Soft and melt-in-your-mouth, these pumpkin-flavored scones are garnished with white chocolate chips and topped with a sweet ginger glaze.
Did I miss the memo? Fall/Autumn is officially over, so it’s still cool to bake with pumpkin?
Oh, what happened? Leave conventions to the wind, because these pumpkin scones deserve to make an appearance no matter the season.
It’s really a question of whether to serve them on Christmas morning or a giant cinnamon bun. Cinnamon buns won. But rarely.
This was my first foray into scone making. I’m always hesitant – cutting whole butter into something floury makes me nervous because I don’t want a tough, dry baked dish. I have to say, though, that these pumpkin scones and these pumpkin scones alone have turned me into a huge scone lover. If you don’t make traditional scones yourself, do it. Start with this recipe. This stuff is killer.
Beyond being soft and almost melt-in-your-mouth-good, the pumpkin-flavored scones are garnished with white chocolate chips and topped with a deliciously sweet and spicy ginger glaze. Very quick to prepare, the main dough should be soft. Don’t overwork it, man, and you’ll have soft, perfectly perfect scones.
My cousin Tammy, who I adore, sent me this recipe because her friend made it for her after she had her seventh child, and Tammy was so fascinated with the scones that she found the superhuman strength to make them herself. Her new baby was only a few weeks old.
That’s what I (and a very ambitious new mom) call a tried and true recipe. They’re worth it. I promise! I’m sure I’ll be begging my friends and neighbors to come over in April if I have a new baby. My baby-having ambition goes that far.
Pumpkin Scones with Ginger Glaze
Makes: 8 scones
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Materials Needed
Buns:
- 2 cups (284 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (106 g) packed light brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon masala
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (113 g) cold butter, cut into pieces
- ⅓ cup buttermilk
- ½ cup canned pumpkin puree, no spices or sugar added
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup (85 grams) white chocolate chips
Glazing:
- 2 cups (228 grams) powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon ginger or pumpkin spice
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
- For the scones, in a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, spices, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix the cold butter pieces into the flour mixture and cut in the butter using a pastry blender, two knives, or your fingers (be careful not to melt the butter with the heat of your fingers) until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, pumpkin, and vanilla.
- Add the wet mixture to the dry flour mixture and mix until the dough comes together. If the mixture is too crumbly to come together, add 1-2 tablespoons of buttermilk. Don’t overwork the dough or the scones will be tough and dry.
- Gently fold in the white chocolate chips. The mixture may be on the crumbly side, but when you flip it, it should come together.
- Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and knead gently 3-4 times. Pat dough into a thick circle about 1 1/2 inches thick. Cut into six to eight pie-shaped pieces. Transfer scones to a parchment- or silpat-lined baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Do not overpack.
- scones are baking, mix together ingredients for glaze. Once scones are out of the oven, transfer to a cooling rack set over a baking sheet or wax/parchment paper. Drizzle warm scones with glaze. Serve warm or at room temperature.
