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Unlike overly dry bakery or store-bought scones, homemade pumpkin scones strike the perfect balance: soft and moist on the inside with lightly crisp edges. They’re rich without being heavy, warmly spiced without being overpowering, and endlessly customizable depending on how cozy you want to go.
If you’ve ever stated “I don’t know how to make pumpkin scones,” you are in the right place. This is a super easy recipe. These pumpkin scones are soft and flaky with a sweet tender crumb. There’s something undeniably comforting about pumpkin scones. For me, it’s the warm spices and the way your kitchen fills with that unmistakable fall aroma as they bake.
Pumpkin scones have become a seasonal staple along side pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread, chai pumpkin bread, and pumpkin spice lattes. I used to not be a pumpkin spice person, but now that I am an adult, it just puts a smile on my face. They are perfect with a cup of coffee on a crisp morning or served as a sweet treat during a relaxed afternoon at home.
Table of Contents
Why Pumpkin Scones Are So Beloved
Pumpkin is an ingredient that is not used enough in my opinion. It isn’t just about flavor—it adds moisture, color, and richness to baked goods. For me, it does not always have to include the pumpkin spice flavor, but when paired with spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves, pumpkin transforms a simple scone into something that feels special and nostalgic.
Pumpkin scones are also incredibly versatile: they can be glazed, drizzled, left plain, or studded with add-ins like chocolate chips, walnuts, or chopped pecans.
When it comes to pastries that usher in the fall season and get many of us in the fall-time mood, pumpkin scones are just one of the few that comes to mind.
Pumpkin scones are elegant enough for brunch but easy enough for a casual weekend bake. You will want to follow and save my pumpkin scones recipe!!
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The Secret to Perfect Pumpkin Scones
Like most biscuit-like pastries, the key to great pumpkin scones lies in cold butter and gentle handling. Cold butter creates steam as it melts in the oven, which helps produce flaky layers. Overmixing, on the other hand, can lead to dense scones—so it’s best to mix just until the dough comes together.
Even if you have dry patches, I find that allowing the dough time to sit or tossing the dough into the refrigerator for 10-15 mins before baking allows the excess flour to hydrate and the butter to firm up. This ensures that the scones with be light and flaky and less likely to become dense.
One thing to also note is that pumpkin purée adds moisture, so the dough will feel slightly softer than the traditional scone dough like my tangy cranberry scones. Chilling the dough before baking helps the scones hold their shape and bake evenly.
Keep reading to learn how to make pumpkin scones or click here to skip to my easy-to-follow recipe!
Shaping and Baking Tips
Pumpkin scones are traditionally shaped into a circle and cut into wedges, but you can also pat the dough into a rectangle and cut squares for a more rustic look. Regardless of shape, I usually brush the tops with cream before baking, which gives them a golden finish. The circle method is the easiest and the one I usually use.
You then bake until the edges are set and lightly browned—overbaking can dry them out. You also want to let the pumpkin scones cool slightly before glazing because allows the topping to set beautifully without melting away.
Another good idea to do with these pumpkin scones after they have been glazed, is to sprinkle the melted glaze with cinnamon. This adds additional flavor.
Ingredients and Tips
These are some of the main ingredients you will need to make these pumpkin scones. You can find the full list of ingredients and measurements on the recipe card below to learn how to make pumpkin scones.
Pumpkin scones rely on many pantry staples, but each ingredient plays an important role:
Pumpkin purée – Adds moisture, flavor, and that signature orange color. However pumpkin puree can add too much moisture to a recipe so it can be necessary to blot the pumpkin. This just means to take a paper towel and hold it on the pumpkin puree for 10-15 seconds to allow some of the excess juice to be absorbed. This is especially necessary if you are using fresh pumpkin or homemade pumpkin puree.
Flour – Provides structure. Since scones are essential a type of biscuit, tenderness was most important to me. This is why I used all-purpose flour as it usually produces a soft crumb.
