Maple Pecan Scones

Equipment

• Oven
• Baking sheet

Ingredients

• 5 Tbsp. cold unsalted butter, divided
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• ⅓ cup plus ⅛ tsp. granulated sugar, divided
• ¾ tsp. kosher salt, divided
• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for surface
• 1 ½ tsp. baking powder
• ¼ tsp. plus a pinch of ground cinnamon, divided
• 1 large egg, cold
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 9 Tbsp. cold heavy whipping cream, divided
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 Tbsp. pure maple syrup

Instructions

1. 1Preheat the oven to 400°F and place a rack in the upper third. Melt one tablespoon of butter in a medium skillet over medium heat.
2. 2Stir the chopped pecans into the melted butter and cook for two to three minutes until toasted and fragrant. Remove the pan from the heat and transfer the nuts to a plate.
3. 3Season the warm pecans with an eighth of a teaspoon of granulated sugar and an eighth of a teaspoon of salt. Let them cool for ten minutes.
4. 4Combine the all-purpose flour, baking powder, a quarter teaspoon of cinnamon, a half teaspoon of salt, and the remaining third of a cup of granulated sugar in a large mixing bowl.
5. 5Dice the remaining four tablespoons of cold butter and cut it into the dry ingredients using a pastry blender or two forks. Stop mixing when the dough looks crumbly with pea-sized pieces of butter visible. Those visible butter pieces create the flaky layers as they melt in the oven.
6. 6Beat the cold egg, vanilla extract, and six tablespoons of heavy cream in a separate bowl. Pour this wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir for about two minutes until a shaggy dough forms.
7. 7Gently fold three-quarters of a cup of the cooled, toasted pecans into the bowl until evenly distributed.
8. 8Transfer the dough to a lightly floured counter and pat it into a six-inch circle about three-quarters of an inch thick. Slice the circle into six equal wedges with a sharp knife.
9. 9Place the wedges half an inch apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Chill the dough in the refrigerator for twenty minutes. Cold dough prevents the scones from spreading too much while baking.
10. 10Brush the tops of the chilled dough with one tablespoon of heavy cream. Bake for eighteen to twenty minutes until the edges are crisp and golden brown, then let them rest on the pan for five minutes.
11. 11Whisk the powdered sugar, maple syrup, remaining two tablespoons of cream, an eighth of a teaspoon of salt, and a pinch of cinnamon in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir continuously for two minutes until the sugar dissolves and the glaze thickens.
12. 12Spoon the warm maple icing over the scones and garnish with the reserved quarter cup of toasted pecans.

Recipe Details