Fall Break is coming up fast, and most people will be heading home and spending time with their families. One thing people like to do with their families is cook or bake. It's great for bonding and you get delicious food out of it. I love to bake and come up with new desserts. I can not cook at all (I attempt to but fail miserably in the end), but I can bake. I miss not having a kitchen on campus, but it saves me from the amount of calories I would be consuming if I were constantly baking! If you are looking for an idea for a little treat, you are in luck. I will share with you one of my favorite desserts that I discovered last Fall, and hopefully you will love it too.

It's pumpkin season, so I like to have pumpkin desserts. Pumpkin this, pumpkin that - it is everywhere! Pumpkin spice lattes and anything Fall-related is pumpkin. I tend tend to jump on this trend when I bake during that time of the year. The traditional pumpkin pie is always a great option, but I like to have something different. I have made pumpkin cookies and mini pumpkin pies, but I have one dessert that is my absolute favorite. It is the Pumpkin Macademia Nut Scone. It is a diverse treat because you can eat it for dessert, as a snack or even during breakfast. The recipe is very simple and should be very easy to make. 

What you will need to gather:

2 cups of flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup agave and/or maple syrup

1 stick of vegan butter (softened)

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp cinnamon

8 ounces of pure canned pumpkin

1/3 cup macademia nuts

Shallow bowl of sugar to roll scones in before placing on baking sheet.

Seperate bowl for mixing and a flat surface for folding

Directions for this delicious recipe:

1. Combine the baking soda, flour, cinnamon and salt.

2. Add in the sugar/sweetener, butter, oil, vanilla, and pumpkin. Fold the ingredients well until the pumpkin is absorbed by the dry ingredients. Fold in the nuts.

3. Fold in the vinegar last

4. You can chill it in the freezer for more refined scooping or use the soft dough as is. Roll the dough clumps in sugar to coat. Place on the baking sheet. 

5. Bake at 375 for about 15 minutes or until edges begin to brown.

Once it is finished you will have your delicious pumpkin macademia nut scones. Eat it with a mug full of hot apple cider. The combination is heavenly!

How did I come up with this? I discovered it on a little site you might have heard of called Pinterest. I give a lot of credit to Pinterest becuase if Pinterest did not exist to give me cooking/baking ideas, then I would only be eating ramen and store bought cookies. I like to make my food so I know what goes in it, and I feel accomplished when it turns out perfectly. If you see a recipe, try to make it your own like I do. If you want a healthier option, then substitute ingredients for healthier alternatives. The Autumn and Winter seasons bring holidays and big family dinners. This dessert and many others would be a great addition to the family table.