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Sweet Potato Pecan Scones

Sweet Potato Pecan Scones

Sweet Potato Pecan Scones filled with crunchy toasted nuts and drizzled with a light maple glaze give you all the flavors of your favorite pie.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 9 scones
Course: Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine: Fall, Thanksgiving
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Scone Dough
  • 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup granulated white sugar
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 stick butter very cold
  • 1/2 cup sweet potatoes cooked, cooled and mashed or canned, drained and mashed
  • 1/3 cup half and half cream or milk may be used
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans toasted
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar for sprinkling
Maple Glaze
  • 1/4 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/2 Tablespoon maple syrup
  • 1/4 teaspoon half and half if needed to get to drizzling consistency

Method
 

  1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Place flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg in a mixing bowl and stir until well combined. Cut the (very cold) butter into small pieces and add to the bowl. Alternatively, freeze the butter and grate into the bowl. Using clean fingertips, quickly rub the butter into the flour mixture until it is the size of peas. You may also use a pastry cutter for this.
    Grating frozen butter into a bowl
  2. Add the mashed sweet potato and half and half and toss with a fork. Reserve nine pinches of toasted chopped pecans for topping then add the rest to the bowl. (See notes section below for how to toast pecans) Continue to lightly mix just until the dough comes together. Do not over-mix.
    Adding toasted pecans to the dough
  3. Turn the dough out on to a floured surface, knead two or three times then pat with floured hands into an 8" x 6" rectangle approximately 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick and cut into triangles.
    Cutting the dough into triangles
  4. Place the scones on the baking sheet fairly close together and brush with more half and half or melted butter if desired. Sprinkle with brown sugar. Chill the shaped dough in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes. Meanwhile preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
    Scone dough ready for the oven
  5. Bake the scones for 15-20 minutes until the edges are golden brown. Remove to a wire rack to cool. Whisk the glaze ingredients together in a small bowl and drizzle over the warm scones. Garnish with reserved pecans.
    Sweet Potato Pecan Scones drizzled with maple glaze

Notes

For the best results keep the butter and half and half very cold until the time they are used. Butter can be measured out and frozen then grated into the flour mixture.  Incorporate the butter into the flour mixture quickly and don't overwork the dough. There should be pieces of butter visible when patted out. Scones may also be cut with a round cookie cutter taking care not to twist but cut straight down and up. Fresh cooked, cooled and mashed sweet potatoes may be used or for convenience use canned, draining off syrup before mashing. To toast pecans, spray a baking sheet with non-stick spray and bake in a 350 degree F oven for 5-6 minutes stirring occasionally until fragrant. Scones may be kept for two or three days if tightly covered but are best consumed fresh.