Pumpkin Scones

I know it's not quite pumpkin season yet, but hey, with canned pumpkin, it's always pumpkin season! I used some of my graduation money to buy a scone pan and I knew I had to try it out. Most of the scones I've tasted are fairly dense. These scones, however, are almost like cake. Overall, I enjoyed them, as did my friends.

Recipe adapted from Stephanie Gallagher.

INGREDIENTS

• 1/4 cup (1 ounce) cake flour
• 1/2 cup (2 ounce) white whole wheat flour
  
• 1-1/4 cups (5.31 ounces) all purpose white flour
• 1/2 cup (3.75 ounces) brown sugar
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 2 dashes of nutmeg
  
• 5 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cold
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1/3 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a cookie sheet (or scone pan) with nonstick cooking spray.

Combine flours, brown sugar, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Cut butter into flour mixture, until it resembles coarse crumbs.

In a separate small bowl, stir together pumpkin puree, buttermilk and vanilla. Pour into flour mixture just until it forms a soft dough. Be careful not to overmix.

Omitted since I used a scone pan: Turn dough out onto a lightly foured surface and knead gently, just three or four times. Pat dough into a circle about 1-1/2 inches thick. Cut into 8 equal wedges (like slices of pie).

Transfer to prepared cookie sheet and bake at 375 for 20 minutes.

Makes 8 scones or 16 mini scones.