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Sourdough pumpkin scones with a delicious maple glaze and pumpkin spice flavor go great with a cup of coffee or tea. These scones make a great fall breakfast or snack idea!
As soon as we leave summer behind and start thinking about fall, I start dreaming of pumpkin everything. I make a batch of homemade pumpkin pie spice and get out all the pumpkin recipes. Pumpkin butter, sourdough pumpkin french toast casserole, and sourdough pumpkin chocolate chip muffins are just a few of my favorite pumpkin-y breakfast recipes.
Sourdough Pumpkin Recipes
In addition to pumpkin, I’m also huge fan of all things sourdough. Whether it’s sourdough artisan bread, overnight sourdough biscuits, or just a loaf of pumpkin-shaped sourdough bread, I love it all. (If you need a sourdough starter, it’s so easy to make your own starter from scratch.)
One of my favorite things about these sourdough pumpkin scones is that they blend two of my favorite flavors. I can’t guarantee that these taste just like Starbucks pumpkin scones, but they’re still pretty delicious!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Pumpkin spice scones are perfect for a quick breakfast (when they’re made ahead of time). I love making sourdough discard pumpkin scones when I need something for breakfast that’s ready to go.
- We usually serve these with eggs (Instant Pot boiled eggs are a great make-ahead option) and milk if we’re having them for breakfast. The eggs and milk give some added protein.
- They’re also great for a cozy afternoon snack paired with your favorite coffee or tea.
- You can use either active sourdough starter or sourdough discard in this recipe.
- This recipe is a great way to use up some extra sourdough starter if you have it.
Sourdough Pumpkin Scones Notes
- This recipe calls for pumpkin puree. You can also make your own pumpkin purée.
- If you don’t have any pumpkin pie spice, you can make homemade pumpkin pie spice.
- You can double the maple glaze ingredients if you prefer more of a completely frosted scone. The recipe I’ve included will make a glaze that you can drizzle over the scones, but it could be easily doubled.
- Be sure to use very cold butter in this recipe. I like to cut my butter into small cubes and then put it into the freezer while I get out the other ingredients and get everything ready.
- You can use either active sourdough starter or sourdough discard for this recipe.
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Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Small mixing or batter bowl
- Whisk
- Glass measuring cup
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- Pastry dough blender
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
Ingredients
The full list of ingredient amounts and instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Butter (unsalted)
- Unbleached all-purpose flour
- Brown sugar
- Baking powder
- Pumpkin pie spice
- Cinnamon
- Salt
- Egg
- Pumpkin puree
- Sourdough starter (discard or active)
- Heavy cream
- Vanilla extract
Here are the ingredients for the maple glaze:
- Powdered sugar
- Pumpkin pie spice
- Cinnamon
- Maple syrup
- Milk
How to Make Sourdough Pumpkin Scones
The full ingredients and instructions are found below in the printable recipe card.
1. Cut butter into cubes and put into the freezer.
2. Combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon and salt together in a large mixing bowl. Sir to mix.
3. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the egg, pumpkin puree, sourdough starter, heavy cream and vanilla extract.
4. Cut the cold butter into the dry ingredients with a pastry cutter until the butter resembles small peas.
5. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ones in the large bowl. Mix with a spoon and then knead the ingredients together with your hands just until the dough forms into a ball. Do not over-knead the dough. The less it is handled the better!
6. Turn the dough out on a work surface or a dinner plate, and press into a disk about one inch thick. Cut the disk into eight wedges.
7. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Put the dough into the fridge for 10 to 15 minutes while the oven heats up. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
8. When the oven is heated, remove the dough from the fridge and place it on the prepared baking sheet, with the scones not touching each other. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and allow to cool on a wire rack.
9. While scones are cooling, make the glaze. Mix all of the glaze ingredients together in a small bowl. Drizzle glaze over the cooled scones.
Enjoy your delicious scones! Serve these with a homemade pumpkin spice latte, a vanilla latte, or a London fog tea latte.
How to Store
Although the pumpkin sourdough scones taste best if eaten within the first day, you can store leftover scones covered, at room temperature for up to 3 days, in the refrigerator for up to a week, or freeze for up to 3 months.
You can freeze pre-baked or baked scones in a freezer safe airtight container for up to 3 months. To bake the unbaked frozen scones, follow baking instructions above. To warm already-baked scones, bake in a 350 degree F oven for 25-30 minutes.
Make Ahead Instructions
To make ahead, you can follow the recipe up to the step where you cut the scones and put them in the freezer. Put them in an airtight container and freeze them for up to 1 month. When you’re ready to bake, remove them from the freezer and bake from frozen, adding a few extra minutes to the baking time.
