Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon white sugar
¾ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated or ground
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon ginger, freshly grated or ground
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into ¼-inch cubes and chilled
½ cup pumpkin puree
1 cup heavy cream, very cold
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract

For the egg wash, beat together:
1 egg
1 teaspoon water
Pinch of salt

For the glaze, mix together:
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
2 tablespoons cocoa powder (add after scones have been dipped in vanilla glaze)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Place flour, baking powder, sugars and spices in a large bowl or food processor and use a whisk to mix, or pulse 10 times. Add the cubed butter and cut in with 2 forks or a pastry blender if making by hand, or pulse in the food processor about 12 to 15 times until the mixture resembles coarse meal. If using a food processor, transfer the dough to a large bowl.

In a measuring cup or small bowl, whisk together the cream, pumpkin, maple syrup and vanilla. Using a fork, gently stir the liquid into the flour mixture until a dough begins to form. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface, and gently knead by hand for about 15 seconds, to form a sticky, rough ball.

Lightly flour a square cake pan and gently press the dough into the pan;  this step helps to prevent over-handling the dough, but you may also use your hands to form a square.

Flip the pan over and turn the dough out onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Use a sharp knife to cut the dough into wedges, either small or large, and space them out along the sheet at least one inch apart. For best results, place the baking sheet with the scones in the freezer for 30 minutes before baking.

Remove from freezer and brush to the top of each scone with the egg wash, then bake in the oven for 12 to 15 minutes until the top is a medium golden brown. Remove from the tray and transfer to a wire cooling rack for 10 minutes. Prepare the glaze and drizzle over tops if desired, allowing glaze to set before eating.

To create candy corn scones: In a small bowl, make the vanilla glaze by mixing all the ingredients together, excluding the cocoa powder. Next, dip the top third of each scone into the glaze, then place the scones on a wire rack to drip dry.

Add 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder to the vanilla glaze and stir until well combined. Once the vanilla glaze has set, hold each scone by the middle and dip the bottom third into the chocolate glaze, then return to the wire rack to drip dry.

To store: Place scones in an airtight container for up to 3 days. To freeze baked scones, wrap individually in plastic wrap and freeze in a plastic zip bag or airtight container for up to 2 months. For best results, add glaze after thawing. Scones can also be frozen before baking for up to 3 months.

Sarah’s Tips:

• The trick to making excellent scones is to use really cold butter, so I freeze the cubed butter for at least 30 minutes, or even longer (it can store for several months in the freezer).
• Another key to ensuring a flaky result is to handle the dough as little as possible, so I use a food processor to create the dough, and a cake pan to form the dough before cutting out the wedges. While these steps aren’t necessary, and may even seem a bit fussy, they can make the difference between a good scone and a great scone.