Christmas Scones shaped as trees are a festive addition to your holiday breakfast or brunch table. They are also delicious served with afternoon tea. Freeze any extras for another time.
½cupcolored sugar for sprinkling on the scones: green
½cupM&M’s or other candies
4thin pretzel sticksbroken in half
optional powdered sugar for sprinkling on baked scones
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Place the flours, baking powder and salt into the bowl of food processor fitted with a metal blade. Secure the lid and pulse briefly to mix. Add the butter pieces and process until coarse crumbs are formed. Pour this crumb mixture into a large mixing bowl. Stir in the oats and brown sugar.
If you do not have a food processor, the same effect can be achieved in a mixing bowl with a pastry blender, fork, or two table knives held together.
In the processor bowl (no need to wash it), combine the buttermilk, egg, and vanilla extract. Slowly pour the wet ingredients into dry crumb mixture and stir quickly, just until a sticky dough forms. Overmixing will result in tough scones.
Empty the dough onto the prepared tray. It will be a loose and sticky dough. Shape the dough into a large, flat round. Score the round into eight wedges, by cutting with a bench knife or sharp knife. You don't need to separate them yet.
Sprinkle the wedges heavily with green sprinkling sugar. Decorate the trees with M&Ms and other baking candies. These will be your tree ornaments. Insert half a pretzel stick into the base of each wedge. This will be your tree trunk.
Bake the scones together in one decorated round for 15 to 20 minutes or until set. Remove from the oven and cool slightly before cutting again on the score marks.
Separate the trees and allow them to cool on a rack before serving. Sprinkle with powdered sugar snow if desired.
Notes
To freeze: Freeze scones before baking by placing the baking sheet in the freezer. Once hard, remove them from the pan and store in an airtight container. Bake from frozen, adding 5 minutes to the baking time. Alternatively, store cooled and baked scones in an airtight container in the freezer.To make as a mix: Take a large ziptop bag or container and label it with the wet ingredients and the baking instructions. Measure out the main dry ingredients into the bag. Store the decorations in a separate bag. Seal and store until ready to use.Nutritional values are approximate and do not account for decorations. Store baked scones in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Freeze for longer storage.Variations - If you'd like to add different flavors to your Christmas scones, consider adding one of the following:
peppermint extract and ¼ cup crushed peppermint candies
coffee extract and ¼ cup chocolate chips
rum extract and ¼ chopped pecans
almond extract and ½ teaspoon each of ground cinnamon, ground ginger, and ground nutmeg