These Spiced Pumpkin Scones are delicious for breakfast with your morning coffee as well as an afternoon snack with tea or milk.
These were a spur-of-the-moment creation, based on a half jar of pumpkin sitting in the fridge just crying to be baked into something delicious. Scones sounded lovely.
And they were.
Scones are one of my favorite baked goods to experiment with. I have folded them into the pages of three of my cookbooks and scattered them here and there across the interwebs. They’re almost a perfect food. Like a cookie and a biscuit all wrapped into one.
Some of my favorite scone recipes:
- Easy Black Currant Scones
- Lemon Drop Scones
- Chocolate & Fresh Cranberry Scones
- Christmas Tree Scones
- Chocolate Strawberry Scones
- Lemon Blueberry Scones
- Red, White, & Blue Scones
- Maple Oat Heart Scones
I might need a scone intervention…. Nah.
These Spiced Pumpkin Scones are always a big hit with my people, especially in the fall when pumpkin and spices are such comfort food. These are delicious for breakfast with your morning coffee as well as an afternoon snack with tea or milk. Cut smaller scones for younger folk; bigger scones for us old people. There are benefits to aging.
How I make these good:
Whenever possible I like to cook with plain old ingredients. While the convenience of mixes and canned sauces is nice, I feel better about feeding my family just real food whenever possible. (Go here for some of my reasons on all that.)
The ingredients list in this recipe is pretty wholesome. No mixes or cans, except for the pumpkin. Be sure to get pumpkin puree, not canned pumpkin pie filling. There’s a difference. I use part whole wheat pastry flour to enrich this recipe. Feel free to use all whole wheat or all unbleached, depending on what works for you. If you use all whole wheat, you may need to add a few extra tablespooons of buttermilk.
How I make these cheap:
Here are some of the strategies I use to make this recipe more economical:
- Do a price comparison. I know that Costco is the best place to buy ingredients in bulk, like butter, and spices, especially when there isn’t a great sale elsewhere. I keep track of prices so that I know who has the best deal where.
- Stock up on ingredients when they are on sale. For instance, when I see a great price on canned pumpkin, butter or flour, I buy a lot. Hint: this happens often in the fall months, so watch your sales and buy extra when you see a good sale.
- Bake in bulk. It saves so much time and money to make a big batch of scones and freeze the extras. No need to buy a scone when you head to Starbucks next time. Pack your own. Better yet, make your coffee at home, too, and save a bundle.
Tools I use to make this easy:
I use a food processor like this one to cut in the butter and then transfer those buttery crumbs to a bowl and then mix in the liquid ingredients. You can cut the butter in with a pastry blender or with two knives if you don’t have a food processor. Though honestly, I don’t know what I would do without my food processor. It’s essential for scone making!
Since it’s such a big batch, I also use a large stainless steel bowl, similar to this one, to mix everything together. Large sheet pans are a must as is parchment paper, unless you buy USA sheet pans. You don’t need to grease or line those.
Spiced Pumpkin Scones
Ingredients
- 3 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour
- 2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup butter cut into small cubes
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 cup buttermilk
For cinnamon sugar topping
- 5 1/2 tsp granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°.
- Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl combine the flours, sugar, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Cut in the butter until coarse crumbs form. (To speed up the process, you can do this in batches in a food processor. Then pour the mixture into a large mixing bowl.)
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the pumpkin and buttermilk. Fold this mixture into the dry gently until combined. The dough will be sticky.
- Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and fold 2-3 turns or until dough comes together.
- Gently pat or roll the dough into a 1 inch thickness.
- In a small bowl combine the sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar over the dough.
- Cut the dough into twelve squares, triangles, or whatever shape you like.
- Place the scones on the prepared baking sheets and bake them for 15 minutes or until lightly brown.
- Cool on a wire rack before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
TSandy
Thank you Jessica. I bought a buttermilk culture several months ago and now make my own buttermilk weekly. I’ve been actively searching for new recipes that use buttermilk. The fact that it’s a scone recipe just makes it even better. I’ll be making these scones tomorrow.
Jessica Fisher
I need more details on making your own buttermilk! NOT with lemon juice. I would love to have a cheaper source for it!
