Autumn Pumpkin Scones with Sweet Maple Drizzle

Embrace the cozy spirit of autumn with these incredibly easy and utterly delicious maple-glazed pumpkin scones. Infused with the warm spices of Fall and studded with tender raisins, these scones are a delightful treat that captures the essence of the season. Perfect with a cup of coffee or tea, they offer a lightly sweet indulgence that can be enjoyed from breakfast to a late-night snack.

These pumpkin scones are more than just a baked good; they’re a celebration of autumn’s bounty. Each scone boasts a tender, flaky crumb, bursting with the earthy sweetness of pumpkin puree and the chewy texture of plump raisins. The crowning glory is a luscious, maple syrup-infused glaze that adds an extra layer of sweetness and unmistakable fall flavor. Whether you’re hosting a brunch, looking for a comforting breakfast, or simply craving a sweet escape, these lightly spiced scones are sure to become a cherished recipe in your kitchen.

Why You’ll Fall in Love with This Pumpkin Scones Recipe

• Seasonal Perfection: Perfectly captures the cozy, comforting flavors of pumpkin and maple, making it an ideal treat for the autumn months.
• Amazingly Easy: Don’t be intimidated by scone making! This recipe uses simple techniques that even novice bakers can master, resulting in consistently delicious results.
• Versatile Treat: Enjoy them warm from the oven for breakfast, as an afternoon tea accompaniment, or as a delightful dessert.
• Customizable: Easily adapt the recipe to your preferences, whether you want more spice, different mix-ins, or a slightly different glaze.
• Crowd-Pleaser: These scones are always a hit with family and friends, making them perfect for gatherings, holidays, or just a special weekend breakfast.

Key Ingredients for Perfectly Moist Pumpkin Scones

Crafting the perfect scone starts with understanding your ingredients. Here are a few important notes and potential substitutions to ensure your maple glazed pumpkin scones turn out beautifully every time:

• Pumpkin Puree: You’ll need canned pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. The latter contains added spices and sweeteners that can alter the scone’s flavor and texture. This recipe calls for just 1/2 cup, making it a fantastic way to use up any leftover pumpkin puree from other fall baking projects. Ensure your puree is thick and not too watery.
• Raisins: We love the chewy sweetness raisins bring to these scones. Thompson raisins are excellent, and for the best texture, we recommend plumping them first. Simply soak them in hot water for about 5-10 minutes, then drain thoroughly and pat them dry before adding to the dough. This step ensures they remain soft and juicy after baking.

  Substitution Tip: If raisins aren’t your preference, feel free to omit them entirely or swap them for other dried fruits like chopped dried cranberries, golden raisins, or even dried currants. Dried cranberries can also be plumped, or used as is for a firmer bite.

• Cream: Heavy whipping cream (35% butterfat) is recommended for its richness, which contributes to the scones’ tender texture. A lighter cream, such as half-and-half (10% butterfat), can also work, but you might need to adjust the quantity slightly to achieve the desired dough consistency. The fat content in cream is crucial for creating that coveted flaky interior.
• Maple Syrup: For the glaze, pure maple syrup is truly essential for its rich, authentic flavor. While maple-flavored pancake syrup can be used in a pinch, it often lacks the depth and natural sweetness of pure maple syrup. Investing in good quality maple syrup will elevate your glaze significantly.
• Butter: Always use cold butter, cut into small pieces. This is a crucial step for flaky scones. Cold butter creates steam pockets during baking, resulting in a light and airy texture. Unsalted butter allows you to control the salt content precisely. If using salted butter, reduce the added kosher salt in the recipe to a pinch.
• Spices & Orange Zest: The blend of cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg provides that classic pumpkin spice aroma and flavor. A touch of orange zest, though optional, adds a bright, zesty note that complements the other flavors beautifully. Adjust spice levels to your personal taste – for a bolder flavor, you can slightly increase the amounts.
• Baking Powder & Salt: These leavening agents ensure your scones rise properly and have a light texture. Kosher salt balances the sweetness and enhances all the flavors.

Step-by-Step Guide: Crafting Your Perfect Maple Glazed Pumpkin Scones

Creating these delightful pumpkin scones is a rewarding experience. Follow these detailed steps to ensure a flawless bake. Remember, baking is both an art and a science, so pay attention to the dough’s consistency!

