Pumpkin Scones

There’s nothing like the smell of fresh Pumpkin Scones baking on a crisp fall morning. These sweet and spicy treats are buttery, soft, and can be finished with a sweet glaze or decadent frosting that makes every bite irresistible. Tackle autumn properly and cozy up with a warm scone, a steaming cup of hot cocoa, and your favorite book!

Key Ingredients to Make Pumpkin Scones

• Flour – All purpose flour works best.
• Brown sugar – Adds in a hint of sweetness.
• Baking powder, baking soda, salt – These dry ingredients need to be sifted or whisked together before adding to the flour mixture. This will help raise and create the soft and fluffy triangle wedge.
• Cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger – Combine these spices together for a sweet, savory, and warm flavor.
• Butter – I used cold, unsalted butter straight from the refrigerator.
• Pure pumpkin – You will want to make sure you get the pure pumpkin or pumpkin puree and NOT pumpkin pie filling.
• Milk – 1% low fat milk works best.
• Egg – I used large eggs for this scone recipe.
• Semi-sweet chocolate chips – This is an addition if you would like to add in chocolate to your homemade scones.

Homemade Cream Cheese Frosting

This cream cheese frosting is a rich and delicious topping to these pumpkin scones!

• Cream cheese – You will want to soften your cream cheese before creaming it in a large mixing bowl.
• Powdered sugar – This adds a smooth and creamy texture to your frosting.
• Vanilla extract – Balances and enhances the sweet flavors in the frosting.
• Milk – Add more or less to get the perfect consistency.
• Semi-sweet chocolate chips – Takes the frosting to the next level with a hint of chocolate flavor.

Starbucks Copycat Scones

To recreate that classic Starbucks pumpkin scone flavor, whisk together powdered sugar and milk until smooth. Drizzle the glaze over cooled scones and let it set for a couple of minutes. The result? Perfectly sweet pumpkin scones that rival your favorite coffee shop treat.

Substitutions for Classic Pumpkin Scones

• Instead of combining all the fall seasonings from a few seasoning mixes, you can simply use pumpkin pie spice in replace of all of them.
• For the frosting, you can use heavy cream instead of milk for a more thicker and creamier frosting.
• Instead of the classic cream cheese frosting, try a white glaze, spiced glaze, or brushing on a frosting that you love!

How to Make Pumpkin Scones

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger. Cut in the cold butter using a pastry cutter or fork until the mixture looks crumbly and the butter pieces are no larger than peas.

2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, milk, and egg until smooth.

3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and gently stir just until combined. If you’re adding chocolate chips, fold them in now.

4. The dough should start to come together into a soft ball. If it feels too sticky, sprinkle in a little more flour.

5. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface.

6. Gently knead 5–6 times, then pat it into a circle about ½ inch thick.

7. Cut into 8 wedges (like pizza slices) and place them on the prepared baking sheet.

8. Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Frequently Asked Questions

Tips for Light and Fluffy Scones

Scones are really easy to make, and by following a few simple tips, you’ll get light-as-air scones every time!

• Don’t soften your butter before mixing. The colder the butter, the better!
• Cut your butter with a sharp knife into cubes or sticks for easier mixing. Make sure they’re cold! If your kitchen is hot, toss the butter into the freezer for a few minutes until you need it.
• Make sure to measure your flour with a sifter or spoon it into your measuring cup. Scooping the flour directly into the measuring cup can make it too dense, and give your scones a heavier texture.
• Using canned pumpkin in this recipe adds plenty of moisture, so you may not need all the milk the recipe calls for. Try a tablespoon at a time until the dough forms a soft ball.
• Avoid using a mixer for this recipe. You can use a pastry cutter to cut in your butter, which gives it a pea sized texture.
• Don’t over mix! Mixing the dough too much will result in tough scones. Gently shape and pat the homemade scones into a circle before cutting into triangles.

Storing Pumpkin Scones

After cooling the scones on a cooling rack, it is best to store them in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 to 5 days. I recommend storing them without the frosting and storing the frosting separately in the refrigerator. If storing the scones with frosting in the refrigerator, let them rest on the counter until they are at room temperature to enjoy!

More Pumpkin Dessert Recipes

Fall means all the pumpkin desserts! Here are some of our very favorites to enjoy this season!

Bread

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

Desserts

Pumpkin Cobbler

Desserts

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

Desserts

Pumpkin Cheesecake

• Pumpkin Roll
• Pumpkin Sheet Cake
• Pumpkin Poke Cake
• Pumpkin Trifle
• Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies