These blissful, moist Pumpkin Scones are lightly crispy on the outside, perfectly soft and fluffy on the inside, and richly spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg. The best cozy sweet treat for pumpkin lovers!
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Homemade pumpkin scones are the way to go!
Splurging for a special breakfast treat at your favorite coffee shop only to be met with something cakey and bland will seriously damper your day.
And that’s why I turn to this pleasing, perfect homemade pumpkin scone recipe instead.
- Since one of the joys of a coffee shop is convenience, I’m happy to report that these scones can be stored in your freezer, unbaked, all season long. (Though I will not lie—it’s hard to wait!)
- I’m a firm believer that any baked good sporting the word “pumpkin” in its title must be packed with the max amount of pumpkin possible. Every tender bite of these tasty scones pops with pumpkin flavor!
- The pumpkin also makes the scones incredibly moist, a perfect contrast to the crunchy toasted pecans that are first baked inside, then sprinkled over the top.
5 Star Review
“I just made these scones, and yes, they are gorgeous, but even more importantly, they are DELICIOUS!!”
— Mary —
Tip!
For the very best moist, tender scones that you can adapt to any season, check out my favorite Fruit and Honey Scones in The Well Plated Cookbook.
Key Ingredients
You’ll find the full list of ingredients in the recipe card below, but here are some notes to keep in mind.
- Flour. I used white whole wheat flour to bump the nutrition while ensuring the scones were still light and fluffy.
- COLD Butter. For the perfect scone texture, it is essential that you use cold butter.
- Pumpkin. While fairly bland on its own, pumpkin becomes a flavor superstar when combined with the warm spices and sweet maple syrup in this recipe.
- Spices. Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice give these scones the warm, cozy pizzazz they need.
- Pecans. Crunchy toasted pecans are a delightful, nutty addition to the scone itself and sprinkled over the top.
- Maple Syrup. These scones are naturally sweetened with real maple syrup. It pairs wonderfully with the pumpkin.
- Maple Flavoring. An optional addition, but I highly recommend it for an extra boost.
- Maple Glaze. Sweet, finger-licking mapley goodness! It truly elevates these healthy pumpkin scones.
How to Make Pumpkin Scones
Freeze the Butter and Mix the Dry Ingredients (photo 1). Cut the butter and place it in the freezer to chill. Then, whisk the dry ingredients together, then add the butter.
Add Some Crunch (photo 2). Stir in part of the pecans.
Make the Wet Mixture (photo 3). Whisk the wet ingredients together.
Finish the Dough (photo 4). Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.
Form the Scones (photo 5). Divide the dough in half, pat each half into a circle, cut the circles into wedges, and pull the wedges apart. Freeze the scones on a baking sheet for 30 minutes.
Bake and Glaze (photo 6). Brush the scones with milk, then bake at 425 degrees F for 18 to 21 minutes. While they bake, prepare the glaze. Drizzle the glaze over the scones and add pecans. ENJOY!
Meal Prep Tip
Unbaked, frozen scones can be wrapped and stored in a ziptop bag for up to 3 months. Bake directly from frozen, adding just a few minutes to the bake time (do not brush with milk until right before you are ready to bake).
Pumpkin Scones
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Ingredients
FOR THE PUMPKIN SCONES:
- ½ cup cold unsalted butter (1 stick)
- 2 ¾ cups white whole wheat flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder*
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg freshly grated if possible
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 cup toasted pecan halves chopped, divided
- ⅔ cup canned pumpkin
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon maple extract optional but delicious
- 2 large eggs
- 1-2 tablespoons milk for brushing the scones
FOR THE MAPLE GLAZE:
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon maple extract or pure vanilla extract
- 2-3 teaspoons milk or cream
Instructions
- Cut the butter into small pieces (or for even easier incorporation, grate it with a box grater), then place it in the freezer while you prepare the other ingredients.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the white whole wheat flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice. Add the butter, then work it in with your fingers or a pastry blender, just until the mixture is crumbly. Some pieces will be the size of pebbles, others can be as large as your thumbnail. Leave some large and do not overwork.
- Stir 1/2 cup of the chopped pecans into the batter, saving the rest to sprinkle over the top.
- In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, maple syrup, maple flavoring, and eggs until smooth.
- Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, then add the wet ingredients all at once. Stir into the dry ingredients until a soft, moist dough forms.
- Divide the dough in half, then turn one half onto a lightly floured work surface. Pat the dough into a 5-inch circle that is about 3/4-inch thick, then with a knife or bench scraper, cut the dough into 6 wedges. Gently pull the wedges away from each other to separate them a little, leaving about 1/2-inch of space between the scones at their outer edges. Repeat with the second half of the dough.
- Place the baking sheet in your freezer for 30 minutes. This will help the scones set, give them a better rise and texture.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Once the scones have chilled, remove them from the freezer and brush with the milk.
