The other day, I went to Starbucks to get my seasonal favorite #PSL, (I have to use the hashtag, right?), and decided to order a scrumptious fall baked good to compliment my beverage: a pumpkin scone. I was shocked when the barista explained to me that they have “temporarily discontinued” the pumpkin scones because “stores can’t keep up with such high demand.” …Wha??! Anyhow, still craving a pumpkin scone, and with a free afternoon in our new kitchen, I was determined to make my own.
These turned out even better than the original. Not dry (yes, you could use the M word here- my least favorite word that rhymes with “hoist”), sweet, with the right amount of fall spice and covered in frosting. Your day is sure to start off right with one of these and a coffee in hand.
Simply mix the dry and wet ingredients in separate bowls, cut the butter into the dry ingredients, and add wet to dry.
Then, form the dough into a one inch-thick rectangle, keeping the dough as cold as possible. If you have a marble pastry board, now would be a great time to use it. If not, do what I did and work on your counter.
Next, divide that dough with a sharp knife or pastry blade into thirds.
Next, cut the thirds in half, creating six large scones.
Pop these babies in the oven and when they’re done cover in as much vanilla frosting as you’d like. The warm scones will soak some of the frosting into their nooks and crannies, still with plenty on top. Really go for it here, folks… check out the little puddles of goodness that formed underneath. At this point in the baking process, Neil just happened to arrive in the kitchen and graciously volunteered to take the parchment with the extra frosting. We wouldn’t want it to go to waste, after all.
The easiest (and prettiest) way to drizzle the spiced frosting is to use a squeeze bottle, but you could always use a whisk. You might have some frosting left over, but you can save it for future dunking and drizzling.
There is nothing like baking on a cool fall day. Happy fall, my dear friends!
Pumpkin Scones
Prep Time: 30 min. Cook Time: 14 min.
Adapted from: Top Secret Recipes
Ingredients:
For the Scones:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup white granulated sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 pinch ground clove
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold
1/2 cup pumpkin purée
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg, lightly beaten
For the Vanilla Frosting:
2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pinch salt
For the Spiced Frosting:
2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 pinch ground clove
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 425°. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, white sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove. Dice the butter and cut it into the flour using a pastry blade until the flour and butter resemble small peas. Set aside.
In a separate smaller bowl, combine the pumpkin, cream, vanilla, and egg. Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until combined. At this point, pick up the dough and knead on a floured surface about 5 times until well combined. Don’t work the dough too much, though.
Form dough into a long rectangle, about an inch thick. With a sharp knife or pastry blade, cut the dough into three pieces, then cut each of those pieces in half. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with a silicone mat and bake for 14-16 minutes.
While scones are baking, make the frosting. Using an electric mixer, combine all ingredients of the vanilla frosting together until smooth. Taste to make sure you like the frosting. Using a spatula, slather each scone in the vanilla frosting. The more the better, and it’s best to do this while the scones are still warm. Allow to cool while you made the spiced frosting.
In the same bowl, use an electric mixer to combine all ingredients of the spiced frosting together. Again, taste and make sure you like it! Transfer to a squeeze bottle and drizzle over each scone.
Enjoy! Makes 6 large scones.
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I am so in love with pumpkin scones! I must make these. 🙂
They didn’t last long in our house… I need to make more! Thanks for the comment, Dorothy!
Oh my goodness, yours look SO good – even better than Starbucks’ (really!). Go you, making them yourself!
Thanks, Amy!