Pumpkin scones are a cozy, fall‑flavored treat that combines the warm spices of autumn with the rich, comforting taste of pumpkin. If you’ve been craving something lightly sweet, wonderfully spiced, and perfect with your morning coffee or afternoon tea, this pumpkin scones recipe is exactly what you need. With tender flaky insides and golden edges, these scones balance indulgence and simplicity, so let’s get baking!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
You’ll love this pumpkin scones recipe because it transforms basic pantry ingredients into something special: the pumpkin purée brings moistness and autumn flavor, while the blend of cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice gives those inviting warm notes of fall. The texture is achieved by cutting cold butter into the flour, keeping the butter chilled so that when baked it creates pockets of steam for a light, flaky interior—and that method is backed by many experienced bakers. The freeze step before baking helps maintain the scones’ shape and height, making them bakery‑style at home. Plus, the sweet glaze adds a delicate finishing touch without overpowering the pumpkin flavor. Whether you’re making them for brunch, a snack, or gifting to friends, they hit the mark.
Ingredients
For the Scones:
- ½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick / 113 g)
- 2 ¼ cups all‑purpose flour (270 g)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar (50 g)
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ cup pumpkin purée (122 g)
- ½ cup heavy cream (plus extra for brushing)
- ¼ cup light brown sugar (55 g)
- 1 large egg
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
For the Glaze:
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar (180 g)
- 2 tablespoons milk
Step‑by‑Step: How to Make Pumpkin Scones
- Preheat your oven to 400 °F (about 200 °C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cut the butter into small cubes and freeze them for 10 minutes (or until well chilled).
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda.
- In another bowl, whisk together the pumpkin purée, heavy cream, light brown sugar, egg, and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Toss the frozen butter cubes into the flour mixture so they become coated with flour. Use a pastry blender, two forks, or your fingers (cold!) to cut the butter into the flour until the pieces are about the size of peas. This method ensures those little butter pockets that create flakiness.
- Fold the wet pumpkin mixture into the flour‑butter mixture until just moistened and no large pockets of dry flour remain—don’t overmix. Overmixing will develop gluten and lead to tough scones.
- Turn the dough out onto a well‑floured surface. With floured hands, pat it into an 8‑inch square (or an 8‑inch round). Then cut into 8 triangles (either by cutting the square in half diagonally into 4 and each of those in half, or patting the round and cutting into 8 equal wedges).
- Transfer the triangles to the prepared baking sheet. For best results, freeze the shaped scones for 20‑30 minutes before baking—this helps them hold shape and rise better.
- Before baking, brush the tops of the scones lightly with additional heavy cream. This will help the tops become golden and slightly crisp.
- Bake for 20 minutes if you prefer softer scones, or 25 minutes (or until golden brown on the tops and edges) for crisper, denser scones.
- While the scones are baking, make the glaze: sift the powdered sugar into a bowl and whisk in the milk until smooth. If you’d like a thinner glaze, add an additional teaspoon or two of milk.
- Once baked, transfer the scones to a wire rack and let cool slightly. Then spread the glaze over the warm scones with the back of a spoon. Allow the glaze to set for about 30 minutes before serving.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Helpful Tips
- Measuring with a kitchen scale helps prevent overpacking the flour, which often leads to dry or crumbly scones—a frequent issue when using measuring cups.
- Keep everything as cold as possible (especially the butter). Cold butter gives the flaky texture.
- Avoid over‑mixing once the wet and dry are combined. Stop mixing when you can’t see large pockets of flour. Over‑worked dough = tough scones.
- Freezing before baking helps the scones rise better and keeps their shape instead of spreading.
- Use pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling (which contains added sugar/spices you can’t control).
- Don’t overcrowd the baking sheet. Leaving space around each wedge allows air to circulate and helps even browning.
Substitutions And Variations
- For a gluten‑free version, replace the all‑purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten‑free baking blend designed to substitute directly in recipes.
- Dairy swap: While heavy cream gives the best texture, you could use buttermilk or whole milk in a pinch—but the texture might be slightly less rich.
- Spice variation: If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice, substitute: ½ tsp cinnamon + ¼ tsp ground ginger + ⅛ tsp nutmeg + ⅛ tsp allspice.
- Flavor add‑ins: Make it extra special by adding mini chocolate chips, chopped pecans, or dried cranberries to the dough before shaping.
- Savory twist: Omit or reduce sugar and glaze, add fresh sage or rosemary, and perhaps shredded cheddar cheese for a savory pumpkin scone version.
Storage Instructions
- At room temperature: Once fully cooled, store your scones in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- Freezing: To freeze, make sure the scones are completely cooled. You can freeze un‑glazed scones for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature, then glaze just before serving.
- Re‑warming: To refresh a stored scone, warm it in a 325 °F (160 °C) oven for a few minutes (5‑8) until warmed through, then optionally re‑glaze if needed.
