As soon as October rolls around we are in the full swing of autumn baking. These pumpkin sourdough scones quickly became a family favorite for this time of year. The scones are flavored with pumpkin and a blend of five cozy spices. The texture is pillowy soft, and they practically melt in your mouth. The icing is what really puts them over the top with notes of vanilla and flecked with cinnamon. These are the best treat to serve with hot cup of coffee, chai tea, or a steaming mug of crabapple cider.
Sourdough
I am in the habit of adding sourdough, the discard or active, to just about everything I bake. It is a great way to make things more gut healthy for my family. When we long ferment things it makes them easier to digest and lowers the glycemic index. That means I feel better about feeding sweet treats to my kids with breakfast or after dinner.
I was really overwhelmed when I first started because it seemed so stressful to even keep a starter alive. The proof and bake times were confusing and I just did not know where to begin. Once I got the hang of it, I wrote an eBook that was to help anyone who was starting sourdough or even in the thick of it but still overwhelmed. It is the resource I wish I had when I first started. If you need a bit of encouragement when it comes to the wild yeast of a starter, you need “The Art of Sourdough“.
Tools
Measuring cups
Measuring spoons
Liquid measuring cup – A kitchen scale can also be used.
Bench scraper – This is one of my favorite and most used kitchen tools!
Sheet tray
Parchment paper
Small whisk
Ingredients
Scones
Flour – All-purpose flour is my go-to for sourdough pumpkin scones. I like getting it in bulk at Azure standard.
Baking powder – Because we are not fermenting these to get the yeasts to rise the scone dough, we need some help from a chemical leavener. That’s where the baking powder comes into play.
Brown sugar – I love the light molasses and caramel notes that brown sugar provides. It adds a bit of subtle sweetness to the dough which makes them delicious even without the glaze.
Salt – No recipe is complete without a little salt. It balances the sweetness and enhances the flavors of pumpkin and spices.
Cinnamon – This popular spice is a must for these scones. It’s warm flavor a fan favorite during this chilly season.
Nutmeg – This is an earthy flavor that adds some complexity to the spice blend.
Cloves – A little spicy, a little sweet, and so delicious.
Ginger – A root that is well known for its healing properties and potent flavor. Also, so popular in recipes like gingerbread men.
Allspice – This dynamic spice has flavors of warm cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and pepper.
Butter – Salted butter or unsalted butter will both work well in the recipe.
Sourdough discard – This adds a bit of savory tang that is hard to achieve any other way. It also allows this recipe to be long fermented for the gut healthy benefits.
Pumpkin puree – These would not be pumpkin sourdough scones without a healthy dose of pumpkin! Not only does it add flavor, but it keeps the dough moist and soft for days after baking. And even though it is a squash, the flavor is not overwhelming at all!
Vanilla – This adds a layer of flavor and a little bit of a sweet note to the dough.
Heavy whipping cream – I love the richness that cream brings to this recipe. It really makes them the most decedent scones.
Icing
Powdered sugar – The base of this icing and the added sweetness that takes these scones to the next level.
Cinnamon – Plain vanilla icing would be so good, but a pinch of cinnamon is even better.
Milk – I like the creaminess and flavor that whole milk provides, but water can also be used if desired.
Vanilla extract- It flavors the icing so has more flavor than the taste of plain powdered sugar.
Additional ingredients and substitutions
Pumpkin pie spice: If you do not want to add all the spices individually, add 1 Tbsp. of pumpkin pie spice instead.
Pumpkin pie filling – I do not recommend using this. I do think that pumpkin puree tastes much better. The pie filling often has sweeteners, additives, and fillers that can affect the scones. The different brands also have different amounts of spice which can make it overpowering if still adding all the ground spices.
Active sourdough starter – If you do not have discard on hand, then active starter will work just as well. Just add a little bit of extra cream if needed while mixing the dough together.
Homemade pumpkin puree – If you want to use pumpkin puree made form a pie pumpkin you totally can. But make sure to strain it if the texture is really wet. Homemade pumpkin puree tends to be higher in moisture which will affect the scones texture. If you do not want to squeeze the extra liquid out with a cheese cloth, then lower the cream by an ounce and add it back in small increments only if the dough feels dry.
Let’s make pumpkin sourdough scones!
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. (If long fermenting, skip this step until ready to bake.)
Making the dough
In a large bowl add the flour, baking powder, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, allspice, and salt. Mix until combined.
Slice the butter into the dry ingredients and break into pea sized chunks by hand. This step can be done by a food processor, a pastry cutter, or a box grater with frozen butter. However, I find the scones turn out the best when doing it by hand because I can make sure the butter chunks do not get too small. They will get mixed in more when the wet ingredients are added.
In a separate small bowl, combine the sourdough, pumpkin puree, heavy cream, and vanilla. Mix until smooth.
Add the wet ingredients into the flour mixture and mix to combine. Do not overmix. Stop mixing when the flour is just incorporated.
