22 Quick and Easy Recipes in 30 Minutes (or less) + 5 Chef Secrets To Make You A Better Cook!

Pumpkin Scones with Spiced Pumpkin Glaze

Tested & Perfected Recipes

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.

Inspired by Starbucks’ famous pumpkin scones, these breakfast treats are packed with pumpkin flavor.

Pumpkin scones with spiced pumpkin glaze on a wire rack.

Inspired by Starbucks’ famous pumpkin scones (only better, imho), these bronze beauties are packed with pumpkin flavor and lavishly spiced with cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg. The addition of molasses and pumpkin makes them more tender than your typical scones, almost like pumpkin bread in scone form.

The spiced pumpkin glaze adds just the right amount of sweetness, as the scones themselves aren’t overly sweet, and really drives the pumpkin flavor home. Don’t be intimidated by the long list of ingredients; it’s really just a lot of spices, and many of the ingredients are used twice — once in the scones and again in the glaze.

“These are even better than Starbucks! The scones have amazing pumpkin pie flavor and are so light in texture!”

Jane

What You’ll Need To Make Pumpkin Scones

ingredients for pumpkin scones
  • Canned Pumpkin Purée: Provides moisture and pumpkin flavor. Make sure to purchase 100% pure pumpkin — not pumpkin pie filling.
  • Egg: Adds richness and helps bind the scone ingredients together.
  • Heavy Cream: Enhances moisture and the fat in heavy cream ensures a tender texture.
  • Molasses: Adds depth and richness to the flavor profile. Avoid blackstrap molasses as it will add a bitter flavor to the scones.
  • Vanilla Extract: Enhances the overall flavor.
  • All-Purpose Flour: Provides structure to the scones. Measure it by spooning it into the measuring cup and leveling it off to ensure accuracy.
  • Dark Brown Sugar: Adds sweetness and contributes to a moist texture.
  • Baking Powder and Baking Soda: Act as leavening agents for rise and fluffiness.
  • Ground Cinnamon, Ginger, Cloves, and Nutmeg: These spices add warm, spicy flavor notes characteristic of pumpkin treats.
  • Confectioners’ Sugar: Provides sweetness and adds thickness to the glaze that tops the scones.
  • Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements

Step-by-Step Instructions

To begin, combine the pumpkin, heavy cream, egg, molasses, and vanilla in a medium bowl.

wet ingredients for pumpkin scones

Whisk to combine and set aside.

Bowl of whisked wet ingredients.

Combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices in the bowl of a food processor.

dry ingredients in food processor

Pulse until evenly combined.

blended dry ingredients

Add the chunks of cold butter.

adding chunks of cold butter

Pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal with some pea-sized chunks of butter within. Those little chunks of butter are important and will render light and flaky scones.

coarse meal texture

Add the pumpkin mixture.

adding the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients

And pulse until the dough comes together. It will be sticky, and you should still be able to see some chunks of butter.

mixed pumpkin scone dough

Dump the dough onto a lightly floured work surface, then dust the top of the dough with flour.

pumpkin scone dough on work surface

Gently knead the dough into a smooth ball, then divide in half.

dough divided in half

Form each half into 5-inch circles, about 3/4-inch thick.

circle of pumpkin scone dough

Cut each circle into six wedges.

dough cut into wedges

Place the scones on a parchment lined baking sheet.

pumpkin scones ready to bake

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until golden.

baked pumpkin scones

Let cool for about 15 minutes on the baking sheet. Meanwhile, make the glaze: combine the confectioners’ sugar, pumpkin purée, water, and spices in a medium bowl.

glaze ingredients in bowl

Whisk until the glaze is smooth. It should be thick.

whisked pumpkin glaze

Spoon the glaze over top of the scones, letting it drip a bit down the sides.

glazed pumpkin scones

Let sit for about 30 minutes for the glaze to set, then serve.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can the spices be replaced with pumpkin pie spice?

Sure, although the mixture of spices in pumpkin pie spice is not an exact match (pumpkin pie spice sometimes includes allspice), it’s fine to replace the spices in the scones and glaze with pumpkin pie spice. Just replace the individual spices with an equal amount of pumpkin pie spice, so in this case, you’ll need 1 tablespoon for the scones and 1 teaspoon for the glaze.

Can I use fresh pumpkin instead of canned?

Definitely! If canned pumpkin isn’t available where you live, or you’d just prefer to use fresh, that’s not a problem. For baking, the most flavorful pumpkins are smaller than those typically associated with Jack-O-Lanterns. They’re usually in the 4 to 8-pound range and are referred to as sugar, cooking, or pie pumpkins. This detailed piece from King Arthur Flour provides guidance on how to convert a whole pumpkin into purée that can be used in any of my pumpkin baked goods, pumpkin butter, or pumpkin soup.

