DD said the dried apricots tasted like wax LOL so I decided to try gingerbread scones with maple glaze. I'll eat the dried apricots as is.. tastes like candy to me!

Everyone really liked these scones! I made 8 scones and baked them for about 15 minutes. The glaze really added to it!

Gingerbread Scones

(Joy of Baking)

1¾ cups all-purpose flour

¾ cup old-fashioned rolled oats

1/3 cup light brown sugar

2 tsp ground ginger

1½ tsp ground cinnamon

1/8 tsp ground cloves

¼ tsp salt

2 tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

½ cup cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Zest of 1 lemon (optional)

1/3 cup dried cranberries or cherries (optional)

½ cup buttermilk

2½ Tbsp unsulphured molasses

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Egg Wash:

1 large egg

1 Tbsp milk or cream

Maple Glaze: (optional)

½ cup sifted confectionerÂs sugar (powdered or icing) sugar

1½ Tbsp pure maple syrup

1-2 tsp cream or milk

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) and place rack in middle of oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, sugar, spices, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Cut the butter into small pieces and blend into the flour mixture with a pastry blender or two knives. The mixture should look like coarse crumbs. Stir in the lemon zest and dried cranberries, if using. In a separate bowl mix together the buttermilk, molasses and vanilla and then add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture. Mix just until the dough comes together. Do not overmix the dough.

Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead dough gently four or five times and then pat the dough into a circle that is about 7 inches (18 cm) round and about 1½ inches (3.75 cm) thick. Cut this circle in half, then cut each half into 3 pie-shaped wedges (triangles). Place the scones on the baking sheet. Make an egg wash of one well-beaten egg mixed with 1 tablespoon milk and brush the tops of the scones with this mixture. Sprinkle the tops of the scones with some rolled oats.

Place the baking sheet inside another baking sheet to prevent the bottoms of the scones from over browning.

Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

To Glaze: Mix together the glaze ingredients, adding more sugar or milk until you get the desired consistency. It needs to be thin enough that it can be drizzled over the tops of the cooled scones. With a spoon drizzle the glaze over the tops of the scones and let dry.

Makes 6 scones.