Stay cozy this winter with a whole-wheat pumpkin scone drizzled with an addicting brown-butter maple glaze and a hot mug of coffee.
Are You Here for the Recipe? Whole-Wheat Pumpkin Scones with a Brown Butter Maple Glaze
Great River Milling’s whole-wheat pastry flour and nutritious pumpkin puree combine to create a pumpkin scone that is moist, lightly sweetened, and full of seasonal flavor. The truly addictive factor is the brown butter maple glaze. It’s nutty and sweet and complements the lightness of the pumpkin scone. However, you can easily substitute coconut oil in this recipe for a vegan option without sacrificing flavor.
Sixteen scones might seem like an excess, but if you plan to share these at all, err on the side of extra. My friends were eating seconds and thirds and asking to take some home.
Are You Here to Connect? Join Me in Reminiscing about a Winter Gathering!
The plastic door coverings just came down, and my dining room design for our dream house is about 99% complete. (A very special thanks to the talented team at Rooke Creative for bringing my vision to life.)
Clearly, I don’t often get around to posting my photos and recipes in the most timely manner, but sometimes, it seems like there is a deeper reason.
It feels fitting to share this wintry brunch now and reminisce over the good times we had in my beloved apartment as we simultaneously look forward to the gatherings our new dining room will foster.
I love winter, especially when the skeletal trees are cloaked in snow. I love the muted tones of the woods and the deeper greens of the resilient plants that withstand the cold and ice. Those were the scenes that came to mind as I decorated the table for a cozy celebration of winter.
The menu included a wintry wreath of chocolate-cinnamon pull-apart bread (recipe in a subsequent post), an autumn harvest bake with eggs and root vegetables, a hearty salad, and tender maple-glazed pumpkin scones. There were apple cider mimosas, and mugs of hot coffee, and in true Polish Hill fashion, there was a power outage.
Thankfully, the heat wasn’t affected. Unfortunately, the oven was. We had to wait on coffee refills and the egg bake, but we improvised in a way that made the gathering even more memorable and fulfilling. We wrote notes by candlelight describing why we appreciate every attendee as a friend. Thus, we each had a chance to read a handful of encouraging notes, and we decided to share what others said about us. It was truly a beautiful experience.
I’m grateful when these moments of vulnerability and connection occur. Sometimes you just need the power to cut out as a reminder to wait, be patient, and lean into a moment. I hope this activity is something you can adopt the next time you find yourself gathering your dear friends for a meal.
Sorry Josh for capturing you mid-bite, but how cute is Julep trying to catch a crumb of brunch?
Craving More? You Might Also Like A Chai-Spiced Pumpkin Pie Bowl
While not as brunch oriented, perhaps you can spend some quality time journaling on your own while you enjoy this breakfast recipe from my book, The Gluten-Free Grains Cookbook.
Whole-Wheat Pumpkin Pecan Scones with a Maple Glaze
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups raw pecans and walnuts
- 4 cups (384 g) whole-wheat pastry flour
- ½ cup (107 g) brown sugar, packed
- 2 tablespoons baking powder
- 2 tablespoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon cloves or allspice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 10 tablespoons cold butter (or ⅔ cup solid coconut oil for the vegan option)
- 1 ½ cups pumpkin puree
- ½ cup milk of choice (almond milk, low-fat milk, etc.)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Maple Glaze
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons butter (substitute melted coconut oil for the vegan option)
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup, more if needed
- 1/2 Tablespoon dark spiced rum
- ¼ teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Toast the Nuts:
- Place the nuts in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Toast the nuts in the oven until fragrant, about 5-7 minutes, keeping a close eye on them to prevent burning. Remove from the oven, and set aside to cool. Once cooled, chop the nuts into very fine pieces.
For the Scones:
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, spices, and salt. Whisk to combine. Stir in ¾ of the chopped toasted nuts.
- Use a pastry cutter to cut the butter (or coconut oil) into the dry ingredients. If you don’t have a pastry cutter, use a fork, or simply use your fingers.
- Stir in the pumpkin puree, milk, and vanilla extract. At first, it will seem like there isn’t enough liquid to wet the dough, but keep mixing until you have thoroughly incorporated the wet and dry ingredients. If you must, use your hands to knead the last of the flour into the dough.
- Form dough into 2 circles that are each about an inch deep. Use a dough scraper or large knife to cut each circle into 8 even slices.
- Separate the slices and arrange them on the prepared baking sheet(s). Bake for 15 to 17 minutes or until lightly golden brown.
- While the scones are baking, make the glaze.
For the Glaze:
Brown the Butter:
- Place butter in a medium frying pan and melt completely over medium-high heat. Cook the butter, stirring gently until the milk solids start to turn light brown. The milk solids will brown quickly, so don't be afraid to pull the pan off the heat to slow the browning down if you're unsure how quickly they're toasting. The butter will give off a nutty, toasty, and slightly caramelized scent when browned. Pour the browned butter into the bowl of a stand mixer.
- Add the powdered sugar, maple syrup, rum, and salt, and whisk until smooth and creamy. If your mixture is too runny, add more powdered sugar. If it’s too thick, add more maple syrup.
- Drizzle the glaze generously over the scones. While the glaze is wet, sprinkle it with the remaining chopped nuts. Enjoy!