- Bake the scones for 18 to 21 minutes, until they are light golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. (The scones will need longer to bake the closer they are placed together, shorter if they are spread out and not touching.) The edges of the scones when pulled away from one another should appear dry and baked through and not feel wet or doughy.
- While the scones bake, prepare the glaze: Whisk together the powdered sugar, maple syrup, maple or vanilla extract, and 2 teaspoons milk. Add additional milk 1 teaspoon at a time as needed to make a pourable glaze. Drizzle over the warm scones, then top with the remaining chopped pecans. Enjoy immediately.
Notes
- *I recommend aluminum free baking powder for this recipe (and all baking), as baking powder with aluminum can sometimes leave a metallic taste, especially when a large amount of baking powder is used.
- TO STORE: Wrap any leftover scones, then place them in an airtight container, and store at room temperature for up to 2 days.
- TO REHEAT: Reheat very briefly in the microwave or enjoy room temperature.
- TO FREEZE: Freeze baked scones in an airtight freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Thaw and enjoy as desired.
Omg, these look incredible!
These look amazing, Erin! I’m so happy that it’s time for fall baking! And I think your blog totally counts as a journal – so I think you’re doing just fine in that department. XO
I’m so with you on journaling. My mind moves so fast and my pen so slow, I could never get into it. * :)
Oh my gosh these look A-Ma-Zing! I want all of them!!
I think we can all agree that these maple pumpkin scones are *definitely* a legit contribution to society. They look fantastic and absolutely perfect for fall! I kept a journal for years, but it’s hard to find time to write when things get busy. I’m really big on family and personal histories, and it’s nice to be able to look back and remember what I was thinking or feeling at earlier points in time (esp. those teenage angst-y years!). Your post reminded me that I’ve been wanting to get back into writing in a journal, so thank you for that!
I struggle with journaling. I want to write all things but have the attention span of a two year-old. Sigh. Thus may be the reason why I blog! Now, pass me a dozen of these gorgeous scones!
There aren’t many things that make my heart go pitter-patter than a scone, and these babies are no exception…So much fall love happening over here!
Incredible. I’m smitten with these scones!
I’ve never made scones before so this may be a dumb question, but can I cook them after they’ve been completely frozen (like I make them the night before and cook them up in the morning)? My kids would love these for breakfast but it would make for a crazy morning trying to get them made before school. Just curious!
Marci, not a dumb question at all! Did you see the part about freezing the scones unbaked, then baking them fresh in the recipe notes? Let me know if you have any questions once you’ve had a chance to take a look at it.
I am all over these delicious scones! They look WONDERFUL! Pinned!
Journaling is awesome- I think it goes downhill when you set rules for yourself about having to do it every day and stuff like that. Either way, fun activity :) Love these maple pumpkin treats- so yum!
You can be of few words when your pictures speak so eloquently, Erin! These are special, and I know I’m making them ASAP!
I was a devout journaler as a teenager but fell off the wagon when my college social life took over. In the past year I’ve tried keeping a one line a day journal and it’s a whole lot easier, and fun to look back and put an event to a date.
I love that idea Heidi! I think I sometimes get too intimidated, because I feel like I need to write a piece of literature before bed. This sounds both fun and achievable. Thanks :)
I can’t resist a good scone! These look incredible!
oh my goodness these look so pillowy and delicious! you can never go wrong with pumpkin!
Gorgeous scones Erin!! Perfect way to celebrate Fall!
Hi Erin,
recipe calls for white whole wheat flour. I can’t find it, would it work with just white flour or just whole wheat flour?
Hi Wanda! Honestly, you can use either. If you’d like to keep the scones whole grain, you can use regular whole wheat, though the wheat flavor will be more pronounced and they will be a little heartier in texture. Another option if you have both on hand is to do half white flour and half wheat flour. That way, you will get the best of both worlds!
These look incredibly delicious, and I love that you added maple extract. So perfect for fall!
I made these tonight and brought them along to a meeting. They were a big hit! I was a bit concerned because the dough was a lot more wet than any other scone recipe I’ve made, but they turned out perfectly! I think it helped to put them in the freezer to firm up while the oven was heating. I love that they are sweetened with maple syrup. Thanks for the great recipe!
Swiens, thank YOU for leaving this lovely review. I’m so happy to hear how much you all enjoyed them.
ok what am I missing? it says divide the dough in half and turn one half of the dough to a floured work surface…what about the other half…sorry, just can’t comprehend that…thanks!
Hi Linda! It is easiest to shape the scones if you work with one half of the dough at a time. Once you have the first six, you then repeat the steps with the second half. Let me know if you still have any questions!
I don’t see where the 1-2 T milk are brushed on the scones. Just before baking?
Exactly Jandi! Sorry for any confusion.
