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Petite Spiced Pumpkin Scones

These Petite Spiced Pumpkin Scones are EVERYTHING! This soft, buttery, tender cream scone has a super easy dough to work with that's loaded with fall spices and sweetened with a touch of real maple syrup. You can either dust with Demerara or sparkling sugar pre-bake for a crunchy top and/or drizzle with included vanilla glaze post-bake.
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Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 19 minutes
Course: Breakfast Brunch
Cuisine: Scones
Keyword: Pumpkin, Scones, Breakfast, Brunch
Servings: 16 Scones
Author: Rebecca Firth

Ingredients

For the Scones

  • 1 1/2 cups (187 g) all-purpose flour (plus two tablespoons (plus more for dusting your hands))
  • 1 1/2 cups (125 g) cake flour
  • 1 tablespoon (7.5 g) baking powder
  • 2/3 cup (147 g) light brown sugar (packed)
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground all spice
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 2/3 cup (162 g) pure pumpkin puree (not pie filling...100% pure puree)
  • 1/2 cup (120 g) heavy whipping cream (cold)
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 tablespoons (42 g) real maple syrup
  • 8 tablespoons (113 g) unsalted butter (cut in 8 pieces, cold)

For the Vanilla Glaze

  • 2 cups (240 g) confectioners sugar
  • 3 tablespoons (45 g) milk
  • 1 vanilla bean, insides scraped (or 1 teaspoon real vanilla extract)

To Garnish (optional)

  • 2 tablespoons each pepitas + unsalted pecans (chopped (optional))

Instructions

  • Put parchment paper or a silpat on a large baking sheet.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the cake flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, cloves, all spice, ginger and nutmeg. Taste your flour mixture. Is it slightly sweet, slightly spiced? It's a good habit to taste your dry ingredients at this point...it will save you from that one time you may over-add an ingredient (I've done it with salt...the worst) or forget to include a key ingredient (like cinnamon). You'll start to become familiar with what your dry ingredients taste like at this step and save yourself a lot of future anguish if you catch your boo boos early in your recipes...just a thought. Set aside.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, heavy whipping cream, egg and maple syrup. Set aside.
  • Cut your 4 ounces of butter into 8 equal-sized pieces and throw them in the bowl with the flour mixture like a boss. Using a pastry blender, two-forks or your hands, blend the butter into the flour mixture until you don't have any pieces larger than the size of a pea.
  • Drizzle your egg-cream mixture over the flour-butter mixture. Using a fork, stir the mixture until a craggy ball starts to form.
  • Flour the surface of a cutting board and your hands. Dump the craggy dough ball onto the floured cutting board and press it into a cohesive ball. Don't futz too much, just make sure that everything is blended well. Re-flour your hands as needed. Divide this dough ball into four equal-sized hunks of dough.
  • Shape each hunk of dough into a nice round disk, about 1-inch thick. Take care to make sure that the sides are at a nice, crisp 90 degree angle. Pop this tray in the freezer for 20 minutes. If you have a freezer that will accommodate the baking tray, great. If you don't, skip this step.
  • Preheat your oven to 400°F (204℃). Make sure you have a rack in the top 1/3 of the oven.
  • Get the discs out of the freezer. Using a very sharp knife (I like my bread knife because it's nice and flat), cut each disc into four scones (for a total of 16 scones). Make sure you cut straight down (no see-saw action).
  • Arrange the cut scones on the parchment-covered baking sheet, leaving about 1 1/2 inches between each scone. Put the scones in the oven for 13 minutes.
  • While the scones are cooking, mix together your schmooey.  One or both...if it's both, don't forget to half each recipe. Use a medium-size bowl to whisk together your powdered sugar, milk and extract.
  • Check the scones when the timer goes off...are they cracked, with just the slightest pale tan happening? If so, they're done. Another test: gently press down on the middle. It should feel soft, but firm.
  • Let them cool on the pan for about 15 minutes. At this point, let your inner artist out and start flinging the schmooey about like a pro. Sprinkle with the chopped pepitas + pecans if you're feeling it.

Notes

Cake Flour

Cake flour makes these scones oh-so-tender. Can you use all-purpose flour in place of the cake flour? Absolutely! However, just know, you will lose some of that tenderness. If possible, get the cake flour when you’re picking up your fresh strawberries at the store.

Egg Wash

If you’d like to use an egg wash (and skip the glaze), mix an egg yolk and 2 tablespoons of heavy whipping cream in a small bowl. Brush over the scones before they go in the oven; taking care not to let the wash pool in the scone crevasses. I like to sprinkle with Demerara sugar or sparkling sugar and then pop in the oven.

Baking Powder

Use double acting baking powder for best results! xx

If Your Freezer Can’t Accommodate a Baking Sheet...

Set the unbaked scones on parchment lined plates (that will fit on your freezer shelves) and freeze them in single layers (you’ll need several plates).
Thanks for baking with me! Please rate + comment this recipe and tag me on social @displacedhousewife #displacedhousewife so I can see your beautiful treats! xo