These pumpkin spice scones are one of those cozy, quick bakes I always make during the fall season and around Christmas when I want something homemade but not fussy. They’re easy to throw together, perfect for weekends, holiday mornings, or sharing with family, and everyone in the house loves them. They’re especially good with a hot cup of gingerbread coffee or tea on a chilly day.
🛒 Ingredients
- All-purpose flour – This gives the scones structure. I stick with regular flour here, but a 1 to 1 gluten-free blend works pretty well if needed. Just don’t overwork the dough.
- Cold unsalted butter – Cold is key. This is what makes the scones flaky instead of cakey. If your kitchen is warm, pop the cubed butter in the freezer for a few minutes first.
- Pumpkin puree – Make sure it’s pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling. Homemade puree works too, just keep it thick, not watery.
- Pumpkin pie spice – This brings all the cozy fall flavor. If you’re out, a mix of cinnamon with a little nutmeg and ginger will do the job.
- Heavy cream – Adds richness and helps everything come together. Half-and-half works in a pinch, but the scones won’t be quite as tender.
- Vanilla extract – A little goes a long way, especially in the glaze. Real vanilla makes a difference here.
- If you like more pumpkin recipes, try pumpkin cranberry muffins, s'mores cookies or pumpkin pie cookies next.
👩🍳 You'll find the complete list of ingredients below the recipe card.
🥣 How To Make Pumpkin Scones Step-by-Step
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and 2 teaspoons of the pumpkin pie spice until well combined. Add the cold cubed butter and use a pastry blender or two forks to work it into the flour mixture until it looks like coarse crumbs.
- In a separate bowl, mix together the pumpkin puree, 6 tablespoons of heavy cream, the beaten egg, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Slowly add this mixture to the dry ingredients, stirring gently with a fork until just combined and a rough dough forms. If the dough feels dry, add an extra tablespoon of cream.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and gently knead just until it comes together. Shape it into a 1-inch thick circle and cut into 12 wedges. Arrange the wedges on the prepared baking sheet and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Once chilled, brush the tops of the scones with the remaining 1 tablespoon of heavy cream and sprinkle with the remaining ½ teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice. Bake for 25 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown. Let the scones cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then move them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- While the scones are cooling, make the glaze. In a medium bowl, whisk together the confectioners’ sugar, the remaining 6 tablespoons of heavy cream, and the remaining 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract until smooth. If the glaze is too thick, add more cream a little at a time.
- Drizzle the glaze over the cooled scones and let it set for about 10 minutes before serving.
👨🍳 Rita's Equipment
- Measuring cups - Accuracy matters with baking powder, spice, and cream here.
- Fork or Silicone spatula – Best for gently mixing the dough without overworking it.
- Mixing bowl set - A sturdy set is super helpful when you’re switching between wet and dry ingredients. Stainless steel bowls also chill the dough faster.
- Sheet pans - A standard rimmed sheet works perfectly.
- Parchment paper – Prevents sticking and keeps the bottoms from overbrowning.
- Pastry blender or two forks – Essential for cutting cold butter into the flour so the scones stay flaky.
- Whisk – Helps evenly combine dry ingredients and makes a smooth glaze.
- Bench scraper or sharp knife – Makes cutting clean, even scone wedges easy.
- Pastry brush – For brushing cream on top before baking.
- Wire cooling rack – Lets the scones cool properly before glazing.
Rita's Tip
Keep the butter cold and don’t overmix the dough.
Cold butter creates flaky layers, and stopping mixing as soon as the dough comes together keeps the scones tender instead of tough.
Chill the shaped scones before baking.
This helps them hold their shape, rise taller, and bake up fluffy instead of spreading flat.
📋 Tips
- Start with very cold butter and cream. Cold fat melts in the oven and creates flaky layers. If the butter feels soft, chill the dough for 10 minutes before shaping.
- Mix the dough just until it comes together. It should look a little rough and shaggy. Overmixing is the number one reason first-time scones turn out tough.
- If the dough feels dry or crumbly, add cream one tablespoon at a time. Pumpkin puree varies a lot, so trust how the dough feels more than the measurements.
