If you love to bake with pumpkin, then don’t go another minute without these flaky pumpkin scones topped with a decadent maple glaze. Perfect with a hot cup of coffee on a crisp fall morning.
Pumpkin: it’s not just for pumpkin pie anymore!
I’ve already made pumpkin coffee cake, pumpkin cream cheese muffins, pumpkin cinnamon rolls, pumpkin bread, pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin frappuccinos….even pumpkin coffee creamer. To be honest though, I was a little nervous to develop a recipe for classic pumpkin scones because the ones at the bakery are just so delicious. After a few tries, though, I created a buttery scone recipe that is perfectly spiced without being overly sweet. And did I mention maple icing?
Tell me About These Pumpkin Scones
- Texture: heavy cream helps produce a freshly-baked scone that is both soft and flaky in the center, crisp on top, and crumbly at the corners.
- Flavor: these buttery scones are the perfect blend of sweet and spice for the pumpkin obsessed. With every bite, you’ll get a delicious shot of pumpkin spice cut with sweet maple frosting. You can use homemade pumpkin pie spice here!
- Ease: if you follow the recipe closely, including my success tips below, this pumpkin recipe is quick and easy to make for breakfast, brunch, or anytime.
- Time: the scone dough comes together quickly in about 20 minutes and then just 25 minutes more in the oven to pumpkin perfection. Serve these scones warm right away for the best taste.
These classic pumpkin scones are inspired by my perfect, no-fail master recipe for scones. Use it to build a scone with your own favorite add-ins like lemon blueberry scones, ham & cheese scones, banana scones, and more! Here are all of my scone recipes.
Recipe Testing Pumpkin Scones: What Works & What Doesn’t
- Frozen butter = success. As your scone bakes, frozen butter will melt and release steam, creating tender flaky pockets in the middle with crisp and crumbly edges. Butter that hasn’t been frozen could melt before it makes it to the oven, and you’ll lose all that tender, flaky goodness.
- Grate the butter. Weird, right? Fine shreds of cold butter make for an even mix into the dry ingredients. If you don’t own a grater, you can also use a sharp knife to cut the butter into small chunks, but I prefer the teeny shreds.
- Blot the pumpkin. Trust me on this. Pumpkin puree is extremely wet and can cause spreading in your mixture. Blot the pumpkin for 15 seconds with a paper towel before you use it. For more details on blotting pumpkin, see my pumpkin oatmeal chocolate chip cookies or pumpkin snickerdoodles.
- Don’t over-mix the dough. After you add the wet ingredients to the dry, mix with ease until combined. Just like pie crust, over-mixing the scone dough will result in a tough texture.
Heavy Cream for the Win
There are some recipes where substituting similar ingredients is okay, but this isn’t one of them. Rich heavy cream or buttermilk is the secret to these delicious scones.
- Heavy cream or buttermilk is a must. Texture is crucial for the perfect scone, so don’t substitute milk or nondairy milk in this recipe. You’ll lose both the texture and flavor that make these scones irresistible.
- I swear by this trick. Brush the scones with the remaining heavy cream or buttermilk right before baking and sprinkle with a little coarse sugar if you have any. It will help ensure that sweet, crisp exterior.
Overview: How to Make Classic Pumpkin Scones
The full printable recipe is below, but let’s walk through it quickly so you understand each step before you get started.
- Whisk dry ingredients together.
- Add frozen butter to the flour mixture. Grate your butter and add to the flour mixture using a pastry blender, a fork, or your fingers until the mixture comes together in pea-sized crumbs. Remember, you don’t want the butter to melt before you bake.
- Whisk the wet ingredients together. After they are combined, drizzle the wet ingredients into the dry ones and mix until moistened throughout.
- Flour up. Coat your hands in flour and work the mixture into a ball of dough. The dough should be thoroughly combined, but don’t overwork it which could result in a tough texture.
- Flatten dough ball into an 8-inch disc. Use a sharp knife to cut the disc into 8 equal wedges.
- Don’t forget the heavy cream wash. Brush the remaining heavy cream (or buttermilk) onto your scones using a pastry brush right before baking. Sprinkle with coarse sugar for a sweet textured crunch.
- Make the glaze. While the scones are baking, make the maple glaze over low heat by combining the butter and maple syrup until the mixture is completely melted. Remove from the heat and add the sifted confectioners’ sugar and a dash of salt to achieve the perfect glaze consistency.
- Drizzle over the scones. Add the maple icing while the scones are still warm so it melts into every flake, crack, and crevice. You’ll taste melty maple goodness with every bite.
More Fall Recipes
- Pumpkin French Toast Casserole
- Apple Cider Donuts
- Pumpkin Bars
- Snickerdoodles
- Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
- Maple Pecan Sticky Buns
- Pumpkin Spice Waffles or Pumpkin Pancakes
Classic Pumpkin Scones
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 8 scones
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Deliciously spiced classic pumpkin scones are flaky and soft with perfectly crumbly edges. Top with coarse sugar for extra crunch and maple icing for extra decadence!
