Maple Pecan Scones
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Maple Pecan Scones are the perfect crumbly scones and include just the right amount of pecans, oatmeal, and maple extract. Using COLD butter is the key to amazing scones, and they go great with a hot cup of coffee. Favorite scones EVER.
Try our Caramel Latte or a cold cup of cold brew too!
Maple Scones
Scones are definitely my weakness and I can never resist a really great one (like these). Mike and I usually treat ourselves to scones on our lazy weekend mornings, and I ALWAYS have a stash of them in our freezer.
We usually rotate between my Chocolate Chip Scones, Petite Vanilla Bean Scones, and these Maple Nut Scones. ALL are delicious scones, but these get an A+ from our family. Try them!
Why This Recipe Works:
- SMALLER SCONES – Yes, these are smaller scones but are packed full of flavor. The good news is that you can enjoy two these little beauties.
- REALLY GOOD SCONES (might I say GREAT SCONES?!) – These are flaky and full of maple flavoring. You’ll be hooked after the first bite.
- FREEZE WELL – These are great to prep ahead and freeze. Just thaw and enjoy these homemade scones anytime you like..
Ingredients Notes:
- Oatmeal – Grind the oatmeal in a food processor to make course crumbs.
- Baking Powder – This is what gives the scones their rise.
- Pecans – Chop up your pecans finely.
- Butter – Chop the butter into tiny cubes, and place in the freezer until ready to use it.
- Heavy Cream – You may need to add a bit of extra heavy cream if needed to hold the dough together.
- Maple Extract – Two teaspoons used in the dough.
I went with mini scones this time, but you could make them bigger, most definitely!
How to make the best Maple Nut Scones:
Step 1
Prep butter (ahead of time). Use a box cutter to shred your frozen butter (or use a knife to chop into tiny pieces). Place in a container and freeze for at least two hours or so.
Step 2
Prep oven. Preheat oven to 400 degrees, and prepare two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Step 3
Mix wet ingredients. In a small bowl, beat egg, and add heavy cream and maple extract. Place in the refrigerator to keep it very cold.
Step 4
Mix dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, ground oatmeal, chopped pecans, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Mix well.
Step 5
Cut in butter. Use your hands or a pastry cutter and cut the butter into the dry ingredients. This won’t take long and you don’t want to over-work the dough.
Step 6
Add wet ingredients. Then pour the wet ingredients into the large bowl with the dry, and stir with a large spoon (and then your hands) until the mixture roughly comes together in a ball. You may need to add a bit of extra cream to get it to stay together.
Step 7
Form the scone shapes. Add dough to a pastry mat or any lightly floured surface. Then use your hands to press it into a large circle or square, at about 1/2 inch thickness. Then use a sharp knife to slice the dough into equal-size wedges of your choosing.
NOTE: The pictures below show what your scone dough should look like after forming shapes for baking. Do you see the small pieces of butter throughout the top of the dough? That’s the key to making great scones. You aren’t creaming the butter, you are simply cutting it in. The butter then forms pockets of buttery goodness in each bite.
Step 8
Transfer dough. Carefully transfer half of the scone shapes to each prepared baking sheet. Space them a couple of inches apart.
Step 9
Bake. Bake in preheated oven for about 13-15 minutes, or until the tops and bottoms of the scones are golden brown. Transfer buttery scones to a wire rack or two to cool completely.
Step 10
Make icing. Combine the icing ingredients in a bowl – the sifted powdered sugar, melted butter, strong coffee, maple extract, and half and half. Stir well.
Step 11
Add icing to scones. Drizzle the sweet maple glaze over the tops of the scones after they are cooled. Top with some chopped toasted pecans, if desired.
STORE scones in an airtight container at room temperature for a few days. We prefer these cold so you could also store these maple scones in your refrigerator or freezer.
Recipe Tips:
- Make sure you have everything out on your kitchen counter and ready to go before the step where you add the butter.
- The butter should be COLD when you cut it in with your pastry cutter or your hands.I usually shred the butter with a box cutter and then store in the freezer ahead of time.
- For best results, use a food processor to grind the oats.
- When you mix the wet ingredients with the dry, be careful to add JUST enough so that the dough is somewhat dry. If your dough is too wet, the scone will not be crumbly. It will be more like a muffin.
