Spiced Sweet Potato and Pecan Scones

Name: Spiced Sweet Potato and Pecan Scones
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 18 min
Total time: 33 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 cups (260 g) spelt flour; 2½ tsp (12½ g) baking powder; ½ tsp (3 g) fine sea salt; 1 tsp (2½ g) ground cinnamon; ½ tsp (1 g) ground ginger; ¼ tsp (½ g) ground nutmeg; 6 tbsp (85 g) unsalted butter, cold, cut into small cubes; ¾ cup (175 g) sweet potato puree, at room temperature; 3 tbsp (45 ml) pure maple syrup; ¼ cup (60 ml) whole milk, cold; 1 cup (115 g) pecans, toasted and roughly chopped

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Tender, lightly sweetened scones studded with toasted pecans and warm spices, enriched with sweet potato puree and bound with maple syrup. The spelt flour gives them a subtle nutty flavor and tender crumb. Perfect for breakfast or a wholesome afternoon treat.

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 18 min
Wait: 5 min
Total: 38 min
Makes: 8 scones

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Steps

Before you start

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper
Use cold butter straight from the refrigerator
If making sweet potato puree from scratch, roast and cool the sweet potato ahead of time

1
Toast the pecans
- Spread the pecans on a dry skillet over medium heat.
- Stir frequently for 4–5 minutes until fragrant and lightly golden.
- Transfer to a plate to cool for 1 minute, then roughly chop them into bite-sized pieces.
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Ready when: Pecans smell fragrant and are light golden brown
Tip: Toast pecans in a dry pan rather than the oven to save time and keep them from burning while the oven preheats.
2
Combine dry ingredients
- In a large bowl, whisk together spelt flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg.
- Make sure there are no lumps in the spices and everything is evenly distributed.
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Ready when: Dry ingredients are evenly combined with no visible streaks of spice
Tip: Whisk the dry ingredients thoroughly so the spices distribute evenly; lumpy spice pockets will create inconsistent flavor.
3
Cut in cold butter
- Add the cold butter cubes to the dry mixture.
- Using a pastry cutter or two forks, work the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs with pea-sized pieces of butter visible.
- Work quickly so the butter stays cold.
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Ready when: Mixture looks like coarse breadcrumbs with visible butter bits, no large clumps
Tip: Keep everything cold—warm butter won't create flaky layers. If the mixture gets warm, refrigerate it for 5 minutes before continuing.
4
Make wet ingredient mixture
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the sweet potato puree, maple syrup, and cold milk until smooth and well combined.
- The sweet potato puree should be fully incorporated with no lumps.
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Ready when: Mixture is smooth and uniform with no lumps of sweet potato
Tip: If your sweet potato puree is cold from the refrigerator, let it sit at room temperature for 15 minutes first so it whisks in smoothly.
5
Combine wet and dry ingredients
- Pour the sweet potato mixture into the dry ingredients.
- Using a rubber spatula, fold gently until just combined—the dough will be slightly sticky and shaggy.
- Do not overmix; a few streaks of flour are fine.
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Ready when: Dough is just combined; no large streaks of flour remain but it is not smooth
Tip: Overmixing develops gluten and makes scones tough. Stop as soon as you don't see dry flour.
6
Fold in pecans
- Gently fold the toasted pecans into the dough using the spatula, stirring just until evenly distributed throughout.
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Ready when: Pecans are scattered throughout the dough with no large pockets
Tip: Don't overstir when adding the pecans; a few gentle folds is enough.
7
Shape the scones
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface.
- Gently press it into a 7-inch (18 cm) round disk about 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick.
- Using a sharp knife dipped in flour, cut the disk into 8 wedges like a pizza.
- Transfer each wedge to the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches (5 cm) apart.
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Ready when: Dough is shaped into 8 even wedges and arranged on the baking sheet
Tip: Handle the dough gently and don't overwork it. Use a damp knife to prevent sticking, and clean it between cuts for cleaner edges.
8
Bake the sconesOven 400°F / 205°C
- Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 16–18 minutes, until the scones are light golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs.
- The edges should feel firm when touched.
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Ready when: Scones are light golden brown; toothpick inserted in center shows a few moist crumbs but no wet batter
Tip: Don't overbake—scones dry out quickly. Watch for golden edges and check with a toothpick around the 16-minute mark.
9
Cool and serve
- Let the scones rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.
- They are best warm or at room temperature.
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Ready when: Scones are firm enough to move without falling apart
Tip: Scones continue to cook slightly as they cool; a shorter cooling time keeps them moist inside.

Good to know

Tips

Spelt flour browns quickly; watch the scones starting at the 15-minute mark to prevent over-browning.
Sweet potato puree varies in moisture; if your dough is too wet after mixing, let it rest for 2 minutes before shaping so the flour fully hydrates.
For extra-tender scones, keep all ingredients as cold as possible—chill the mixing bowl before use if your kitchen is warm.
Serve with whipped cream, Greek yogurt, or a simple maple glaze (mix 1 tbsp maple syrup with 1 tbsp milk and drizzle over warm scones).

Make ahead

Prepare the dry ingredient mixture up to 4 hours ahead and store in an airtight container at room temperature. Keep the butter cubes cold separately. Combine and bake when ready to serve.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature (covered): up to 2 days. Refrigerator (in an airtight container): up to 4 days. Freezer (wrapped individually in plastic, then in a freezer bag): up to 3 months. Reheat frozen or chilled scones in a 325°F (160°C) oven for 8–10 minutes until warm.

Substitutions

spelt flour → whole wheat pastry flour or all-purpose flour. Use an equal amount by volume. Whole wheat may make scones slightly denser; all-purpose will be lighter and less nutty.
sweet potato puree → pumpkin puree (canned or fresh). Use the same amount. The flavor will shift toward pumpkin spice; you may want to add an extra pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg if desired.
pecans → walnuts, almonds, or sunflower seeds. Toast and chop the same way. Walnuts will be earthier; almonds more delicate; seeds lighter and crunchier.
pure maple syrup → honey or agave nectar. Use the same amount. Honey adds a floral note; agave is more neutral and slightly less sweet.