Nutritional Information
Per scone (approximate):
- Calories: 439 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 65 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Fat: 18 g (Saturated Fat: 11 g)
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Cholesterol: 71 mg
- Sodium: 279 mg
- Potassium: 116 mg
- Fiber: 2 g
- Sugar: 36 g
- Vitamin A: 2998 IU
- Vitamin C: 1 mg
- Calcium: 87 mg
- Iron: 2 mg
Serving Suggestions
These pumpkin scones are perfect served warm for breakfast or brunch. Pair them with a steaming mug of coffee, a chai latte, or hot apple cider to enhance the cozy fall vibe. For a more complete breakfast spread, serve alongside creamy yogurt, fresh seasonal fruit (like pears or apples), or scrambled eggs. They also make a lovely afternoon snack with tea. If you’re sharing, arrange them on a platter with a little butter or soft cream cheese on the side — irresistible.
Frequently Asked Questions About Pumpkin Scones
Why are my scones dense instead of light and flaky?
There are a few common reasons: if the butter was too warm/melted before baking, the dough was over‑mixed (which develops gluten), or the shaped dough wasn’t chilled before baking so it spread instead of rising. Using cold butter and freezing the shaped dough for 20‑30 minutes helps prevent this.
Is it okay to substitute homemade pumpkin purée for canned in this recipe?
Yes, you can—but be sure it’s well drained so it’s not too watery. Excess moisture will cause spreading and may alter texture. Some sources suggest blotting the purée with paper towels before use.
Is the freeze step really necessary?
While you could bake immediately, freezing the shaped dough helps the butter stay cold and solid until it goes into the oven. This helps build steam pockets for loft and flakiness, and prevents the dough from spreading too much. It’s one of the key steps for bakery‑style scones.
How thick should I pat the dough before cutting?
About 1½ to 2 inches (approximately 3.8 to 5 cm) thickness is good. If the dough is too thin, the scones won’t have enough height and may bake too quickly. Some variation depends on preference for taller vs flatter scones.
Can I skip the glaze?
Absolutely! The scones taste great without it. You could simply dust with powdered sugar or leave them un‑glazed for a less sweet version. Some bakers feel the scone’s flavor is strong enough without the glaze.
Final Thoughts
Thank you so much for being here and giving this pumpkin scones recipe a try! I absolutely love how simple ingredients and a few smart techniques come together to create something rich in flavor, tender in texture, and full of warm spice. Whether you’re baking them for yourself, for breakfast company, or to share with friends, I hope you enjoy every bite of this cozy indulgence. Happy baking, and may your kitchen be filled with the fragrant spice of autumn and the joy of freshly baked scones!
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Pumpkin Scones Recipe
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 8 scones 1x
Description
These pumpkin scones are tender, flaky, and filled with warm spices. Perfect with coffee or tea for a cozy breakfast or snack.
Ingredients
½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick / 113 g)
2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour (270 g)
¼ cup granulated sugar (50 g)
1 ½ tsp baking powder
1 ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp baking soda
½ cup pumpkin purée (122 g)
½ cup heavy cream (plus more for brushing)
¼ cup light brown sugar (55 g)
1 large egg
1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
For the Glaze:
1 ½ cups powdered sugar (180 g)
2 tbsp milk
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 °F (about 200 °C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cut the butter into small cubes and freeze them for 10 minutes (or until well chilled).
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda.
- In another bowl, whisk together the pumpkin purée, heavy cream, light brown sugar, egg, and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Toss the frozen butter cubes into the flour mixture so they become coated with flour. Use a pastry blender, two forks, or your fingers (cold!) to cut the butter into the flour until the pieces are about the size of peas. This method ensures those little butter pockets that create flakiness.
- Fold the wet pumpkin mixture into the flour‑butter mixture until just moistened and no large pockets of dry flour remain—don’t overmix. Overmixing will develop gluten and lead to tough scones.
- Turn the dough out onto a well‑floured surface. With floured hands, pat it into an 8‑inch square (or an 8‑inch round). Then cut into 8 triangles (either by cutting the square in half diagonally into 4 and each of those in half, or patting the round and cutting into 8 equal wedges).
- Transfer the triangles to the prepared baking sheet. For best results, freeze the shaped scones for 20‑30 minutes before baking—this helps them hold shape and rise better.
- Before baking, brush the tops of the scones lightly with additional heavy cream. This will help the tops become golden and slightly crisp.
- Bake for 20 minutes if you prefer softer scones, or 25 minutes (or until golden brown on the tops and edges) for crisper, denser scones.
- While the scones are baking, make the glaze: sift the powdered sugar into a bowl and whisk in the milk until smooth. If you’d like a thinner glaze, add an additional teaspoon or two of milk.
- Once baked, transfer the scones to a wire rack and let cool slightly. Then spread the glaze over the warm scones with the back of a spoon. Allow the glaze to set for about 30 minutes before serving.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Notes
Use a kitchen scale to measure flour accurately for best results.
Keep butter and dough cold for flaky texture.
Store at room temp for 3 days or freeze unglazed for up to 2 months.
Use only pure pumpkin purée, not pie filling.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Snack, Brunch
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 scone
- Calories: 439
- Sugar: 36 g
- Carbohydrates: 65 g
- Protein: 5 g