Date and Walnut Scones are a delicious sweet tea time treat. And they are so easy to make you can have them on your tea table in 30 minutes. All they need is a little bit of butter because of the intense flavours of the dates and walnuts.
There are many different recipes and ingredients you can include in a scone, but I fancied date and walnut.
I scoured my cookbooks, but couldn’t find a date and walnut recipe, so ended up combining a couple of different recipes to create these delicious scones.
What are dates and what kind should I buy?
Dates are the fruit of a date palm. Buy them fresh in season and they are dark and glossy and eat very well with other fruit in a fruit salad or serve them as part of a cheeseboard. I love to eat them with soft French cheese like Brie.
Buy dried dates for baking, they are lighter in colour and a bit wrinkly because they have been dried. There are many varieties of dates the most common named varieties are Deglet Noor dates and Medjool dates.
Avoid buying dates which are too sticky and covered in crystalised sugar. Make sure you remove the stones from the centre of the fruit before chopping up to add to your scones.
What are Walnuts and what kind should I buy?
Walnuts are the fruit of the walnut tree and, as the picture above, they come in a hard shell. They are often associated with the Christmas holidays, especially in the UK.
One of the great things about walnuts is that they are full of good fats, vitamins and minerals, I buy shelled walnuts for baking, as shelling every time you want to bake is more than I’m prepared to do!
Be aware that shelled walnuts will only stay fresh for 2-3 months. You can freeze shelled walnuts and they will keep for about 12 months.
Can I use fruit and nuts other than dates and walnuts in this recipe?
If you are not a fan of dates and/or walnuts then don’t be put off, just change for other dried fruits. Of course, they won’t be Date and Walnut Scones but they will still be delicious.
Try apricots, figs or raisins and whichever nuts that you prefer, apricot and almond would be a great combination.
If you can’t eat nuts, then just leave them out and add a little extra dried fruit. Just make sure you keep to the same total weight.
Top with Sugar
Brush the tops of the scones with milk and sprinkle them with demerara or other large crystal sugar. It certainly makes them look pretty and is a nice touch if you are entertaining guests.
As this bake was for home consumption only, so I didn’t top them with the sugar.
Get more Scones
You can also get more scones if you use a smaller cutter. But in our house BIG scones are popular so I use a large cutter. and
More Scone Recipes from Farmersgirl Kitchen
I really love making scones because they are so easy to make and so versatile. Here are some more recipes for different kinds of scones:
Air Fryer Scones are classic light and fluffy British scones baked in your Air fryer! This quick and easy recipe makes four delicious scones that simply melt in your mouth. Serve them for afternoon tea with jam and cream.
Cranberry Orange Scones are perfect for the holiday season or cut the scones into heart shapes and serve them on Valentine’s Day.
Air Fryer Fruit Scones are classic soft and fluffy British scones packed full of juicy raisins. It’s so easy to make a small batch of fruit scones in your air fryer and they are delicious.
Treacle Scones are a simple traditional Scottish bake and a variation on the classic oven scone. Treacle Scones have the slightly sweet, spicy flavours of gingerbread and are delicious served with butter and jam or with a slice of Scottish Cheddar.
More Scone Recipes
- Cinnamon Scones with Vanilla Cinnamon Drizzle – Veggie Desserts
- Buttermilk Scones – Lost in Food
- Lemon Blueberry Scones – Jane’s Patisserie
- Coconut Scones (Vegan) – Charlotte’s Lively Kitchen
- Easy Banana Scones – Family Friends Food
More Date Recipes
- Slow Cooker Date and Apple Chutney
- Dried Fruit Compote with Clementines
- Condensed Milk Sticky Date Cake
Date and Walnut Scones
Ingredients
- 50 grams (¼ cups) stoned and chopped dates 2oz
- 75 grams (½ cups) walnut pieces 3oz
- 250 grams (1½ cups) self-raising flour 8oz
- 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) baking powder
- 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) Mixed Spice
- 50 grams (3½ tbsp) butter 2oz
- 50 grams (4 tbsp) light brown soft sugar 2oz
- 1 tablespoon (1 tablespoon) demerara sugar optional
- 170 millilitres (½ cups) milk 6fl oz
Instructions
- Place the flour in a bowl with the baking powder and mixed spice, stir until well mixed, rub in the butter (or whizz in a food processor).
- Stir in the sugar, dates, walnuts and sugar.
- Pour the milk into a well in the middle of the flour and mix with a palette knife to a soft dough. You may not need it all, add gradually until you have a soft but not a wet dough
- Roll out the dough and using a cutter, cut out 8 scones, re-rolling the dough if necessary. Place on a baking sheet, brush the tops with milk and sprinkle with demerara sugar.
- Bake in the oven at 220C for about 18 minutes until well risen and golden brown, Cool on a wire rack.
Nutrition
I’m adding the Date and Walnut Scone recipe to Cook Blog Share, hosted this month at Easy Peasy Foodie
Chow and Chatter says
wow would love this now with my cup of tea
Catherine says
They look lovely, Janice! I've never eaten dates before, but I can imagine the walnuts giving them a lovely deep flavour. I'm in the mood for making a big batch of scones now!
