The Best Pumpkin Scones

If you are a fan of all things Autumn that must mean you love pumpkin or more importantly what the season brings. Autumn doesn’t just bring crisp weather, beautiful colours and hot drinks, it also brings all the delicious treats of the holidays. And what’s a better way to ring in the new season than with a totally divine seasonal treat? And by that, I mean a seasonal treat that even the most fearful of baking can throw together and still have turn out delectable. These little Pumpkin Scones will have your house smelling like a bakery and the combination of rich pumpkin, and robust spices leave your mouth watering. Plus on a chilly morning, nothing beats a warm pumpkin scone and a freshly pressed cup of piping hot coffee.

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| The Recipe: The Best Pumpkin Scones |

Makes: 6-8 depending on how you cut it.
Preheat Oven: 425

| Scones |

| Step One: Dry Ingredients |

First thing first is combining all the dry ingredients, preheating the oven and for this recipe chilling your butter and pumpkin too. So turn the heat up on your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and allow it to preheat all the way before you starting baking. This will give the baking a consistency while in the oven and your scones will rise properly. And make sure that your butter and pumpkin puree is in the fridge. Now that the oven is preheated and your ingredients are chilling you are ready to start your baking. Get out a large bowl, I used an average stainless steel bowl, any will work and combine your whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, light brown sugar and white sugar. Once all these are combined mix until well incorporated.  

| Step Two: The Butter |

Start by cutting the COLD butter into little cubes about 1cm by 1cm then add all of it into your dry bowl or place all of it into a food processor. Now now, if you don’t have a food processor that is okay, so don’t go running to the store for you. You can still make this recipe, it will just take a little more time and patience. You can easily cut the butter into the flour with a pastry cutter or by using a fork or two knives. I used a fork and it worked great! You should cut the butter into the flour until it looks sandy with some larger pebbles of butter. Now that you have all the butter cut into your flour mixture place the bowl in the fridge. This just keeps the butter nice and cold while you prepare the wet ingredients.

| Step Three: Wet Ingredients |

In a bowl whisk together the COLD pumpkin puree, egg, vanilla and butter milk, whisk this until it is well combined. Now remove the flour butter mixture out of the fridge and make a well in the center of the flour. This will be where you pour the wet ingredients. What are you waiting for pour away! Then mix with a wooden spoon or spatula until just incorporated, then knead the dough with your hand in the bowl or on a floured surface. Knead a few times until the dough comes all together, it will still be a little sticky and that is okay! 

| Step Four: Shape & Bake |

Now that you have your dough all ready to go, shape it into a big 9-inch circle, the dough will be about 1 thick. Next, cut it into eight pieces and place the slices on a parchment lined baking pan. Then brush the top of each scone with a little butter milk, this will make them brown to that perfect golden brown. And last but not least pop them in the preheated oven for about 13-16 or until they have browned and a toothpick test is clean.  

| Step Five: The Glaze |

Now that your scones are done and smelling amazing it is time to make them look the same with a sweet spiced glaze. Add your icing sugar, pumpkin puree, cinnamon and butter milk in a small bowl and mix until well combined. This mixture should not be runny but if it is, just add more icing sugar until you get a thick consistency. Next, pour it over the top of each scone using all the glaze for a yummy and sticky treat.  

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| Tips and Tricks |

• Leave out the pecans if you have a nut allergy and try cranberries or mini chocolate chips instead.
• If you are not an admirer of pumpkin substitute mashed banana instead.
• Substitute the egg for ground flax seed and water to make an egg substitute, use cold coconut oil instead of butter, agave or maple syrup for sugar and coconut or almond milk instead of cream for a vegan alternative.
• Add some cream cheese to the inside of the middle of the scones before baking for a creamy surprise when you bite into it.
• Make sure your butter is COLD, warm or room temperature butter is a serious no-no.

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