Pumpkin Scones Recipe

If you are hoping to pin down the exact definition of the scone, you had better bring along plenty of pins, because there's really no single way to define this baked good. In fact, people are not even in complete agreement on how to pronounce said baked good's name, with some arguing that it rhymes with "gone" or "Shawn," while most say it rhymes with "tone" or "shone," according to The Telegraph.

But there's one thing that will cause no debate, and that's that the pumpkin scones you'll create by following this recipe from Catherine Brookes of Blue Sky Eating are delicious. They have just the right level of sweetness, a subtle spice that's just perfect for enjoying in colder weather, and they pair beautifully with tea, coffee, and fresh fruit, ideally served "sliced in half and spread with butter and jam, or even cream cheese and honey," Brookes says.

Also, while they look rather fancy, these scones are quite easy to make, provided you follow the recipe closely. Which we can start doing right now — let's bake these scones! Or "scons," go ahead and say it that way if you want.

This recipe gets its seasonal flavor thanks to some choice spices and some pumpkin puree, but for the most part, it calls for classic baked goods ingredients. All told, you'll need self-raising flour, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground ginger, salt, butter (cold and cut into small cubes), sugar, the aforementioned pumpkin puree, an egg, some milk, and some powdered sugar for the glaze. Nothing wild, just some choice ingredients put to great use, in other words. "And no problem subbing for vegan butter as long as it's the firm block type that you could slice into pieces rather than a soft spreadable one," says Brookes. Same on the milk — these scones can be completely vegan and come out great.

Start things off by preheating the oven to 390 F and lining a baking sheet with parchment paper. Then add the flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt to a large mixing bowl and whisk them together until the dry ingredients are fully combined.

Next, add the cold, cubed butter into the bowl with the dry ingredients and toss and rub it into the flour mixture with your fingers until it resembles breadcrumbs. Then stir in the sugar. Now, in a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, pumpkin puree, and milk, mixing until they are smoothly blended.

Now, pour the pumpkin mixture into the butter-crumb mixture, and stir them together until they mix into an even dough. Then, scoop the dough out onto a generously floured work surface, and shape into a flattened disk with your hands. "Don't overwork the dough or the scones may come out too firm," Brookes says, adding that you should "just knead it enough to shape it into the flattened disk but no more than that." Next, slice that disk into six even wedges and transfer them to your lined baking sheet.

Bake the scones for 15 minutes, until they're risen and golden, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool. And while they cool, make the icing glaze by mixing the powdered sugar with a tablespoon of milk. Once the scones have been cooling for about 20 minutes, drizzle the glaze over the top of each. Then serve and enjoy! And, if you have some leftover after tea time? "They're best eaten within two to three days, and stored at room temperature in an airtight container," Brookes says. We hope you enjoy these delicious pumpkin scones just in time for fall!