I went to my parents’ home in Ohio for Christmas. For a little while, I was worried that I wouldn’t make it there. My story of sitting in a Michigan auto shop waiting room on Christmas Eve is best told, I think, over a pitcher of (strong) margaritas. So, I’ll save that one for another day.
I thought we would enjoy these Gingerbread Scones this morning, as we sipped coffee and exchanged gifts. I thought wrong.
Instead, we polished them off last night as we sipped decaf (Is this a sign I’m getting older?) and played a highly competitive game of Kwizniac against my folks. (My sis, brother-in-law, and I totally have bragging rights, by the way.)
Hope you are having a very Merry Christmas! What special treats did you bake for this morning?
Gingerbread Scones
Adapted from: The Domestic Mama & The Village Cook
For the Scones:
2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
4 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger powder
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
zest from one orange
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 egg yolk (reserve the white)
1/3 cup molasses
1/2 cup of milk
granulated sugar for sprinkling the tops of scones
Pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees. In the bowl to your stand mixer, combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Whisk to combine dry ingredients. Then, in a separate bowl, mix the vanilla, orange zest, butter, egg yolk, molasses, and milk. Slowly add the liquid mixture to the dry ingredients. Mix on medium-low setting (4 on Kitchen Aid) until combined. Do not over-mix.
Remove the dough from your bowl. Place on a sheet of parchment paper and flatten (or roll out with pin) into a circle, approximately one inch thick. Using a bench/dough scraper or knife, cut the circle into eight triangle slices. Arrange on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, about one inch apart. Brush with reserved egg white and sprinkle with granulated sugar. Bake for 8-12 minutes; remove while slightly soft. Cool completely before glazing. Store in air-tight container.
For the Glaze:
2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2-3 tablespoons milk
Mix the sugar, butter, and vanilla. Slowly add milk until you reach the desired consistency. Top cooled scones with glaze by dipping them or drizzling with a spoon. (I used a squeeze bottle. That will work, too.) Allow glaze to set before serving.
