Naturally sweetened by nature’s finest syrup, adorned with a beloved nut, encircled in a perfectly crafted scone, topped with chocolate drizzle and our very own Porch Sippin’ Pecan black tea-soaked roasted pecans with a special coating, this maple pecan scone recipe has me salivating!
This recipe combines the best of the best to give you some of nature’s most beautiful gifts all wrapped into one amazing dessert.
What are we waiting for? Let’s get our scone on!
Maple is a Must-Have
Where I live in Wisconsin, you can find homemade maple syrup stands near and far. Visit a local grocer and our shelves are adorned with local syrup, harvested from the maple trees in the woods in and surrounding our small neck of the woods.
Harvesting the sap and making maple syrup is a common and family-oriented pastime. Some families have the equipment passed down from generation to generation, and others have very unique homemade contraptions, just for their own making and enjoyment.
I know several friends who have been doing it for years, from grandparents down to grandkids. If you’re unfamiliar with maple syrup and how it’s created, here’s a little run-through of how we do it around here.
With the four seasons we experience in Wisconsin, and an abundance of maple trees, we’re a prime location for the creation of this sweet treat.
In the early spring months or late winter, when the days get above freezing and the nights get below, it’s a sign it’s time to start tapping the maple trees and get the sap flowing. When you tap, you drill a small hole in the maple tree, insert a special spout, and hang a bucket to collect the sap as it naturally flows from the tree.
The buckets of sap are collected and boiled down over a fire, or stovetop, or if you’re fancy you have a special setup to do this. Most families I know gather around a fire or have a special little shed with a large pot that cooks off the water.
That’s the key to turning the sap into syrup. You’re just boiling off the water until you’re left with 66% sugar content. Once you’ve reached this, you strain the syrup through a cheesecloth, bottle it, and then keep it stored in a cool and dark location, or in the refrigerator.
Maple syrup is undeniably sweet, delightful, and simply irresistible. The natural sweetness that’s infused into this maple scone recipe provides layers of unparalleled flavor that complement the pecans beautifully.
Roasted Pecans? Yes, Please!
Did you know that roasted pecans have a long history here in America? They were eaten and enjoyed long before America came to be, first cultivated and used by the Native Americans as a nutritious snack. They found that they stored well because they were small, kept well (didn’t spoil), and even became a ritual event before going off to hunt.
Today roasted pecans are common traditions around holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas. I’ve got great news for you—this maple pecan scone recipe adds a bit of flair to it with Porch Sippin’ Pecan black tea tea-infused roasted pecans.
How does that sound?
We are taking a flavorful black tea, soaking it into this magnificent nut, then coating it in a delightful blend of a little sugar, cocoa, and a dab of cinnamon before roasting them ourselves. These are going to be the crowning glory of our maple pecan scones, sitting atop an already decadent and enticing dessert. The added crunch and distinctive flavors are sure to compliment your favorite cuppa as you indulge!
Maple Pecan Scone Recipe
Ingredients:
Scones
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 6 ounces Greek yogurt (plain or vanilla)
- 1/4 cup buttermilk
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon orange extract
- 3 and a 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2/3 cup room temperature/slightly cool butter, cubed
- 1 cup pecan halves, unsalted
Chocolate Drizzle
- 1 cup dark or semi-sweet (personal preference) chocolate chips
- 1 ~ 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil or coconut oil *Depending on how much you want your chocolate to harden versus stay soft
Roasted Pecans
- 1/2 cup pecan halves, unsalted
- 2 teaspoons Porch Sippin’ Pecan black tea
- 16 ounces boiling water
- 2 Tablespoons sugar
- 1 Tablespoon unsweetened cocoa
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
*Feel free to double or triple this recipe if you’d like extra for snacking
Directions:
Roasted Pecans
Steep your tea and 16 ounces of boiling water. Once you’ve removed the tea, add in your pecan halves. Let the pecan soak for a good two hours.
While the pecans are soaking, mix together the cocoa, cinnamon, and sugar in a bowl.
Once they have soaked, remove them from the tea, strain them, and let them sit in the strainer for 10-15 minutes over the sink to continue to drip off any excess tea before coating them in the mix. While the pecans are straining, preheat your oven to 250°.
Toss the pecans in the mix you’ve made until all the pecans have been thoroughly coated and your cocoa, sugar, and cinnamon mix is used up. *If there’s any left, just sprinkle it on top of the pecans once spread out on the parchment paper.
Place the pecans on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 45 minutes or until they are dry to the touch. You can even sneak a bite to ensure they are perfectly roasted—just be careful, as they’ll be hot!
Set aside to cool. Once cool, place in an airtight container until you’re ready to use.
Scones
Preheat oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Mix buttermilk, yogurt, maple syrup, egg, and extracts in a small bowl. Set aside.
In your electric stand mixer, using your pastry cutter attachment, combine together flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, until combined.
Slowly add in your cubes of cold butter and toss them until evenly coated in the flour mixture. Continue blending with the pastry cutter until most of the butter is the size of peas.
Slowly pour the liquid mixture of your buttermilk, yogurt, maple syrup, egg, and extracts that you combined earlier into the dry ingredient and butter blend.
Mix just until a dough forms. *If your dough is a little sticky, feel free to add in a little more flour until it pulls away from the bowl. Don’t be surprised if it sticks to your pastry cutter attachment.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and fold the dough gently several times. Lightly sprinkle in the pecans and fold into the dough.
Flatten your dough into a round 8” circle, about 1 1/2” or so high. Cut it into eight even triangle slices, like a pizza.
Use a large knife or something similar to lift each scone and place it on your baking sheet with parchment paper. Place each scone a few inches apart to allow room for expansion when baking.
Bake for approximately 18 minutes, until the tops are golden brown and spring back. If you’re not quite sure, feel free to insert a toothpick to make sure the center isn’t doughy.
Place on a cooling rack.
Glaze
Take your chocolate chips and oil and place them in a double broiler on the stove or your microwave-safe bowl. Either slowly melt on the stovetop until smooth or if using a microwave, microwave on 50% power in intervals of 30-40 seconds. Stir well in between. Repeat until smooth and creamy.
You may place the chocolate sauce into a piping bag to drizzle on the maple pecan scones, or you may simply use a spoon to spoon on and drizzle over top. Once the scones have cooled, drizzle with the glaze and place a few roasted pecans on top.
Once your scones have cooled some, drizzle them with your chocolate and place your toasted pecans on, then drizzle with a little more chocolate!
*Roasted pecan recipe adapted from The Thirsty Radish
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