/2-inches thick. Brush the melted butter over the dough. Cut the dough into 12 wedges, then sprinkle the dough with the remaining 1/4 cup of toasted oats. Bake in the 450°F oven for 12 minutes, or until golden brown on top. Serve the scones warm.
