Maple Pecan Scones
Submitted by 99nine99
Maple pecan scones cut cold butter into a flour-pecan dough, then bind with maple syrup and heavy cream for a tender, sweet biscuit. Brushed with extra maple before baking.
YIELD
8 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
20 minREADY
30 minReal maple syrup is what carries this scone, not just a flavor accent but the actual liquid sweetener and primary moisture in the dough. Combined with cold butter cut into the flour and chopped pecans, the result is a tender, faintly bronzed scone with deep caramel notes through every bite.
Cold butter is the rule for any proper scone. Cut it into the flour until you’ve got coarse-meal-sized pieces, with some larger chunks left in. Those butter pieces melt during the bake and create steam pockets, which is exactly how you get the layered, tender crumb that separates a good scone from a hockey puck.
Mix the wet ingredients in fast, with swift strokes. Overmixing develops gluten and toughens the dough. Roll thick (around two inches), cut with a sharp biscuit cutter, and brush the tops with another splash of maple syrup before baking. The brush coat caramelizes in the oven and gives the tops a glossy, sticky finish.
Pro Tips
- Use Grade A Dark (formerly Grade B) maple syrup for stronger maple flavor. Grade A Light disappears against the pecans.
- Freeze the butter for 15 minutes before cutting in. Frozen-cold butter holds its shape better in the dough.
- Don’t twist the biscuit cutter when cutting. Twisting seals the edges and prevents proper rise. Press straight down and lift.
- Eat warm from the oven with extra butter or clotted cream alongside.
Variations
- Toast the pecans on a dry sheet pan for 6 to 8 minutes before chopping for deeper, nuttier flavor.
- Glaze with a maple-confectioners-sugar drizzle (1 cup powdered sugar plus 2 tablespoons maple syrup) once cool.
- Add ½ cup dried cranberries or chopped dried apricots for a fruit version.
Ingredients
Directions
Heat oven to 350℉ (180℃).
Grease and flour a 9-x-13 baking sheet.
In a large bowl stir together the flour, pecans, baking powder, and salt.
Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
Set aside. In another bowl, whisk together the maple syrup and cream.
Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the liquid mixture, combining with swift strokes until the dough clings together.
Roll out about two inches thick on a lightly flouted surface.
Cut scones with a three-inch round biscuit cutter and place on baking sheet about two inches apart.
Brush tops with additional maple syrup, and bake for fifteen to twenty minutes or until lightly browned.
Transfer to a rack and cool.
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