Pumpkin Scones Recipe
These Pumpkin Scones are flaky and lightly crisp on the outside with tender crumbs inside. They have a rich buttery flavor with a gentle hint of pumpkin spice, so the spices complement the scones instead of taking over.
The scones aren’t overly sweet, which gives you plenty of ways to serve them. Enjoy them plain, add a little table cream and jam, or drizzle them with the simple icing included in the recipe. The icing sets nicely over the scones and adds just enough sweetness—I especially enjoy them this way with a cup of black coffee.
Why You’ll Love This Pumpkin Scones Recipe
- Flaky and tender: The outside has a slight crispness while the inside stays tender and flaky.
- Buttery, balanced flavor: Butter is the main flavor, with pumpkin and warm pumpkin pie spice complementing it rather than overpowering it.
- Not overly sweet: You can enjoy these pumpkin scones on their own or add icing, jam, or cream depending on how sweet you want them.
- Simple ingredients: The recipe uses basic baking ingredients along with pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice.
- Makes 8 scones: One batch makes eight generously sized triangular scones.
If you have more pumpkin puree to use, try my pumpkin bread or pumpkin cheesecake. You can also make my homemade pumpkin pie spice for this recipe.
Pumpkin Scones Ingredients
You’ll find the exact measurements in the recipe card below.
- All-purpose flour: Gives the scones their structure while allowing the inside to stay tender.
- Baking powder and baking soda: Help the scones rise and create a lighter texture.
- Sugar: Adds mild sweetness without making these scones taste like dessert.
- Pumpkin pie spice: Adds warm spice without overpowering the buttery flavor. If you prefer strongly spiced pumpkin scones, you can increase it slightly.
- Butter: Use cold unsalted butter. Keeping the butter cold is important for creating the flaky texture.
- Pumpkin puree: Adds moisture and pumpkin flavor. Use plain pumpkin puree rather than pumpkin pie filling.
- Milk: Used for brushing the scones before baking and in the icing.
- Confectioner’s sugar: Combined with milk to make the simple icing that sets over the cooled scones.
How to Make Pumpkin Scones
1. Preheat the oven. Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C) and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Combine the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, pumpkin pie spice, and sugar.
3. Work in the cold butter. Add the cold butter to the flour mixture and work it in until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Don’t overwork it or allow the butter to become too warm.
4. Blot the pumpkin puree. Place the pumpkin puree on a clean paper towel and gently blot away excess moisture. This is especially important if your brand of pumpkin puree contains a lot of liquid. Too much moisture can make the scone dough sticky.
5. Add the pumpkin. Gently mix the pumpkin puree into the flour mixture using a wooden spoon or spatula. Mix only until the dough comes together.
6. Shape the dough. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface. Dust it lightly with flour and form it into a disk about ¾-inch thick.
7. Cut the scones. Cut the disk into eight equal wedges, but do not separate them. Keeping the wedges together while they bake helps the inside stay tender and moist instead of drying out.
8. Prepare for baking. Transfer the cut disk to the prepared baking sheet. Brush the top with milk and sprinkle with a little sugar.
9. Bake. Bake for about 18 minutes, or until lightly golden and baked through. After baking, let the scones cool slightly, then separate them along the cut lines and transfer them to a wire rack.
10. Cool and ice. Transfer the pumpkin scones to a wire rack and let them cool completely. Mix confectioner’s sugar with milk gradually until you have a thick icing, then drizzle it over the cooled scones. Allow the icing to set before serving.
Tips for Flaky Pumpkin Scones
- Keep the butter cold. Cold butter is one of the keys to achieving a flaky texture. Keep it refrigerated until you’re ready to add it to the flour.
- Blot wet pumpkin puree. Pumpkin puree varies by brand. If yours contains a lot of liquid, blotting it prevents that extra moisture from making the dough too sticky.
- Don’t overwork the dough. Handle the dough only as much as necessary to bring it together. Too much mixing can make the finished scones tougher.