- If the dough feels sticky, sprinkle a little flour on your hands and work surface instead of adding more to the bowl. Too much flour makes dry scones.
- Chill the cut scones before baking. This keeps them from spreading and helps them bake up taller and fluffier.
- Use a sharp knife or bench scraper and press straight down when cutting. Twisting the knife seals the edges and stops the scones from rising well.
- Brush the tops lightly with cream, not the sides. This helps them brown without gluing the layers together.
- Check for doneness by lifting one slightly. The bottoms should feel set and lightly golden, not soft.
- Let the scones cool completely before glazing or the glaze will melt and disappear instead of setting on top.
- If the flavor seems mild right out of the oven, don’t worry. Pumpkin spice gets stronger as the scones cool and rest for a bit.
Try Pumpkin Scones with Maple Glaze (so good!)
An easy maple glaze works beautifully with these scones. This glaze is nice and thick!
You'll Need
- 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 tablespoon butter, melted
- 1 to 3 tablespoons milk
- ¼ teaspoon maple extract
- Pinch of salt
How To Make It
In a small bowl, whisk the powdered sugar, melted butter, 1 tablespoon of milk, maple extract, and salt until smooth. Add more milk, about ¼ teaspoon at a time, until the glaze is thin enough to drizzle. Spoon the glaze over the scones, let it set for about 5 minutes, then enjoy.
Tips
• Use real maple syrup, not pancake syrup, for the best flavor.
• Start with less liquid and add slowly. Maple syrup thins glaze faster than vanilla.
• If the glaze gets too thin, whisk in a little more powdered sugar.
🍱 Storage Instructions
- 🍱To Store. Keep baked scones in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- 🥶Freezing. Freeze baked or unbaked scones in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Glaze after thawing.
- 👩🍳To Make Ahead. For make-ahead prep, shape and cut the scones, then freeze them unbaked. Bake straight from frozen, adding a few extra minutes.
- 🔥To Reheat. Reheat in a 300°F oven for a few minutes or microwave briefly until just warmed through.
More Easy Fall Dessert Recipes You'll Like
📖Recipe
Pumpkin Spice Scones with Vanilla Glaze
Quick and easy Pumpkin Spice Scones with vanilla glaze made from scratch. A cozy, healthier bakery-style treat that’s perfect for breakfast or brunch.
Ingredients
- 4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 4 tablespoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 to 2½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, divided
- 1¼ cups cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 1¾ cups pumpkin puree
- 7 tablespoons cold heavy cream, divided
- 6 tablespoons cold heavy cream, divided
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided
- 2 cups confectioners’ sugar, (powdered sugar)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and 2 teaspoons of the pumpkin pie spice until well combined. Add the cold cubed butter and use a pastry blender or two forks to work it into the flour mixture until it looks like coarse crumbs.4 cups all-purpose flour, ½ cup granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, 2 to 2½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, 1¼ cups cold unsalted butter, 4 tablespoons baking powder
- In a separate bowl, mix together the pumpkin puree, 6 tablespoons of heavy cream, the beaten egg, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Slowly add this mixture to the dry ingredients, stirring gently with a fork until just combined and a rough dough forms. If the dough feels dry, add an extra tablespoon of cream.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and gently knead just until it comes together. Shape it into a 1-inch thick circle and cut into 12 wedges. Arrange the wedges on the prepared baking sheet and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Once chilled, brush the tops of the scones with the 1 tablespoon of heavy cream and sprinkle with the remaining ½ teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice. Bake for 25 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown. Let the scones cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then move them to a wire rack to cool completely.7 tablespoons cold heavy cream
- While the scones are cooling, make the glaze. In a medium bowl, whisk together the confectioners’ sugar, the remaining 6 tablespoons of heavy cream, and the remaining 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract until smooth. If the glaze is too thick, add more cream a little at a time.2 cups confectioners’ sugar
- Drizzle the glaze over the cooled scones and let it set for about 10 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 509kcalCarbohydrates: 65gProtein: 6gFat: 26gSaturated Fat: 16gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 83mgSodium: 827mgPotassium: 150mgFiber: 2gSugar: 30gVitamin A: 6411IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 272mgIron: 3mg
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