Better than Pumpkin, the Maple Pecan Scone

Now don’t come for me Internet but…I’m not a pumpkin girl. I like to grow pumpkins, carve them, decorate with them and paint my toenails a dusty pumpkin color, just don’t make me eat them. The problem has been, I do LOVE a festive flavor combo, so imagine my disappointment each Fall when there’s nothing autumn-y that I like on the menu. Well, not anymore folks. I cobbled together this Einkorn Maple Pecan Scone recipe a few weeks ago and it has more than satisfied my autumnal needs. I’ve made it 5 times so far this month, and I don’t see us stopping anytime soon.

I guess that’s not entirely true, I do like pumpkin in savory applications- pumpkin chili, Pumpkin Risotto, pumpkin soup, sausage + squash pie- I just don’t want pumpkin in my sweets. Especially the most sacred of all breakfast items- The Scone.

What is the secret to making the Maple Pecan Scone recipe?

The secret to making good scones is of course, good ingredients. A traditional scone recipe includes butter, sugar, flour and milk (or cream). For my Maple Pecan Scone recipe I use:

• Grass-fed Butter. Grass-fed butter just tastes better. Cows were made to eat grass, simple as that. And butter from cows who eat grass tastes better and is better for you.
• Maple Sugar. Maple sugar has changed my life. When recovering from mono after my youngest was born, I cut out all refined sugars. I tried Maple Syrup, Honey and Sucanant/Rapadura. And they were fine, in fact I still use them all frequently. But when it comes to baked goods, the closest substitute I’ve found to white sugar is Maple sugar. It has the perfect texture for light, fluffy pastries. And don’t even get me started on the extra maple-y flavor.
• Einkorn Flour. All-purpose Einkorn to be exact. It adds such a beautiful, whole-grain, nutty flavor, texture and color. I can’t even look at a scone made from regular flour after eating these for so long. You’ve gotta try it!
• Milk Kefir. As I discussed earlier, milk kefir replaces what would traditionally be milk, cream or buttermilk in this English cream scone recipe. I find it teams up really well with Einkorn flour. Einkorn isn’t able to absorb liquid as easily, so using a thicker wet ingredient like Kefir keeps things from getting weighed down or soggy.

What is Kefir?

Kefir is a fermented milk product similar to yogurt, but with far more probiotics. It is good for your gut, good for your bones and contains a high number of beneficial vitamins and minerals. It is tangy, tart and more bubbly than yogurt. It has a thinner consistency too, more drinkable or pourable, making it perfect for baking!

You can easily make your own Kefir by purchasing kefir grains. My friend Lisa has a great milk Kefir tutorial over on her blog. But, Kefir is also readily available to buy online or at your local grocery store.

Mistakes to avoid when making scones

There is such a thing as a bad scone, believe it or not. Honestly, I’ve never eaten a scone I really loved outside of my own kitchen. So here’s how to make sure the best scones in the world are coming out of your kitchen as well.

• Don’t use warm ingredients. Make sure you have cold butter (I use frozen), cold kefir and cold fillings (like frozen berries).
• Do not add to much liquid. Scone dough can be really crumbly as it comes together. It can be tempting to add more liquid than necessary. But don’t do it! If you have too much liquid in your dough, your scones will spread and collapse and look more like an amoeba than a delicious breakfast pastry.
• Be careful not to overmix. There is less of a danger with this when using Einkorn flour, as it has a weaker gluten structure. You are much less likely to develop too much gluten and end up with tough scones. BUT you still want to mix until that dough just comes together for the perfect light and airy texture.

What tools do I need to make the Maple Pecan Scone recipe?

• Pastry blender. I used to rub in the butter with my hands in this recipe, but I’ve found that the heat of my hands warms up the butter too much. A good pastry blender will keep your butter as cool as possible.
• Sheet tray/pan. A good, stainless steel sheet pan/tray is a must-have for any kitchen.
• Parchment paper. Once my dough comes together, I place it on a sheet of parchment on top of my cutting board. This makes it easy to form into a disc, sliced into wedges and separate for baking. Then I just slide my parchment onto my sheet pan and we’re good to go! Easy peasy.
• Turbinado sugar. This is a MUST for my scone recipe. Sprinkled on top at the last minute, the Turbinado sugar adds a little crunch, sparkle and sweetness to the scones. Don’t go without it! And a little goes a long way, so it’ll last you for many, many scones.

Other Autumn recipes to enjoy this Fall

Here are a few of my favorite Autumn recipes:

Simple, Creamy Garden Pumpkin Risotto. Use up those abundant stores of squash from the garden with this delicious, comforting dish. I love pumpkin in a savory application, and this is one of the best!

Traditional Lancashire Hotpot. I made this recipe last fall and it was SUCH a treat. I almost felt like I was in the English countryside. Plus, it’s a great way to use garden potatoes and the packs of stew meat that have a tendency to live forever in my freezer.

Have you tried the Maple Pecan Scone recipe? Do tell!

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And leave a comment below with your favorite fall recipes! Happy Autumn!

Kali

I’m Kali. Oregon mama, farmer’s wife and creator of the Potager book and blog. Join me and as we cook and garden through the seasons!