Pumpkin Spice Scones with a cup of coffee is the delicious way to celebrate the fall season. This pumpkin scone recipe is easy to make, has a soft and flakey texture, and is topped with not one, but two sweet glazes.
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Every fall I look forward to pumpkin muffins, pumpkin scones, and the pumpkin cream cold brew returning to Starbucks.
There is something so good about enjoying those pumpkin treats on a crisp fall day. The problem with indulging in these treats too often is that it can get expensive. I love finding ways to save money by making them in my own kitchen.
Plus, then you don't have to wait for pumpkin season to arrive. You can enjoy making these pumpkin scones all year long.
Why You Will Love This Starbucks Copycat
Pumpkin spice scones are perfect for breakfast, brunch, or an afternoon snack. Serve them with a pumpkin latte, apple cider tea, or a hot buttered rum for a cozy treat this fall.
They are easy to make, have a soft, flakey texture, and are the perfect blend of fall flavors.
Plus, the glaze on top of each spiced pumpkin scone makes them look and taste just like the Starbucks pumpkin scones.
The best part is that you can save yourself time and money by making this copycat recipe at home.
Main Ingredient Notes
You can make this recipe for pumpkin scones in no time at all with ingredients that you probably already have. And you don't need any fancy kitchen equipment, so anyone can make them.
- Flour - We use all purpose flour in most of our recipes. Learn how to measure flour, so recipes turn out right every time.
- Brown Sugar - Sweetens the dough slightly and keeps the scones moist.
- Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice - This blend of spices gives the scones a delicious fall taste.
- Butter - To get the light and flakey texture make sure the butter is cold when you add it to the dry ingredients.
- Pumpkin Puree - Look for the can of pure pumpkin. The puree is not the same as pumpkin pie mix because the mix has added sugars and spices.
- Heavy Cream - Helps to form the dough and to add moisture to the texture.
- Glaze - A mixture of powdered sugar and heavy cream creates a light yet creamy glaze. Adding pumpkin pie spice to the same mixture is a fun way to give the scones a spice drizzle.
How to Make Pumpkin Scones
Homemade scones are actually quite easy to make. There is no need for a big mixer. In fact, all you need is a fork to pull the dough together in a mixing bowl.
Make the Dough
- Combine the dry ingredients. Mix it all together in a large bowl.
- Add the cold butter. Use a pastry blender (or fork) to cut the butter into the flour mixture. It should look like coarse crumbs with large chunks of butter throughout.
- Mix in the wet ingredients. Create a "well" in the center of the dry and pour in the cream, pumpkin, and vanilla. Gently pull it all together into a sticky dough using a fork.
- Chill the dough. Place the bowl of scone dough into the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes to chill the dough before touching it.
Bake the Scones
- Form the dough. Dump the dough onto a baking sheet lined with a Silpat or parchment paper. Press it into an 8 inch circle that is about 1 inch thick. Work quickly to avoid melting the butter.
- Chill the dough again. The heat from your hands will warm up the dough quickly and also melt the butter. It's best to chill it one more time before baking.
- Bake the scones. Place the tray in the oven and bake for about 25 minutes. Remove and let cool on the tray for 5 minutes; use a sharp knife to cut it into 8 wedges.
- Add the glaze. Stir together the powdered sugar and cream until smooth. Spread it on top of each scone with an offset spatula. Let set slightly.
- Make the spice glaze. Whisk together the sugar, spice, and cream until smooth. Spoon into a plastic baggie, cut one tip off, and drizzle over the tops of the scones.
BruCrew Tip: Do not skip the two different glazes! It's what makes these taste like the Starbucks pumpkin scone recipe.
Storage Recommendations
The glazed pumpkin scones will stay fresh for 2-3 days, if kept in a loosely sealed container at room temperature. Storing them in a tightly sealed container will make the glaze "disappear" into the scones.
They freeze well too. Wrap each one in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer safe bag or container and freeze for 1-2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Tips and Tricks
- The most important thing when making scones is to use COLD ingredients. Keep the butter and cream in the refrigerator until you add them.
