pumpkin scones

I have a love-hate relationship with pumpkin. I like it in cakes, cupcakes, baked goods that involved butter, sugar, flour and spice, but don't even offer me pumpkin pie, mousse, crème brûlée or any other custardy pumpkin dessert. Not for me! I'll pass, thanks!

We love fall flavors here. Pumpkin, apples, cinnamon, nutmeg... And for some reason, we try to get in as many pumpkin recipes as we can in October...

So pumpkin scones had to be made! These are super tender and almost fluffy pastries, covered in a simple powdered sugar glaze. They are supposed to be drizzled with a spiced glazed too, but I ran out of powdered sugar, and tried to use powdered milk instead, and it got all gritty, and yeah. It was a mess. A tasty mess, but it made my drizzled scones unfit for the camera. The scones were delicious as is, almost dessert worthy with the glaze, and absolutely delicious with the spiced drizzle. Make it. Make sure you have enough powdered sugar!

Pumpkin Sconesrecipe source: Brown Eyed Baker via the shoe box kitchen

For the Scones:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
6 tablespoons cold butter, cut into 1-inch cubes
1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree
3 tablespoons half-and-half
1 large egg

For the Powdered Sugar Glaze:
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk

For the Spiced Glaze:
1 cup plus 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 pinch ground ginger
1 pinch ground cloves

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with fit the paddle attachment, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger. Add the butter and toss with a fork to coat with the flour mixture. Mix on medium-low speed until the texture resembles coarse cornmeal, with the butter pieces no larger than small peas.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, half-and-half and egg. Fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients, and form the dough into a ball. Pat out dough onto a lightly floured surface and form into a 1-inch thick rectangle about 4 inches by 12 inches. Use a large knife to slice the dough making three equal portions. Cut each of the portions in an X pattern (four pieces) so you end up with 12 triangular slices of dough. Place on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 14-16 minutes, or until light brown. Place on wire rack to cool.

While the scones are cooling, make the powdered sugar glaze by mixing the powdered sugar and milk together until smooth. When scones are cool, use a pastry brush to spread plain glaze over the top of each scone. Allow to firm.

While the powdered sugar glaze is firming, combine all of the ingredients for the spiced glaze. Drizzle over each scone and allow the icing to dry before serving (about an hour).

I made these with the intention of them being breakfast, but when I offered a second scone to my husband, he declined and said he was going to get some breakfast. Although they are not quite breakfast material, they sure didn't last! Every single one of them was eaten promptly, but as dessert.