Can pumpkin scones be made ahead?

The scones are best served fresh on the day they are made but will keep well in a covered container for two days.

Can pumpkin scones be frozen?

Yes, the dough and the baked scones can be frozen for up to 3 months. If freezing the dough, put the dough wedges on a baking sheet, let set in the freezer, then place in a sealable bag and press out as much air as possible. Bake as needed directly from the freezer, allowing a few extra minutes in the oven. To freeze them after baking, let the scones cool completely and store in an airtight container, separating layers with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Before serving, remove the scones from the container, let them come to room temperature, and glaze after defrosting. If you have the option to freeze the scones before or after baking them, you will get the best results if you freeze them before baking.

Pumpkin scones with spiced pumpkin glaze on a wire rack.

Note: This scone portion of this recipe is based on a popular copycat recipe for Starbucks’ pumpkin scones that’s all over the Internet, but I’ve changed the method and recipe a bit. The Starbucks’ version has two thin glazes: plain and pumpkin. This version has a single thick pumpkin glaze, which is easier to make and packs much more pumpkin flavor.

You May Also Like

Pumpkin Scones with Spiced Pumpkin Glaze

Inspired by Starbucks’ famous pumpkin scones, these breakfast treats are packed with pumpkin flavor.

Servings: 12 small scones
Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Cook Time: 15 Minutes
Total Time: 35 Minutes

Ingredients

For the Scones

  • ½ cup canned pumpkin purée (I use Libby's)
  • 1 large egg
  • 3 tablespoons heavy cream
  • 1 tablespoon molasses, such as Grandma's Original
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off with knife, plus more for dusting
  • ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¾ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ¾ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 stick (½ cup) cold unsalted butter

For the Glaze

  • 1½ cups Confectioners' sugar
  • 3 tablespoons canned pumpkin purée
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, egg, heavy cream, molasses, and vanilla. Set aside.
  3. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment, combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices. Process for about 20 seconds to combine; be sure no lumps of brown sugar remain.
  4. Cut the cold butter into ½-inch chunks. Add to the food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal – it should look unevenly crumbly with some pea-size chunks of butter within. Add the pumpkin mixture and pulse just until the mixture comes together. The dough will be very sticky, and you should still be able to see some pea-size clumps of butter.
  5. Lightly flour a countertop or work surface. Dump the sticky scone dough onto the floured surface and dust the top lightly with more flour. Using your hands, gently knead the dough until it comes together into a smooth ball. Divide the dough in half. Dust your work surface with flour again and form each half into a 5-inch circle, about ¾-inch thick. Using a sharp knife dusted with flour, slice each circle into 6 even wedges (cut each circle in half, then cut each half into thirds). If the dough starts to stick to the knife, dust the knife with more flour. Place the wedges on the prepared baking sheet.
  6. Bake the scones for 12 to 15 minutes. To see if they are done, peek at the bottoms; they should be slightly browned. Let the scones cool on the baking sheet for about 15 minutes.
  7. Meanwhile, make the glaze: In a medium bowl, whisk together the Confectioners' sugar, pumpkin, water, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg until smooth. The glaze should be thick.
  8. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the glaze over each scone, letting it drip a bit down the sides. Wait about 30 minutes for the glaze to set, then serve.
  9. Note: The scones are best served fresh on the day they are made but will keep well in a covered container for two days.
  10. Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The dough can be frozen for up to 3 months. Put the dough wedges on a baking sheet, let set in the freezer, then place in a sealable bag and press out as much air as possible. Bake as needed directly from the freezer. (Allow 1 to 2 minutes longer in the oven.) To freeze after baking, let the scones cool completely and store in an airtight container, separating layers with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Before serving, remove the scones from the container and let them come to room temperature. (For best results, glaze after defrosting.) **If you have the option to freeze the scones before or after baking them, you will get the best results if you freeze them before baking.

Nutrition Information

Powered by Edamam

  • Serving size: 1 scone
  • Calories: 261
  • Fat: 10g
  • Saturated fat: 6g
  • Carbohydrates: 41g
  • Sugar: 23g
  • Fiber: 1g
  • Protein: 3g
  • Sodium: 193mg
  • Cholesterol: 41mg

This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.

See more recipes:

Comments

  • I have some fresh pureed pumpkin (not from a can): can I still just follow the recipe as it?

    • — sandra d on March 27, 2024
    • Reply
    • Sure, Sandra – just make sure to drain it of excess water so that the consistency is similar to that of canned pumpkin. Enjoy!

