3.5 cups flour
1tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp. molasses
10 tbsp. butter
3/4 cup fresh or canned pumpkin puree
1/2 cup cream or half and half
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
2-3 tbsp. cream for brushing on top, optional
Glaze:
1/2 c powdered sugar
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t vanilla
1-2 T cream or half and half
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Blend all dry ingredients and molasses in a food processor or with a pastry blender. Add butter in small pieces and blend until the mixture is in small, sandy crumbs. Add the pumpkin on top of the dry ingredients, but don't mix it in yet. It will get blended in with the wet ingredients. Next, beat together cream, egg and vanilla. Slowly add the cream mixture to the dry mixture, blending just until the dough clumps together in a shaggy ball. Do not over-mix. Flour your work space, then turn the dough out onto it. Divide the dough into two halves, pat each half into a 3/4 inch thick round, then slice each round into 8 wedges. Place the wedges onto parchment or silicone-lined baking sheets and brush them with cream if you want crispier edges. Bake at 400 for 18-20 minutes, rotating the baking sheets top to bottom and front to back halfway through. Scones are done when edges and bottoms are golden.
While the scones are cooling, mix together the powdered sugar, cinnamon, vanilla and cream for the glaze. If it's too thick, add more cream until it is thin enough to drip off the edge of a spoon.
After about 10 minutes, the scones will be cool enough to drizzle on the glaze. The longer you let them cool, the better the glaze stays on. Let the glaze set for a few minutes, then enjoy!
Now for the BS. Yes, this is a big recipe. Of course it can be halved, but I have found that if I'm going to the trouble of dragging out the food processor and covering my kitchen in flour, I might as well make extra! I fiddled with the white to brown sugar ratio on and off for months before I settled on this recipe. The molasses is the secret ingredient! It isn't enough to be overpowering, but it adds a layer of flavor you just don't get if you only use sugar. I have been using fresh sugar pumpkin puree, but canned pumpkin works just as well. If you want to make mini scones, divide the dough into 3 balls, each cut into 8 wedges. Be aware they will cook about 3 minutes faster, so keep an eye on them!