Maple Pecan Scones

an easy, small-batch recipe {makes 6}

Scones are usually the most disappointing thing on the menu at bakeries and cafes. For a good stretch of time I never understood people’s fascination with them. Then I tasted the orange scones at Sweet Melissa, a long shuttered cafe that was in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn. I’ve modeled the texture of every scone I’ve ever made on them—hefty but not heavy, crumbly but not dry. 

It wasn’t until tasting the scones at Maeve’s Place in Phoenicia, NY some 20 years later that I’d met another scone worth ordering, and also left me inspired. I love her lemon ricotta scones, and more recently had a maple pecan scone that compelled me to recreate them the very next morning. 

The scones at Maeve’s are round, drop biscuit-style, which makes a relatively easy recipe even easier, eliminating the need to form and cut the dough. Using an ice cream scooper is always my preferred method for dropping them onto the pan but you can use a measuring cup or roughly shape them with your hands.

When I first made these, I used allspice but decided the flavor was better without it, and upped the amount of vanilla extract. If you’re craving something more since it’s ‘tis the season, try adding ¼ teaspoon cinnamon for just a whisper of warm spice (but maybe after you’ve made them once without it so you have a baseline of sorts to compare the taste).

Cinnamon rolls are our long-standing tradition for Thanksgiving breakfast, but if I ever decide to mix things up, these maple pecan scones are definitely a contender. Regardless, they flavor combination knows no season, and will be on repeat around here for years to come.

Hope you all have a peace-filled week, and remember to be kind. xo–jennie

p.s. While this is a small-batch recipe, you can easily double the recipe if you’re baking for a crowd.