Easy Pumpkin Cinnamon Chip Scones with a Sweet Pumpkin Glaze
What is it about fall that has us craving pumpkin flavored everything? From lattes to pies to sausages, even deodorant (I wouldn’t recommend eating that though). I’m adding this recipe to the pumpkin craze. The pumpkin flavor is on point and the spices are just perfect.
I’ve been on a cardamom kick lately. It’s peppery, earthy flavor goes well in sweet desserts, like my Easy Chocolate Cardamom Scones, and I even put it in savory dishes. I’ve got a new chowder recipe coming out soon that uses cardamom.
I went back and forth on whether or not to add a glaze to these scones. They really are so good on their own. The pumpkin flavor is amazing, and the spices are just perfect. I did ultimately decide to add a glaze to these scones, and WOW! The glaze really kicks it up a notch. I added cardamom and nutmeg to the glaze along with a bit of pumpkin puree and it was just delicious.
Why I love these scones
Taste I just love the taste of these scones. The pumpkin flavor is just enough and the spices are perfectly blended. The cinnamon chips add that extra bit of sweetness and flavor. And the glaze, don’t get me started! Definitely a fall favorite!
Smell I should make this smell into a candle! These scones smell so delicious as they’re baking in the oven. You’ll be anxiously waiting until they’re done!
Ease of making These scones are dangerously easy to make.
Would I make these again? Over and over again! They are so good and go perfectly with your morning coffee. I’d bake these scones just for their smell.
Talk about Fall in a scone! That’s exactly what you’ll have once you make these soft, tender, and flaky scones. They’re easy enough to make, making them a great make ahead treat. You can prep them the night before you want to serve them, then store in the fridge until the next day. They can even be frozen for longer term storage.
Ingredients: An Overview
- Pumpkin puree Use plain pumpkin puree, not the pumpkin pie mix.
- Heavy cream Heavy cream makes for the best texture in scones. I have used milk before when making scones, but the cream really makes a difference.
- Spices The spices are what gives these scones their great flavor. Nutmeg, cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves are the spices in these scones.
- Cinnamon Chips The cinnamon chips give great flavor to these scones.
Recipe Tips
How to Make Pumpkin Cinnamon Chip Scones
One thing I really love about scones is how easy they are to make. They don’t take too long either. There is the 20 minute chilling time, but that just gives you time to clean up. These scones come together really easily. It’s just a matter of whisking the dry ingredients together, then mixing the wet ingredients together in a separate bowl.
Then the butter is cut into the dry ingredients using a pastry cutter. You add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, then add the cinnamon chips. Mix everything together until it forms a shaggy mass, then form the dough ball.
You’ll split the dough ball in half, forming two smaller dough balls, and flatten those into roughly 6 inch discs onto a baking sheet lined with a silicone mat or parchment paper.
Slice the discs into 6 equal triangles, or as equal as you can get. Pull the triangles apart so there is space in between the triangles to bake up nicely. Then you’ll freeze them for 20 minutes while the oven is heating up.
After 20 minutes in the freezer, pop those babies in the oven for 20 minutes. Enjoy the scent of pumpkin and cinnamon and nutmeg, cardamom, and cloves filling the air. These scones will make your house smell absolutely amazing! Better than any candle could. And, you get to eat them. Don’t forget to sneak one of these fresh from the oven.
Look at that delicious glaze! If you don’t decide to add the glaze (what!?), then brush the tops with some milk or heavy cream and sprinkle on some coarse sugar for a nice crunch and a crispy, browned topping.
Sweet Pumpkin Glaze
I’m so glad I decided to make a glaze to put on these scones. And not just any glaze, a sweet pumpkin glaze, adding extra pumpkin flavor to these scones. It was really simple to mix up. I mixed together powdered sugar, milk, a bit of pumpkin puree, cardamom, and nutmeg. It was a bit thick, but that helped to keep it from running off the scones too much, and I got good coverage from the amount I made. If you want more of a drizzle, you could make a lesser amount.
