Pumpkin Scones – Super Moist!
- By Amy Dong
- Updated Oct. 14, 2024
These Pumpkin Scones are different – they’re not dry and crumbly at all. Instead, these are super tender and are packed with fall flavors. This scone will rival famous bakery versions, and the spice glaze is absolutely to die for!
In This Article
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Video: watch us make this Recipe
Why This Recipe Stands Out
Because many people don’t like scones due to their dry/crumbly texture, I set out to create scones that are quite the opposite. These pumpkin scones are outstandingly tender and perfect for fall. They’re one of our favorite pumpkin recipes, and here’s why:
- Supremely Moist: These scones are incredibly moist, a quality you don’t often find in scones.
- They’re Actually Easy: While scones might sound intimidating to make, they’re actually super easy. If you love these, you’ll also love Triple Pumpkin Scones with Cream Cheese Icing.
- Packed with Flavor: We’ve packed these scones with all the best fall spices including cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice, giving them a flavor that can’t be beat, just like our Pumpkin Spice Cookies.
- Delicious Glaze: The spiced glaze is the perfect finishing touch for these scones, taking them from great to absolutely incredible.
Key Recipe Ingredients
- Pumpkin Puree – We use canned pure pumpkin for its unbeatable moistness and earthy flavor. You can also use your own homemade pumpkin puree.
- Spices – Ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice add a depth of flavor that perfectly complements the pumpkin.
- Butter – We use cold butter, cut into pieces, to ensure that our scones are tender and flaky. The small pockets of butter in the dough release steam as they bake, resulting in a light, airy texture.
- Mix-ins – Cinnamon chips and white chocolate chips add bursts of flavor and a touch of sweetness to our scones. You can find cinnamon chips in the baking aisle of most grocery stores.
Substitutions And Variations
Take a look at some of our favorite substitutions and variations:
- Chocolate Chips: If you can’t find seasonal cinnamon baking chips, you can use extra white chocolate chips or substitute them with semi-sweet chocolate chips, as in our Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread.
- More Spices: If you like your scones with extra spices, feel free to increase the amounts of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice. You can also add a pinch of cloves for a more intense flavor.
- Pumpkin Seeds: For a bit of crunch and extra seasonal flavor, add 1/4 cup pepitas (salt, roasted pumpkin seeds) to the dough.
- Glaze: The spice glaze is optional, but highly recommended. Feel free to adjust the spices to your liking. You can also use this Sugar Cookie Icing instead.
Step-By-Step Recipe Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together dry ingredients. Work in cold butter until the mixture is crumbly. Stir in cinnamon and white chocolate chips.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together pumpkin and eggs. Add this mixture to the dry ingredients.
- Stir until the dough holds together. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
- Divide the chilled dough in half and form each half into a 6-inch circle, about 3/4 inches thick. Slice each circle into 6 wedges.
- Brush each wedge with milk and sprinkle with coarse sugar and cinnamon. Place the plates in the freezer for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 425F. Transfer the parchment paper with scone wedges onto a baking sheet. Bake for 18-19 minutes.
- Make the spiced glaze by mixing all the glaze ingredients together.
- Drizzle scones with the spiced glaze and serve warm.
For full list of ingredients and instructions, see recipe card below.
How To Prep Ahead
Take a look at our favorite prep ahead tips and strategies for these pumpkin scones:
- Make the Dough in Advance: The scone dough can be made ahead of time. Follow the recipe instructions to make the dough, wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate. You can do this a day in advance.
- Make the Glaze Beforehand: The spiced glaze can be made in advance and stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freeze the Shaped Scones: Once you’ve shaped the scone dough into wedges and brushed them with milk, you can freeze them for up to 2 months. This is a great way to have scone dough ready to bake whenever you want. Just make sure to bake longer if you’re baking the scones from frozen.
Commonly Asked Questions
Can I use fresh pumpkin instead of canned pumpkin?
