Pumpkin Scones with Maple Molasses Glaze

Certain things about my character I’ll never be able to change. No matter how late i get up, i will never be able to change my personality. I can’t focus on anything other than food, coupons, or what I have said. I can’t remember anything, and I have to remind myself that bangs do not make me. Fringe cuts and greasy foreheads don’t go together.

I wouldn’t say I like that I am a snob, that I can’t control myself around cake or ice cream, and that I rush through things, often ignoring the details. The one thing about me that I dislike the most is my lack of self-control around cake and ice cream (no, literally none) and my tendency to rush through things. It’s that I need to be reminded too often about what I am working towards in my life, what is important to me, and what my strengths are. If someone (usually my spouse) does not come along and press my “reset” button, I immediately go into couch potato mode. I perceive myself as being incapable of doing anything and, therefore, never leave my pajamas or mope audibly during most of the day.

Okay, I get it. I am being too harsh on myself. You’re like a guest at my roast. It’s not all bad, I think. One of the things I really appreciate about myself is that I can look inside and see what I don’t like and then want to get rid of it. It’s a skill that most people possess, but it is so rewarding to do that it makes you want to tell others about it. It’s healthy to admit that I’m not perfect, I make mistakes, and am the epitome imperfection. But, but-tutut! I can do a few things well, and others are really right. It’s important to keep this in mind from time to time, or else Mopey mcPj pants will reappear and drain me of my creativity and life. Egh, that chick is so rude.

What does this have to do with scones? It’s a lot. These scones were made the day after one of my mini-realisations. In themselves, they represent my ability to switch on the light when it gets dark. Not to mention that they are pretty tasty, too.

It all (sort of) ties into a quote I wrote down earlier in the week when reading Augustine’s Confessions (yes, that’s my idea of light reading). It still applies, even though the quote is taken out of context. Even if nobody notices, you should still find joy in doing the things that you enjoy. This week, it was baking these scones, no matter how small the accomplishment may have been. They were delicious, and I was very proud to make them.

Ingredients

Scones

• 1 1/4 cups whole wheat pastry powder
• Almond meal (or 1/4 cup of flour)
• Old fashioned oats, 1/4 cup
• Baking powder, 1/2 tbsp
• Brown sugar, 1 Tbsp
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1Onecube of cold butter
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 14 cups almond or whole milk
• 1/4 cup pure pumpkin purée
• One egg

Maple Molasses Glaze

• Half a cup of powdered sugar
• 1 Tbsp molasses OR 1/2 tsp maple extract
• Unsweetened almond milk 1-2 tbsp

Instructions

Scones

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (204 C).
• Add the flour, oats, and almond meal to a Food Processor. Then add baking powder, brown sugar, pumpkin pie Spice, and Salt. Process until well combined. Add butter and pulse to pea size.
• Transfer the flour mixture to a large bowl. In the same bowl, whisk the almond milk with the pumpkin puree, vanilla, and eggs.
• Mix the wet and dry ingredients until they are just combined. Add more flour if it is still sticky.
• Work with floured hands to transfer the mixture onto a floured work surface. Pat it into a circle of 1-inch thickness.
• Slice into eight sections. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or silicone. Bake for 22-24 minutes, or until the bottoms are golden and the tops look toasty.
• When the cookies are removed from the oven, they should only be slightly warm. Let them cool for 5 minutes on a cooling tray before you apply the glaze.