Pumpkin Scones: super flaky and perfectly spiced; these scones are your new favorite fall treat in under 30 minutes. Cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger flavor the dough, and a simple drizzled icing finishes them perfectly. Autumn is in the air!
I love a warm scone with my morning coffee — it completes breakfast and makes brunch feel special. These pumpkin scones are quick to make and bring all the cozy fall flavors in a tender, flaky package.
I have a few signature scone recipes; one of them is Cranberry Scones. The main difference between that recipe and these pumpkin scones is the dairy—sour cream versus heavy cream—and, of course, the mix-ins and spices.
Good scones are all about contrast: crisp, crumbly edges and a moist, flaky interior. To achieve that texture, avoid overworking the dough and keep all liquid ingredients cold straight from the refrigerator.
This dough is not overly sweet; the icing on top provides just the right amount of sweetness without overpowering the pumpkin spice.
When September arrives I start to feel the shift to autumn — the leaves change, the air turns crisp, and the urge to bake comforting treats sets in. These scones capture that seasonal mood with warm spices and buttery richness.
What are Scones?
Scones are a British-style quick bread, usually leavened with baking powder (and sometimes baking soda). They are similar to biscuits but tend to be slightly sweeter and denser, loaded with butter for richness. Scones can be sweet or savory and are perfect with coffee or tea.
The Best Pumpkin Scones Recipe:
- Super quick and simple
- Not overly sweet
- Moist and flaky inside, crisp outside
- Pumpkin-spiced
- Buttery
- Topped with a simple 2-ingredient icing
Pumpkin Scones Ingredients:
- All-purpose flour
- Granulated sugar
- Brown sugar
- Baking powder
- Fine salt
- Baking soda
- Fall spices: ground cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger
- Unsalted butter (refrigerated)
- Canned pumpkin puree (cold)
- Heavy cream (cold)
- Large egg (cold)
- Vanilla extract
Icing Ingredients:
- 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 1/2 tablespoons milk (2% or whole)
Cold Ingredients are a Must
Keeping scone dough cold is essential. Cold butter, cream, pumpkin puree and egg help prevent over-spreading in the oven and encourage flakiness. Refrigerated butter is the most reliable choice — it needs only to be worked into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. As the butter melts during baking, it creates steam pockets that yield a tender, flaky interior and crisp edges.
Success Tips for Pumpkin Scones
- Sift the flour. Sifting lightens the flour and helps the dry ingredients blend evenly.
- Use refrigerated butter. Cold butter creates crumbs that bake into flaky layers.
- Grate the butter. Grating yields small, even pieces of butter that mix easily into the flour.
- Use cold heavy cream. It helps the dough stay chilled and flaky. You may substitute sour cream in other recipes, but stick with cream here for best texture.
- Do not overmix. Mix only until the dough comes together. Overworking produces tough scones instead of crumbly, tender ones.
How to Make Pumpkin Scones
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
1. Combine dry ingredients. In a medium bowl whisk together: 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp fine salt, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 tsp cloves and 1/4 tsp ginger.
2. Grate in cold butter. Grate 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted cold butter into the flour mixture and work it in with a fork until it resembles coarse meal.
3. Whisk wet ingredients. In a small bowl, whisk 1/3 cup pumpkin puree, 1/4 cup heavy cream, 1 large egg and 1/2 tsp vanilla extract.
4. Combine wet and dry. Add the liquids to the dry mixture and stir with a fork just until the dough begins to come together.
5. Form and cut. Press the dough together with your hands into a ball. Transfer to a lightly floured surface and pat into a 7–8-inch circle about 3/4-inch thick. Cut into 8 wedges.
6. Transfer to baking sheet. Use a pastry scraper to move the wedges to the prepared sheet, spacing them 1–2 inches apart.
7. Bake 15–18 minutes until golden brown (I bake them about 15 minutes). Transfer to a cooling rack to cool slightly while you make the icing.
Add Icing to Pumpkin Scones
A simple glaze of powdered sugar and milk elevates these scones. Whisk 1 cup sifted powdered sugar with 1 1/2 tablespoons milk until smooth. Transfer the glaze to a small bag, snip a tiny corner, and drizzle over scones while they are warm but not hot so the icing sets without sliding off.
Each bite delivers a crumbly edge, a flaky, pumpkin-spiced center, and a touch of sweet icing.
Note: You can replace the individual spices with 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice if you prefer.
Serve warm with coffee or tea. Store scones at room temperature covered with plastic wrap. To refresh the next morning, microwave for 15–20 seconds for that just-baked feel.
Love Pumpkin Recipes? Explore More:
- Pumpkin Knots — slightly sweet and fluffy breakfast or brunch treat
- Roasted Pumpkin Seeds — simple to make with just pumpkin seeds
- Pumpkin Sheet Cake — moist cake with cream cheese frosting
- Iced Pumpkin Cookies — light and fluffy, perfect with tea
Pumpkin Scones Recipe
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Ingredients
Scones Ingredients:
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup light or dark brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 8 tablespoons (or 1 stick) unsalted butter – refrigerated
- 1/3 cup canned pumpkin puree – refrigerated
- 1/4 cup heavy cream – refrigerated
- 1 large egg – refrigerated
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Icing Ingredients:
- 1 cup powdered sugar – sifted
- 1 1/2 tablespoons 2% or whole milk
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
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Whisk together the dry ingredients: 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp fine salt, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 tsp cloves and 1/4 tsp ginger.
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Grate 1 stick (8 tbsp) cold unsalted butter into the dry mixture and work it in with a fork until it looks like coarse meal.
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In a small bowl whisk 1/3 cup pumpkin puree, 1/4 cup heavy cream, 1 egg and 1/2 tsp vanilla. Add to the dry ingredients and stir until the dough just comes together.
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Press the dough into a ball, then pat into a 7–8″ circle about 3/4″ thick. Cut into 8 wedges. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet.
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Bake 15–18 minutes until golden. Remove to a rack to cool slightly.
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To make the icing: Whisk 1 cup sifted powdered sugar with 1 1/2 tbsp milk until smooth. Transfer to a small bag and snip a tiny corner to drizzle.
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Drizzle glaze over warm (not hot) scones. Serve warm. Store at room temperature covered; reheat briefly to refresh.
Notes
- PUMPKIN PIE SPICE: Substitute 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice for the individual spices listed if desired.