      • — Jenn on March 27, 2024
      • Reply
  • Really delish! Did not use the glaze and they are light and soo good. Easy recipe and will make again.

    • — Shaz on February 7, 2024
    • Reply
  • These scones were melt-in-your-mouth delicious! I want to thank you for all that you do on your blog and all your wonderful recipes. I’m sure that this is a tremendous amount of work, answering everyone on each recipe.
    I just wanted you to know that I’m a big fan of yours . I always turn to your recipes when I want something special.

    • — Virginia Lehner on January 3, 2024
    • Reply
    • 💕

      • — Jenn on January 4, 2024
      • Reply
  • Delicious!!! I followed the recipe but used “cup 4 cup” gluten free flour and they turned out fabulously!!

    • — Karen MacMurdo on December 5, 2023
    • Reply
  • Really good, delicious! Made several batches and shared the love. A big hit! Thanks, Jenn!

    • — SueC on November 21, 2023
    • Reply
  • These turned out really good! I actually cut each scone in half so I had 24 mini scones to bring to work. It has a really great pumpkin flavor. My daughter says it tastes just like pumpkin pie. They are tender with a bit of crisp from the bottom. The glaze, I probably used less than the recommendation from putting on mini scones. I would recommend not waiting the full 15mins of the first cool down before glazing, or your glaze won’t warm up and spread (we were busy enjoying the first batch and I let the second batch cool long enough to be warm, which made the glaze not really spread or deepen to that lovely amber color of glaze you see in the photo)

    • — Heather on November 1, 2023
    • Reply
  • My most frustrating baking experience. “I have made many scones before but this dough was so sticky and unmanageable. Could not form a ball and could not cut it. Just plopped it on the sheet in lumps. Even if they taste good I will not be making them again. Sorry.

    • — Rebecca on October 29, 2023
    • Reply
  • Baked these from frozen, worked beautifully. Great flavour and very flaky. I don’t have a food processor so used pastry cutter without any problems. I prefer less glaze, will make 1/2 batch of glaze for full scone recipe when I make this again. Delicious – thanks for recipe.

    • — Pat on October 25, 2023
    • Reply
  • The glaze has a bit too much pumpkin purée – I would reduce to 1 tablespoon the next time I make this!

    • — Stephanie on October 15, 2023
    • Reply
  • I find these actually taste better than the Starbucks scones, in Canada anyway! They were easy to make and so delicious! I recommend preparing your spice mix (separately) for the glaze and the scones ahead of time, it considerably cuts down on prep time the day you decide to make them! The only thing is even though I did let my scones cool for the recommended period, and stored my glaze in the fridge while waiting, it was still pretty runny. Next time I’m thinking of not adding the tablespoon of water? Or maybe adding more sugar? LL

    • — Lucie on October 8, 2023
    • Reply
    • So glad you like them! Yes, next time you make the glaze, just add a bit more sugar to thicken it up.

      • — Jenn on October 9, 2023
      • Reply
  • Good morning Jenn,

    I’d like to bake these for an event, but I need to drop them off two days before they will be consumed. Will they still be fresh and amazing or would it be preferable to bake your streusel topped pumpkin muffins?

    • — Elizabeth on October 4, 2023
    • Reply
    • Hi Elizabeth, these will keep well in a covered container for up to two days so I think you could get away with it. As always, scones are best served on the day they are made.

      • — Jenn on October 4, 2023
      • Reply
  • I made these amazing pumpkin scones on a fall afternoon. I did double the recipe as it only makes 12. They are delicious! They do take a little bit of time but well worth the effort. I will definitely make them again. They remind me of fall.

    • — Jane on September 26, 2023
    • Reply
  • A magnificent recipe! I used Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1 to 1 baking flour, & they were scrumptious! I even prefer them without the glaze! Thanks for a rainy-afternoon-winner of a recipe!

    • — Greer on September 23, 2023
    • Reply
  • Hello Jen!
    I am making stuffed pumpkins for a large group of people. The recipe calls for Gruyere cheese and. I .need a lot of it. Is there another cheese you could recommend using because Gruyere is so expensive and is not in our budget.
    Thank you.

    • — Virginia Lehner on September 20, 2023
    • Reply
    • Hi Virginia, you could go with Emmental, Fontina, or Cheddar. 🙂

      • — Jenn on September 21, 2023
      • Reply
  • This was absolutely delicious! Tasted like cider mill donuts with pumpkin flavor! We loved it. I love all of your recipes, thanks a million.

    • — Mimi on September 3, 2023
    • Reply

Add a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.