Why It Works
- Maple sugar provides the scones a refined sweetness and maple aroma.
- Using a meals processor to interrupt down the butter into the flour combination is a fast, straightforward means to make sure that there are pockets of steam that trigger the scones to rise and grow to be flaky as they bake.
The pumpkin spice craze can’t evaluate to the flavour of maple within the fall. Curling up with a sizzling cup of espresso and a maple-scented baked good simply feels proper when the leaves begin to flip. These glazed maple scones are the right breakfast or snack improve to take pleasure in any day of the week within the fall. They’re wealthy, buttery, and distinctly American-style—that means they’re tender, candy, and enriched with numerous butter and egg. Unlike English-style scones, that are lighter, cream-based, and nearer to biscuits, these are wealthy, with a mushy crumb and crisp, golden edges that invite a shiny maple drizzle.
The star ingredient right here is maple sugar, which infuses the dough with a fancy sweetness and a deep aroma. Made by boiling maple syrup till it crystallizes, it provides all the flavour of syrup with out including further liquid to the combination. (You can learn extra about it and why it is value retaining in your pantry in my information to maple sugar.) Its heat and refined caramel notes pair completely with a easy maple syrup–primarily based glaze.
Serious Eats / Lorena Masso
The dough comes collectively in a meals processor, a technique that is as environment friendly as foolproof. Pulsing the chilly butter into the flour simply till the items are the dimensions of small peas ensures even distribution with out overworking the dough. Those tiny nuggets of butter soften within the oven, creating steam pockets that trigger the scones to rise tall throughout baking.
Once the dough clumps collectively within the meals processor, it is turned out on the counter, kneaded only a few occasions to convey it collectively, then gently patted right into a thick spherical earlier than reducing. Avoid over-kneading the dough, as this can make the scones powerful. The dough ought to really feel mushy however not sticky, an indication of the correct fat-to-flour ratio.
Serious Eats / Lorena Masso
The glaze comes collectively in seconds with simply confectioners’ sugar whisked with darkish, sturdy maple syrup till clean and pourable. It needs to be thick sufficient to cling to the scones, forming a shiny coating that hardens because it cools. It varieties a candy, barely chewy shell that reinforces the maple taste in each chunk, with out overwhelming the buttery crumb beneath.
30-Minute Buttery Maple Scones for Chilly Fall Days
Cook Mode
(Keep display screen awake)
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2/3 cup (160 ml) plus 2 tablespoons (30 ml) buttermilkchilled
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1 massive egg
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2 teaspoons (10 ml) vanilla extract
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3 cups all-purpose flour (13 1/2 ounces; 383 g)
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2/3 cup maple sugar (4 2/3 ounces; 132 g)
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2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
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1/2 teaspoon baking soda
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1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for desk salt, use half as a lot by quantity
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12 tablespoons (170 g) chilly unsalted butterminimize into 1/2-inch items
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3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar (about 3 ounces; 90 g)
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1/4 cup (90 ml) Dark or Very Dark maple syrup
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Adjust oven rack to center place and preheat oven to 425°F (220℃). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper; put aside.
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In a 2-cup liquid measuring cup or small bowl, beat 2/3 cup buttermilk, egg, and vanilla collectively.
Serious Eats / Lorena Masso
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In a meals processor, pulse flour, maple sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt till mixed, about 5 seconds. Scatter chilly butter over high and pulse till combination resembles coarse crumbs, with butter items no bigger than peas, about 10 one-second pulses. Add buttermilk combination and pulse till dough varieties clumps and no dry flour stays, about 12 one-second pulses, scraping down sides of bowl as wanted.
Serious Eats / Lorena Masso
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Turn dough onto a frivolously floured work floor and knead briefly till dough simply comes collectively, about 3 turns. Using floured palms, pat into an 8-inch spherical that is about 3/4-inch thick. Using a knife or bench scraper, minimize dough into 8 wedges.
Serious Eats / Lorena Masso
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Arrange dough triangles one inch aside on ready sheet, alternating instructions. Brush tops of dough squares with remaining 2 tablespoons buttermilk. Bake till puffed and golden on the sides, about quarter-hour, rotating midway by means of baking. Cool scones on baking sheet on wire rack for 10 minutes. Transfer scones to rack and set rack in now-empty baking sheet with parchment paper. Cool to room temperature, about half-hour.
Serious Eats / Lorena Masso
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Whisk confectioners’ sugar and maple syrup till mixed and drizzle evenly over scones. Let scones stand on wire rack till glaze is about and dry, about half-hour. Serve.
Serious Eats / Lorena Masso
Special Equipment
2-cup liquid measuring cup or small bowl, meals processor, bench scraper, rimmed baking sheet, wire rack.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Dough triangles might be formed,lined with plastic wrap on a rimmed baking sheet, and refrigerated as much as 12 hours earlier than baking.
Scones are finest contemporary, however might be saved in an hermetic container at room temperature for as much as 2 days.
