These maple oat pecan scones are tender and buttery with crisp, golden edges, hearty oats, toasted pecans, and plenty of maple flavor. The pecans and oats are toasted in a skillet, then caramelized in maple syrup, adding a sweet and toasty crunch to every single bite. Our taste testers raved about the crumbly, tender texture and cozy maple flavor. (Even kids who don’t prefer nuts in baked goods loved these!)
Think of today’s scones as the breakfast version of these reader-favorite maple brown sugar cookies!
Why You’ll Love These Maple Oat Pecan Scones
There are a lot of maple oat scone recipes out there, but these have a few things that make them especially good:
- Buttery and tender: Extra-cold butter creates flaky pockets throughout the scones. I start with frozen butter.
- Hearty but not heavy: Whole rolled oats add texture and a subtle nuttiness without making the scones overly dense.
- Bold maple flavor: Pure maple syrup gets a boost from a touch of maple extract.
- Extra flavorful add-ins: Toasting the pecans and oats first brings out their nutty flavor and keeps them crisp, while a maple syrup glaze adds a touch of caramelized sweetness.
- Make-ahead friendly: You can prepare the scones the night before, then bake them fresh in the morning.
Recipe Testing Notes
Testing these scones was a lot of fun. We started with my go-to recipe for basic scones. From there, we pulsed whole oats into oat flour and used that in combination with all-purpose flour. Our goal was to create an oat-based dough, but this method resulted in an overly crumbly, almost sandy texture. We knew we could do better.
Team member (and my cookbook recipe co-author!) Beth suggested toasting the oats with the pecans on the stove, then caramelizing them a bit with maple syrup, cinnamon, and salt. I was intrigued! We gave the method a try and loved the initial results. From there, we tweaked the base recipe a bit more, using brown sugar in the dough and adding a touch of maple extract.
These were a wild success, and quite possibly one of my top 10 favorite recipes of all time. And that maple icing will always be a favorite!! It’s the same icing I use on maple pecan focaccia.
Ingredients You Need & Why
- Oats: Use whole rolled oats rather than quick oats. The larger oats give these scones their hearty texture.
- Pecans: Start with raw pecan halves. They’ll get toasted with the oats, then chopped before you fold them into the dough.
- Maple Syrup: Make sure to use pure maple syrup, not “breakfast syrup.” This is a main flavor here, so reach for the real deal.
- Cinnamon: Adds even more flavor to the toasty pecans and oats.
- Flour: The main structure of the scones. I recommend sticking with all-purpose flour for the best balance of tenderness and sturdiness.
- Baking Powder: For lift.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness and brings out the maple and pecan flavors.
- Butter: Cold butter is essential for tender, flaky scones. Cut the butter into small cubes and then place it in the freezer for about 15 minutes while you get started on the rest of the recipe. It will be extra cold by the time you’re ready to add it to the dough.
- Heavy Cream: Texture is crucial for the perfect scone, so don’t substitute milk or nondairy milk in this recipe.
- Brown Sugar: Adds sweetness along with a subtle caramel-like flavor that pairs especially well with maple.
- Egg: Binds and adds richness.
- Pure Vanilla & Maple Extracts: A small amount of maple extract provides a big boost to the overall maple flavor of the scones. Vanilla rounds out all the other flavors.
Toast the Pecans & Oats First
We’re going to start with the add-ins before we make the scone dough so they have time to cool.
Begin by cooking the pecans and oats together in a dry skillet on the stovetop, stirring until they smell toasty and nutty. Then add the maple syrup, cinnamon, and salt. The maple syrup will bubble up when it hits the hot pan. Don’t worry, this is expected. Keep stirring for a couple more minutes and watch as it thickens into a glaze that coats the nuts and oats.
Spread the mixture out onto a cutting board and let it cool, then give everything a rough chop. Honestly, I could snack on this all by itself. It reminds me of homemade granola!
What Makes Scones Tender and Flaky?
The secret to tender yet flaky scones is cold butter and minimal mixing. (Similar to making biscuits or pie dough.) When cold butter hits the hot oven, it melts and releases steam, creating little pockets throughout the dough. This is why I recommend cutting the butter into small cubes and freezing it before you begin. Sometimes I even grate the butter with a box grater for even smaller pieces of butter.
It’s also important not to overwork the dough. The more you mix and knead it, the more gluten develops, which can produce tougher, denser scones. Embrace a messy, crumbly dough!
How to Make Maple Oat Pecan Scones
Whisk the dry ingredients together, then cut in the frozen butter with a pastry cutter, 2 forks, or your fingers until the mixture resembles pea-sized crumbles (see the photo above). Whisk the wet ingredients together separately, then combine everything with the maple oat pecan crunchies. Remember to mix the dough as little as possible.
You may need to ditch the spatula and use your hands to incorporate the add-ins into the sticky dough. It helps to flour your hands first!
