Baking is Love

Hello, friends. It’s been a long while, but I’m here to share a family favorite with you. I’ve kept this recipe to myself for many years and I think it’s finally time to share.

Cooking is one of the ways I show my family and friends that I love them, and this is the perfect season for baking something for those who you love. These pumpkin scones keep my family smiling through every fall and winter. If you’ve been one of the lucky ones to try them, you just know. I believe I found the recipe in a magazine many years ago (perhaps Sunset?). They are so fluffy and not too sweet. Before we begin, I’m going to tell you that your butter needs to be very cold and you need to handle the dough as little as possible (no over-mixing or too much kneading). Let’s get baking…

The first thing I do is set the oven to 375F and line my baking pan with a sheet of parchment paper. Then, I cube a stick of butter and pop it on a small plate in the freezer. Next, I grab a large bowl and mix together 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. The butter comes next…take it out of the freezer and pop it into your bowl and, with a pastry cutter or your fingers, cut or rub in until pea-size crumbs form.

In a small bowl, whisk together 3/4 cup canned pumpkin and 1/2 cup milk (I will typically use whole milk). Add this to the flour mixture and stir just until everything comes together.

Turn your dough onto a lightly floured board and gently knead until the dough comes together (about 5 or 6 turns). Pat into a round that is roughly 1 1/2 inches thick and slice into eight equal wedges.

Separate the wedges and place on your parchment-lined baking sheet. In a small bowl, combine 1 egg yolk and 1 tablespoon milk (I’ve used whole milk, half and half, or cream…whatever I have on hand). Brush the egg/milk mixture lightly over the tops of your scones (discard any remaining egg wash). In another small bowl, mix together 1 tablespoon sugar and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon. Sprinkle evenly over the scones.