Maple Bacon Scones
This is it, the eye of the proverbial hurricane. We are in the midst of those few short days sandwiched in between turkey feasts and Christmas morning- that time of year when the to-do lists are lengthy and daylight is fleeting. To help us survive, I’m sharing these maple bacon scones, a simple and comforting dish that we all can rally behind.
An Update on Thanksgiving
Last week was basically a grotesque parade of meals and cocktails and leftover turkey sandwiches. Don’t get me wrong- I like to eat just as much as the next person, but at some point, my gullet (and the button on my blue jeans) just scream, “NO MORE!” We started the week with a few dinners out with friends, and on Thursday morning, we fulfilled our American duty by demolishing the annual Thanksgiving feast. We ate an array of biscuits and green beans and casseroles, and because Thanksgiving lunch is the meal that keeps on giving, we later enjoyed turkey and bacon sandwiches.
By Friday, I felt like I had eaten a baby or an entire bucket of KFC chicken. I felt like I had devoured three meals back to back at a Walt Disney World buffet and at any moment could burst in a disgusting explosion of gravy and cream of mushroom soup. My mother tells me this is a normal post-Thanksgiving feeling, but my Spanx would say otherwise.
After Feasting, We Football
Following our two-day binge fest, we traveled to Auburn, AL on Saturday to watch the Iron Bowl. For anyone who doesn’t live in Alabama or who couldn’t give two craps about college football (raises hand), the Iron Bowl is an annual football game between the University of Alabama and Auburn University. Being married to a rabid Auburn fan means that I participate in the festivities by eating chicken wings in my tailgate chair, drinking Crown Royale and Sprite from a gas station cup, and cheering at the game.
While I am no more interested in football than I am, say, Nascar or an international chess match, I do enjoy attending with Brett because he loves it so much. Sometimes it’s fun to scream and clap and cheer like I know what I’m doing. Plus, someone has to be there to resuscitate Brett if he loses his mind on a poor call from the referee.
Maple Bacon Scones
So that brings us to today. Bloated, tired, and scratchy-throated, this girl is wiped out. I’m sticking with soup and salad for the foreseeable future, unless of course someone wants to bring me another turkey and bacon sandwich on some pumpkin bread, because that mess is delicious. But I digress. Before we dive head first into a powdered sugar cloud of cookies and cocoa and carols, let’s celebrate the last of this fall season with some warm and cozy maple bacon scones.
With a tender crumb, crisp edges, and a delightfully sweet and salty flavor, these maple bacon scones are a dream. My husband always says that everything is made better with bacon, and when it comes to these scones, I couldn’t agree more. The recipe was adapted from a new favorite, these chocolate coffee almond scones, and I was delighted that the butter-based treat transitioned from sweet to savory so seamlessly. I made and froze several batches throughout the testing process, and for weeks these maple bacon scones were toasted for a delightful breakfast that tasted fresh from the oven.
Making the Scones
To make these maple bacon scones, we start with the meats. Fry up some thick bacon of your choice (I prefer applewood smoked bacon) until crisp. Save the grease for another day and chop up the rest for the scones. Combine the dry ingredients, flour, seasoning, and baking powder, in a large bowl. Next, cut in cold chunks of unsalted butter. Stir in the diced bacon before pouring in the heavy cream and maple syrup. Work quickly to combine the dough, but be sure to not overwork it. Pat it all out into a 1″ thick round and slice it into 8 wedges. Brush the whole thing with a little more heavy cream before baking in a hot preheated oven.
Fresh from the oven, these maple bacon scones are fragrant. Imagine the glorious smoke of bacon combined with the smell of homemade bread and maple syrup; it’s almost too good to describe. These maple bacon scones are crowd-pleasing, the kind of thing you’ll want to serve at breakfasts in the coming months. Give this recipe a try and let me know what you think! They’re certainly worth making room in your belly for.
If you like these maple bacon scones, you should check out:
Chocolate Coffee Almond Scones
Buttermilk Biscuit Sandwiches with Pepper Bacon and Cheddar
PrintMaple Bacon Scones
These maple bacon scones are a sweet and salty favorite to serve at breakfast and brunch!
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 20
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 8
Ingredients
- 2 cups (260 gm) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ cup (113 gm) unsalted butter, cold and chopped
- 1 cup cooked, finely chopped crispy bacon
- ¼ cup (60 mL) maple syrup
- ¾ cup (180 mL) whipping cream, plus additional for brushing
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking powder, pepper, and onion powder. Use a pastry cutter or the back of two forks to cut the butter into the dry ingredients until pea-sized clumps are throughout. Stir in the bacon. Combine the maple syrup and the whipping cream in a separate bowl and then stir into the dry ingredients, just until evenly incorporated. If a lot of dry ingredients remain in the bottom of the bowl you can add an additional tablespoon of cream, but be sure to not add too much liquid.
- Pat the dough out in a ¾” thick circle and place the dough round on a parchment lined baking pan in the freezer to chill for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Once the dough is chilled, cut the dough into 8 wedges but leave the circle of pieces together. Use a pastry brush to brush a thin layer of whipping cream over the scones. Bake in the oven until golden brown around the edges of each scone, about 35 minutes.
Notes
Chilling the dough ensures the scones will rise well. You can skip this step but it isn’t recommended for best outcomes.
Loosely adapted from King Arthur Flour