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Healthy Oatmeal Rosemary Scones

These oatmeal rosemary scones are healthy with whole wheat flour, rolled oats, and plain yogurt. Rustic and luxurious all in the same bite. With subtle fresh herbal essence, fruity golden raisin flavor, and buttery biscuit-like tenderness these scones are irresistible!

Oatmeal Rosemary Scones baked in basket | Letty's Kitchen

Rosemary in pastry treats? We usually think of rosemary for savory foods like tomato sauce or focaccia, right? Yet the herb’s distinct floral flavor–pungent, lemony, and lightly piney–infused into biscuit-like scones makes taste sense. After all, rosemary belongs to the mint family and we incorporate mint in desserts all the time.

Click here to PIN Oatmeal Rosemary Scones!

chopped fresh rosemary for Oatmeal Rosemary Scones

Fresh rosemary is a must. Dried rosemary has an entirely different flavor so only make these scones when you have fresh rosemary!

Chop your rosemary needles very finely. You want the pieces to be tiny, tiny, tiny minced pieces no bigger than the head of a pin. To get maximum flavor from the fresh rosemary, you’ll stir those tiny rosemary bits into almost-simmering whole milk yogurt. Remove from the heat and then let the rosemary steep as the infused yogurt chills.

For sweet/tart sparkle, mix golden sultana raisins into the dough. Even folks who say they don’t like dark raisins in their oatmeal cookies will be delighted with the brighter fruity golden raisin flavor in these oatmeal rosemary scones. Go for the gold. Find golden raisins in your grocery store alongside dark raisins and other dried fruits.

Bake oatmeal rosemary scones for breakfast, brunch, after school snacks, and even dessert!

Oatmeal Rosemary Scone dough patted into rectangle on baking sheet

In this recipe, I’ve shaped the dough into a rectangle, and then cut into squares. Easy and no fuss.

But you don’t have to make your scones square.

At Deer Valley bakery we formed the dough into a thicker round and before baking, cut the round into triangle-shape wedges. Read more about that in the recipe notes below.

You could also dollop the dough into cookie-like mounds and then bake.

Make your oatmeal rosemary scones ahead of time:

Besides flavor and tenderness, one of the best things about this recipe is that you can prepare the dough, freeze in the shape you want, and when you want scones, all you do is arrange the frozen squares on a baking sheet, let them thaw just a little, then sprinkle with sugar and bake!

*** This recipe for oatmeal rosemary scones is adapted from the one my cookbook, Chocolate Snowball: and Other Fabulous Pastries from Deer Valley Bakery. (Affiliate link.) At Deer Valley, we made scones with half-and-half cream–more decadent than these with whole milk yogurt.

About rosemary–both culinary and medicinal:

  • Rosemary’s dark grey-green needles have long been esteemed as both a culinary and medicinal herb. Ancient Greeks and Romans considered it a symbol of fidelity and friendship. Brides to this day wear garlands of rosemary in their hair. Last year in Mexico, walking by a wedding party about to enter the church, I saw rosemary twigs in the men’s boutonnieres!
  • Rosemary is brain food. Greek students tucked rosemary sprigs behind their ears during examinations. Rosemary more than symbolizes remembrance–scientists are now testing the woody herb’s potential benefits in the treatment of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

More sweet rosemary ideas to make:

Just so you know, some of the links below are affiliates. When you purchase products via my links, it doesn’t cost you anything and I earn a tiny commission, which helps me continue to provide free content here on Letty’s Kitchen. Thank you!!

Coconut sugar vs. cane sugar? Your choice. What is coconut sugar?

  • You can use either sugar for oatmeal rosemary scones. Cane sugar makes a slightly sweeter scone.
  • Coconut palm sugar is a healthier alternative to high fructose sweeteners and processed cane sugars. It is vegan, paleo-friendly, and low on the glycemic index.
  • Coconut sugar has a soft caramel flavor, similar to light brown sugar.
  • I usually buy coconut sugar in the bulk bins at natural food stores. You can also buy it online. (Affiliate link.)

***This is an update of the rosemary oatmeal scone recipe I originally posted here on the blog in 2016. Updated with new photos in 2019.

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This post contains affiliate links. When you purchase products via my links, it doesn’t cost you anything and I earn a tiny commission, which helps me continue to provide free content here on Letty’s Kitchen. Thank you!!

*** Nutrition information is meant to be an estimate only. The numbers will vary based on the quantity consumed, brands used and substitutions that are made.

6 comments

  • Almost bought one today at Deer Valley, Snow Park Lodge but was distracted by the Hot Cross Buns and got that instead.
    Syd. Reply · 21 March, 2016

    • Thanks Syd. Good idea–Hot Cross Bun today, Rosemary Oatmeal Scone tomorrow. Or next week. Reply · 21 March, 2016

  • Wow, I am a big herb user but I never thought of rosemary for scones, which are one of my favorite foods. Pinning and making these! Reply · 25 March, 2016

    • Thanks Lynne! You will love the flavor of these flaky scones! Reply · 26 March, 2016

  • Sine

    Sounds great thanks for the recipe I’m going to try this one with dates. Reply · 2 April, 2016

    • Thanks Sine! Great idea–dates. You might also like these scones made with bits of diced apricot. Reply · 2 April, 2016

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