Pumpkin Maple Scones

I do love fall baking.  Last fall there was definitely no charm.  I was newly gluten free and just SAD.  Isn't that silly, to be grieving food?  But I was.  I am thankful to be on the other side of that, and have 14ish months of gluten free cooking and baking under my belt.  I feel like this fall I've been excited to cook and bake again, and a lot more confident than I was this time last year.  I'm sure part of that is that I forget what flour tastes like :)  so these facsimiles thereof seem really good, when maybe the regular people wouldn't think so.  The peeps in my family have been so good about trying whatever I make and giving good feedback.  And I got a good GF flour blend recipe from a friend that has been awesome in muffins and quick breads.  This scone recipe is from the Simply Gluten Free Fall Baking magazine my sister gave me last month.  You could easily make these be "regular" by using all purpose flour in place of the gluten-free flour.

Pumpkin Maple Scones
2 cups gluten free all purpose flour (or regular all-purpose flour)
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp kosher or fine sea salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp cloves
1/2 cup cold butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla
Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
6 tbsp maple syrup

Preheat oven to 425.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking sheet.

In a food processor (which I have now because my dear husband got me one for our anniversary woot), combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves.  Pulse several times to combine (if you don't have a food processor just stir it...that part is easy).  Add butter and pulse quickly 8 to 10 times or until flour resembles coarse meal with some larger pieces of butter remaining (you can just use a pastry blender and do this by hand, too...it's harder but also cheaper).  Add pumpkin, cream, and vanilla, and pulse a few times to combine.  Do not over-process, or dough will be too sticky.

Flour a work surface and dump the dough onto it.  Knead dough 2 or 3 times to bring it together.  Pat the dough into a circle about 9 inches in diameter and 1/2 inch thick.  Cut dough into 8 triangular pieces (like a pie) and place on prepared baking sheet.

Bake for 15 minutes or until the scones are browned and feel firm to the touch.  Let cool slightly while making the glaze.

Whisk powdered sugar and maple syrup together until smooth and no lumps remain.  Spoon (or drizzle) the glaze over the scones, letting some of it drizzle down the sides.

My dough was too sticky, I could tell.  So I patted it into a circle and cut it up right on the parchment paper on top of my baking stone.  Because I thought I would never get them transferred over to it without them falling apart.  It was just the two older kids and I eating these.  Emma didn't like them.  I had some extra glaze so she completely smothered hers and was able to eat it.  Sam really liked these though and had two.  I thought they were good, but not amazing.  We had it with scrambled eggs and oranges.  So it was a good breakfast-for-supper meal overall.