Cold butter – The butter creates pockets in the scones which gives the flaky affect that we love in good scones. The butter needs to been small pieces dotted in the dough. We achieve layers this way by folding the dough in a similar way we do with rough puff pastry or with my buttermilk biscuits. You can also grate the butter with a box grater to get the butter into small pieces. I usually do this also with my flaky pie crust recipe also.
Pumpkin spice blend – Cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves brings everything together. This blend of spices is used in many pumpkin spice recipes and similar to my homemade pumpkin spice recipe blend.
Cream or Buttermilk – Keeps the crumb tender. Cream is high in fat and this added fat keeps the scones tender. This is similar with buttermilk. The extra acidity of buttermilk also adds in rise when baking soda is added to the dough.
Egg – Adds richness and structure
Optional add-ins like white chocolate chips or toasted nuts can elevate pumpkin scones even further.
How to Store and Freeze Pumpkin Scones
Pumpkin scones keep very well at room temperature for up to 3 days when stored in an airtight container. For longer storage, they freeze beautifully. Freeze unglazed scones, then thaw and glaze when ready to serve. This makes them perfect for make-ahead breakfasts or surprise guests.
They warm up super easily also. Just wrap your scone in piece of paper towel and microwave in intervals of 30 seconds until heated through.
Overview: How to make Pumpkin Scones
Feel free to follow my detailed printable recipe card below, but lets walkthrough the basic ideas of the step that way you can understand each step before you attempt the recipe.
Mix all dry ingredients together.
Cut in the frozen butter with your bench scraper or pastry cutter. You can also simply grate the butter with a box grater and add it to the dry mixture. You want to keep the butter cold so if at any time the butter get soft or melts, stop and put the mixture in the freezer for about ten minutes, then continue.
Mix the wet ingredients together. Add the wet mixture to dry mixture. Do not over mix.
Shape the dough into a 6- inch disc. Use your bench scraper or knife to cut the disc into 8 roughly equal pieces.
Brush with heavy cream or buttermilk. You can brush on the cream with a pastry brush right before you bake the scones. This is the time to sprinkle on sparkling sugar, sprinkles, or other decoration.
Make the Glaze. You can make my easy Maple Glaze Recipe while the scones are baking. Combine all the ingredients and mix until smooth and glossy.
Spread or drizzle the glaze over warm scones. Once the scones have cooled down and are just warm, drizzle the glaze over the scones. The maple flavor mixed with the pumpkin spice flavors is amazing so you will want to save this recipe.
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Pumpkin Scones with Maple Glaze
Ingredients
- ½ can pumpkin puree 1/2 cup of puree
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup heavy cream or buttermilk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2¼ cup all-purpose flour sifted
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1½ tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp ginger
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- ¼ tsp cloves
- 1 stick/8 tbsp cold unsalted butter
Maple Glaze
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ tsp vanilla
- 1- 1¾ cup powdered sugar more or less as needed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine the pumpkin, egg, heavy cream, and vanilla. Set aside.
- In a larger bowl, add the flour. baking powder, salt, and spices. Mix until well combined.
- Using your bench scraper, cut the cold butter into the flour mixture until mixture resemble course pea-sized sand.
- Pour in pumpkin mixture. Mix to form a sticky dough. DO NOT over mix as this will make scones tough.
- Lightly flour work surface and dump out scone dough. Lightly flour the top of dough. Shape dough into a 6in disc about 1 inch thick.
- Using bench scraper, cut dough into 8 roughly equal pieces. (see notes)
- Place scones onto prepared cookie sheet with space between. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Scones are done when bottoms are slightly golden brown.
Glaze
- In a medium bowl, whisk butter until smooth.
- Whisk in the maple syrup, salt, and vanilla. Mix until smooth.
- Whisk in enough powdered sugar to form a glaze with a thick drizzle consistency.
- Drizzle glaze over slightly warm scones. Allow to set for about 30 minutes.
- Enjoy!!!
Notes
Nutrition
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