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This is the BEST Starbucks Pumpkin Scone Recipe Copycat – they’re soft and moist pumpkin scones – perfectly pumpkin and fall spiced with the best icing! They taste even better than Starbucks – and they’re cheaper too!
I’m going to let you in on a bit of a secret: scones are easy to make! For some reason, they have a reputation for being difficult to make but they’re actually easy. These copycat pumpkin scones are like Starbucks scones, but even better. They are soft, tender, moist, and topped with icing – altogether, the ultimate fall treat to go with your coffee. And you don’t need to leave the house!
They taste even better than Starbucks. Once you try this pumpkin scone recipe, you’ll want them from scratch every time.
Ingredients Needed
- All-Purpose Flour: Be sure to measure it correctly.
- Brown Sugar: I love the extra bit of flavor that brown sugar gives the scones, plus they stay extra moist.
- Baking Powder: Be sure to check the date on your baking powder to make sure it isn’t expired.
- Spices: Salt, Cinnamon, Pumpkin pie spice
- Butter: I like grating my butter to make it easier to cut into the dry ingredients! Make sure the butter is chilled.
- Pumpkin Puree: For all that pumpkin flavor!
- Large Egg: Helps keep the scones moist.
- Heavy Whipping Cream: The fat in the cream helps keep the scones moist!
How to Make Starbucks Pumpkin Scones
- Whisk the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, and spices in a large bowl.
- Mix the wet ingredients together in a separate bowl.
- Add the chilled grated butter and cut it into the flour mixture with a pastry blender or a fork. Blend until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients.
- Pour the mixture into the well you made in the dry ingredients.
- Use a fork to mix the two just until the flour mixture is moistened.
- How to shape scones: Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough lightly until it is nearly smooth. Pat and shape the dough into a disc that’s about 1″ thick. Cut the disc into wedges.
- How long to bake scones: Place wedges on a prepared cookie sheet. Brush the wedges with whipping cream and bake them at 400°F for 15 to 18 minutes or until golden.
Expert Scone Making Tips
- The most important thing when you make scones is not to overwork the dough. So, when you mix the wet and dry ingredients, do it just long enough so the flour is moistened. Then, when you knead the dough, only knead it 10 to 12 times.
- If you don’t want large scones, you can make mini pumpkin scones. After you knead the dough, divide it in half and form each half into a disc. Cut them into mini wedges and then bake them.
- For the icing, feel free to just use the plain glaze or just the spiced glazed. You don’t need to use both – they will still taste great.
- The icing will not harden, so I don’t recommend stacking the scones.
- Store scones in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Don’t stack them if you have icing on them.
- How to freeze scones: Place in an airtight container in a single layer and freeze for up to 3 months.
Storing Scones
Store them in an airtight container so they don’t dry out. If you iced them, keep them in a single layer. If you stack them, the icing will get messed up. Yes, they freeze great with or without the icing! Store them in a freezer container. If they are iced, be sure to freeze them in single layers.
FAQ
Scones should be moist and not dry. These pumpkin scones are not too sweet (unless you add the glaze), but they are moist and delicious.
The culprit is usually the baking powder. If it is expired or if not enough is added to the recipe, the scones won’t rise while they bake.
I like all-purpose flour. It works great, and it’s the type of flour I usually have on hand.
Pumpkin Scones Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups (310g) all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup (67g) packed brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, grated and chilled
- ½ cup (122g) pumpkin puree
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup (119ml) heavy whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Plain Glaze:
- 1 cup (113g) powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons (15ml) heavy whipping cream
- Pinch Salt
Spiced Glaze:
- 1 cup (113g) powdered sugar
- 2-3 tablespoons (10-15ml) heavy whipping cream
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon ground ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- Pinch salt
Instructions
Scones:
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silpat baking mat.
- Grate your butter using the large holes of a box grater. Place back in the refrigerator to chill.
- Place flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, and spices in a large bowl. Whisk to combine.
- Cut the butter into the flour mixture using a pastry blender or fork, until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Make a well in the center of the flour and butter mixture.
- In a medium bowl or measuring cup, whisk egg, pumpkin puree, whipping cream, and vanilla. Pour into the well in the center of the flour mixture. Use a fork to stir just until moistened.
- Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead dough lightly until it is nearly smooth, about 10-12 folds in on itself. Pat dough into a circle that’s about 1-inch thick. Cut into wedges. (If desired, make mini scones by first dividing the dough in half then patting into a circle and cutting.)
- Place scones on cookie sheet. Brush the wedges with additional whipping cream. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until golden. Cool before topping.
Glaze:
- Plain glaze: whisk powdered sugar with cream until smooth. Frost each scone and chill to set glaze.
- If desired, make the spiced glaze. Place glaze in a small sandwich bag and cut off one tip and drizzle over the top of the ice scones once the frosting has set.
- You can also just frost the scones with the spiced glaze and skip the
- plain glaze, if desired.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
- The icing sets but is not hard, so I don’t recommend stacking them.
- Skip the plain glaze and just use spiced, or skip the spiced version all together.
- The scones themselves aren’t too sweet, so the icing adds that sweet punch, however they’re also great plain with coffee!
Recipe Nutrition
This recipe is perfect for anyone who loves pumpkin – whether you’ve made scones before or not! The recipe is easy, and they always turn out soft and moist. I hope you try this Starbucks pumpkin scone recipe soon!
Dorothy, thanks for this wonderful recipe, I’ve made these pumpkin scones 3 times already this fall !
But now, with baking ingredient sales starting for all the various holidays, I’m having a hard time finding all-purpose flour! Can these be made using self-rising flour instead?
Thank you from Albuquerque, New Mexico ( The Land of Enchantment, The Chile Capital of The World and home to The Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta. The largest ballooning event, where pilots come from around the USA and from around the World !)
Hi Dorothy! Just wondering if you’ve ever tried the cold dairy product/melted butter technique that Epicurious came out with a few years ago? You put your cream/heavy cream/buttermilk in the freezer for 15 minutes or so, until it’s REALLY cold, then pour in your melted butter. This forms little fat globules. Give it a stir, then pour into your flour mixture. Even fat distribution. No pastry cutter or grater involved. It’s a game changer!
There scones look absolutely decadent. Definitely on my “to make” list, as soon as my fractured kneecap and cracked ribs allow me to get out of bed, for more than trips to the bathroom 😕 Definitely NOT the way I envisioned summer. Total bedrest, except for trips to see the ortho surgeon every few weeks. 😪
I generally find scones too dry but these are fabulous! The scone is not too sweet so the pumpkin flavor really comes through. Even with both glazes, they still weren’t overly sweet. A true Fall treat!
So glad you enjoyed them!
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