Pumpkin Extravaganza Continues... Pumpkin Scones!

I had so much leftover maple cream cheese frosting from the pumpkin whoopie pies that I decided pumpkin scones were in order. So many recipes to choose from on the internet! Fortunately, Joy of Baking did not disappoint me. I made a couple of alterations to the recipe (surprised? no...) Instead of raisins and pecans, I used crystallized ginger and snuck some kefir yogurt into the recipe in place of the buttermilk. I also upped some of the spices and decreased the vanilla. They were perfect, both with and without frosting.

PUMPKIN SCONES
2 c all purpose flour

1/3 c packed light or dark brown sugar

3/4 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp all spice

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 c cold butter, cut into pieces

1/4 c finely chopped candied ginger

1/2 c buttermilk (or kefir yogurt - if using yogurt, stir in 2-3 Tbs of milk)

1/2 c canned pure pumpkin

1/2 tsp vanilla 

For frosting, see pumpkin whoopie pie post.

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Sift dry ingredients together in a large bowl (except for ginger).
3. Cut butter into flour mixture using pastry cutter, knives, or forks, until the mixture resembles crumbs.
4. Stir in the ginger.
5. Whisk the buttermilk, pumpkin and vanilla together in a small bowl.
6. Fold wet into dry ingredients in as few strokes as possible (but it should be well-mixed).
7. On a floured surface, knead dough gently 5-6 times. Pat into a circle about 12 inches in diameter and cut into 8 wedges. Place wedges on baking sheet and bake for ~20 minutes.