Chele says
I envy you being able to make scones, they are my nemisis! These guys look very wholesome ;0)
The Food Hound says
Oooo ooo oooo, love dates!! I have a date scone recipe– I clearly need to make it!!
Choclette says
Oh your rubbing it in (pun not intended) the wounds of us heavy scone makers – easy indeed 😉 I'm just envious – your scones look lovely and sound really good with dates and walnuts too.
Ann says
Halved amounts as trialling recipe but so wish I’d made full amount! The flavour is reminiscent of Xmas or fruit cake with the mixed spice a great background to the date & walnut. Lovely recipe – thanks.
Janice Pattie says
Oh I’m glad you enjoyed them, Ann. Date and walnut is such a great flavour combination.
Alyson Ashmore says
These are lovely and I’m struggling not to just them.
The only problem I found was that I was never going to be able to roll the mix, even after adding more flour and I followed this to the g/oz.
However this since going to stop me from making them again, they really are good.
Janice Pattie says
Thanks for the kind comments. I’ll check the recipe, as that doesn’t sound like it’s correct and there may be an error.
Monika Dabrowski says
Your scones look gorgeous, nicely browned and super appetising!
Janice Pattie says
Thanks, Monika, we love all scones and Date and Walnut are especially good.
Carol Fieldhouse says
These look delicious – I may try apricot and/or candied peel and walnuts as I’m trying to avoid the very sugar-heavy dates! Yours look very light as well-not always a thing with a date and walnut wcone!!!
Janice Pattie says
Thank you and yes, do try different combinations, Carol. I’m a big fan of apricots too.
Camilla Hawkins says
Loving the addition of dates & walnuts to these scones Janice, bet they taste out of this world:-)
Janice Pattie says
Thanks Camilla, they are very delicious 😊
Kat (The Baking Explorer) says
Yum cant beat scones with lots of butter! This recipe is a great way to use up dates too
Janice Pattie says
I totally agree with both sentiments, Kat.
Eb Gargano | Easy Peasy Foodie says
Oooh I haven’t had a scone in ages! I love the sound of these – the flavours especially. I’m a big fan of date and walnut anything!! Thanks for linking them up to #CookBlogShare. Eb x
Janice Pattie says
Thanks, Eb. I also love the date and walnut combination.
Anna | Once Upon A Food Blog says
Date and walnut sounds good to me. I could devour one of these right now, with a big mug of tea of course!
Janice Pattie says
Thanks, Anna. A big mug of tea sounds good!
Midge @ Peachicksbakery says
What a great flavour combination! We are big fans of scones in this house and love experimenting with new flavours!
Janice Pattie says
Thanks Midge, I hope you try them ,they are really nice scones.
Emma says
I am a huge fan of scones but will admit I normally have them perfectly plain and serve with jam and cream. I love the idea of a savoury scone!
Janice Pattie says
Thanks, Emma, My husband still puts jam on these scones although they are quite sweet with the dates.
Nickki says
You can’t beat a good scone and these look absolutely gorgeous!
Janice Pattie says
Thank you, Nickki, we certainly enjoyed them.
Heidi Roberts says
I aways forget how easy scones are to make and Mr R really loves them so I guess I had better make some soon!
Janice Pattie says
I know what you mean, Heidi. I seem to go through phases of making them then forgetting all about scones!
Ceri Jones says
Date and walnut is such a good combo, I think I’m in need of an afternoon tea!
Janice Pattie says
Thanks, I’m always in need of an afternoon tea!
Sisley White says
Oh these look amazing Janice! I love your photos they make me way too hungry!
Janice Pattie says
Thanks so much, Sisley
Mayuri Patel says
I just can’t stop admiring all the scones on this post, they all so delicious. Love the combined taste of dates and walnuts and I agree with you one can add so many different ingredients to make hot scones for breakfast or tea.
Janice Pattie says
Thank you, Mayuri. Once the basic scone has been mastered it’s easy to change the flavours.
Vicky Johnston says
Hello. I had some walnuts and dates in my cupboard so looked up a recipe and found yours! They turned out lovely although I had to substitute the mixed spice with cinnamon as I didn’t have any. Thank you, will make these again.
Janice Pattie says
I’m glad you enjoyed th3 scones, Vicky. Cinnamon was a good substitution, I’ll have to try it!
Joanne Smith says
Hi, can you use wholemeal flour in this recipe?
Janice Pattie says
Hi Joanne, did you email me this question? I did reply, perhaps the answer went into your spam folder. Anyway, here is what I said:
Yes, you can use wholemeal flour although the scones will be more dense than the white flour version. If your whole meal is self-raising just go ahead with the recipe as it is. If it is standard wholemeal you will need to add 3 tsp of baking powder OR 1 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda.
I hope you enjoy the scones.
Karen says
Made these over Christmas, delicious, tank you. X.
Making more tomorrow, going to try with fig and walnut as well as date and walnut.
Are they freezable?
Janice Pattie says
Im glad you enjoyed them. Fig will be great in the scones and they freeze really well. You can defrost naturally or zap in the microwave.
Charlotte says
A really nice scone recipe. I made two batches and the second was for a vegan friend so just substituted margarine and oat milk. Both were delicious!
Janice Pattie says
Oh, that’s great to hear. I’ve never tried to make a vegan version of this recipe, so nice to know that it worked well. Thank you.