Cinnamon Chip-Eggnog Scones

It's almost Christmas. It's that time of year to enjoy friends, family, and, arguably the most important aspect, food. ;-) The best thing about holiday baking is all the spices that you're expected to use. Aromatic cinnamon and spicy nutmeg...my mouth waters just thinking of it.

What could be better Christmas morning than a freshly baked eggnog scone
and a homemade latte to go with?

When my husband requested eggnog scones this past week, I was more than happy to oblige. Although I enjoy eggnog as a holiday treat, I've never actually baked with it. However, my favorite parts of eggnog are all the spices, so how could I resist? After trolling around on the Internet, I found a recipe (link to original below) that I was willing to adapt for my purposes, and it's been made twice this past week for two separate tasting groups, each of whom loved this recipe. 

Ingredients:
Dough:

2-3/4 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour

scant 1/4 cup sugar

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted, chilled butter, cut into pieces

1 cup cinnamon chips

1 large egg

1-1/2 teaspoon vanilla paste (or vanilla extract)

3/4 to 1 cup cold eggnog (start with 3/4 cup and add more if needed)

Additionally:

1/4-1/2 cup eggnog for brushing

coarse sugar for sprinkling

The Process:

Measure out the ingredients.
*I doubled the recipe, which is why I have two sticks of butter and two eggs.
You should only need one of each.

Work in the butter. Some larger, pea-sized chunks are okay.

Add the cinnamon chips... as much or as little as wanted.
(I went with one cup and found it to be plenty.)

Mix in with a wooden spoon until it looks even.

Aside, whisk together the eggnog, egg, and vanilla bean paste.

Add the liquid to the dry ingredients.

Mix until it mostly comes together; a few dry bits are okay.

Divide your dough in half.
*I made a double recipe, so I quartered mine.
If you're following the recipe, you should only divide in two.

Flatten into an 8- or 9-inch round and cut into six triangles.

Place the scones in a round close to each other, perhaps an inch apart.
I placed mine a little closer because I was short on baking sheet space.

Bake until deep golden on top.

When you pull the scones apart at the seams, the middle should not be doughy.

Allow to cool for a few minutes, and enjoy!

Instructions:

1. Combine the dry ingredients, flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, ground nutmeg, and ground cinnamon and whisk to mix well. 

2. Add the chopped butter and, using a pastry blender, mix until well combined. A few pea-sized chunks are okay.

3. Add the cinnamon chips and stir with a wooden spoon to mix.

4. Measure out 3/4 cup of eggnog and set aside an additional 1/4 cup. In a medium-sized measuring cup or bowl, combine the egg, 3/4 cup eggnog, and vanilla paste/extract. Whisk lightly to mix evenly. 

5. Add the liquid to the mixture. If you need the additional 1/4 cup eggnog, add it a tablespoon at a time until your dough just comes together with a little bit of dry bits okay.

6. Turn out onto a lightly floured countertop and divide dough in half. 

7. Flatten each half into an 8- or 9-inch round and cut into six equal triangles.

8. Transfer scones to a parchment-lined baking sheet and arrange the triangles in rounds with sides about half-inch to an inch apart. 

9. Brush the scones generously with eggnog and sprinkle with sugar. Place in freezer for at least 30 minutes.

10. Preheat the oven to 425˚F.

11. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until deep gold on top. To check if the scones are done, pull them apart at the seams and check the middle.

12. Remove from oven and allow to cool on a cooling rack. Best served warm. 

*Recipe Adapted from King Arthur's Flour

Results:

Not only do these scones smell divine, they taste great. They are crunchy on top and soft in the middle. Although I prefer my scone flakey, these have a wonderful flavor and delicious crunch, and are to be a sure hit with those who like more cakey scones. 

Gingerbread Scones

I love getting requests for scones from Hubby's work. It takes the pressure off me to come up with a good idea for a recipe, and lets me know what they want! It's wonderful. So when someone requested gingerbread scones, I was certainly up for the challenge! 

I had made them before, but they had turned out dry and I was unimpressed. This, I used a similar recipe, but changed it up some, adding a bit of butter to keep them moister. The result was a great cross between scone and cookie. Once cool, these do harden a bit more than the typical scone, but they were well received by my many taste testers. 

A wonderful holiday treat to enjoy with tea or coffee.

Ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/8 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground clove

1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp salt

8 tbsp butter, unsalted, chopped and chilled

1 large egg

3 tbsp molasses

5 tbsp half and half

1.5 tsp vanilla bean paste

The Process:

Measure everything out first.

Combine the dry ingredients and whisk to mix.

Mix in the butter with a pastry blender until it looks like coarse sand.
(A few pebbles are okay.)

Combine the egg, molasses, half and half, and vanilla. Whisk lightly to mix.

Flatten out into a log or rectangle (I chose log because I doubled the recipe),
about 1/3-inch high.

Cut into wedge shapes, then bake until darkened around edges.

Instructions:
1. Combine all dry ingredients: flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and salt. Whisk to mix well.

