I'm glad I'm no longer addicted to pastries, but to be honest, I still feel an occasional twinge of nostalgia for scones—tender and crusty, with just a touch of fruity sweetness. My husband's to blame for this grain-free recipe; after trying one of his scones, I had to banish the rest from the house, fearing I'd eat the entire batch in one sitting. (Of course, since then, I haven't been able to stop thinking about them. Argh.)

　　

Ingredients

Makes 6 scones

　　3 cups blanched almond flour

　　1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

　　1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

　　4 tablespoons butter, as cold as possible (preferably frozen), cut into small pieces

　　1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

　　2 large eggs

　　2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

　　2 tablespoons honey

　　1 small Granny Smith or Fuji apple, peeled, cored, and cut into thin tiles

　　

DO THIS:

Step 1

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F with the rack in the middle position, and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

　　

Step 2

2. In a large bowl, combine the almond flour, baking soda, and fine sea salt. Use your hands or a pastry cutter to work the pieces of cold butter into the dry ingredients until a crumbly mixture is produced. Then, mix the cinnamon into the almond flour mixture.

　　

Step 3

3. In a separate bowl, thoroughly whisk together the eggs, apple cider vinegar, and honey.

　　

Step 4

4. Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients, and pour the egg mixture into it.

　　

Step 5

5. Gently mix with a spatula until a wet, chunky dough forms, and then throw in the apple. Combine the ingredients with your hands, and form a ball of dough.

　　

Step 6

6. On a sheet of parchment paper or a nonstick surface, gently flatten the ball with your hand. The round of dough should be about 3/4 inch thick. Using a pastry cutter or a sharp knife, cut the dough into 6 equal-sized wedges, and arrange them on the parchment-lined baking sheet.

　　

Step 7

7. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, rotating the tray halfway through. The scones are ready when they're golden brown, and an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Transfer the scones onto a wire rack to cool slightly before serving.

　　

Step 8

This isn't just another subpar substitute for the real thing. It's BETTER than scones made with wheat flour!

　　

BONUS RECIPE!

Step 9

In the mood for Dark Chocolate Cherry Scones instead? Follow the same recipe, but leave out the cinnamon and apple. Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract in step 3. Then, in step 5, add 3 ounces of super dark chocolate, cut into bite-size chunks, and 1/4 cup of dried cherries.

　　Reprinted with permission from Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans by Michelle Tam + Henry Fong. Nom Nom Paleo copyright © 2013 Michelle Tam & Henry Fong. Published by Andrews McMeel Publishing, LLC.