TSandy
Jessica I bought a perpetual heirloom buttermilk starter culture from Cultures for Health.com back in May. It comes with two buttermilk starters per package. (I threw my second culture in the freezer as a backup in case I lose my current batch of buttermilk.) I make a new batch of buttermilk every Sunday. Basically it’s just one tablespoon of my buttermilk per cup of milk and leave out on counter at temperature between 70-78 degrees. My first batch took about 36 hours but it gets faster until now it’s overnight (or about 8 hours) for each new batch of buttermilk. You can make as little or as much buttermilk as you want each time. Weeks where I find lots of uses for the buttermilk I make a second batch midweek. The only downside is you can’t use UHT milk (ultrapasteurized milk). My local 99 Cent store sells pasteurized milk cheap ($2/gallon) which is what I now use. You can also make own sour cream using your buttermilk and heavy whipping cream. With organic non UHT whipping cream (from Sprouts) costing $10/quart it’s not cost effective but it sure tasted great. I’m still looking for an economical source for pasteurized whipping cream. I assume I can make my own Creme Fraiche too but I haven’t tried it yet. I like that I never have to buy buttermilk again and it only takes a little planning to keep my active buttermilk culture in good condition.
Jessica Fisher
Good to know. Thanks!
Anne B
Something for you this time. Corn free baking powder= 2parts cream of tartar to 1 part baking Soda. Combine in air tight jar and use as you would baking powder.
Jessica Fisher
Thanks for the tip!
Carla
What can I use in place of the pastry flour? Cannot find it anywhere. I did make these and enjoyed them. A bit more cake-like rather than crumbly but still good. Might have been whatever flours I used–cannot remember what I exchanged it for—or maybe a mixing flaw? I will try these again, but curious about the flours.
Jessica
@Carla, I usually get Bob’s Red Mill at the health food store on sale at the holidays. 😉 Or you can just sub more unbleached, all-purpose flour. I just reduce my guilt a little by adding whole wheat pastry flour.
Carla
@Jessica, I’ll check there!
Elizabeth
I found a recipe for clotted cream, so of course I needed to make scone to go with it. I also had been given a pumpkin last week. So what to do except make pumpkin scones, with clotted cream on top (and then pumpkin butter that I made from the pumpkin I was given 2 weeks ago). I forgot about the cinnamon sugar, but it was still the most delicious treat to enjoy.
Jessica
Yeah! Sounds great.
Tami
using a cheese grater for the butter works good too…..very fast and easy cleanup…..grate right into the bowl on top of dry ingredients then stir up. Can use frozen or refrigerated butter with great results.
Elle
OK these delicious now how would I convert them to Gluten Free??
Jessica
I do not know. Sorry.
Corissa Davidson
I’ve never had scones…. These are tempting me to try something new, AND they are PUMPKIN. I have a freezer full still from last fall. 🙂 Thanks so much for sharing.
Ashley
I CANNOT wait to try these!!!
Laura @SuperGlueMom
wow! we love scones. I am definitely going to have to try those!! thanks so much for sharing!
claire
This is on my list of things to bake when the humidity goes on vacation. Oh, how I miss baking!
Susan
We just discovered scones this year…I usually make mine with chocolate chips, but these sound delicious. For the butter, I usually grate it on the large holes of my cheese grater then work it in.
teresa
ummmm. i don’t think there will be any leftovers to freeze. just sayin. =)
Sherry Perry
Don’t have any pumpkin on hand, but as fall is my favorite season, will be holding on to this as am autumn surprise for the family! Thank you!
Coby
YUM! Can’t wait to try these….I think the can of pumpkin in my pantry is calling my name.
shirlene
What canI use in place of ww pastry flour? Looking forward to making these. Thank you!
Jessica
Oh, you can just sub more unbleached, all-purpose flour. I just reduce my guilt a little by adding whole wheat pastry flour. 😉
shirlene
@Jessica, SO if I use whole wheat flour I can reduce my guilt as well! Yippeee! Will be making these today or tomorrow then. Thank you 🙂
shirlene
@Jessica, one more question, can I use Coconut Milk in place of the Buttermilk? I bought a half gallon for a recipes that calls for so much less than that, now I am trying to use it up in everything I can.
Jessica
@shirlene, it would change the flavor, but it could be done.
mirjam
Hi, these sound delicious! I still have some pumpkin puree in my freezer from last year which needs to be used, so I guess I will be baking some tonight.