2. Add the chopped butter to the dry ingredients and blend with a pastry blender. 

3. In a medium sized bowl, combine the egg, molasses, half and half, and vanilla bean paste. Whisk to mix.

4. Add the liquid mixture to the dry mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until the liquid just comes together. (Be sure to scrape out the vanilla bean paste from the bottom of the bowl!)

5. Turn out onto a lightly floured countertop and flatten into a round or rectangle (whichever you prefer). Cut into wedges and arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

6. Bake at 375˚F for 20-25 minutes, or until darkened on top around the edges.


Results:
These were another well received scone. I think the added butter kept them a bit more moist, so they were less like cookies and more like the moist scones they should be. 

The flavor of ginger, clove, nutmeg, and cinnamon, as well as the added vanilla, makes this complement a black tea or dark coffee well. 

Vanilla Bean Scones

Wow, sorry about that unexpected hiatus from the blog. November got away with me, what with a family road trip and other stuff that popped up. A lot of folks get busy during this time; I am no exception. Baking has had to take a back seat.

However, I did make up a plain scone recipe the other week that I actually quite enjoyed. It was quite simple, but because I am a vanilla lover, I took this opportunity to use some of the vanilla beans I purchased from Williams & Sonoma a while back. I've been hoarding them because they are expensive, and I don't want to waste them. But I think the vanilla beans were a great addition to these otherwise simple scones.

Ingredients:
2 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 cup vanilla sugar (1/4 cup sugar + 1/2 tsp vanilla beans)

4 tbsp butter

Approx. 750-1000 mL whipping cream

The Process:

First things first: make vanilla sugar. Mix vanilla and sugar together well.

Fresh vanilla sugar!

All ingredients measured out. This is a very simple recipe.

Combine dry ingredients.

Add butter, blend with pastry blender.

Butter blended in.

Add heavy cream and mix with a wooden spoon.

Add enough cream so that the mixture just comes together (a few floury bits are okay).

Flatten out onto a lightly floured surface.
(I made a double recipe, so my rectangle is 2 scones wide.)

Cut into scone shapes--a double recipe makes 16 scones.

Bake until lightly golden. Cool, and enjoy!

Instructions:

1. Combine the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt, and vanilla sugar) and whisk to mix.

2. Add the cold, chopped butter and work in with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse sand.

3. Add the whipping cream, starting with half and adding as needed.

4. Bake 15-20 minutes at 400˚F (I baked mine frozen, took about 20 minutes) until lightly golden.

Results:
These are a very simple scone to make. Unbaked, they freeze well. Baking will then take a few minutes longer (just place frozen on a parchment-lined baking sheet and pop into the oven).

Not only were these simple, but they were well received at my hubby's office. Cream scones always go over well, and these were no exception!

Pumpkin Spice Scones

Pumpkin scones are tasty all times of the year, but especially in Fall.

It's November. Granted, it's nearly the end of November, and I've let nearly all of the month slip away with nary a holiday scone post. So here are some pumpkin scones to spice up the holiday season. (It may not be October anymore, but it's never too late for pumpkin scones!)

If you really want these to be Thanksgivingy, add a cup of dried or fresh cranberries to the dough after the pumpkin puree. Pumpkin and cranberry would go excellent together for a Thanksgiving morning breakfast!

Ingredients:

(makes 20 medium scones)* Half recipe below

4-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp clove
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp mace
3/4 cup butter
1-1/4 cups canned pumpkin puree
3/4 cup dried or 1 cup fresh cranberries (optional)
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1-1/4 cup buttermilk

Adapted from Taste of Home's "Moist Pumpkin Scones Recipe."

Instructions:

1. Combine dry ingredients (spices, sugar, baking powder, salt, flour) and whisk.

2. Add 3/4 cup butter and work in with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse sand.

3. Add the pumpkin puree and mix with a wooden spoon until relatively uniform. Optional: Add the cranberries, careful not to smash them if you're using fresh cranberries.

4. In a medium-sized bowl, combine buttermilk, vanilla extract, and eggs and whisk lightly to mix.

5. Add buttermilk mixture to dry ingredients, 1/3 at a time, and mix until just comes together. If more liquid is needed, add some additional buttermilk in order for the flour to just stick after a knead or two.

6. Brush with buttermilk and bake on a parchment lined baking sheet at 400F for 12-18 minutes, or until golden brown.

7. Transfer to a wire sheet and cool for at least 5 minutes before serving.

The Process:

Ingredients measured and ready to go.

A gorgeous array of spices adorn this scone.

Combine the dry ingredients, spices, flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and whisk to mix.

Add the butter and work in until the mixture resembles coarse sand.

Add the pumpkin puree and mix well with a wooden spoon.

In a medium sized bowl, combine the vanilla extract, eggs, buttermilk, and whisk lightly to mix.

Add the buttermilk mixture to the dry ingredients and mix until the flour just comes together.
If you need more buttermilk, add it here.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured countertop and flatten into a long, wide rectangle.
*Shown above is the full, 20-scone recipe.

Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet and brush with buttermilk.
Bake at 400ºF.