Turn the dough out onto a work surface, gently bring it together, and shape it into a disc. Cut into wedges:
To ensure the scones don’t overspread and lose their shape, refrigerate them for at least 15 minutes before baking. They can chill for much longer, so feel free to make them in advance, refrigerate overnight, and bake them fresh in the morning!
Brush a little heavy cream onto your scones using a pastry brush right before baking. This helps with browning and gives the scones their golden, lightly crisp tops.
Here’s what they look like after baking:
My Favorite Maple Icing
Now for the finishing touch: the maple icing! I absolutely love this maple icing, especially because of the way it sets on top of baked goods as the butter in it re-solidifies. It’s from my maple brown sugar cookies, and I love it on this salted maple pecan focaccia, too!
When the maple oat scones are cool enough to handle, dip the tops in the icing, then sprinkle some oats on top right away, before the icing has a chance to set. The recipe makes enough icing to glaze all 8 scones, with a bit left over to drizzle over the oat topping at the end.
Success Tips for Maple Oat Pecan Scones
- Cut the cold butter into small cubes and freeze for about 15 minutes before you add it to the dry ingredients.
- Use floured hands to bring the dough together.
- Refrigerate the scones for at least 15 minutes before baking.
- Check on the scones halfway through baking. If they are spreading out, use 2 bench scrapers or spatulas to press on either side of the scone to reshape into a triangle.
- Add the oat topping immediately after dipping each scone in icing because it sets quickly!
Beth and I truly can’t wait for you to try these!!
Print
Maple Oat Pecan Scones
- Prep Time: 35 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 8 scones
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
These maple oat pecan scones are tender and buttery with crisp, golden edges, hearty oats, toasted pecans, and plenty of maple flavor. For the best texture, start with very cold butter, handle the dough as little as possible, and chill the shaped scones for at least 15 minutes before baking. Finish with maple icing and a light sprinkle of oats.
Ingredients
Maple Oat Pecan Crunchies
- 2/3 cup (75g) pecans (use raw, unsalted)
- 2/3 cup (57g) old-fashioned whole rolled oats, plus more for topping
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 Tablespoons (40g/30ml) pure maple syrup
Scones
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled), plus more for shaping
- 2 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, very cold and cubed
- 1/2 cup (100g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (120g/ml) cold heavy cream, plus more for brushing
- 1 large egg, cold
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon maple extract
Maple Icing
- 2 Tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup (80g/60ml) pure maple syrup
- 1 cup (112g) sifted confectioners’ sugar
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Make the maple oat pecan crunchies: In a dry medium skillet over medium heat, combine the pecans and oats. Cook, stirring with a spatula or wooden spoon, until they smell nutty and toasty, about 4–5 minutes. Add the cinnamon, salt, and maple syrup. The maple syrup will bubble up when it hits the hot pan; that’s expected. Cook, stirring, until the syrup thickens into a glaze that coats the pecans and oats, about 2–3 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer the mixture to a cutting board. Set aside to cool.
- Make the scones: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the cold cubes of butter and cut them into the flour mixture with a pastry cutter, 2 forks, or your fingers until the mixture resembles pea-sized crumbs.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, heavy cream, egg, vanilla extract, and maple extract until combined and smooth. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently stir with a spatula until the dough starts to come together. Avoid over-mixing.
- Roughly chop the cooled pecan-oat mixture. Add the maple oat pecan crunchies to the dough and fold to incorporate. You may need to use floured hands to bring it all together. The dough will be crumbly.
- With floured hands, work the dough into a ball as best you can and transfer to a floured work surface. Press into a neat 8-inch disc and, using a very sharp knife or bench scraper, cut into 8 equal wedges.
- Place scones on a plate or lined baking sheet (if your refrigerator has space!) and refrigerate the shaped scones for at least 15 minutes and up to 1 day.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Arrange the chilled scones at least 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the tops of the scones with heavy cream.
- Bake for 18–24 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes as you prepare the icing.
- Make the icing: In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the butter and maple syrup together, whisking occasionally. Once the butter has melted, remove from heat and whisk in the sifted confectioners’ sugar and salt. Taste; add a pinch more salt if desired. When the scones are cool enough to handle, dip the tops in the icing and place them on a cooling rack set over a lined baking sheet (to catch the drips). The icing sets quickly, so reheat it over the stove if needed. Sprinkle oats over the icing before it has a chance to set. If you have any icing left, you can drizzle it over the tops.
- Leftover scones keep well at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Freeze Before Baking: Freeze scone dough wedges on a plate or baking sheet for 1 hour. Once relatively frozen, you can layer them in a freezer-friendly bag or container. Bake from frozen, adding a few minutes to the bake time. Or thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then bake as directed.
- Freeze After Baking: Freeze the baked and cooled scones, with or without the icing, in a freezer-friendly bag or container. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight or at room temperature.