Other Scones to Try
Frequently Asked Questions
Store scones in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. They can also be stored in an airtight container on the counter for 3 days.
Yes, they freeze great. Make the recipe up until the point where you flatten the discs. Wrap the discs in plastic wrap and tinfoil, then add to a freezer safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Likewise, you can freeze the scones after you have cut them into triangles. Lay them flat on a tray and freeze them solid. Then, add them to a freezer safe container and freeze for 3 months, to be used when you only feel like baking one scone.
COLD butter! The milk/cream and yogurt should be cold as well. When the cold ingredients hit the oven, they release steam as they bake, helping to creating those flaky layers. It’s also important not to overmix the dough. Mix it just until it comes together. We only want to handle it just as much as we need to. Remember to chill scones after forming them and before baking them. This ensures the butter is cold when it goes into the oven.
Easy Pumpkin Cinnamon Chip Scones
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 8 tablespoons COLD butter, unsalted
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 4 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup cinnamon chips
Sweet Pumpkin Glaze
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin puree
- 1/2 teaspoon cardamom
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with either a silicone mat or parchment paper.
- Cube or grate the butter, then set in the freezer while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
- Whisk the dry ingredients together: 2 1/2 cups flour; 1/4 cup granulated sugar; 1/4 cup brown sugar; 1 tablespoon baking powder; 1 teaspoon cinnamon; 1 teaspoon nutmeg; 1/2 teaspoon cardamom; 1/2 teaspoon cloves; and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
- Whisk together wet ingredients in a small bowl, whisking the egg first: 1 egg; 1/2 cup pumpkin puree; 4 tablespoons milk.
- Cut the butter into the dry ingredients till it resembles pea gravel. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Add the 3/4 cup cinnamon chips. Mix everything together until it forms a shaggy mass. At this point, you'll want to get in there with your hands to form the dough into a dough ball. You don't want to overhandle the dough as the butter can start to melt.
- Once you've formed the dough ball, cut it in half to form two smaller dough balls. Flatten each dough ball into a 6-inch disc right onto the baking sheet. Slice the discs into 6 roughly equal triangles. Pull the triangles apart so the sides are not touching each other. This will help the scones bake up with a nice, firm edge.
- Set the tray of scones in the freezer for 20 minutes. If you can't fit the tray in there, lift the silicone mat or parchment paper off the tray with the scones and set in the freezer. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
- After 20 minutes, take the scones out of the freezer. If desired, brush the tops with heavy cream and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake for 20 minutes. You'll notice the scones will have golden edges when they're done.
- Although these scones are just as delicious cold as they are warm, there's something so wonderful about a scone fresh out of the oven. Do yourself a favor and eat one right away. I won't tell anyone.
Sweet Pumpkin Glaze
- In a small bowl, mix together the 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons and 1 tablespoon heavy cream; 1 tablespoon pumpkin puree; 1/2 teaspoon cardamom; and 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg.
- When the scones are completely cooled down, spread the glaze over the scones. I like to spoon it over the scones and let it spread over them. It will be quite thick, but this ensures the best coverage without it dripping off too much.
Notes
- Store scones in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days, or in a container on the counter for 3 days.
- If using salted butter, omit the salt from the recipe.
- You can choose to either cube the butter or use a box shredder and shred it.
- To freeze scones, wait until the scones are cooled down completely. Wrap them in plastic wrap, then foil, and store them in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
- To freeze before baking, make the scones all the way through slicing the scones. Freeze flat on a tray, then wrap individually in plastic wrap and tinfoil and store in a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months. If you want to freeze the discs, wrap them in plastic wrap then tinfoil before freezing as well. Thaw out overnight in the fridge before slicing into triangles. When you’re ready to bake them, if baking from frozen, bake at the regular temperature and add 1-2 minutes to the baking time. You can also thaw them out in the fridge overnight and bake at the regular time and temperature.
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