More Pumpkin, Please!

It must be in the upbringing.  Southern folk do love their squashes. 

I made a discovery this morning while enjoying a nice hot cup of hazelnut flavored coffee, reviewing my recipes and pictures trying to decide which wonderfully scrumptious recipe I should share with you.   The discovery?  I love squash.  I must - considering all the squash recipes I have.  I don't know what it is, so I'm blaming it on the upbringing.  What a wonderful thing to love. 
 
If you love pumpkin, it only stands to reason that you would love pumpkin scones and this recipe is so good!  The scones are so moist and flavored with all those lovely spices that always show up this time of year.   Since I just shared the pumpkin spice latte cupcakes, I figured while you've got the spices handy, may as well crank up the oven and keep the good spice energy going, right?

 

 Begin by mixing your dry ingredients....

(Inhale deeply...can't you just smell the cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger, and clove?)

 Mix your wet ingredients....is it a co-inc-a-dinc that pumpkin color just reminds us of autumn???

I think not!

 C'mon you bakers out there....you know what's next!  

Coerce your wet and dry ingredients to play nicely together.

 A little patty-cake action and you're nearly there.  Score your scones in the manner you chose. 

 I see one more spot I could have cut another little triangle out of....yep, on the right!

 Mmmmmm!  Right now, just out of the oven, the entire house smells like you lit a pumpkin spice candle.  It's always a good idea to have company over on baking day for this reason alone!  

(Or you can just indulge your own selfish pleasures and don't tell anyone!) 

While the scones are cooling, make your spiced glaze.

 There are no words....you must try this one to believe how good it is.

Pumpkin Scones

2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated white 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
1/2 cup canned pure (unsweetened) pumpkin
3 tablespoons half and half cream
1 large egg
6 tablespoons cold butter, cut into cubes

Glaze

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1 to 2 tablespoons milk (any kind)
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Preheat oven to 425°F. Spray baking sheet with cooking spray, line with parchment paper or use a silpat mat.  Sprinkle a little flour on the baking sheet.  In a large bowl, whisk together dry ingredients (through ginger).  In a separate bowl, whisk together pumpkin, half and half and egg.

Cut butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. (You can use a pastry cutter or a food processor. Pulse until the mixture resembles fine crumbs).  Fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients, then form the dough into a ball. The dough will be wet, but if it seems too moist,  add a little more flour into the dough until it's easier to handle.   Don’t overwork the dough, you want it to be a little sticky like biscuit dough.

Pat out dough onto the lightly floured baking sheet and form it into a 1-inch thick rectangle that is about 9-inches long and 3-inches wide.   Slice dough into squares and then divide squares into triangles.   You have some flexibility here with the size you cut your first squares.  You can leave the scones bigger but I find that smaller ones are just the right size. 

Bake 14 to 16 minutes on prepared baking sheet. Scones should be golden brown brown.

While scones are cooling, prepare plain glaze by whisking ingredients in a medium bowl. Mix until smooth.  When scones are cool, use a knife to separate them.  Drizzle glaze using a fork.

Source: adapted from RecipeGirl.com (Adapted from Top Secret Recipes)