This Starbucks Pumpkin Scones clone recipe is the perfect gateway to fall.

These soft, flaky pumpkin scones are the perfect gateway to fall.

This post for pumpkin scones (along with most of the images) was originally published in 2013. But I thought I’d revisit my entry because I made these pumpkin scones once more in October of 2016, three years later. This time, my circumstances are different. I’ve had this blog for a while. It’s undergone various transformations, like its owner. You can see how my photography has evolved, you can see how my writing style has developed, you can see how I’ve changed (through the videos then and now).

I’m not a freshman in High School anymore. And, as I mentioned last week, I’m in the midst of a gap year (or at least a partial gap year), something I never saw coming. It’s a good thing, though. As an international student, my life pretty much revolved around my school. I met most of my friends in school. All of the activities and athletics I participated in were organized by the school. And of course, academics, etc. I even lived within walking distance from my school. The international community in a country like Poland is a bubble. Everyone knows everyone, and for the most part, we stay within this bubble. And, frankly, my personal bubble needs to pop. But maybe not just yet.
 
Because school played such an important role in my life (albeit a positive one, I had an amazing time, especially the last two years even though the workload grew exponentially), I think I needed a small breather to adjust. I don’t know. I’m rambling. I just wasn’t ready to move forward yet. Have any of you taken a gap year, and what was it like?

These soft, flaky pumpkin scones are the perfect gateway to fall.

During my year off, my goal is to try out different things and do stuff that I’ve always wanted to do but never had a chance to do. For instance, I’ve been catering occasionally- it’s a good way to spend time in the kitchen and earn some pocket money too 🙂 Today, I made an order of 15 cinnamon banana muffins, my favorite spinach pie in miniature form, and these delicious glazed pumpkin scones (pheeeew. It was a lot of hard work!) for a conference at my old school (it feels weird saying ‘old’ school since it’s still sort of my school). Instead of making triangles like the 2014 photos show, I made little circles. These soft, flaky pumpkin scones are the perfect gateway to fall.

I love fall because I love baking with pumpkins. I usually make my own homemade pumpkin puree which makes baking with it far more satisfying. Last week, I made my famous pumpkin cake minus the mocha icing in a loaf tin. I threw in chocolate chips and walnuts and it made the most delicious, (I know people hate that word, but how else are you supposed to describe the texture of cakes?) moist pumpkin bread.

These scones are soft, slightly dry (perfect for cutting open and slathering with butter or jam), subtly sweet and full of fall spices. A great way to begin the season, and possibly a great Thanksgiving dessert or brunch recipe.

Video circa 2013. I was 14. Ew. Don’t judge.

Glazed Pumpkin Scones

Glazed Pumpkin Scones

This Starbucks Pumpkin Scones clone recipe is the perfect gateway to fall.

Ingredients

Pumpkin scones:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¼-½ tsp ground ginger, optional
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves or allspice, optional
  • 6 tbsp butter, unsalted- cold!
  • ½ cup pumpkin purée, I used fresh- see note below on how I make it
  • 3 tablespoons heavy cream
  • 1 egg

Glaze:

  • cups powdered sugar + more if necessary
  • 4-5 tbsp milk or heavy cream
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract
  • ¼ tsp ground cinnamon, optional, for the drizzle
  • tsp ground nutmeg, optional, for the drizzle

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven t0 350 F or 180 C and line a cookie tray with parchment paper.
  • In a bowl using a pastry blender/fork, or in a food processor, blend together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves/allspice and ground ginger until the mixture resembles bread crumbs.
  • In another small bowl, mix together the pumpkin purée (see note on how to make it), heavy cream and egg.
  • Slowly add the wet ingredients to the flour/spice mixture until the dough comes together into a ball. Add a little more flour if necessary.
  • Tip the ball onto a floured surface and pat gently to 1/2 inch thickness. Using a pizza cutter or knife, cut the dough into the desired shapes (for triangles, cut first vertically, horizontally, then diagonally both ways like a pizza).
  • Bake for 14-15 minutes or until the tops of the scone begin to turn golden brown.
  • Cool almost completely before glazing.
  • To make the glaze, combine the sugar and vanilla. Add the milk tablespoon by tablespoon until it reaches your desired thickness. I find that 4 tbsp is perfect for me, but you might need more or less depending on how you like it.
  • You can also make a drizzle as pictured, by removing around 1/3 of the glaze from the bowl and mixing it with cinnamon and nutmeg. I usually add 1/4 cup more of powdered sugar to thicken the drizzle so that it holds its shape (you could also start by making a thick glaze overall and then thinning out the leftover white glaze).
  • To finish the scones, dip them face-side up into the white glaze. You can also use a knife to slather on some of the glaze. Let the glaze drip down the sides of the scone and solidify slightly before drizzling.
  • To drizzle, place the cinnamon-nutmeg flavored glaze in a ziplock bag and snip of a corner (make sure it is a very small hole!). Drizzle the scones with the cinnamon glaze and serve warm. Let the drizzle harden before placing them in a container.
  • These last 3 days when stored in an airtight container at room temperature and longer in the fridge without the glaze. You can also freeze them for 1-2 months.

Notes

Check out my pumpkin puree recipe!

Looking for more delicious pumpkin recipes?

These soft, flaky pumpkin scones are the perfect gateway to fall.