Bake until lightly golden.

Results:

These were moist and flavorful. I like my spices, so I would add even more spice next time. 

Half recipe:

(makes 10 medium scones)

2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp allspice

1/4 tsp ginger

1/4 tsp clove

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/8 tsp mace

6 tbsp butter

3/4 cups canned pumpkin puree 

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 large eggs 

*3/4 cup buttermilk or until moist

Cranberry Oatmeal Cinnamon Chip Scones

I think I'm getting in the mood for Thanksgiving already, perhaps because the Canadians celebrated Thanksgiving earlier this month, and it's one of my favorite holidays. The lack of commercialism, the focus on family and great food, the chance to hang out together, the excuse to overeat (although now that I'm pregnant, I find excuses to overeat all the time!), and just a general attitude of thankfulness that you find everywhere this time of year, makes this holiday my favorite by far. Christmas is great, when the focus is on the actual holiday and not gift-buying or gift-giving, but Thanksgiving...hmm. There's just something special about it.

So when fresh cranberries showed up in the produce department at my local Fred Meyers, I was excited. No more dried cranberries in my scones! I can stock up, buying multiple packages and freezing them until I want to use them! (A fact I didn't take advantage of much last year, to my chagrin.) So far, I've restrained myself, only buying one package. But let me at them next week... I'm already regretting that mere one-package purchase.

Due to the sudden supply of fresh cranberries, I began dreaming of ways to include them in my scones. Something sweet, but with that tang of tart cranberries, was exactly what I wanted. I set out just to make an oatmeal cranberry scone recipe, but then I thought "Thanksgiving," and "cinnamon." What two flavors could be more Thanksgivingy? (Well, besides the obvious pumpkin and cinnamon?) I decided throwing cinnamon chips into the cranberry oatmeal scones was exactly what this recipe needed. And as soon as I ate one, knowing I would send the entire recipe off to hubby's workplace for them to indulge upon, I knew it would be a recipe I would soon be repeating. Perhaps a new holiday tradition. Only problem is, I now need to figure out how to make them dairy-free. That will be my next challenge! Dairy-free scones for a dear friend who always joins us each Thanksgiving.

Ingredients (*makes 20 normal-sized scones):
3 cups all purpose flour

2 tbsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1/2 cup brown sugar (dark)

2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

2 cups oatmeal

1 cup cinnamon chips

1 cup fresh cranberries

10 tbsp butter

1/2 cup greek yogurt

1.5 cup buttermilk

2 large eggs

1. Mix buttermilk, yogurt, eggs together and set aside.

2. Combine flour, baking powder, salt, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large bowl and whisk to combine well.

3. Add cold, chopped butter to the dry ingredients and, using a pastry blender, blend until the mixture resembles coarse sand.

4.  Add the oatmeal and cinnamon chips and mix with a wooden spoon. Add the cranberries (you can cut them up if you like) and mix well.

5. Add the liquid to the dry mixture 1/3 at a time, until the dough just comes together. You may not need all the liquid (or you may need a touch more milk). It's best if the dough barely comes together and is not too sticky.

6. Lightly dust a countertop and turn the dough out. If needed, give it a knead or two to bring together any floury bits. Flatten into a long, wide log, two scones in width and about five scones in length. Cut the dough into 20 scones with a sharp knife.

*My test batch of scones spread out a lot more than I expected, but reacted better after I chilled the raw dough in the freezer for about 10 minutes. Alternatively, reducing the amount of butter would help prevent the dough from spreading in the oven.

7. Transfer the scones to a parchment-lined baking sheet, with a couple of inches between each scone. Brush the tops with extra buttermilk (optional), and place in oven at 450F for 15-18 minutes, or until dark gold on top.

8. Remove and let cool. Enjoy warm or cool.

Measure out the ingredients.

Mix the dry ingredients, then add the chopped butter and mix well.

Combine the yogurt, buttermilk, and eggs, whisk lightly and set aside.

A few pea-sized chunks of butter are okay.

Add the oatmeal and cinnamon chips. Mix with a wooden spoon.

Add the cranberries (you can cut them into smaller pieces if you like).
Mix well with a wooden spoon.

Toss all the ingredients so it's mixed evenly.

Add the liquid in stages so that you don't add too much liquid.
(Mine came out a touch wet, and that was my error.)

Flatten the dough out on a lightly floured countertop.
This is a double recipe, so my dough is two scones wide by five squares.

Using a bench scraper or a sharp knife, cut into squares, then cut each square in half to form scones.
I got 20 scones out of this dough.

These looked fine before I put them in the oven, brushed with extra buttermilk.

They spread out a bit in the oven, so make sure they have plenty of room.

But yum! These were great!

Results:

Let's just say, I wished I'd held some scones back instead of sending them all into work with my hubby... I taste-tested one the night before, and the next morning, I wanted another. The cinnamon complements the cranberry tang just right, and the oatmeal makes them a bit more breakfasty and less sweet than expected. I really enjoyed these. They would be a recipe I'd make again, although I'd probably reduce either the liquid or the amount of butter I used.