It’s FALL!!!!!  My favorite, favorite season!  (sigh of contentment)  I think I might live the other 10 months of the year just waiting for September and October.  The weather is just so wonderful.  I know many people just love summer…summer is okay…but I don’t get excited about it.  Too hot, too humid!

Anyway…to get back to my point…fall is here, which means, time to make pumpkin things and apple things 🙂  What is it about cooler temperatures and leaves changing colors that makes everyone want to bake all things pumpkin?  I love to bake all year round, but there’s something about fall and winter that sends me to the kitchen.  (oh, it’s also soup and bread making season!!)

In honor of the arrival of fall, enjoy these pumpkin scones.  They are delicious, moist, tender and easy.  If you haven’t made scones before, give these a try.  I included step by step pictures here because scones might scare some people away, but they really aren’t complicated.  I hope you give them a try.  One of my other favorites is “Cinnamon Roll” Scones, if pumpkin isn’t your thing, you can try these instead.

Mix together your ingredients, the batter will look like this (don’t overmix!)

Dump the batter out on a floured surface…it will be sticky

Don’t knead the dough, just pat it together into a rectangle, using the flour to lessen the stickiness.  Don’t overwork the dough.

I always make mine into a rectangle because it makes it easier to cut

Place them on a baking tray on a silpat mat or parchment paper

You don’t have to make huge pieces, they puff up nicely

Look at the lovely inside of this beauty

I hope your fall is off to a wonderful start!

Pumpkin Scones

2 cups flour

1/4 cup, plus 3 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon ginger

6 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small chunks

1/2 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)

3 tablespoons half and half (I was out and used milk)

1 egg

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat mat and set aside.

Stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger.  Add the butter and stir to coat with the flour mixture.  Mix on medium-low with an electric mixer or stand mixer.  Mix until butter is about the size of peas.  In a separate bowl whisk together pumpkin, half and half and egg.  Fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients and form the dough into a ball.

Pat out dough onto a lightly floured surface and form into a rectangle.  Cut into 2″ squares or shape desired.  Place on prepared baking sheet.  Bake for 9-10 minutes or until they look done.  Place on a wire rack to cool.

Spiced Glaze:

1 cup, plus 3 tablespoons powdered sugar

2 tablespoons milk

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

pinch of ground ginger

pinch of ground cloves

Mix together all ingredients until smooth.  I recommend you make the glaze on the thicker side so that it doesn’t soak into the scones.  Just add more powdered sugar until you reach the right consistency.  Glaze scones when fully cooled.

These are one of few scones that taste better the second day, I think it’s because the pumpkin flavor comes through more fully.  You could also wait and glaze them the second day.  They are also delicious warmed in the microwave for a couple seconds.

Tip: Scones can be easily frozen.  After cutting the dough into pieces, place on a baking sheet and then into the freezer.  After they are frozen, transfer to a freezer bag and place in freezer.  When you are ready to bake them, place on baking sheet and bake.  Just bake them longer than unfrozen scones.  A fast treat!  I almost always make a double batch and freeze half.  Then when I’m in the mood for scones I have them ready to go.  This is also a great option if you are making a bunch for a gathering of people.