Thanksgiving Day Breakfast:Sweet Potato Scones

Fall mornings in Eastern Kentucky are often chilly. As a child, we’d wake up to the smell of wood burning in the heating stove. The smell of coffee would waft into the bedroom, often accompanied by the smell of sweet potatoes frying in a pan on top of the stove. Nothing was better on a cold morning than fried sweet potatoes smothered in maple syrup and a side of bacon. Though I rarely serve sweet potatoes fried, they still appear in one of my fall favorites. If you like sweet potato pie, then you are in for a treat with these tasty sweet potato scones. This delightful treat can be made the day before so that you wake up to a flavorful breakfast of sweet potato scones to kick off your Thanksgiving day festivities.

Ingredients & Prep

You will need:

• parchment paper
• cookie pan
• ingredients
• pastry knife
• grater
• oven
• knife
• baking spray/ oil
• One medium-sized sweet potato; washed and baked. Let cool before mashing to make your sweet potato puree.

Dry ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon cloves

Nuts:

• 1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Oils:

1 stick of butter ( or stick of vegetable butter) grated, then chilled in the freezer for about ten minutes. If your butter ain’t really cold, your scones will not turn out right. Shortening doesn’t work well in this recipe.

Wet Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup sweet potato puree
• 1 tablespoon molasses
• 3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream- chilled
• 1 large egg- beaten
• 2 teaspoons real vanilla extract

Directions

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees
• prepare a sheet of parchment paper that is at least a foot long (for patting out scone dough)
• Sift together dry ingredients; Using a pastry knife, cut in the chilled butter until the mixture resembles a course meal.

• Gently stir in the nuts (if using).
• Combine all wet ingredients in a separate bowl.
• Make a “well” in the center of the dry ingredients.

• Slowly incorporate the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Stirring after each addition. Do not over-process the dough. Only mix it enough to combine the wet and dry ingredients. The dough should look like crumbly cookie dough.

• Turn the dough out onto parchment paper that has been lightly sprinkled with flour.
• Pat out the dough into a large rectangle shape. Cut in the center to create two squares. From there cut into small triangular pieces.

• Carefully move the scones to a lightly oiled cookie sheet.
• Bake at 375 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes (depending on elevation). I usually remove them at the 10-minute mark.
• Cool on a wire rack. Top with glaze when just warm.

Glaze Recipe

• 1 cup sifted-powered sugar
• pinch of salt
• 1/4 teaspoon each: cinnamon & ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon each: nutmeg, & cloves
• 1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream
• 1 tablespoon butter

Mix together dry ingredients. Stir in butter until mixed. Add cream, and blend well. Can add a bit more cream if needed, but take care to not add too much as the glaze will be easily thinned.

A Note About Pastry Knives

If you are new to using a pastry knife, you can buy them at Walmart and other department stores. Here is a link to a stainless steel pastry knife similar to the one I use. Any of them will work.

Happy Thanksgiving Y’all

Thanksgiving to me is not about having a fancy meal. It is about getting together with family and friends. Growing up, we didn’t have fancy place settings, but our mom sure could make you feel special and loved. Those are the most precious memories for me of when all of my siblings came together. I miss those sweet days and cherish the memories. Remember, you don’t have to have a perfect house to have a happy home. Enjoy the little things, like sweet potato scones and a cup of coffee to start your Thanksgiving morning.

I want to wish you and your family a safe and happy Thanksgiving. If you enjoyed this post, please pop over and check out my recipes for Appalachian Apple Stack Cake. It is another holiday favorite back home in the hills.

You all come back by real soon,

Vikki