Classic Pumpkin Scones and Healthy Pumpkin Scones

The air is crisp, the leaves are turning, and if you’ve been dreaming of pumpkins, this is your moment. Get back in the kitchen and bake something! It’s cozy season and anything pumpkin goes.

Compared to other baking projects, making homemade scones is easy. If you can whisk, stir, gather, and pat, you are 100% able to make a scone. Just like the ones at your favorite coffee stop, these Classic Pumpkin Scones (pictured on right) are soft and crumbly. They are satisfying to hold in your hand and have that “big scone” bakery vibe that tempts you into paying too much when you order your coffee.

To blot the pumpkin purée, measure your pumpkin, then use a folded paper towel placed over the top of your cup to remove the excess moisture. Grating the butter took too long. I opted to cut it into small chunks instead and it worked into the flour just fine. Once you add the wet ingredients into the dry, you may need to use your hands to gently gather and knead the last of the dry ingredients into the dough. My scones baked in 20 minutes, so be sure to watch yours closely once they’re in the oven.

Scones are best enjoyed freshly baked, right out of the oven, but they’ll also keep well at room temperature or in the refrigerator for 2 extra days. The maple glaze is delicious drizzled over the scones while they are still warm, but if you are making these ahead, let them cool first so that the glaze will set up nicely.

If you’re after something a bit healthier, give these Healthy Pumpkin Scones (pictured on left) a try. Made with whole wheat pastry flour, they have a much finer crumb and are more like a traditional tea scone. They also have a lot less fat, but are still so moist and pumpkin spiced you’d never know.

You may be tempted to use regular whole wheat flour in place of whole wheat pastry flour, doing the usual 1/2 cup whole wheat flour and 1/2 cup all-purpose flour swap. But whole wheat flour is milled from red hard wheat, higher in protein and gluten, and is typically used for bread. Whole wheat pastry flour is ground from soft white wheat and has a lower protein content. This gives it a milder flavor and softer texture, making it suitable for cookies, muffins, and perfect for scones.

I didn’t try making a gluten-free batch this time because I wanted see how the whole wheat pastry flour would compare, but I am guessing Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour would yield good results in either recipe. One batch of either recipe makes 8 large bakery-sized scones for less than what you would pay for one at a coffee shop. Both are delicious – perfectly spiced, but not overly sweet – so the hardest part for you is deciding which one to make.

Now’s your chance. Cuddle up with a good book, snuggle under a comfy throw, and enjoy a warm scone with your favorite coffee or tea.

Classic Pumpkin Scones

2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (8 Tablespoons; 113 g) unsalted butter, frozen
1/3 cup + 2 Tablespoons (105ml) heavy cream, divided
1 large egg
1/2 cup (115g) canned pumpkin purée, blotted
1/2 cup (100g) light brown sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
optional: coarse sugar for sprinkling on top before baking

Maple Glaze:

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
1 cup sifted confectioners’ sugar
pinch salt

Preheat oven to 400º F and adjust baking rack to the middle-low position. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

Combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, nutmeg, cloves and salt in a medium mixing bowl and whisk together. Set aside.

Grate frozen butter using a box grater, or cut into very small pieces. Add butter to the flour mixture and combine it with a pastry cutter, a fork, or your fingers until the mixture comes together in pea-sized crumbs.

In a separate bowl, combine 1/3 cup (75ml) heavy cream, egg, blotted pumpkin, brown sugar and vanilla extract and whisk together. Drizzle wet ingredients over dry; mix together until everything is moistened. Using floured hands, work dough into a ball, then transfer to a lightly floured work surface. Press into an 8-inch disc and cut into 8 equal wedges with a sharp knife. To make smaller scones, press your dough into two 5-inch discs and cut into 8 equal wedges.

Place scones at least 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheet. Using a pastry brush, brush scones with remaining heavy cream and sprinkle with coarse sugar, if desired. Bake 20-25 minutes for larger scones, 18-20 minutes for smaller, or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and transfer to a cooling rack.

For glaze: Melt the butter and maple syrup together in a small saucepan set over low heat, whisking occasionally. Once the butter has melted, remove from heat and whisk in confectioners’ sugar. Taste and add a pinch of salt, if desired. Drizzle over warm scones.

-sallysbakingaddiction.com

Healthy Pumpkin Scones

1 3/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 Tablespoons coconut oil, melted and cooled
1/2 cup pumpkin purée, blotted
1 egg
3 Tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Maple Glaze:

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
1 cup sifted confectioners’ sugar
pinch salt

Preheat oven to 425º F and adjust baking rack to the middle-low position. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

Combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, nutmeg and salt in a medium mixing bowl and whisk together. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, combine coconut oil, pumpkin purée, egg, maple syrup, and vanilla extract; whisk together. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until well combined, being careful not to overmix.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Gently pat to flatten into an 8-inch disc, then cut into 8 wedges with a sharp knife. Place scones at least 2 inches apart onto prepared baking sheet. Bake approximately 12 minutes, until scones turn slightly brown around the edges. Remove from oven and transfer to a cooling rack.