How to Long-Ferment the Scones
To long-ferment these sourdough pumpkin scones, you can simply mix up the dough and then put it in an airtight container and store in the fridge for a day or two. After the dough has fermented, you can then proceed with the rest of the recipe instructions.
Or, you can mix up and shape the scones and then store the shaped scones in the refrigerator overnight and bake the following day.
More Sourdough and Pumpkin Recipes
- How to Make a Sourdough Starter from Scratch
- Easy Sourdough Bread Recipe (Perfect for Beginners)
- Pumpkin-Shaped Sourdough Bread Loaf
- Sourdough Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
- Sourdough Discard Pumpkin Bread
- Sourdough Pumpkin Roll
If you make this recipe and enjoy it, please leave a comment with a 5-star recipe rating and let me know! Thank you so much!
Sourdough Pumpkin Scones
Ingredients
Sourdough Pumpkin Scones
- 1/2 cup butter, unsalted
- 2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup sourdough starter, discard or active
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Maple Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 2 Tbsp maple syrup
- 1-3 Tbsp milk
Instructions
- Cut the butter into cubes and put it into the freezer.
- Combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon and salt together in a large mixing bowl. Sir to mix.
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the egg, pumpkin puree, sourdough starter, heavy cream and vanilla extract.
- Cut the cold butter into the dry ingredients with a pastry blender until the butter resembles small peas.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ones in the large bowl. Mix together with a spoon in the large bowl. Mix with a spoon and then knead the ingredients together with your hands just until the dough forms into a ball. Do not over-knead the dough. The less it is handled the better.
- Turn the dough out on a work surface or a dinner plate, and press into a disk about one inch thick. Cut the disk into eight wedges.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Put the dough into the fridge for 10 to 15 minutes while the oven heats up. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- When the oven is heated, remove the dough from the fridge and place it on prepared baking sheet, with the scones not touching each other. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and allow to cool on a wire rack.
- While scones are cooling, make the glaze. Mix all of the glaze ingredients together in a small bowl. Drizzle glaze over the cooled scones.
Notes
- You can double the maple glaze ingredients if you prefer more of a completely frosted scone. The recipe I’ve included will make a glaze that you can drizzle over the scones, but it could be easily doubled.
- Be sure to use very cold butter in this recipe. I like to cut my butter into small cubes and then put it into the freezer while I get out the other ingredients and get everything ready.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
These turned out perfect! Great texture and the right amount of pumpkin spice without being too sweet. Gone in just a couple days and making them again tomorrow!
Oh yay, I’m so glad to hear that! Thank you so much for the positive feedback!
Could I put nuts in the dough like pecans?
Sure, you could definitely try it and see how you like it with the nuts! If you decide to try it, let me know how they turn out!
Absolutely delicious and very easy! This is my second time making these this week. One quick question, should these be stored in the fridge (due to the milk in the glaze)? Thanks!
Thank you! So glad you enjoyed them! I would probably store them in the fridge if you don’t plan to use them within a day or so.
These were amazing! So delicious! Thank you so much for the recipe!!
You’re welcome! I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Can you freeze these and then bake them at the same temperature? Should I add a few minutes to the bake time?
Yes, that should work! I haven’t tried freezing them yet, but I don’t know why it wouldn’t work. I would shape them before freezing, then bake at the same temperature, but let them bake a little longer. If you decide to try freezing them, I’d love to hear how they turn out!
This looks so good! What a great combination of flavors!
I love scones and this is my first time making them! I won’t be looking for any other recipes. This recipe is simple. I mixed all the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients (minus the sourdough starter) the night before. I refrigerated the wet ingredients mixture overnight. In the morning I added the sourdough starter and continued with the directions as written. The scones turned out perfect on chilly autumn morning!
So happy it turned out well for you!
you can mix up the whole thing the night before and put in the fridge. that way the sourdough can actually ferment and work its magic on the flour. I do this all the time.
Thanks so much for sharing!
Absolutely delicious! Any chance you can update the recipe with measurement in grams as well?
Can’t wait to make this again!
Thank you! I’m so glad you enjoyed them! I’ve only made this recipe with cup measurements, so I’ll have to see if I can figure out the conversion to grams.
If I wanted to let these ferment a little longer would they still turn out ok if I baked them the next day?
Yes, you can put the dough in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. It’s easiest if you shape the scones first before putting them in the fridge to ferment. Let me know how they turn out!
The dough was a little sticky and not the easiest to work with but these baked beautifully and taste amazing! Not too sweet, pumpkin flavor is perfect amount. Will definitely be making these over and over.
Thank you so much for the positive review, Steph! I’m so glad you enjoyed them!