- Overnight Instructions: Prepare scones through step 6. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Continue with the recipe the following day.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | Pastry Cutter | Silicone Spatula | Bench Scraper | Baking Sheet | Silicone Baking Mat or Parchment Paper | Pastry Brush
- Maple Extract: Pure maple syrup isn’t enough to guarantee mega maple flavor. I use McCormick brand maple extract. You can find it in the baking aisle or online. If you can’t find it, you can omit it with no other changes to the recipe, but expect the maple flavor to be more subtle, as it will mainly come from the icing.
- Over-spreading: Start with very cold scone dough. Expect some spread, but if the scones are over-spreading as they bake, remove from the oven and press back into their triangle shape using 2 spatulas or bench scrapers.
Reader Comments and Reviews
Very yummy flavours!! Made these in Australian summer so dough was very very soft but extra time in the fridge fixed that and they turned out so well.
These were fairly easy. They’re very filling and rich. I found the dough easy to work with, which was a pleasant change from other scone recipes! I used extract and syrup but still not enough maple flavor for me.
Any suggestions to mimic the pecan crunch and make it nut free?
Hi Tamisyn, We haven’t tested anything but you could try replacing the pecans with an equal amount of roasted, unsalted pumpkin seeds (pepitas) for a similar crunch. Or you can simply omit them and the flavor will still be great. Let us know what you try.
So easy and delicious, coworkers loved them! I did more of the oats in some maple syrup to sprinkle on top with the glaze.
Loved making these scones! The toasted pecans and oats made it so good.
Really easy to follow and were a big hit at the potluck brunch. Using the extract is key to get a big punch of maple flavour.
If you are adding the oat decoration while icing, add them right away after the scones have been dipped because they weren’t kidding that the icing sets really quick!
I have a simple question. I use your scone recipes that call for frozen grated butter? This says cubed. Why the difference?
Hi Laurie, Both methods (cubed butter vs. grated butter) work well! Grating gives you small pieces right away, while cubed butter gets worked into smaller pieces with a pastry cutter. The key with either method is keeping the butter cold. Truly, you can do it either way.
This was an easy recipe to follow, and they turned out so good! Perfect maply goodness!
So yummy! I made these gluten and dairy free by using bobs red mill 1 to 1 gluten free flour and using cold coconut oil and cold coconut milk for the heavy cream. They were delicious!
The smell and flavor of these scones are incredible. The toasted pecans/oats with maple syrup was delicious. The scones were pretty simple to put together. I found them a bit dryer than preferred and they would have been easy to over bake if I hadn’t been watching them closely in the oven.
These were so yummy, even though I skipped the maple extract because I didn’t have it! I love the chewiness from the oats and the nuttiness from the toasted pecans. These are perfect for fall.
best scones ever! they are the perfect texture and are not dry at all! best fall flavor and will definitely be making these again!
This recipe was so easy to follow and the end product was amazing! The scone crumbled but was so moist and the icing added a sweetness while the toasted pecans added an additional depth of flavor. Making the scones into a disc before cutting was a game changer too. My scones have never looked more equal in size and shape. I highly recommend making this recipe for an easy breakfast or dessert to share with friends!
First time making scones, and they turned out so good! I got ahead of myself making the icing and it cooled a bit before I dipped the scones, so they don’t look as pretty, but I’ll remember for next time.
These were great and very popular with my family! It was my first time making scones and they were not too difficult.
I made these as mini scones in a scone pan and they came out beautifully (and deliciously)! My coworkers are going to be so pleased tomorrow 🙂 These taste like fall!
These were so yummy! It’s like cinnamon bread and an oatmeal cookie had a baby! I would definitely make again when in the mood for scones.
I love how easily these scones come together! The icing and the oat/nut crunches make these taste like fall!
This was my first time ever making scones. My dough was super wet and sticky so I ended up incorporating more flour. I still wasn’t sure if the dough was right but I chilled it for about an hour. The baked product was great! I really enjoyed making these.
For the alternative recipe review for the baking challenge, I left it there (but didn’t know how to mark this action complete!).
Great and Fun Recipe! Mine were finished at 15 min and the bottoms were a little dark. I really enjoyed making this and it tasted great!
Delicious recipe! Like others mine were done short of the recommended bake time at about 17 minutes. Will definitely be making these again.
Maple extract was out of stock so we left it out and it was still 5 stars! The scone almost spread in the oven, got worried, but they didn’t. Perfection!
The crunchy pieces in these scones are the best part! A classic scone ramped up with a little crunch and flavor burst.
Scones had a great maple flavor. The pecan oat crunch was a great addition for texture.
So good! Made these for book club and they were a huge hit. As a tapping family, we are serious about our maple. And these were perfect!
Delicious scone! Easy to make and will be making again.
So good!! It wasn’t my favorite recipe but it was still good! 😊
So good!! It wasn’t my favorite recipe but it was still good! 😊
Glad you gave them a try, Katie! Yours looked so good!
I finished these a few days ago. They’re perfect with a cup of coffee in the morning! The maple flavor with the pecans is perfectly balanced. I loved how easy they were to make!