1. Prepare Your Workspace & Oven: Begin by preheating your oven to 375°F (190°C) for regular bake (not fan-assisted). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and for easy cleanup. Set it aside.
2. Plump the Raisins: Place your raisins in a small heatproof bowl and cover them with very hot water. Let them stand while you prepare the rest of the dough. This step softens them, making them juicy and preventing them from drying out during baking. Once plumped, drain them thoroughly and pat them very dry with a paper towel. Excess moisture can make your dough sticky.
3. Combine Wet Ingredients: In a separate small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the pure pumpkin puree, one large egg, and 1/4 cup of heavy whipping cream until the mixture is smooth and well combined. This is your pumpkin mixture; set it aside.
4. Mix Dry Ingredients & Cut in Butter: In a large mixing bowl, thoroughly whisk together the all-purpose flour, dark brown sugar (packed), orange zest (if using), baking powder, kosher salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Add the cold unsalted butter pieces (cut into small, 4-5 pieces). Using a pastry cutter, two knives, or your fingertips, work the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse meal with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining. This texture is key for flaky scones. Finally, gently stir in the plumped and dried raisins until evenly distributed.

5. Form the Dough: Pour the pumpkin/egg mixture into the flour and butter mixture. Use a fork to gently mix and press the ingredients together. Continue stirring and pressing until all the flour is moistened and the mixture just comes together into a cohesive dough. The dough should be moist but not sticky.

   Top Tip for Dough Consistency: After adding the initial liquid, stir well and press down to help moisture absorb into the flour. Check the bottom of the bowl for any dry flour pockets. If you find any, add a tiny bit more heavy cream, a teaspoon at a time, mixing until just moistened. Be careful not to add too much liquid, as sticky dough results in dense scones. The goal is a shaggy but workable dough.

6. Shape and Cut the Scones: Transfer the dough from the bowl onto a lightly floured work surface. Gently pat the dough into a rough circle with relatively straight sides, about 8 inches in diameter and approximately 1 inch thick. Avoid overworking the dough. Using a sharp knife or a bench scraper, cut the circle into 8 even wedges. Carefully transfer these wedges to your prepared parchment-lined baking sheet, ensuring there are a couple of inches of space between each scone for even baking.
7. Prepare for Baking: Lightly brush the tops of the scone wedges with a bit of additional heavy whipping cream. This helps them brown beautifully and adds a touch of richness.
8. Bake to Perfection: Place the baking sheet in your preheated oven and bake for 18-22 minutes. Halfway through baking (around the 9-11 minute mark), rotate the pan to ensure even browning. The scones are done when they are set, lightly golden brown on top, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Do not overbake, as this can lead to dry scones.
9. Cool Completely: Once baked, remove the scones from the oven and let them rest on the baking sheet for a minute or two before carefully transferring them to a wire cooling rack. It’s crucial that the scones cool completely before you apply the glaze; otherwise, the glaze will melt and run off.
10. Prepare and Apply the Maple Glaze: While the scones cool, prepare your glaze. In a small bowl, combine the icing (confectioners’) sugar. Gradually add pure maple syrup, starting with about 3 tablespoons, and stir well after each addition. Continue adding tiny amounts of maple syrup, stirring continuously, until you achieve a smooth, pourable glaze with the consistency of thick honey – not too thin that it runs off, and not too thick that it’s difficult to spread. Place a baking sheet or wax paper under the cooling rack to catch any glaze drips. Spoon the glaze generously over the top of each cooled scone, allowing it to drip attractively down the sides.
11. Set and Serve: Let the glazed scones sit at room temperature for about 15-30 minutes, or until the maple glaze has fully set. Once set, they are ready to serve and enjoy!

Making Ahead, Storing, and Freezing Your Pumpkin Scones

While scones are undeniably best enjoyed fresh from the oven, you can certainly prepare them ahead of time or store leftovers to savor later.

• Making Ahead: You can prepare the scone dough, cut out the wedges, and then arrange them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking. Alternatively, you can freeze the unbaked scones on the baking sheet until firm, then transfer them to an airtight freezer bag for up to 1 month. Bake from frozen, adding a few extra minutes to the baking time.
• Storing Baked Scones: Baked scones will stay fresh for a couple of days when stored at room temperature in an airtight container. To refresh them, a quick reheat in a toaster oven or microwave can bring back some of their original warmth and softness.
• Freezing Baked Scones: Scones freeze beautifully for up to 2 months. For best results, freeze them without the glaze. Once thawed, you can then make a fresh batch of maple glaze and spoon it over the top before serving. To thaw, simply let them sit at room temperature or gently warm them in the oven.

