Pumpkin Spice Scones

Name: Pumpkin Spice Scones
Prep time: 18 min
Cook time: 16 min
Total time: 34 min
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour; 1/3 cup granulated sugar; 1 tablespoon baking powder; 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 12 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes; 1/2 cup pumpkin, blotted of excess moisture; 1/4 cup Greek yogurt; 1/4 cup pure maple syrup; 2 tablespoons buttermilk; 1 large egg; 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract; heavy cream for brushing; 1/2 cup powdered sugar; 1 tablespoon heavy cream; 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon; 1 tablespoon brown sugar; 1 tablespoon pumpkin puree (for glaze); 1/2 teaspoon maple syrup; 1 teaspoon milk

By Emma

Certified Culinary Professional

Published on 01 February 2026 • Recipe tested & approved

Butter cut into flour till pea-sized crumbs. Pumpkin moisture blotted for balanced wetness. Sour cream swapped with Greek yogurt, maple syrup replaces brown sugar. Dough gently folded, not overworked, chilled before baking. Cream tops brushed pre-bake; double glazes drizzled — powdered sugar vanilla base plus pumpkin drizzle. Cinnamon sugar finish for crunch. Baking cues include light browning and firm edges; smells of spice and warm pumpkin signal readiness. Chilly dough keeps scones tender, prevents spread. Store covered in fridge up to 3 days; fresh best. Texture flaky with moist crumb, not wet or dense. The pumpkin spice twist wakes fall mornings. Slightly less sugar, subtle tang from yogurt cuts sweetness, replaces sour cream richness.

Prep: 18 min

Cook: 16 min

Total: 34 min

Servings: 8 servings

#fall baking #pumpkin recipes #breakfast scones #baking tips #seasonal desserts

Scone dough should never be a sticky mess, yet it must hug itself without dryness. I’ve learned to trust feel over clock here. The pumpkin’s moisture–a bit tricky–comes out but flavor stays. Tried sour cream, then Greek yogurt–yogurt lends surprise tang, less fat but keeps richness. Replaced brown sugar with maple syrup; less grainy, deeper flavor, subtle bite that cuts sweetness. The flour and butter lumps are crucial: those butter nuggets create crusty flakiness. Never skip chilling; warmth ruins rise, butter melts prematurely, flattening scones. The double glaze? Brings sweetness and pumpkin punch. Cinnamon sugar on top? Tiny touch that pops. Bake until golden with a slight wobble center, smells liven your kitchen, tell you when time’s up. Messing with times by ±5 mins based on oven quirks; eye and nose your best tools here.

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
1/2 cup pumpkin, blotted of excess moisture
1/4 cup Greek yogurt
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons buttermilk
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
heavy cream for brushing
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon pumpkin puree (for glaze)
1/2 teaspoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon milk

About the ingredients

Butter temperature is pivotal. Take it straight from fridge, cube small, chill after cutting if weather warm. Blot pumpkin carefully–don’t rinse or strain; paper towels only, preserve pulp and flavor. Greek yogurt replaces sour cream for tanginess and firmer crumb, but sour cream works fine too. Maple syrup in liquid mix smooths sweet with faint smoky notes; use brown sugar if unavailable, but dial down quantity a bit. Flour measurement by spoon and level avoids dense scones, better than scooping directly from bag. Baking powder freshness matters; old powder yields flat, heavy scones. Pumpkin pie spice is blend-me-up or straight from bottle. Vanilla pull enhances depth; never skip.