Ingredients
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 2 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice*
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, frozen
- 1/3 cup + 2 Tablespoons (105ml) heavy cream, divided
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup (115g) canned pumpkin puree, blotted*
- 1/2 cup (100g) light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- optional: coarse sugar for sprinkling on top before baking
Maple Glaze
- 2 Tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup (80ml) pure maple syrup
- 1 cup (112g) sifted confectioners’ sugar
- pinch salt, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Adjust baking rack to the middle-low position. Line 1 or 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mat(s). If making mini scones, I use 2 baking sheets. Set aside.
- Make the scones: Whisk the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and salt together in a large bowl. Grate the frozen butter (I use a box grater). Add the grated butter to the flour mixture and combine it with a pastry cutter, a fork, or your fingers until the mixture comes together in pea-sized crumbs. Set aside.
- Whisk 1/3 cup (75ml) heavy cream, the egg, blotted pumpkin (see note), brown sugar, and vanilla extract together in a small bowl. Drizzle it over the flour mixture and then mix it all together until everything appears moistened.
- With floured hands, work the dough into a ball as best you can and transfer onto a floured work surface. Press into a neat 8-inch disc and, with a very sharp knife, cut into 8 equal wedges. To make smaller scones, press dough into two 5-inch discs and cut each into 8 equal wedges. (Larger scones are pictured in this blog post.)
- Place scones at least 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet(s). Using a pastry brush, brush scones with remaining heavy cream and sprinkle with coarse sugar, if desired. (Gives a nice crunch!)
- Bake the larger scones for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned. If you made 16 smaller scones, bake for 18-20 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes as you prepare the icing.
- Make the glaze: In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the butter and maple syrup together, whisking occasionally. Once the butter has melted, remove from heat and whisk in the sifted confectioners’ sugar. Taste and add a pinch of salt if desired. Drizzle over warm scones.
- Scones are best enjoyed right away, though leftover scones keep well at room temperature or in the refrigerator for 2 extra days.
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions: Plain baked scones freeze well for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator then heat up to your liking before icing and enjoying.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Baking Sheets | Silicone Baking Mats or Parchment Paper | Glass Mixing Bowls | Box Grater | Pastry Cutter | Pastry Brush | Saucepan
- Pumpkin Pie Spice: You can use store-bought or homemade pumpkin pie spice here. If you don’t have either and want to use individual spices, use 1/2 teaspoon each: ground allspice and ground ginger AND 1/4 teaspoon each: ground nutmeg and ground cloves. This is in addition to the 1 teaspoon of cinnamon in the recipe—you will still add that.
- Blotting Pumpkin: Using a paper towel or clean kitchen towel, lightly blot the pumpkin puree to remove some of the moisture before using in the recipe. The more moisture removed, the less moist and muffin-like the scones will taste. We want the scones to be flaky and crumbly, not super moist or muffin-like. I prefer to squeeze lots of moisture out so the scones taste textured and delicious. Do what you prefer!
I will add a little more spice and a little more pumpkin next time. But i was very impressed with these. the texture was perfect and they were very tasty. I opted for the browned butter icing. I never make review because im super picky. But these are the pumpkin scones ive ever had.
Hi Sally! LOVED this recipe. Came out great. Question: we are big pumpkin heads in our house and love a really bold pumpkin flavor. I often bake recipes that have a hint of the taste/spice but not super bold. I tasted pumpkin upfront in this recipe but not as much as we would like. Any tips on bringing out that flavor more? More purée, heavier spice? Thanks!
Hi Nicole, You can definitely increase the spices without making any other changes. The more pumpkin you add, the more moist and muffin-like the scones will become. You can certainly try adding more if you wish, just be sure to blot the moisture out of the pumpkin (see recipe notes!) and expect a slightly different texture.
I am not pumpkin person – pumpkin spice coffees, pumpkin pie – BLECH. But I get most people go crazy for it, so I made a test batch for a fundraiser I have coming up – AND HOLY MOMMA, YOU MAY HAVE MADE ME A CONVERT. These bad boys are just the right amount of pumpkiney, spicy fall goodness – so delicious! I didn’t do the glaze for my testers, but I can’t wait to try them again, all dressed up!
I might have to rethink my whole stance on pumpkin products.
This is exactly how I felt about pumpkin and last fall these scones changed my mind as well! So I also tried Sally’s pumpkin cupcakes …also yummm!! (Still can’t do pie though lol)
Just made as written, and these are DELICIOUS!!! Just coming back and seeing the pics, and mine looked a lot “softer” while I was shaoing them, but they cand out great. They smell & taste delicious!
Question about the buttermilk– I don’t have any heavy cream or buttermilk at my house. Would this still work if I just made a homemade buttermilk (vinegar + almond milk)?
Hi Maria! You can use regular almond milk, but the thinner the liquid, the more likely the scones will over-spread. Grab some heavy cream if you can!
Just made these for the first time. I followed your recipe very closely. They are amazing! I will be making it again. Love your recipes.
Can pumpkin pie mix be substituted for the pumpkin purée? Can’t get a can of pumpkin around here!
Same question as above re Pumpkin pie mix if no pumpkin puree.