- Chill the dough in between steps to keep the butter from melting before you bake the breakfast treats. As the scones bake, these butter chunks melt and create flakey layers.
- Do not over mix the dough! It is a sticky dough and should look shaggy with chunks of butter in it.
- Change up the texture of the scones by adding nuts, chocolate chips, or dried fruit to the dough when you mix in the cream.
- Want these scones to look just like the Starbucks pumpkin scones? Pat the dough into an 8 inch square before baking. Once they are done, cut into 9 small squares and let cool.
- Make sure the scones are completely cool before adding the glaze. If they are even slightly warm, the glaze will melt off.
- Don't want to add the extra glaze? Sprinkle the top of the dough with turbinado sugar before baking. This will add a delicious and sweet crunch to the top of the pumpkin scones.
Recipe FAQ'S
Scones will usually bake flat if the dough is too soft or too warm when you add it to the oven. It is always best to avoid touching the dough too much and to chill the dough before baking it, so it is cold when you bake them.
Cold butter and dough is the secret to flakey scones. Refrigerating the dough for scones multiple times keeps the butter from melting into the dough. For the flakiest scones, you want the butter to melt during the baking, not before.
Homemade scones should have a slightly crunchy exterior with a soft, flakey texture inside.
Yes, pumpkin scones can be frozen. For best result, freeze the scones before adding any type of frosting or glaze. Wrap each one individually in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer bag for at least 1 month.
Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before frosting and serving.
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Recipe
Pumpkin Spice Scones
Pumpkin Spice Scones with a cup of coffee is the delicious way to celebrate the fall season. This pumpkin scone recipe is easy to make, has a soft and flakey texture, and is topped with not one, but two sweet glazes.
Ingredients
For the Scones
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- ¼ cup packed brown sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon table salt
- 1 ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
- ¾ cup heavy whipping cream
- ½ cup pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 3 ½ tablespoons heavy whipping cream
For the Spice Drizzle
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 1 /2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 ½ tablespoons heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Add the cold butter, and cut in until the butter is in small pieces.
- Create a well in the dry ingredients. Pour in heavy cream, pumpkin, and vanilla. Use a fork to pull it into a shaggy dough. It will be sticky, and you should see butter chunks. Refrigerate the dough for 20-30 minutes.
- Place the dough on a sheet pan lined with a Silpat. Gently pat it into an 8" circle that is about 1" thick. Avoid touching it too much, as the heat for your hands will heat up the dough.
- Place pan of dough in the refrigerator for another 30 minutes to chill. Preheat oven to 400° F.
- Bake 25 minutes. Remove and let cool on pan for 5 minutes. Use a large knife to cut the disc into 8 scones. Gently pull them apart and continue cooling on the pan until they are room temperature.
- Whisk together the glaze ingredients until smooth and creamy. Spread evenly on the tops of the cooled scones. Let set for a few minutes.
- Whisk together the spice drizzle ingredients until smooth. Spoon into a plastic baggie and cut one corner off. Drizzle over the tops of the glazed scones. Let set. Store in a loosely sealed container.
Notes
- The most important thing when making scones is to use COLD ingredients. Keep the butter and cream in the refrigerator until you add them.
- Chill the dough in between steps to keep the butter from melting before you bake the breakfast treats. As the scones bake, these butter chunks melt and create flakey layers.
- Do not over mix the dough! It is a sticky dough and should look shaggy with chunks of butter in it.
- Change up the texture of the scones by adding nuts, chocolate chips, or dried fruit to the dough when you mix in the cream.
- Want these scones to look just like the Starbucks pumpkin scones? Pat the dough into an 8 inch square before baking. Once they are done, cut into 9 small squares and let cool.
- Make sure the scones are completely cool before adding the glaze. If they are even slightly warm, the glaze will melt off.
- Don't want to add the extra glaze? Sprinkle the top of the dough with turbinado sugar before baking. This will add a delicious and sweet crunch to the top of the pumpkin scones.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 409Total Fat: 20gSaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 59mgSodium: 171mgCarbohydrates: 53gFiber: 1gSugar: 27gProtein: 4g
Nutrition facts are an estimate and are not guaranteed to be accurate. If you need special diet advice, please see a registered dietician.
