Snow days and maple apple butter scones

I've been off work for the past two days because of last weekend's blizzard, so I've been doing some boredom baking (always a dangerous thing).  After making my ill gotten goods, I decided to take tea outside (despite the snow it is in the upper 40s today) since I'm getting a bit of cabin fever,

 

and it is so pretty looking out into the woods.

 

The swing set might be a bit buried so I don't think we'll be heading there, but my deck is clear right near my wicker set.

 



 

A cup of Charleston plantation peach tea fills the small transferware teapot I bought during a trip to Savannah, Georgia--both tea and pot from the same 2014 summer trip. 

 

 

These scones are the real star of this post.  My street is not completely cleared, so I was stuck here and limited to what was in my larder...thus experimentation was in order!  I was quite happy with how these scones turned out.

 

 

I combined apple butter, maple syrup, and cream cheese to make these sweet, moist, and yet biscuit like scones. These ingredients were "extras" I just so happened to still have in my fridge from the December parties.  I'm normally all about the cream scone, which is this not, so I also am getting outside my comfort area.    

 

 







Maple Apple Butter Scones

 

2 1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup sugar*

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp allspice

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp cardamom

1 stick butter

4 oz cream cheese

2/3 cup apple butter**

1/3 cup maple syrup

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

 

1.  Preheat oven to 425.  

2.  Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl, whisking to combine. 

3.  Cut in butter with a pastry blender.  Cut in slightly softened cream cheese.

4.  Combine apply butter, maple syrup, egg, and vanilla in a small bowl.  Pour over dry ingredients.  Mix until just combined.

5.  Drop spoonfuls onto parchment paper covered cookie sheet.  Cook for 12 to 14 minutes (or so).

 

*If you prefer your scones to not be slightly extra sweet, I would reduce the sugar in the recipe to 1/4. 

**I used a somewhat local brand of apple butter--White House Apple Butter made in Winchester, Virginia, which worked very well in this recipe.



 

 

Thanks for joining me for tea!