Lemon Pumpkin Seed Scones

Traditional Irish St. Patrick's Day fare includes a breakfast with scones. Make these to celebrate the holiday, or any time of year for a fresh baked treat!

Y'all know I love me a good holiday! Any excuse to decorate my home, or make special foods is a fun time, in my book. We're not Irish, and since we have so many young children, we don't do the American-ized version of celebrating St. Patty's Day anymore (although I had some doozy St. Patrick's Days back in my 20's that are a bit hazy to remember!) Instead, it's fun to make themed food in the spirit of the Irish holiday. I did a little research this year to see how the Irish actually celebrate this holiday, and what kinds of foods they actually eat. Turns out, corned beef and cabbage is largely an American tradition; soda breads and scones are in fact more authentically Irish. I needed no further excuse to make up a recipe in the spirit of St. Patrick's Day. Low an behold, my creative flavorful take on an Irish breakfast staple: The Lemon Pumpkin Seed Scone.

Now, while corned beef and cabbage isn't traditional, that doesn't mean it isn't DELICIOUS. If you're looking for a recipe for that for a well rounded St. Patrick's Day, look no further than this recipe I created a few years ago. I converted my non-cabbage loving husband! This one is seriously honestly one of my tastiest recipes, and will make the perfect dinner compliment to this lemon pumpkin seed scone you're about to enjoy for breakfast. Bake these scones the night before, throw the corned beef in the oven the morning of, and you're all set to have a few morning libations and still feed your family some delicious food as you "celebrate the luck of the Irish." 

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This flavor profile is a tad unexpected. It's true, I was looking for yellow and green elements to make this recipe, and low and behold I came across a really excellent combination! The key here is to use FRESH lemon zest and FRESH lemon juice. If you don't have a zester, just use a fine cheese grater. If you don't have a juicer, use your hands to squeeze the juice out of the lemon while catching seeds with the other hand (squeeze with one hand, let the juice run through your fingers and catch seeds with the other). Store bought juice will lead to disappointment in this recipe! 

Lemon Pumpkin Seed Scones
- 2 cups flour
- 1/2 cup butter, melted (1 stick)
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/4 teaspoon salt (1/2 a teaspoon if using unsalted pumpkin seeds)
- 2 tablespoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 2/3 cup pumpkin seeds, toasted

Lemon glaze
- 1 cup confectioners sugar
- 2-3 tablespoons lemon juice

In a small skillet, toast the pumpkin seeds over low heat until you can start to smell them, shaking or stirring them regularly so they don't burn. In a large bowl, mix all the dry ingredients together. Add the lemon zest, milk and butter and loosely incorporate. Just like pancakes and biscuits, you don't want to over mix this dough! Add the pumpkin seeds and dump the mixture onto a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Form dough into a circle, being careful not to over-pack it (and therefore making a dense scone). Cut the circular loaf into six pieces, and bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown.

How under-mixed your dough should be

Lightly formed into a circle. Don't over-pack the dough or it will become a brick! Then slice into 6 pieces

While the scones are baking, mix together the lemon glaze. You don't want it too runny, so start with just a tablespoon of lemon juice and add slowly from there! Wait for the scones to cool completely, then drizzle over the cooled scones. Enjoy with a cup of coffee or tea (or an Irish coffee if you're in the St. Patrick's Day spirit!)

I'd eat these lemon pumpkin seed scones the same day, max two days, and leave them out on the counter. Covering them or putting them in Tupperware will turn them soggy. You can freeze them after baking. Allow to defrost on the counter. To crispen up the edges again, put in the oven for 5 minutes at 275 degrees. They'll be good as new!