Hi Brittany and Jane, We don’t recommend it. Pumpkin pie filling not only is filled with spices and sugar, its consistency is completely different. If you are interested in making your own, some readers have reported making fresh pumpkin puree this way: https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/pumpkin-puree-recipe-1922629
Do you have a recommendation for dairy free option? What would be best substitute for the heavy cream?
Hi Jonica, You can use any non dairy milk. The lower the fat, the less “rich” the baked good will taste. I recommend full fat canned coconut milk (unsweetened) if you like a slight coconut flavor.
Can homemade pumpkin puree be used for this recipe?
Is the pumpkin 1/2 cup measure before or after blotting?
I measure it, then blot out as much moisture as I can.
This was a delicious recipe. I left the glaze off as it is a personal preference, and substituted half the flour with spelt (to make them a healthier) and they turned out perfectly! Perfect addition to my fall baking repitoire.
So, so good!! My guy loves them too! I blotted the pumpkin a lot, plus used a sieve and still came out just a wee bit more muffin-y than biscuit-y, but don’t care. They were still delicate and delicious (I say as I lick the plate and reach for my second warm scone…).
These scones were gone in less than 24 hours. I made them for a friend who is cutting dairy—besides butter, since it’s low lactose—so I used Silk dairy free heavy whipping cream in place of the regular cream. They may have lacked a sort of flaky flair because of that, but not enough to make a huge difference. These puppies were drenched in icing, and it was perfect. They were delicious!
I just made these scones and they turned out great! I completely forgot to add the brown sugar but they still taste amazing. I have a bunch of the glaze left over though so I’m going to make another batch tomorrow with the sugar
Just made these and we love em! I used buttermilk powder in place of the cream and they turned out great! I added the powder to the dry mix, and added 1/3 cup water to the wet mix, as the directions on the buttermilk powder carton recommended. Perfect for Labor Day weekend, as we’re getting into the Halloween/autumn mood over here.
Hi sally I wanted to make 3 batches (24) of these scones. So can I triple each of the ingredients? Will it work?
Hi Dhivya, For the absolute best results and texture we recommend making one batch at a time.
These are DELICIOUS! I would take these over scones I’ve had from a bakery! Question—Do baked scones freeze well or not so much?
Thanks!
I halved this recipe and made 8 mini scones, and they turned out good! This particular recipe did provide me with a more “cake-like” scone – not sure if that’s just the recipe or very well could have been something on my part. For next time, I would try to make them a bit more pumpkin-y or add some more flavor to it – but that’s personal preference! 🙂
AMAZING it’s spring right now, not fall, but these are amazing. The glaze is so tasty too.
Hi! Can I substitute heavy cream with whipping cream? I can’t find heavy cream…
Sure can! Same amount.
I love the less biscuity-ness of this scone! I doubled the recipe and it still came out great, baked both sheets at once for the full 25 minutes, came out perfect. I’ll try salted butter and buttermilk next time to see if I notice a difference. They are delicious as written.
I needed a recipe to use up the last of some canned pumpkin that I opened last week. This worked beautifully. I did skip the icing and I didn’t miss it. I heartily approve of grating the frozen butter; the scones were flaky and flavorful. I also added raisins and didn’t have heavy cream so I just used whole milk. The results were terrific. I also eliminated a teaspoon of the spices. I know, I have difficulty following the rules, but the great thing is that with all these adjustments, I still had a delicious scone thanks to you!
Moist and delicious. Don’t skip the icing!
So easy & so good! Followed exactly. Except I browned the butter for the icing. The whole family loved them!
Delicious! I only had half and half while sheltering-in-place, but still great (I don’t know enough about baking to know how it might be different with heavy cream). I wish I had added nuts! That would be great. And maybe upping the spice with more nutmeg (my favorite thing to up my recipes with!). I only made half the amount of glaze and still had a good bit left over. If I’d used it all I think it would coat the entire scones. As there’s still plenty of pumpkin in the can, I’m sure I’ll make these again soon!
I have been making so many of your recipes during quarantine and this was what I decided to bake this morning. They are absolutely delicious! I added the turbinado sugar before baking the scones and then decided to make a basic cinnamon glaze (because I do not have maple syrup right now… sigh, grocery shopping is tricky right now). Turns out the cinnamon glaze was a delicious addition! The scones came out crispy on the tops and cake-y in the middle. Perfect. Your recipes continue to make quarantine a more bearable experience. Thank you, Sally!
Can I make the dough the night before and leave in the fridge until I bake the next day? Will it change taste or texture? Thanks!
Hi Angela, You can refrigerate the dough overnight before baking but they might not rise quite as much.
I wonder if putting the pumpkin in a paper coffee filter inside of a sieve and letting it sit over a bowl in the refrigerator would work to remove enough moisture. What do you think?
Should work like a charm!
Fantastic recipe! I never have buttermilk on hand but I used whole milk in the recipe instead and it still turned out fabulously. Thanks for this, Sally!
So i totally freaked when I realized I had put these in the oven but forgotten to add the egg. Lucky for me I guess that they really didn’t need it – delish and that glaze is heavenly!