Maple Walnut Scones

Ingredients

• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup half-and-half
• 1 teaspoon maple extract
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Glaze:
• 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 2 teaspoons hot water
• 1/8 teaspoon maple flavored extract

Directions

Set oven rack to lower center of oven. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Toast walnuts on a baking sheet in the preheated oven for 5 minutes. Cool.

Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Toss butter pieces in the flour mixture to coat. Use a pastry blender to cut in the butter until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Stir in toasted walnuts. Beat egg in a large bowl. Mix in the half-and-half, 1 teaspoon maple extract, and vanilla extract. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, mixing just until blended, switching from a spoon to your hands as the mixture comes together. Place dough in refrigerator for 10 minutes.

Roll chilled dough into a ball on a lightly floured surface. Flatten dough into a 3/4 inch circle. Cut into 8 wedges.

Bake scones on a parchment lined baking sheet just until firm and the bottoms are lightly browned, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool for 3 minutes before transferring to cooling racks.

Stir together the confectioners' sugar, hot water, and 1/8 teaspoon maple extract. Drizzle on scones to glaze.