Pumpkin Ginger Scones

I didn't want a cake for my birthday this year. Instead I asked for these. These are hands down the best scones I've ever had. And that includes the one I had in Kings Cross while visiting London last year. (Okay, that one was pretty good too.)

Pumpkin Ginger Scones

Yield: 12 Scones

Adapted from the Standard Baking Company Pumpkin Cream Scones recipe.

1 ½ cup all-purpose flour
1 cup white whole wheat or whole wheat flour
¼ cup dark brown sugar
1 T plus ½ t baking powder
½ t salt
2 t cinnamon
1 ½ t ginger
1 ½ t nutmeg
½ t cloves
½ cup plus 2 T (One and ¼ sticks) of unsalted butter cut into cubes and then chilled.
1/3 cup chopped crystalized ginger
1 Egg
¾ cup canned pumpkin (you can, of course, use fresh)
1/3 cup Half and half
2 T molasses
Garnish:
Cinnamon sugar and pumpkin seeds (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
3. Mix the flours, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and ground cloves in a large bowl.
4. Cut in the chilled butter using a fork or a pastry cutter until a few pea-sized lumps of butter remain.
5. Mix in the diced ginger.
6. In a separate bowl whisk egg, pumpkin, half and half and molasses together.
7. Combine the wet ingredients with the dry using a spatula. Be careful not to overmix. These will get tough.
8. Drop ¼ scoops of the dough onto the cookie sheet, giving them room to spread.
9. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and pumpkin seeds.
10. Bake 22 – 24 minutes. They should be golden and firm to the touch.
11. Allow to cool on a rack.

(Posted Oct 19th, 2016)