Pumpkin Scones

2 cups all purpose flour

1/3 cup light or dark brown sugar

½ tsp. Ground ginger

½ tsp. Ground cinnamon

1 tsp. Baking powder

½ tsp. Baking soda

¼ tsp. Salt

½ cup cold, unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1/3 cup raisins

¼ cup toasted, chopped pecans

1/3 to ½ cup buttermilk

½ cup of canned PURE pumpkin

1 tsp. Pure vanilla extract

Egg Wash

1 large egg

1 tablespoon milk or cream

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place rack in center of oven. Line a baking sheet with silpat or parchment paper.

In a large bowl whisk together flour, sugar, spices, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Blend the butter into the flour mixture with a pastry blender until it looks like coarse crumbs. Stir in the raisins and pecans if using. In a separate bowl mix together the buttermilk, pumpkin, and vanilla. Then add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture. Blend just until dough comes together. Do not overwork the dough.

Transfer to lightly floured surface and knead dough gently, 4 or 5 times and then pat the dough into a circle that is about 7 inches round and abut ½ inches thick. Cut into eight wedges. Place scones on baking sheet, brush tops with egg wash. Bake for about 20 minutes, until golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Sandy's comments:

1. Although we made a triple batch of dough, we made only a single batch of the egg wash, and still had egg wash left over.

2. We sprinkled turbanado sugar over the tops of the scones. This gave them a lovely sweet, crunchy top. Cinnamon sugar works, to.

3. The next time I make these, I am going to increase the spices. The scones are lovely and light, but they need more spices.