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) 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) 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. Place in the refrigerator until step 4.
- 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, with 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 20–25 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.