*These Pumpkin Spice Scones was first published October 2012. The post and pictures were redone and the post was republished November 2022.
We participate in the Amazon Services LLC Program, an affiliate program designed to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com.
Cheerios and Lattes
Thank you so much for posting on Saturday Show and Tell! I hope you'll be back this week with some more great stuff!
-Mackenzie
http://www.cheeriosandlattes.com
Liz
I love`all scones but this combination looks so yummy! Can't wait to whip up a batch. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Carrie Burrill
mmmmmm I love anything pumpkin, but pumpkin latte?? Sign me up for a box of these scones!
Jocelyn
There is just something about pumpkin and coffee that gets me too!!! If I had any left, I would send them over, but...we devoured them:-)
The Better Baker
Your photos are gorgeous enough to make me want to bite into them! These look like mouth-watering yummies. Thanks so much for linking up at Weekend Potluck!
icakepops
Your scones are done so well. They look moist and flavorful!
Jaime Lyn
Ohhhh YUM! I am starving right now and I just wish i could just reach right through this screen and grab that scone! YUM! Thank you SO much for linking up at Happy Hour and for making me drool! :o)
Jaime from Crafty Scrappy Happy
Vanessa
Like your husband, my husbands likes everything plain but I too, like to add all sorts of goodies on top. I don't think I've ever had a scone, but those look so yummy.
Averie @ Averie Cooks
They look so good! The icing is just perfectly!! applied! And the choc chips and of course, incorporating a PSL into a dessert/pastry...even better!
Jocelyn
Chocolate always adds just the right touch, especially with anything pumpkin related:-)
Craftberry Bush
Jocelyn...thank you for joining us again...and thank you for sharing another delicious recipe...I have never tried these before but I do love scones and I do love pumpkin spice...sooooo would probably love these.....thanks again...talk to you soon...xo
Shiloh Barkley
These look gorgeous!!
http://www.shilohtaste.com
SallysBakingAddiction
i've never made scones before! while I loooooove them to pieces at coffee shops, I just haven't ever gotten around to making them myself Jocelyn! I think I'd go with pumpkin though - great choice!
Jocelyn
I'm pretty confident that you could create some killer flavors girl!!! This time of year though, pumpkin is a given!!!
Dorothy @ Crazy for Crust
Delicious Jocelyn! I want one. Hey, I've been meaning to ask...do you use a lightscoop?
amy (fearless homemaker)
I just saw you post these on FB + had to pop over + check them out. They look lovely! And I love that you made some candyfied for you, some plain jane for him. what a fab wife you are! =)
Jocelyn
Thanks for popping in! I'm glad you loved the plain and the candy versions:-)
Ashley @ Kitchen Meets Girl
I LOVE scones. I rarely make them because my WEIRD husband doesn't like them and so that means I'd eat them ALL. =) I may just have to make an exception on these because they sound fabulous--you know I love anything pumpkin!!
Jocelyn
I had the same problem with these...I couldn't stop eating them!!! Definitely make these:-)
Cassie | Bake Your Day
These are perfect, I really love scones but have no self control when I make them. I need these!
Pint Sized Baker
Sounds and Looks WONDERFUL!! And I agree on the dryness of some scones. I guess it all depends on how fresh they are.
Jocelyn
I have tried a few recipes that were dry right out of the oven. Not good:-( That's why I had to come up with one that I liked!!!
The Miller Five
They look yummy, but I'm with your husband. I prefer mine nekkid!
Aimee
Mmmm I love pumpkin scones. And these are so pretty!
Michele Alger
Oh my gosh! These look truly DELECTABLE!!! I'm making these this weekend! YUM!!
Jocelyn
Yay! I hope you enjoy them as much as we did!!!
Hayley @ The Domestic Rebel
Pumpkin latte scones? Can I please come live with you!? (I'm really good about vacuuming AND I also love candy-filled scones, so win-win, methinks). These look phenom and I don't think I could ever tire of pumpkin baking--it's just so awesome!