Cinnamon Oatmeal Tea Party Scones

Today I had a tea party with my two oldest girls who are currently 4 1/2 and almost 2.  It was a gorgeous day, and I thought, what better way to end our beautiful time outdoors, than with a little lesson in etiquette! (Of course you can't just teach etiquette to children simply through words...it needs to be acted out through something super fun!)  Tea parties are the perfect way to teach children to use their best manners (waiting until everyone is served to eat, taking small bites, not speaking with food in mouths, please and thank yous, asking to be excused before leaving the table and thanking the hostess for the invitation)...it's also a great way to teach the art of conversation...(asking questions, giving responses, waiting to be spoken to, AGAIN no food in the mouth when  you're speaking...conversation level voices...), but as you all know...you cannot have a proper tea party, without some delicious faux tea (in our case it was chocolate almond milk!), and a delightful something sweet to go with it!  Being that I'm not a huge fan of sugary treats, a scone seemed like a good option...and boy were these delicious!  My little tea party guests gobbled them up (using their very best manners...of course!)...and they had no idea that they were made with whole wheat, oatmeal, and walnuts!

Preheat your oven to 375

Mix all the dry ingredients together:

1 1/4 c. King Arthur's whole wheat flour
1/3 c. brown sugar (I definitely do not use actual brown sugar! I use the Ideal brand xylitol brown sugar)
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. sea salt
2 t. cinnamon

-With the back of a fork, cut in:

1/2 c. coconut oil (or vegan butter)

-until a uniform crumbled texture forms

-Mix in:

1 c. old fashioned oats
1 c. finely crushed walnuts

-Note: you could also throw in 1/3 c. of dried fruit such as cranberries, raisins, or dates

-Add slowly, while stirring gently:

1/3 c. unsweetened almond milk

-Mix until a ball forms that will stay together.  (You may have to add 1-2 T. more of the almond milk)

-Turn out onto a floured surface and press into a circle that's about 7" in diameter (roughly...it's not like this is geometry class!)

-Cut into 8 wedges and place on an ungreased cookie sheet

-If you'd like, sprinkle a little more of the xylitol sugar over the top, along with some cinnamon...this adds an extra touch of sweetness!

-Bake for 15-18 minutes or until the center of a wedge is slightly firm to the touch!

-Note:  if you're using these for a child's tea party, I cut each wedge into 4 or 5 wedges, so that they fit on those ridiculously tiny plates!  Enjoy!