Pumpkin Currant Walnut Scones

We are still eating our way through the batch of pumpkin currant walnut scones I made for Christmas morning, and I have no complaints about it! These are lightly sweet and spicy, and I love the texture that the currants and walnuts give them.

I’d been wanting to make these scones for ages, and I happened to have plenty of pumpkin on hand from baking chai masala spiced pumpkin bread for Eat My Blog: serendipity! I recognize that October and November are the height of pumpkin season, but I’m usually not willing to let them go until I can get my hands on some spring asparagus.

I love how this recipe yields 12-14 scones, so I have breakfast covered for a while, and I love how pretty they look in our cake dome, sparkling with cinnamon sugar.

I think these will be the last scones to squeeze their way into the Great Scone Explosion of 2011, but I also think there will definitely be a Great Explosion of 2012. And also possibly a Cookie Explosion.

Pumpkin Currant Walnut Scones
Adapted from The Cheese Board Collective Cookbook 

1/2 c heavy cream
3/4 c buttermilk
1 c pumpkin, puree or canned
3 1/2 c AP flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp ginger
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp Kosher salt
3/4 c sugar
1 c cold unsalted butter, cut into 1″ cubes
1/2 c currants
1/2 c chopped walnuts
For topping:
1/4 c sugar
1/8 tsp cinnamon

-Heat oven to 375F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper (or use a Silpat).
-In a medium bowl whisk together the cream, buttermilk, and pumpkin.
-Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg in a large bowl, or in the bowl of a stand mixer.
-Add the salt and sugar and mix until combined.
-Add the butter and cut it in on low speed for about 4 minutes, until it is the size of small peas. (If mixing by hand, use a pastry cutter or 2 dinner knives).
-Make a well in the center and add the pumpkin mixture, mixing briefly, just until the ingredients are combined.
-Mix in the currants and walnuts.
-Gently shape the dough into balls about 2 1/4″ in diameter and place about 2″ apart on baking sheet.
-Mix the cinnamon and sugar together and sprinkle on top of the scones.
-Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown. Transfer scones to a wire rack to cool, and then enjoy!