Sourdough Pumpkin Scones Recipe

Yield: scones

Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 18

Chill Time: 30

Total Time: 1 8

Delight in the flavors of autumn with Sourdough Pumpkin Scones! Lovingly baked to perfection and topped with a rich maple glaze, these delicious sourdough scones create a seasonal treat that captures the essence of cozy mornings.

4.56 from 9 votes

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Equipment

Ingredients

Sourdough Pumkin Scones

280 grams all-purpose flour 2 cups
110 grams dark brown sugar, see notes* 1/2 cup
14 grams baking powder 1 Tablespoon + 1/2 teaspoon
3 grams salt 1/2 teaspoon
2 grams ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon
4 grams pumpkin pie spice 1 1/2 teaspoons
113 grams unsalted butter, frozen 1/2 cup
120 grams sourdough discard 1/2 cup
120 grams pumpkin puree 1/2 cup
50 grams egg about 1 large egg
30 grams heavy cream 2 Tablespoons
8 grams vanilla extract 2 teaspoons

Maple Glaze

32 grams pure maple syrup 2 Tablespoons
28 grams unsalted butter, melted 2 Tablespoons
45 grams heavy cream 3 Tablespoons
25 grams brown sugar 2 Tablespoons
130 grams powdered sugar 1 cup
4 grams vanilla extract 1 teaspoon

Instructions

Sourdough Pumkin Scones

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, dark brown sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice. Whisk together until incorporated.
280 grams all-purpose flour, 110 grams dark brown sugar, see notes*, 14 grams baking powder, 3 grams salt, 2 grams ground cinnamon, 4 grams pumpkin pie spice
If you don't have pumpkin pie spice on hand - here's how you can create your own at home!
24 grams (3 Tablespoons) ground cinnamon
4 grams (2 teaspoons) ground ginger
3 grams (1 1/2 teaspoons) ground nutmeg
2 grams (1 teaspoon) ground cloves
2 grams (1 teaspoon) ground allspice
Grate the frozen unsalted butter and add to the flour mixture. Cut in with a pastry cutter or mix with your fingers until the small pieces of butter are coated with flour and create pea-sized coarse crumbs.
113 grams unsalted butter, frozen
Next, blot the pumpkin puree with paper towel to extract the extra liquid. Continue to do so until most of the liquid is removed and you are left with 70g of pumpkin puree. This will prevent the Sourdough Pumpkin Scones from having too much liquid and baking flat.
120 grams pumpkin puree
In a medium bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, cold sourdough discard, a cold egg, cold heavy cream, and vanilla extract until smooth.
120 grams sourdough discard, 50 grams egg, 30 grams heavy cream, 8 grams vanilla extract
Pour the wet ingredients evenly on top of the butter mixture. Mix the scone dough with a rubber spatula until the cream mixture is combined. The dough will be crumbly with some bites of dry flour. Be careful not to over mix the dough, the flour will be incorporated in the next step.
Turn out the mixture onto a lightly floured surface and pat into a rectangle. Then, with a bench scraper, fold the dough in half, then press down to create the large rectangle again. Repeat this 3-4 times. Folding the dough helps to create all of those beautiful flaky layers!
With your hands, form the dough into an 8″ disc. Cut the soft dough into 8 equal wedges with a bench scraper or a large knife.
Be careful not to slide the bench scraper when cutting the scones! This will close off the dough, which prevents the scones from getting the flaky layers. Simply press straight down and pull straight up.
Place the unbaked scones on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover with a plastic lid and chill them in the fridge for at least 20 minutes while the oven preheats. This plastic lid fits perfectly over my baking sheets!
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
With a pastry brush, top the scones with more heavy whipping cream and sprinkle on a layer of coarse sugar, if desired.
Bake the scones for 18-23 minutes, or until the top of the scones are golden brown. Remove and place on a wire rack to cool slightly. Prepare maple glaze in the meantime!

MAPLE GLAZE

In a small bowl, add the pure maple syrup, melted butter, heavy cream, and dark brown sugar. Stir until smooth.
32 grams pure maple syrup, 28 grams unsalted butter, melted, 45 grams heavy cream, 25 grams brown sugar
Add the powdered sugar. Finally, stir in the vanilla extract.
130 grams powdered sugar, 4 grams vanilla extract
Use a spoon to drizzle or dip the tops of the scones with the sweet maple glaze. Enjoy!

Notes

Substitutions

Dark brown sugar - I absolutely love the rich flavor that dark brown sugar brings to these scones and glaze, but it can be substituted with light brown sugar instead.

HOW TO STORE

Store leftover scones in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.

TO FREEZE:

Once cooled to room temperature, place the pumpkin scones in a freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to 2 months.

BAKER’S TIPS:

For the best results, use these baker's tips for these delicious Sourdough Pumpkin Scones!

Use cold/frozen butter: To get the most light and flakey crust, you need cold butter! When the butter starts to melt while it is baking, it releases moisture. This creates those flakey layers. If you use room temperature or the butter melts before baking, the scones will be flat and dry.
Use cold ingredients: Furthermore, to help keep the butter cool, use as many cold ingredients as possible, like cold eggs, cold heavy cream, cold sourdough discard, etc.
Work quickly: As stated above, you don’t want your butter to melt into the dough, so you must work quickly.
Chill the dough before baking: Chilling the scones before popping them into the oven allows the butter to stay cold, which gives you the best chance for flakey scones.
Variations: If you are craving a little bit more sweetness and crunch to your scones, try adding a 1/2 cup of butterscotch chips, cinnamon chips, caramel chips, chocolate chips, and chopped pecans or walnuts!

FAQS:

WHAT CAN I USE IF I DON’T HAVE HEAVY CREAM?

If you find yourself in a pinch without heavy cream, buttermilk or sour cream are excellent substitutes.

CAN I FREEZE THE SCONES?

Yes! Once you’ve cut the scone dough into 8 triangles flash freeze them on a baking sheet in the freezer for at least 1 hour before storing them in a freezer-safe bag. That way they won’t stick together. Bake from frozen, adding a few extra minutes to the bake time.

This recipe card was updated on 03/06/26.

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