Spiced Pumpkin Scones
Spiced Pumpkin Scones
Author: Diane C. Kennedy
Recipe type: Bread
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 6
Tender, healthy, satisfying scones for breakfast, break or dessert.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ cup pureed pumpkin, canned or fresh (make sure fresh is drained)
- 3 tablespoons milk or milk substitute
- 1 large egg
- 6 tablespoons cold butter, cubed
- For Icing (optional):
- ¾ cup powdered sugar, sifted
- 1-2 tablespoons milk or milk substitute
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- pinch each of ground ginger and ground cloves
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
- Grease a cookie sheet and dust with flour
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and spices.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, milk and pumpkin.
- Cut butter into dry ingredients using a pastry cutter, forks or your fingers, until there are no butter chunks left, and it is like fine crumbs.
- Fold the wet ingredients into the dry.
- Form dough into a ball. Dough should be sticky, but not stick to baking sheet, so add a little more flour if necessary.
- Pat dough onto prepared baking sheet into 9x3x1" rectangle.
- Using a greased knife (spray with cooking spray), cut rectangle into thirds.
- Cut each third diagonally to form a total of six rectangles. (If you want smaller ones, cut these in half to form twelve).
- Gently pull each section apart so that there is a half an inch between each scone (for even baking).
- (Alternatively, form dough into large circle 1" high, and cut crossways into wedges, and pull slightly apart).
- For six large scones, bake 14 - 16 minutes until slightly browned; for twelve smaller scones, bake 10 - 12 minutes until slightly browned.
- Remove scones to wire cooling tray set over a plate or piece of foil, and cool completely.
- Meanwhile, mix together icing ingredients until smooth, if using.
- Drizzle icing over cooled scones and serve.
- Serve plain, with marscapone cheese, cream cheese or butter.
What to do with leftover pumpkin? Here is the perfect thing, spiced pumpkin scones. Hearty without being heavy, healthy without being icky, these scones are more than just a morning treat. I used fresh pureed sugar-baby pumpkin, but canned pumpkin (unseasoned) works fine, too. The dough is a little damp, so instead of cutting the scones and removing them to a baking sheet, it is easier to form the scone dough right on a floured baking sheet and then cut them. The way I show how to do it makes large scones; you may cut them smaller and reduce the baking time. The scones are great without the icing. Eat them plain, with butter or best of all, with a smear of marscapone cheese or cream cheese. They also keep well for the next day, and freeze beautifully. Wrap them individually in foil and freeze, and when defrosted they are just as good as fresh.