Scones are a traditional British and Irish baked good, with a tender crumb that’s somewhere between a quick bread and a biscuit. To give these hearty scones a deep, sweet flavor with amplified nuttiness and texture, we bake our oats with maple syrup for a toasty, granola-like crunch. In this recipe from our cookbook “Milk Street Bakes,” we process a portion of the oat mixture with the other dry ingredients to distribute the flavor and texture through every bite.
Maple syrup sweetens the batter and the glaze, while freshly grated nutmeg adds warmth and spice. The darker the maple syrup, the better the scones will taste. Seek out either “dark” or “very dark” syrup for the boldest, richest flavor.
To balance the maple’s sweeter notes, tangy buttermilk moistens and binds the dough and helps thin the simple powdered-sugar glaze. Don’t bake immediately after cutting the dough into wedges.The scones need at least 15 minutes of chilling first, otherwise they tend to spread and lose their shape in the oven.
If you need to pack or transport the scones, wait for 30 minutes or so to allow the glaze to fully set. These are best the day they’re baked, but stored in an airtight container, extras will keep for up to two days. Toasted Oat and Maple Scones Start to finish: 11⁄4 hours (45 minutes active) Servings: Makes 8 scones Ingredients: For the scones: 150 grams (1 1/2 cups) old-fashioned rolled oats 1/2 cup maple syrup (see headnote), divided 1/2 cup cold buttermilk .