Method

Set oven rack middle-lower. Prep baking sheet with parchment or silicone mat; no sticking, easy cleanup.
Whisk dry: flour, sugar, baking powder, pumpkin spice, salt. If using fresh spices, toast lightly first for deeper aroma.
Butter in flour: use a pastry blender or two forks. Aim for pea-sized lumps, not fully incorporated. Butter chunks make flaky layers. Chill butter before—no melty butter here.
Blot pumpkin to remove watery excess. Press between towels; sopping pumpkin = soggy scones. Measure 1/2 cup after blotting, not before.
Wet mix in bowl: Greek yogurt swapped for sour cream, maple syrup replaces brown sugar. Add pumpkin puree, buttermilk, egg, vanilla. Whisk till no large lumps. Sweetness less intense, tangier bite.
Dump wet into dry. Fold gently with a rubber spatula until dough starts to come together. It’s shaggy, bits of flour still visible — don’t overmix or tough scones.
Flour counter lightly, turn dough out. Fold dough 3-4 times; gentle knead just to form ball. Sticky is fine but control with flour, no over-flouring or dry crumb.
Pat into approx 8” circle, about 1” thick. Use bench scraper or sharp knife to cut into 8 triangles. Flouring blade helps if sticky.
Arrange scones spaced on sheet. Freeze for 10-20 minutes. Faster chill firms butter again, prevents spread; also bakes up flakier.
Oven preheated to 400°F (205°C) during chilling. Brush tops with cream just before baking. This browns crust vibrantly, adds shine.
Bake until tops turn golden brown; edges firm but not hard, about 13-17 minutes. Check scones visually, gently tap edges for firmness. Aroma should smell warm spice, butter, baked pumpkin.
Cool on rack completely before glazing. Warm scones melt glaze messily.
White glaze: whisk powdered sugar, cream, vanilla until thick yet spreadable, not runny. Slather over scones, let set 15-20 minutes at room temp.
Pumpkin drizzle: combine pumpkin puree, maple syrup, milk till smooth. Use ziplock bag tip to drizzle zigzag. Set glaze again.
Sprinkle cinnamon sugar mix atop for subtle crunch and finish. Scones best eaten same day; refrigeration 2-3 days with wrap keeps freshness. Reheat gently; avoid microwave to preserve texture.

Cooking tips

The dry mix first to evenly distribute leavening and spices. Cut butter fast but carefully–too warm, it melts, ruins texture. When mixing wet to dry, fold loosely; a few floury patches don’t hurt. Overworking dough makes dense scones; gentle folding and just enough kneading to hold shape only. Stick to a measured circle dimension, keeps pieces uniform and baking consistent. Chill time sets butter back up, resulting in fluff and rise, don’t skim on this. Oven preheat critical for a hot start; otherwise scones spread too much. Brush cream last moment before oven for glossy top crust. Watch baking by color and feel–edges firm, top golden with hints of brown, not dark. Cooling is rest for crumb to finish; glaze won’t stick to hot scones, drip mess. Layering glazes gives textural contrast and flavor bursts. Store wrapped airtight in fridge; bring to room temp or warm to regain softness.

Chef's notes

💡 Butter temp crucial. Cube cold, small bits to avoid melty mess. Overworking warms butter too fast. Chill dough after cutting; scones spread without firm butter chunks. Chill 10-20 min before baking to lock cold buttery pockets; flaky layers come from that. Temperature affects crumb so much.
💡 Fold wet into dry gently. Dough should look shaggy not smooth. A few flour patches okay. Overmix means tough scones. Knead lightly 3-4 folds on floured surface to bring dough together; sticky is normal but avoid flour-bombing or dry crumb. Use bench scraper or sharp knife for clean triangle cuts.
💡 Blot pumpkin like pros. Soggy pumpkin kills rise; press between towels well. Measure after blotting only. Moisture balance controls scone texture inside. Too wet equals dense, flat scones; too dry misses pumpkin flavor. Use fresh spices, toast if possible for punch. Vanilla and pumpkin pie spice add depth.
💡 Oven at 400°F set early, preheat fully before baking. Brush tops with cream last second; adds crust shine, caramelizes sugars. Watch color closely—tops golden with amber hints, edges firm but not hardened. Aroma rich spice, warming pumpkin clues scones are ready. Tap edges gently to check firmness without breaking crust.
💡 Double glaze layering boosts flavor and texture contrast. White glaze thick but spreadable; powder sugar plus vanilla creamy. Pumpkin drizzle smooth, poured with control using a bag tip. Let each set before next. Finish with cinnamon sugar for crunch. Store wrapped fridge max 3 days; rewarm gently, avoid microwave to keep crumb flaky.

Common questions

Can I use sour cream instead of Greek yogurt?

Yes, works well too. Yogurt gives more tang and firmer crumb but sour cream keeps richness. Results subtle difference; both good. Adjust moisture if needed. Either swap doesn’t ruin scone.

Why did my scones spread too much?

Butter probably warm or dough skipped chill. Butter melted early means flat scones. Handle butter cold, cube small, chill dough 10-20 min before baking. Oven needs to be fully preheated hot. Extra chill time firms butter so scones hold shape.

How to fix dry or dense scones?

Don’t overmix dough; fold gently. Measure flour by spoon and level to avoid dense crumb. Too much flour or over-kneading tightens dough. Check pumpkin moisture properly blotted. Less flour, careful mixing, these key points help crisp-up crumb better.

How long do scones last stored?

Wrapped airtight in fridge up to 3 days. Rewarm room temp or oven with low heat for softness. Avoid microwave; kills crisp edges, makes crumb gummy. Freeze raw dough after cutting for 1 month; bake directly from freezer with extra few mins added.