Create the ultimate fall comfort food with these tender, spiced pumpkin scones! Perfect for breakfast, brunch, or an afternoon treat. They’re easy to make and bursting with autumn flavor. Makes 8 scones in under 30 minutes!
Pumpkin scones are the perfect autumn treat, that have warmth and comfort with every bite… This recipe delivers tender, flaky pumpkin scones with warm spices. It’s a simple recipe for delicious scones that are perfect for a cozy breakfast, an afternoon tea, or a sweet moment to yourself!
My Tips & Tricks
Cream: For richness and tenderness, a heavier cream (like heavy cream or whipping cream) works best. Half-and-half can be used but might result in a slightly less rich scone. Milk will make them tougher.
Pumpkin: If you happen to use a very watery pumpkin puree (some brands can be), consider gently blotting out some excess moisture with a paper towel before adding it to the dough. This helps maintain the right dough consistency.
Make sure your butter is cold: When cold butter melts in the oven, it creates pockets of steam, which results in a flakier, lighter scone with a more tender crumb. Softened butter can lead to a more cake-like texture.
Spices lose potency over time, so makes sure yours are fresh for the best flavor. (Time flies… How old is your cinnamon?)
Ingredient Substitutions & Notes
Don’t have every ingredient on hand, or curious about making a swap? Here’s how you can adapt this pumpkin scone recipe:
Self-Rising Flour: While this recipe is developed for all-purpose (or Einkorn) flour with separate leavening, you can use self-rising flour. Adjust the recipe: Omit the 1 tbsp of baking powder and the 1/2 tsp of salt. Self-rising flour already contains these. Proceed with the rest of the recipe as directed. Keep in mind that results may vary slightly as leavening levels in self-rising flour can differ by brand.
No Brown Sugar? You can substitute the 1/3 cup of brown sugar with an equal amount of granulated sugar. This will still give you a delicious scone, though you’ll lose the subtle molasses note and a bit of the moisture that brown sugar provides.
Milk Instead of Cream? For the best, most tender, and rich scones, heavy cream or whipping cream is highly recommended. It adds significantly to the texture… BUT, if you must use milk, choose whole milk over lower-fat varieties. You might need slightly less than the 1/2 cup called for, because milk is thinner than cream. The resulting scones will likely be a bit less rich, and maybe a little less tender or moist. Add milk gradually until the dough just comes together.
What to serve with Spiced Pumpkin Scones?
I think eggs are the perfect combination with these beautiful festive scones! Eggs are a classic savory addition that pairs well with the flavors of these scones. They are also lovely served with sausages, bacon, fresh fruit, yogurt parfaits, and orange juice!
More Fall Recipes
I want to know what YOU think!
Have you tried this pumpkin scone recipe? I’d love to hear about your experience! Your insights help us all become better bakers. Please share your thoughts in the comments below, or click the stars to leave a rating. Did you make any substitutions or additions? How did the scones turn out for you?
Spiced Pumpkin Scones
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour or your favorite flour, I like to use Einkorn
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp cloves ground
- 1/2 cup butter cold
- 3/4 cup Solid pack pumpkin puree canned
- 1/2 cup cream
Maple Glaze for Drizzle (optional)
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2-3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1.5 tablespoons heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine your dry ingredients: flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves, and salt… Mix well. - Cut butter into the flour mixture, till your mixture looks like course crumbles. Add pumpkin and cream to dry mixture. Use a pastry blender, two knives, or even your fingertips to quickly cut the cold butter into the flour mixture. Work quickly to prevent the butter from melting from the heat of your hands. You want some pea-sized and even larger butter chunks remaining, they add flakiness!
- Mix JUST until a dough forms. Don't over-mix. As soon as the dry ingredients are moistened and the dough just comes together, stop mixing. It's okay if there are a few dry spots; they will incorporate during the kneading.
- Lightly knead your dough on a floured counter 10 times, and pat it flat into about an inch and a half thick and 7-inch wide circle.
- Use a dough scraper or knife to cut your dough into sit to eight wedges.
- Place your wedges onto a parchment-lined or ungreased baking sheet.
- Bake at 450 for 12-14 minutes just until they're a light golden color.
- Serve warm with butter, apple butter, or maple glaze. Enjoy!
Make the glaze (optional)
- Combine 1 cup powdered sugar, 2-3 tablespoons maple syrup, and 1-2 tablespoons milk or cream until smooth. Drizzle over warm scones.
Notes
Nutrition
About Juliea
Juliea Huffaker is the creator of Farmhouse Harvest, and dedicated to teaching from-scratch cooking, sourdough baking, gardening, and food preservation. With over 25 years of hands-on experience she has preserved hundreds of jars of produce, mastered the art of meats and sourdough baking, and nurtured a thriving organic garden. Her recipes and articles have been featured across the web. And she’s passionate about inspiring others to embrace a simpler, self-sufficient life style.
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