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Glazed Maple-Pecan Oatmeal Scones

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on August 22, 2007

Time

1¼ hours, plus 30 minutes cooling

Yield

Makes 8 Scones

Glazed Maple-Pecan Oatmeal Scones

Ingredients

1 ½ cups rolled oats (4 ½ ounces/128 grams) or quick oats½ cup chopped pecans ¼ cup whole milk ¼ cup heavy cream ¼ cup maple syrup 1 large egg 1 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour (7 ½ ounces/213 grams)2 teaspoons baking powder ½ teaspoon table salt 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cut into ½-inch cubes3 tablespoons maple syrup ½ cup confectioners' sugar

Before You Begin

This recipe was developed using Gold Medal unbleached all-purpose flour; best results will be achieved if you use the same or a similar flour, such as Pillsbury unbleached. King Arthur flour has more protein; if you use it, add an additional 1 to 2 tablespoons milk. Half-and-half is a suitable substitute for the milk/cream combination.

Instructions

  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 375 degrees. Spread oats and pecans evenly on baking sheet and toast in oven until fragrant and lightly browned, 7 to 9 minutes; cool on wire rack. Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees. Line second baking sheet with parchment paper. When oats and pecans are cooled, measure out 2 tablespoons and set aside.
  2. Whisk milk, cream, 1/4 cup maple syrup, and egg in large measuring cup until incorporated. Remove 1 tablespoon to small bowl and reserve for brushing scones before baking (step 4).
  3. Pulse flour, baking powder, and salt in food processor until combined, about four 1-second pulses. Scatter cold butter evenly over dry ingredients and pulse until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal, twelve to fourteen 1-second pulses. Transfer mixture to medium bowl; stir in cooled oat/pecan mixture. Using rubber spatula, fold in liquid ingredients until large clumps form. Mix dough by hand in bowl until dough forms cohesive mass.
  4. Dust work surface with half of reserved oat/pecan mixture, turn dough out onto work surface, and dust top with remaining oat/pecan mixture. Gently pat into 7-inch circle about 1 inch thick. Using bench scraper or chef’s knife, cut dough into 8 wedges and set on parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Brush surfaces with reserved egg mixture and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar. Bake until golden brown, 12 to 14 minutes; cool scones on baking sheet on wire rack 5 minutes, then remove scones to cooling rack and cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
  5. When scones are cooled, whisk maple syrup and confectioners's sugar until combined; drizzle glaze over scones.

Glazed Maple-Pecan Oatmeal Scones

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Time

1¼ hours, plus 30 minutes cooling

Yield

Makes 8 Scones

Ingredients

1 ½ cups rolled oats (4 ½ ounces/128 grams) or quick oats
½ cup chopped pecans
¼ cup whole milk
¼ cup heavy cream
¼ cup maple syrup
1 large egg
1 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour (7 ½ ounces/213 grams)
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon table salt
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cut into ½-inch cubes
3 tablespoons maple syrup
½ cup confectioners' sugar

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

1 ½ cups rolled oats (4 ½ ounces/128 grams) or quick oats
½ cup chopped pecans
¼ cup whole milk
¼ cup heavy cream
¼ cup maple syrup
1 large egg
1 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour (7 ½ ounces/213 grams)
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon table salt
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cut into ½-inch cubes
3 tablespoons maple syrup
½ cup confectioners' sugar

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

1 ½ cups rolled oats (4 ½ ounces/128 grams) or quick oats
½ cup chopped pecans
¼ cup whole milk
¼ cup heavy cream
¼ cup maple syrup
1 large egg
1 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour (7 ½ ounces/213 grams)
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon table salt
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cut into ½-inch cubes
3 tablespoons maple syrup
½ cup confectioners' sugar

Test Kitchen Techniques

Why This Recipe Works

In developing our oat scone recipe, we wanted to pack the chewy nuttiness of oats into a moist and tender breakfast pastry. Essential to our success: toasting the oats—either rolled or quick oats—to obtain good nutty flavor, using a generous amount of butter for flavor, and using half-and-half to enrich but not weigh down the final product. We took care not to overmix the dough in our oatmeal scone recipe, and baked the scones in a very hot oven, to get maximum rise with a soft, delicate interior.

Before You Begin

This recipe was developed using Gold Medal unbleached all-purpose flour; best results will be achieved if you use the same or a similar flour, such as Pillsbury unbleached. King Arthur flour has more protein; if you use it, add an additional 1 to 2 tablespoons milk. Half-and-half is a suitable substitute for the milk/cream combination.

Instructions

  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 375 degrees. Spread oats and pecans evenly on baking sheet and toast in oven until fragrant and lightly browned, 7 to 9 minutes; cool on wire rack. Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees. Line second baking sheet with parchment paper. When oats and pecans are cooled, measure out 2 tablespoons and set aside.
  2. Whisk milk, cream, 1/4 cup maple syrup, and egg in large measuring cup until incorporated. Remove 1 tablespoon to small bowl and reserve for brushing scones before baking (step 4).
  3. Pulse flour, baking powder, and salt in food processor until combined, about four 1-second pulses. Scatter cold butter evenly over dry ingredients and pulse until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal, twelve to fourteen 1-second pulses. Transfer mixture to medium bowl; stir in cooled oat/pecan mixture. Using rubber spatula, fold in liquid ingredients until large clumps form. Mix dough by hand in bowl until dough forms cohesive mass.
  4. Dust work surface with half of reserved oat/pecan mixture, turn dough out onto work surface, and dust top with remaining oat/pecan mixture. Gently pat into 7-inch circle about 1 inch thick. Using bench scraper or chef’s knife, cut dough into 8 wedges and set on parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Brush surfaces with reserved egg mixture and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar. Bake until golden brown, 12 to 14 minutes; cool scones on baking sheet on wire rack 5 minutes, then remove scones to cooling rack and cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
  5. When scones are cooled, whisk maple syrup and confectioners's sugar until combined; drizzle glaze over scones.

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