- Don’t add too much flour. The dough can be lightly dusted while shaping, but adding excessive flour can make the scones dry.
- Cool before icing. Let the scones cool completely before adding the icing. Otherwise, the icing will melt instead of setting on top.
- Adjust the spice to your taste. I prefer the pumpkin spice on the mild side so I can still taste the buttery scone and the other flavors. If you prefer a stronger spice flavor, you can add a little more pumpkin pie spice.
How to Serve Pumpkin Scones
These pumpkin scones are mildly sweet, so they’re delicious on their own, but I also enjoy serving them with a little table cream and jam.
For a sweeter version, add the icing and let it set before serving. The sweet icing, buttery scone, and gentle pumpkin spice are particularly good with black coffee.
They’re also lovely served warm for breakfast or alongside coffee or tea in the afternoon.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use canned pumpkin puree?
Yes. Canned pumpkin puree works well, but use 100% pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. Pumpkin pie filling already contains sweeteners and spices that will change the recipe.
Why should I blot the pumpkin puree?
Some brands of pumpkin puree contain considerably more moisture than others. Removing some of that excess liquid helps prevent the scone dough from becoming too wet and sticky.
Are pumpkin scones supposed to be very sweet?
These aren’t. The scones themselves have mild sweetness so you can enjoy the buttery and spiced flavors. The icing adds more sweetness when you want it, or you can skip it and serve the scones with cream or jam.
Can I add more pumpkin pie spice?
Yes. This recipe intentionally keeps the spice mild and balanced. If you prefer a stronger pumpkin-spice flavor, increase it slightly according to your taste.
Why are my pumpkin scones dense?
Overworking the dough or allowing the butter to become too warm can affect the texture. Work the dough gently and keep your butter cold until you need it.
Can I make these without icing?
Absolutely. The icing is optional. The pumpkin scones can be eaten plain or served with cream and jam instead.
Storing Pumpkin Scones
For the best texture, keep leftover pumpkin scones in an airtight container.
Since I haven’t tested this recipe specifically for freezing, I don’t recommend giving a freezing time here. If I test a frozen batch in the future, I’ll update the recipe with instructions based on the actual results rather than guessing.
⭐PLEASE RATE AND REVIEW
If you have tried this Pumpkin Scones recipe and liked it, please give it a 5-star rating and leave a comment below with your experience!
Pumpkin Scones Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspon salt
- 1 ½ tablespoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ¼ cup chilled unsalted butter cut in cubes
- 5 tablespoon pumpkin puree
- Milk to brush the scones optional
- Sugar to sprinkle over the scones before baking optional
Icing
- ½ cup confectioner’s sugar
- 1 tablespoon milk
Instructions
Making the pumpkin scones
- Preheat the oven to 350F/180C.
- In a mixing bowl, add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, pumpkin pie spice, and sugar. Whisk the ingredients well.
- Add the butter and work it into the flour using your hands until you have coarse crumbs. You can also use a fork.
- Add the pumpkin puree and mix gently using a wooden spoon or spatula.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly floured working surface. Dust the dough with flour and roll into a ¾ inch high disk.
- Cut the dough into eight equal size triangles, do not separate the triangles.
- Brush the scones with milk and sprinkle with sugar.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the dough on the parchment paper and bake for 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the scone comes out clean.
- Place the scones over a wire rack to cool completely.
- Decorate with icing.
Making the Icing
- In a bowl, add the confectioner’s sugar and gradually add the milk, mix until you get a thick consistency.
Notes
- Use plain pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling.
- You can use one to two tablespoons of milk in the scone’s dough if you find it dry.
- Blotting the pumpkin puree is optional, but some pumpkin puree has a lot of moisture.
- How to blot the pumpkin puree mentioned in the post above.
Nutrition
They look amazingly delicious, Muna. I look forward to more pumpkin creations from you!
Ciao,
Angie
What temperature do I cook it at? I can’t find that info anywhere..
Hi, the oven should be preheated to 350F/180C. Thanks!