Get the Recipe: Maple Glazed Pumpkin Scones

Easy and delicious pumpkin scones, with raisins and a maple glaze. Perfect to enjoy any time of day.

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Prep Time: 15 mins

Cook Time: 20 mins

Total Time: 35 mins

Yield: 8 scones

Ingredients

For the Scones:

• 1/2 cup pure pumpkin puree
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream (35% b.f. – plus more as needed)
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup dark brown sugar (packed, or substitute light brown sugar)
• 1/2 teaspoon orange zest (optional, but a nice addition)
• 2 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt (or reduce to a pinch if using salted butter)
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter (cold and cut into 4 or 5 pieces)
• 1/2 cup raisins (plumped – see instructions below, or chopped dried cranberries)

For brushing tops before baking:

• Additional heavy whipping cream

Maple Glaze:

• 1 cup icing/confectioners’ sugar
• Maple syrup (to thin, about 3-4 Tbsp)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375F (regular bake/not fan assisted). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Plump the raisins: Place raisins in a small bowl and cover with very hot water. Allow to stand while you start the dough. Drain and pat dry thoroughly before use.
3. In a small bowl or measuring cup, mix together the pumpkin, egg, and cream until smooth. Set aside.
4. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, orange zest, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Add the cold butter pieces to the bowl and using a pastry cutter or your fingertips, cut or rub the butter into the flour mixture until you have evenly sized butter pieces about pea-sized. Stir the plumped and dried raisins into the flour/butter mixture.
5. Pour the pumpkin/egg mixture into the flour mixture and use a fork to mix, pressing and stirring until all the flour is moistened, but not sticky. If you have some dry flour mixture visible at the bottom of the bowl, add a bit more heavy cream, as needed, to just moisten it. Don’t add too much at a time. You don’t want the dough to be sticky, just moistened.
6. Pour the mixture out onto a work surface. Pat into a rough circle with straight sides, then use your hands or a rolling pin to press or roll out to about 8-inches diameter. Using a sharp knife, cut the circle into 8 even wedges. Transfer the wedges to the prepared baking pan, leaving several inches between each piece. Brush tops of the scones with heavy cream.
7. Bake scones in preheated oven for 18-22 minutes, turning the pan halfway through baking. Scones should be set and slightly golden on top. Remove from oven, let stand on pan a minute, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely before glazing.
8. To glaze, place a baking sheet under the cooling rack to catch the drips. Mix up the glaze by adding maple syrup to the icing sugar in small increments, stirring between additions, until you have a glaze the consistency of honey (not too thin, not too thick). Spoon over the top of cooled scones, letting it drip over the sides a bit. Allow the scones to sit at room temperature until the glaze sets.
9. Store scones in an airtight container for several days or these will also freeze well (see notes above for freezing tips).

Notes

The secret to scones and biscuits is getting the dough to the right consistency and recognizing when you need to add a bit more liquid to the dough. You want a dough that is moist, but not sticky.

After you have added the specified liquid, stir well and press down somewhat to press moisture into the flour. Now check the bottom of the bowl. If you have some dry flour mixture still, add a bit more liquid (cream) and stir in, adding just as much extra as you need until all the dough is moistened.

More tips!

• Be sure not to over-bake the scones. Bake just until they are lightly golden on top.
• As written, these scones are lightly spiced with warm, Fall spices. If you like a spicier scone, you can increase the spices, to taste.

Be sure to read the notes above this Recipe Card, for more tips and substitution suggestions for this recipe. You will also find step-by-step photos there, that you may find helpful.

Cuisine: American, Canadian

Course: Snack, Breakfast, Dessert

Author: Jennifer Maloney

Nutrition Information (per scone):
Serving: 1 scone, Calories: 374kcal, Carbohydrates: 67g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 10g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 49mg, Sodium: 56mg, Potassium: 296mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 22g, Vitamin A: 2704IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 79mg, Iron: 3mg

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