Yes, you can use fresh pumpkin puree if you prefer. Just make sure it’s well-drained and has a similar consistency to canned pumpkin. You may need to adjust the amount slightly to achieve the right texture in your scone dough.
Why do I need to chill the dough?
Chilling the dough is important for two reasons. First, it allows the flavors to meld and develop. Second, it firms up the butter in the dough, which leads to a better texture and rise during baking.
How do I know when the scones are done?
The scones are done when they are golden on top and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean. You may have a few tender crumbs attached, which is perfect.
How long do the scones keep?
These pumpkin scones will keep well for a day or two at room temperature. Be sure to store them in an airtight container to maintain their freshness.
Did you make this?
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Pumpkin Scones – Super Moist!
These tender pumpkin scones boast a moist crumb and big fall flavors. These pumpkin scones rival famous bakery versions; the spice glaze is fantastic.
Ingredients
- 2 ¾ cups all purpose flour
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 TB baking powder
- ¾ tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ground allspice
- ½ cup cold butter, cut into pieces
- 1 cup cinnamon chips
- ½ cup white chocolate chips
- ⅔ cup canned pure pumpkin
- 2 large eggs
- coarse sugar, for sprinkling on top
- cinnamon, for sprinkling on top
- milk , for brushing on
Spice Glaze
- ½ cup powder sugar
- 1 TB whole milk
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- ⅛ tsp ground nutmeg
- ⅛ tsp ground ginger
- ⅛ tsp ground cloves
Instructions
- In large mixing bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and spices. Work in cold butter (I use my fingers) just until mixture is unevenly crumbly; some larger chunks of butter that remain unincorporated are fine. Stir in cinnamon chips and white chocolate chips.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the pumpkin and eggs until smooth. Add pumpkin egg mixture to the dry ingredients. Stir until all is moistened and holds together. If dough is sticky, just scrape it into a ball and wrap with cling wrap.
- Place in fridge for at least 30 minutes or until dough is cold enough to be workable.
- Line two plates with squares of parchment paper (parchment should extend past the plate) and sprinkle some flour on parchment.
- Divide dough in half and place each half on a separate plate. Pat each half into a 6 inch circle, about 3/4 inches thick each.
- Carefully slice each circle into 6 wedges. Separate wedges so there is at least 1/2 inch space between them. Brush each wedge with milk and sprinkle with coarse sugar/cinnamon.
- Place the plates into freezer for 30 minutes, which helps the texture and rise. White scones are chilling, preheat oven to 425F.
- Transfer parchment paper with scone wedges onto baking sheet. Bake scones 18-19 minutes on lower middle rack, watching to make sure they don't over bake.
- Once they are golden on top and a toothpick comes out mostly clean (a few tender crumbs are fine.) The edges should look baked, not wet or doughy.
- While scones are baking, make Spiced Glaze. Mix together all glaze ingredients and whisk to incorporate well.
- Remove scones from oven and cool a bit. Drizzle with spiced glaze and serve warm. Wrap any leftovers in airtight container and keep at room temp. Do not put in fridge. Glazed scones keep well for a day or two.
Notes
- Mix the dry ingredients thoroughly before adding the cold butter. This will ensure that the spices are evenly distributed throughout the scones.
- Chill your scone dough before baking. This helps maintain their shape and rise beautifully in the oven.
- Preheat the oven to 425F while your scones are chilling. This way, they can go straight from the freezer to the oven.
- If you can’t find seasonal cinnamon baking chips, you can use extra white chocolate chips or substitute them with semi-sweet chocolate chips.
- For a bit of crunch and extra seasonal flavor, add 1/4 cup pepitas (salted, roasted pumpkin seeds) to the dough.
- This recipe is part of our fall recipes collection.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 297kcal | Carbohydrates: 32.1g | Protein: 8.8g | Fat: 15.3g | Saturated Fat: 7.7g | Cholesterol: 55.9mg | Sodium: 199.1mg | Fiber: 2.1g | Sugar: 6.9g
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