Simply Suzanne's AT HOME: pumpkin scones

I'm crazy excited to share this amazing recipe with you!

I've been wanting to make pumpkin scones since I found this recipe in one of my cooking magazines last year, but the Fall season kept me so busy that I never got around to it.

Not this year though! I've made these several times since the start of Fall . . . and plan on making them through Thanksgiving!

So what makes these pumpkin scones so darn good?

Well, they're not only tender, light, and moist . . . but they're the prettiest shade of orange, smell like sweet pumpkin, and have an amazing pumpkin spice icing on them! Hello!

They're FULL of everything that Fall baking is all about!

I hope that my photos entice you to make some for yourself and your family this weekend. Be ready to fall in LOVE with them, too!

Pumpkin Scones

makes 8 scones

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Scone

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp ground ginger

1/8 tsp ground cloves

1/4 cup packed light-brown sugar

3 Tbsp granulated sugar

1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and diced into 1/2-inch pieces

1/2 cup + 1 Tbsp canned pumpkin puree, chilled (don't chill in can)

wet ingredients

3 1/2 Tbsp buttermilk

1 large egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 Tbsp honey

1 Tbsp half and half

. . . . . . . . .

Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar

2 Tbsp half and half, then more as needed

. . . . . . . . .

Pumpkin Spice Icing

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1 Tbsp pumpkin puree

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

1/8 tsp ground ginger

1 Tbsp half and half

Scone preparation

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In a food processor pulse together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, brown sugar and granulated sugar until well blended (if you don't have a food processor you can whisk by hand in a large mixing bowl, then cut in butter with a pastry cutter).

Add butter and pulse mixture several times to cut butter into mixture (large pieces of butter should no longer be visible). Pour mixture into a large mixing bowl and create a well in center.

In a bowl whisk together chilled pumpkin puree, buttermilk, egg, vanilla extract and honey.

Pour mixture into well in flour/butter mixture. Stir mixture with a wooden spoon to incorporate, then knead in bowl (or on work surface) by hand several times to bring mixture together.

Dust a work surface with flour then invert dough onto surface. Pat and shape dough into an even 8-inch round. Using a large knife, slice into 8 equal wedges (dust knife with flour as needed while cutting, it will be fairly sticky).

Transfer scones to a Silpat or parchment paper lined baking sheet. Brush tops with 1 Tbsp half and half then bake in preheated oven 13 - 15 minutes until tops are golden brown and toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack and cool 10 minutes (no longer) before spreading with glaze.

Glaze preparation

In a mixing bowl whisk together powdered sugar and half and half, adding more half and half as needed to reach desired consistency (it should be fairly thick not runny).

Spoon and spread mixture scones to evenly coat tops (use all of it).

Let glaze set at room temperature.

Pumpkin Spice glaze preparation

In another mixing bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, pumpkin puree, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and half and half. Transfer mixture to a small Ziploc bag, seal bag, cut a small tip from corner and drizzle mixture over tops of scones. Allow icing to set. Best served day prepared.

Courtesy of Fine Cooking magazine