Peanut Butter 'n Jelly Scones

I decided to stretch my sugar days to the whole Thanksgiving weekend, and these scones were calling to me after I checked out the Safeway recipe web site.

Amaya helped me make them. She pushed the buttons on the food processor, dutifully ate as many chocolate chips as possible while I was measuring other ingredients, and brushed the tops of the scones with cream before they went into the oven. I kept calling them "cookies" and they practically were. Not as much sugar and butter as cookies, a plus, and they still had a nice cookie-like texture and reminded me of peanut butter blossoms. They did have a definitely peanut butter and jelly sandwich taste going on. A PB & J that was very tender in the middle and crisp on the edges.

Amaya was going to town with the scone dough, and I could not keep her from eating it. I probably got at least 1 less scone because of her dipping.

We shared with our friends next door and the batch was gone almost immediately. One of the girls said that this was the most delicious thing she had ever tasted. She may have been exagerrating. A little. They came out looking a lot like thumbprint cookies but tasted much much better. I don't like thumbprint cookies because they are too sweet. The peanut butter in these helped keep the salty sweet taste in balance.

I want to try these with half wheat flour next time, and maybe make a double batch, so I could have a few left over for later.

Peanut Butter 'n Jelly Scones (from Safeway's Holiday Recipes)

•  3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar 
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1/2 cup chunky peanut butter, chilled
• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate morsels (optional)
• 2/3 cup whipping cream, divided  
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons turbinado sugar
• About 3/4 cup strawberry jelly

1.Combine first 4 ingredients in a food processor. Pulse briefly until combined. Add butter, and pulse to make a coarse meal. Add peanut butter, and pulse briefly to disperse evenly. Be careful not to overmix.
2.Transfer dough to a large bowl. Add chocolate morsels, if desired. Make a well in center, and add 1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp. whipping cream and vanilla. Stir with a fork just until dry ingredients are moistened. Knead dough in bowl 2 or 3 times to incorporate dry ingredients in bottom of bowl.
3.Drop mounds of dough using a 1/3-cup measure onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Smooth tops, and brush scones with remaining cream. Sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Make a deep indentation in center of each scone using thumb or the back of a small spoon; fill each with a scant tablespoon jelly.

4.Bake at 425° for 18 to 20 minutes or until scones are lightly browned around edges. Cool completely.