Thank you! Have a great Thanksgiving!
I just made these scones and yes, they are gorgeous but even more importantly they are DELICIOUS!! I was nervous that they wouldn’t be sweet enough but the maple glaze added the perfect amount of sweetness! Scones aren’t supposed to be too sweet and these were exactly right.
Just wondering how many calories are in one scone…I’m including them in my 1,400 calories diet. Haha!
Hi Mary! I’ve added nutritional info to all my recipes starting January 2016, but unfortunately am not able to go back and add it to my earlier ones, due to time constraints. The good news is, you can calc it yourself for free by plugging in the recipe link at myfitnesspal.com. I hope that will be a helpful resource for you! I’m so happy you liked the scones.
I have made this twice. Once per recipe and it turned out great! The second with King Arthur’s All Purpose Gluten Free Flour. The GF version came out a little more crumbley & little drier than the regular version, but was totally great. I’m thinking I might add a little more pumpkin next time…or maybe one more egg. I loved this recipe!
Deb, thanks so much for sharing your review and reporting back how it went with the GF flour! I’m glad to hear you enjoyed the scones!
Erin, can you please post the Nutritionals for the pumpkin scones??!!
Thank you !
Hi Laurel! While I have calorie counts on my recipes starting in 2016, unfortunately I’m not able to go back and add them to older recipes. You can calc the nutrition for free if you like at myfitnesspal.com.
Just saw this on pinterest. Super excited for fall. Adding these to my September breakfast must make list! I love the idea of making half a batch for that morning and saving the rest for the freezer for a easier morning later on – plus I won’t eat a whole batch that way? I hope. lol. Maple anything and I am there.
Stephanie, I hope these hit the spot for you! So glad you found them!
These look so good. Ready to make as I mentally prepare for fall. Don’t think the weathers here in VA is with me. How about the calorie count for these?
Hi Christine! Nutritional information is something I started adding to recipes in January 2016. Unfortunately, it’s a time-consuming process, so I’m unable to go back to all my past recipes to add it. The good news is that you can calculate the calories for free at MyFitnessPal (there are other similar sites too). I hope that can be a helpful resource for you!
These are so easy to make and so moist! One of our favorite fall breakfasts.
Hi Melissa! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Question on the pumpkin scones. Is there a difference in maple flavoring and maple extract? Thanks!
Hi Deb! Doing a quick search online it looks like there is a difference. Here is a nice article that explains the difference way better than I could! Hope this helps! https://www.missbuttercup.com/maple-flavoring-vs-maple-extract/
WOW!!! I made these this morning and my husband said that we couldn’t have bought better at the bakery! We were very pleased with these yummy scones. I will be making them again and again.
Hi Cat! That makes me so happy to hear! Thank you for your kind review!
I used regular whole wheat instead of white, as that was what I had on hand. Because I live in CO, every scone recipe I’ve tried never has enough moisture. I added an extra T of water, as half of the dry mix wasn’t mixing in. These are still very dry. I like the concept of these scones, but will have to modify next time.
Hi Cindy! The whole wheat flour absorbs more liquid so this is where you might run into problems and although they are interchangeable, most of the time, it will result in a different texture.
I am going gluten free, will try this recipe with gluten free flour, any suggestions? So they are not dry and crumbly, add some garlic gum maybe? I will elf you know. Looking for gluten feared and dairy free recipes. Both are hard on my RA and trying to get my inflammation down.
Hi Ivy! I’ve only tested the recipe as written but you might try using a 1:1 gluten free flour. If you decide to experiment, let me know how it goes!
Hi Erin – thank you so much for sharing your wonderful recipes. I got the blueberry muffin recipe, you have many other so yummy recipes unfortunately I cannot have the wheat ingredient in some of them. I give 5 stars for this muffin recipe.
Thanks Raquel!
Wonderful!
I made a double batch and my husband gobbled one down as soon as the icing was set. I didn’t have pecans so used walnuts instead. He says the recipe is a keeper and is now one of his favorites. Glad I make extras!
Perfect!
The pumpkin flavor in these is subtle but noticeable, which I appreciated. It doesn’t overpower the scone itself. They held together well and didn’t crumble too much while eating. My kids usually prefer muffins, but they really liked these. I’ll definitely make these again
So glad to hear, Miranda! Thank you!
I usually find scones a bit dry, but these surprised me in a good way. The pumpkin keeps them moist, and the spices give just enough warmth without tasting like straight pumpkin pie. They’re filling but not too rich. I enjoyed it so much. Thank you!
So glad to hear, Ericka! Thank you!
I made these on a weekend morning with my kids helping mix and shape the dough. They loved sprinkling the tops and watching them bake. The scones came out soft and flavorful, not dry at all. We ate them warm and saved the rest for snacks the next day!
Yay! So glad to hear, Deborah! Thank you!