Description
These Pumpkin Scones are a perfect autumn treat, featuring a tender, flaky texture infused with warm spices and rich pumpkin flavor. Topped with a luscious spiced pumpkin glaze, they make an ideal cozy breakfast or snack that’s easy to make and sure to impress.
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- ½ cup canned pumpkin purée (Libby’s recommended)
- 1 large egg
- 3 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon molasses (such as Grandma’s Original)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¾ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Fat
- 1 stick (½ cup) cold unsalted butter
Glaze Ingredients
- 1½ cups Confectioners’ sugar
- 3 tablespoons canned pumpkin purée
- 1 tablespoon water
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F (204°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and make cleanup easier.
- Mix wet ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the canned pumpkin purée, egg, heavy cream, molasses, and vanilla extract until smooth. Set this mixture aside for later.
- Combine dry ingredients: In a food processor fitted with a blade attachment, combine the flour, dark brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and all the spices. Process for about 20 seconds until well mixed and there are no lumps of brown sugar.
- Add butter to dry mixture: Cut the cold unsalted butter into ½-inch chunks and add to the food processor. Pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal with some pea-sized pieces of butter still visible, giving the scones flakiness and tenderness.
- Incorporate wet ingredients: Add the pumpkin mixture to the food processor and pulse just until the dough begins to come together. The dough will be sticky, and you should still see chunks of butter.
- Form the dough: Lightly flour a clean countertop. Turn the sticky dough out onto the surface and dust the top with flour. Knead gently with your hands until it forms a smooth ball. Divide the dough in half and shape each half into a 5-inch circle about ¾-inch thick.
- Cut into wedges: Dust a sharp knife with flour and cut each circle into 6 equal wedges (cut in half, then each half into thirds). If the dough sticks to the knife, dust the blade again. Place the wedges evenly spaced on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake the scones: Bake for 12 to 15 minutes. The bottoms should be slightly browned when done. Remove from the oven and let the scones cool on the baking sheet for about 15 minutes.
- Prepare the glaze: In a medium bowl, whisk together confectioners’ sugar, pumpkin purée, water, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg until you have a thick smooth glaze.
- Glaze the scones: Spoon roughly 1 tablespoon of glaze over each scone, letting the glaze drip down the sides. Allow the glaze to set for about 30 minutes before serving.
- Storage advice: These scones are best enjoyed fresh the day they are made but will keep well in a covered container for up to two days.
- Freezing instructions: The dough can be frozen up to 3 months. Freeze the shaped wedges on a baking sheet, then transfer to a sealable bag after freezing solid. Bake directly from frozen, adding 1-2 minutes to baking time. Alternatively, freeze baked scones after cooling, layering them with parchment paper. Thaw before serving and glaze after defrosting for best results.
Notes
- Use cold unsalted butter to ensure flaky scones.
- Do not overmix the dough; some butter chunks should remain visible for texture.
- The glaze is thick and should be applied generously for best flavor.
- Scones are best fresh but can be stored for 2 days or frozen for longer preservation.
- Freezing before baking is preferred for optimal texture and flavor retention.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