Shaping
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and shape into a thick log.
Cut the log in half and shape each half into a disk that is 6 inches across.
Divide each disk into 8 equal pieces.
Baking
Transfer the scones onto a sheet tray lined with parchment paper.
Bake for 10 minutes, turn the tray, and bake for another 5-7 minutes.
Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before icing. A wire rack can be used for cooling and icing if desired.
Icing
To make the icing, whisk together powdered sugar, cinnamon, milk, and vanilla until smooth.
Scoop icing onto the top of the scones and spread it over the top.
Enjoy!
Storing
Store any leftover scones covered or in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Freezing
Freeze these scones to have them on hand at a moment’s notice. Simply make the dough as directed above. Shape and divide the disks and wrap each in plastic wrap. Place the wrapped disks into a freezer bag and keep in the freezer for up to 6 months.
When ready to bake, place the frozen scones onto a parchment lined baking sheet and directly into a preheated oven. No need to let them thaw before baking. Bake for 10 minutes, turn the tray, and bake for another 7-9 minutes. Allow to fully cool before icing.
Long ferment sourdough scones
To get the gut healthy benefits from these scones, they need time for the wild yeasts to work their magic. It also makes for a great make-ahead option which makes those busy mornings a little bit easier. Make the dough, shape, and divide as directed above. Cover the scones with plastic wrap or a beeswax wrap and place into the fridge overnight or up to 48 hours.
When ready to bake, place the unbaked scones onto a prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, turn the tray, and bake for another 6-8 minutes or until golden brown.
Tips for success
Butter – You want to use very cold butter. For the best results keep the butter in the fridge until ready to add it into the dry ingredients. Soft or warm butter gets worked into the dough instead of staying in chunks. The chunks are what give the dough its soft texture so we want to do what we can to keep them intact.
Pumpkin Puree – Each brand of canned pumpkin puree will have a different amount of moisture in it. Have a little extra cream and flour on hand to add if the dough is too dry or too sticky. The texture should be soft, but not sticky.
Cool completely – Icing while the scones are hot will result in disaster. The icing will melt and run off the scones, and some will soak into the scones surface. It results in a scone that has a sticky and dull top instead of a thick blanket of icing.
Thank you!
I hope you love this recipe as much as we do. It is always such a delight hearing about how much you enjoyed a recipe or what you think could be improved. So, thank you for leaving a comment! Don’t forget to share with friends and family so they too can enjoy making pumpkin sourdough scones. Thank you!
Pumpkin Sourdough Scones
Soft and pillowy scones, each bite filled with the cozy flavors of pumpkin and warm spices. The tops are all covered in a thick layer of cinnamon glaze. Enjoy these all season long with cups of tea, coffee, or cider.
Ingredients
Scones
- 2 cups Flour
- 1 Tbsp. Baking powder
- 2 Tbsp. Brown sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. Nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp. Cloves
- 1/4 tsp. Ginger
- 1/4 tsp. Allspice
- 1/2 tsp. Salt
- 6 Tbsp. Butter (cold)
- 1/2 cup Sourdough discard
- 1/2 cup Pumpkin puree
- 4 oz Heavy whipping cream
- 1 tsp. Vanilla extract
Icing
- 1 1/2 cup Powdered sugar
- 1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
- 2 Tbsp. Milk
- 1/2 tsp. Vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. (If long fermenting skip this step until ready to bake.)
- In a large bowl add flour, baking powder, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, allspice, and salt. Mix until combined.
- Slice in the butter into the dry ingredients and break it into pea sized chunks by hand.
- In a small bowl combine the sourdough, pumpkin puree, cream, and vanilla. Mix until smooth.
- Add the wet ingredients into the flour mixture and mix to combine. Do not overmix. Stop when the flour is just incorporated.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and shape into a thick log.
- Cut the log in half and shape each half into a disk that is 6 inches across.
- Divide each disk into 8 equal pieces.
- Transfer the scones onto a sheet tray lined with parchment paper.
- Bake for 10 minutes, turn the tray, and bake for another 4-6 minutes.
- Allow to cool for at least ten minutes before icing.
- To make the icing, whisk together powdered sugar, cinnamon, milk, and vanilla until smooth.
- Scoop icing onto the top of each scone and spread it over the top.
- Store any leftover scones covered or in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Long Ferment Scones
Prepare the dough as directed above. Shape and divide the disks and wrap both in plastic wrap or a beeswas wrap. Place them into the fridge overnight or up to 48 hours.
When ready to bake, palce the scones onto a parchment lined sheet tray and into a preheated oven. Do not thaw the scones before baking. Bake for 10 minutes, rotate the pan, and bake for an additional 5-7 minutes, or until the tops are lightly golden brown.
This recipe for pumpkin sourdough scones contains affiliate links. To learn more about how we use them, click here.
Leave a Reply