- If the dough gets too wet, add more flour. If the dough is too dry and won’t stay together, add more cream VERY slowly.
- Use flour on your mat to prevent the dough from sticking to it or use some parchment paper (no flour needed).
- Bake the scones until they are browning on both the tops and bottoms.
What to make with this Maple Pecan Scone Recipe:
- Overnight Omelette Breakfast Casserole – A wonderful make-ahead dish, and loaded with meat, eggs, and veggies.
- Blueberry French Toast Casserole – Crusty bread plus blueberries get soaked in an egg custard.
- Berry Peanut Butter Smoothies – Full of antioxidant rich berries with a touch of peanut butter.
- Cold Brew Coffee – Pro-Tip – make coffee cubes too!
Kitchen Tools used for this recipe: (Affiliate Links)
- Glass Mixing Bowls – Used to mix up the scones and the icing.
- Pastry Cutter – This can be used to cut in the cold butter.
- Scraper & Chopper – I love using this for different baking projects, including this one.
- Baking Sheet – USA pans are the best.
- Parchment Paper Baking Sheets – Fits the baking sheet perfectly.
xoxo ~Sue
Maple Pecan Scones
Ingredients
For the scones:
- 2.5 cups all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cups quick oats – ground in a food processor
- 2/3 cup pecans – chopped
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 Tablespoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 cup cold unsalted butter – cut into small cubes
- 1 large egg
- 3/4 cup heavy cream – plus POSSIBLY a couple of tablespoons, to desired consistency
- 2 teaspoons maple extract
For the icing:
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter – melted
- 2 Tablespoons half and half
- 1 Tablespoon brewed coffee
- 1 teaspoon maple extract
- 2 cups powdered sugar – more or less, depending on consistency
- extra pecans for topping – optional
Instructions
For the scones:
- {Ahead of time} Chop some cold butter ahead of time, into some tiny cubes. Place in the freezer for about 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Mix the wet ingredients in a small bowl – the egg, heavy cream, and maple extract. Place in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- Mix the dry ingredients in a larger bowl – the flour, finely chpped pecans, sugar, salt, and baking powder.
- Use your hands or a pastry cutter and press the butter into the dry ingredients. This won't take long and you don't want to over-work the dough.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl and stir until just combined. Don't over-mix or the scones will be tough. You may need to add additional cream if the dough is too dry. But it should be on the dryer side verses too wet.
- Turn dough onto a floured surface. Use hands to form into a large circle and press down to about 1/2 inch thickness. Cut into 32 equal wedges – or any other size and shape you like. These scones are very small, but you can make them bigger!
- Transfer wedges to prepared baking sheets. Bake until just barely browned on top, about 15 to 18 minutes. Cool on baker's rack.
For the icing:
- Melt the butter in medium sized bowl. Add half and half, brewed coffee, and maple extract – and stir. Add in powdered sugar until right consistency. You want it to be thick but spreadable.
- Spread the icing on the scones. Be generous. You can also add some chopped pecans on the top. Allow icing to set before storing.
- These scones will stay fresh in airtight container for a few days. They also freeze well up to three months.
can i use maple syrup or must it be extract?
Maple extract has a more concentrated flavor but if you don’t have it, you could try using some maple syrup. I’m just not sure you’ll taste it in that small of a quantity.
Oh MY, it looks great! Can’t wait to cook em this Sunday!
Yay!
Love the combination of maple and pecan in a buttery flaky scone!! One of the best ever!!
Just got them out of the oven and enjoying one now. Lovely texture. Crisp on outside and just the right density on inside. I froze the butter chips as recommended. I handled the dough as little as possible, so my crumble mixture looked pretty rough and chunky. But it baked up beautifully. Lastly, because I’m dieting so I skipped the sugar and used 0%fat Greek yogurt instead of heavy cream. Perfect with a cup of Irish Breakfast! Thanks, Sue.
Hi Emmerin! I’m so glad you enjoyed the scones. They are our favorite! 🙂
Scone season is in full force and I could not be happier about it. Flavor combo is on point here. These look INCREDIBLE!!
Thank you Karly!! I hope you give them a try!! 🙂
Best scones EVER!!
I agree 100%!