Pumpkin Scones

Thanksgiving day breakfast is made to be special, especially if you have family or friends visiting, but it doesn’t have to be difficult or time consuming. In fact, we try to keep breakfast simple on big feast days just because we have so much other cooking business to attend to. Often I make breakfast the night before and warm it up in the morning. Scones and muffins are easy breakfasts that hold up well overnight and taste delicious in the morning with hot tea, coffee, or mulled cider.

I adapted these pumpkin scones from my cherry sour cream scones recipe. The pumpkin puree acts as a binder and keeps the scones just moist enough to hold together, while the milk and cinnamon sugar on top gives a satisfying crunch.

PUMPKIN SCONES

Makes 8 scones.

Equipment

food processor with blade attachment
small bowl
large mixing bowl
baking sheet, greased or lined with parchment paper

Ingredients

2 cups (240 g) unbleached all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
1/3 cup (58 g) granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick (8 tablespoons/113 g) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup (50 g) raisins or golden raisins
1/2 cup (120 mil) pumpkin puree
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
milk
cinnamon & sugar mix

Preparation

1. Move oven rack to the lower-middle part of the oven. Preheat oven to 400° F.

2. In food processor bowl, mix the flour, cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the pieces of butter and pulse about 10 to 12 times. The mixture should resemble coarse cornmeal.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, egg, and vanilla extract until smooth.

4. Pour the flour mixture into the large mixing bowl and add the raisins. Stir in the pumpkin mixture until large dough clumps form. Press it all together with a spatula, making sure you don’t have any loose bits of flour.

5. Flour your hands well. Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and pat into an 8-inch circle about 3/4-inch thick. Brush milk on the top and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar mix.

6. Cut into 8 triangles and place them on the prepared baking sheet about 1 inch apart. Bake until golden, about 15 to 17 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes and serve warm or at room temperature.

Make Ahead

For a quick breakfast, make them the night before and wrap in a tea towel when cool, then warm in the oven in the morning.

More Thanksgiving Day Breakfast Recipes

More Scones Recipes From Around the Blogs

Farmgirl Fare – Savory Cheese and Scallion Scones

Cooking with Amy – Scottish Oat Scones

Baking and Books – Coffee-Glazed Chocolate Chip Scones

Albion Cooks – Irish Buttermilk Scones

Pumpkin Pie

I’m catching up on my Thanksgiving food blogging. My original plan was to post the last three recipes on Thanksgiving day, but somehow the day got away from me in the midst of making dinner and taking care of the boys. So I will post them throughout today.

Some foods are an absolute requirement for Thanksgiving dinner, and for me that short list includes roast turkey, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie; everything else is negotiable. Actually, I enjoy pumpkin pie anytime during the holiday season.

I grew up with the pumpkin pie recipe on the back of the pumpkin puree can, and I always enjoyed it. I like the dense texture better than “fluffy” pumpkin pies. This year I wanted to update the pie a bit, Read more

Pumpkin Apple Muffins

I first made these a few years ago and they were a breakfast hit. Michael thought that they were perfect and didn’t need a single change to the recipe. The boys devoured them and my oldest asks for pumpkin muffins every day now. The combination of the pumpkin and apple makes a perfect fall breakfast or snack, and they are easy to make.

I originally made these with unbleached all-purpose flour and now I use part all-purpose and part whole wheat pastry flour as a way to make them healthier.

[Updated: November 18, 2009]

PUMPKIN APPLE MUFFINS

Adapted from CDKitchen.com.

Makes 12 muffins.

Equipment

muffin tin, lightly coated with cooking spray
stand mixer with paddle attachment (or hand mixer)
3 quart mixing bowl
small bowl
#20 scoop (large) Read more