Spiced Pumpkin Scones Recipe

When walking around town the other day, it hit us. The smell of fall just hit us. It’s some odd combination of falling leaves, pumpkins outside every door and quick whiffs of all those pumpkin spiced lattes as people walk by. You also start to notice store fronts changing colors – blouses and shirts on display look warmer and show off darker colors and patterns and grocery stores start displaying pumpkin puree for all those pumpkin recipes they know we all want to make. And, of course, you can buy Starbucks pumpkin scones! Yep, they’re good — heavily spiced, perfect with coffee and the prettiest orange color. Just perfect for when you’re all caught up with fall. Within days of biting into our first Starbucks pumpkin scones, we were determined to make our very own at home. We, of course, took a few liberties, but these pumpkin scones are pretty darn close.

How to Make Our Spiced Pumpkin Scones Recipe That Were Inspired by Starbucks Pumpkin Scones

The trick to making a great scone is cold butter — if it isn’t cold, you’re done before you even get started. See that photo below? See all those specks of yellow? That’s butter, cold butter.

To make these pumpkin scones, you first need to combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and a bunch of delicious fall spices. Then, you “cut” in some cold butter — we do this by hand with a pastry cutter, but you can use two knifes (takes a bit longer) or speed things up and use a food processor. Basically, you cut the butter into the flour just until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs or cornmeal. Then, add in pumpkin puree, an egg, vanilla and a little half and half to make a dough.

Pat the dough out into a rectangle, cut into triangles and you’re ready to bake!

After the pumpkin scones have baked, we add two glazes to them. Just because this is what we do, does not mean you need to follow suit — if you would prefer, use only one of the glazes or none at all. It’s completely up to you!

The first glaze we add is a simple sugar glaze – made from powdered sugar and half and half. Then, we make a similar glaze but add lots of spices and a little pumpkin puree. Not only does it look pretty, but it adds a little extra spice – something we really loved about the Starbucks pumpkin scones recipe.

Did you enjoy our Spiced Pumpkin Scones Recipe? If so, you may also enjoy these:

• Blackberry Scones Recipe from Inspired Taste
• Pumpkin Scones Recipe from Joy of Baking
• Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte Recipe from Inspired Taste
• Starbucks Pumpkin Scones from Iowa Girl Eats
• Eight Squash and Pumpkin Recipes from Inspired Taste
• Salted Caramels Recipe from Inspired Taste

5.0 from 10 reviews

Spiced Pumpkin Scones Recipe

 

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Prep time

25 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

45 mins

 

The inspiration for this pumpkin scones recipe was a popular treat from Starbucks! The ingredient list for these pumpkin scones is a little longer than you usually see on Inspired Taste. We really wanted these scones to be heavily spiced, which means we used lots of cinnamon, ginger, ground cloves and nutmeg both in the scones themselves as well as in a spiced glaze that we drizzle over the cooled scones.If you wanted to simplify this recipe a bit, the scones are delightful without both of the glazes – not too sweet and perfect warm with a little butter. One more thing, we call for molasses in this recipe – we felt it gave a nice backbone/foundation to the scones. If you do not have it on hand and prefer not to buy a whole bottle just for one tablespoon, the scones are delicious without it.

Created By: Joanne and Adam Gallagher

Serves: 16

Ingredients

FOR Pumpkin Scones:

• 2 cups (260 grams) all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup (70 grams) brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 cup (113 grams) cold unsalted butter (1 stick of butter)
• 1/2 cup (113 grams) pumpkin puree
• 1 tablespoon unsulphured molasses (we use Blackstrap Unsulphured Molasses)
• 3 tablespoons half and half
• 1 egg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla

FOR Simple Sugar Glaze

• 1 cup (125 grams) powdered sugar, sifted
• 1 to 2 tablespoons half and half

FOR Spiced Glaze

• 1 cup (125 grams) powdered sugar, sifted
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin puree
• 1/8 teaspoon cloves
• 1/8 nutmeg
• 1/8 ginger
• 1/4 cinnamon
• 1 to 2 tablespoons half and half

Method

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) then line a large baking sheet or two small baking sheets with parchment paper (you can also spray with non-stick cooking spray if you do not have parchment paper).
2. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and all the spices together (cinnamon, ginger, clove and nutmeg).
3. Then, cut the cold butter into small cubes (it is very important that the butter is cold for this). Add butter to flour mixture then use two knives or a pastry cutter to “cut” the butter into the flour mixture – this should take about 5 minutes by hand. By the end, the mixture should look like coarse cornmeal or crumbs.
4. (You could also use a food processor for this – if using, add flour mixture to bowl of a food processor then add the cold butter cubes. Pulse three to four times until the mixture looks like coarse cornmeal or crumbs).
5. Now, in another medium bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, molasses, half and half, vanilla extract and egg until blended.
6. Stir pumpkin mixture into flour and butter mixture with a spoon just until a soft dough forms.
7. Transfer the dough to a floured surface then knead it three to four times until it comes together.
8. Then, pat or use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a 10 inch by 7 inch rectangle. Use a knife or pizza cutter (pizza cutter works best) to cut the rectangle in half lengthwise then cut into 4 even pieces crosswise, making eight rectangles. Now, cut each rectangle into two triangles.
9. Transfer scones to the prepared baking sheet(s) then bake 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
10. Once scones have cooled, make the glazes. To make the simple sugar glaze, add sifted powdered sugar to a medium bowl then add one tablespoon of half and half. Stir then judge the consistency. If when you pick a spoon up and out of the glaze it slowly drizzles back into the glaze, it is fine. If it is too thick, add a little more half and half (a little goes a long way, here). If it is too thin, add a little more powdered sugar. Dip each cooled scone directly into the glaze then place glazed side up back onto the cooling rack.
11. Next, make the pumpkin spiced glaze. Combine sifted powdered sugar, pumpkin puree, spices (cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg), and then add one tablespoon of half and half. Stir and check consistency. Adjust the same way as you would the simple glaze. Use a spoon to drizzle a zig zag pattern across each scone.
12. Wait about 15 minutes until the glaze has set then enjoy!

3.1.09

About the Author

Joanne

I'm Joanne Gallagher and alongside my husband, Adam, I develop, test and share favorite recipes from our kitchen. I'm completely in love with food and you'll most likely find me covered in flour, chocolate or both.