I used to love eating scones from Starbucks, I'd pick one up with my morning coffee and head to class. The scone made early (read: 10 AM) classes tolerable.
I know it's a little early for pumpkin recipes but I can't help it! Autumn is my favorite season, and it reminds me of all those mornings walking with hot coffee to class.
And since I get this question often; a scone is sort of like a mix between a biscuit and a muffin. They're firmer than a muffin, but softer than a biscuit.....just make them, they're delicious!
Whole Wheat Pumpkin Cranberry Scone Recipe
Yields: 6 Scones
Ingredients:
1.5 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 tbsp baking powder
pinch of salt
3.5 tbsp maple syrup
1/2 cup pumpkin (pureed, not pumpkin pie filling-that has spices!)
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
2 tbsp non-dairy milk (optional)
1/2 cup cranberries (if using dry- plump them as you would raisins, by adding them to some water or orange juice and allowing them to get rehydrated)
(Edited to Add: You can use fresh pumpkin that's been cooked, if you can't find canned. Pumpkin pie spice is a blend of cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg. You can blend your own to taste)
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a cookie sheet.
2. Combine flour, baking powder, salt and pumpkin spice and whisk together to ensure even distribution of the ingredients.
3. Add wet ingredients; pumpkin, maple syrup, and also your cranberries. Incorporate all ingredients together, scones make a dry dough(like biscuits) but if you think your dough is too dry and all your flour hasn't been incorporated, add non-dairy milk 1 tbsp at a time.
4. You can make these 'drop' scones by using a measuring scoop and dropping the dough onto the prepared cookie sheet, or you can cut them into triangles (like Starbucks!). To make triangles, roll dough into one large ball and then flatten slightly. Cut the dough like you would cut a pizza! I first cut in half, and then divide each section into 'slices'.
(I usually sprinkle a little raw sugar on top of scones, just to make them glisten and give them a pretty textured top. This is totally optional)
5. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes, or until firm to the touch.
