Need a festive, fall-themed treat to add to your tea table or harvest gathering? These iced pumpkin scones perfectly complement the season of blustery weather and brilliant colors. Pair them with soup on a chilly day, or serve among other dainties for an autumn tea party. Whenever you bake these, don’t expect them to last long! The aroma of these scones fresh from the oven is enough to draw eager taste-testers!
I can’t recall where the original recipe for these scones came from, but I have been making this version for the past year. The sweetly spiced orange-hued scones with a drizzle of cream cheese glaze atop seems just the right combination of sweet and spice. I hope your family enjoys these iced pumpkin scones as much as mine does!
Method
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F. Butter a large, rimmed baking sheet and set it aside.
Combine the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl: add the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and spices. Stir to combine.
You can use all-purpose flour or a lower-gluten whole wheat flour in this recipe. I have made these scones with a mixture of half all-purpose and half white whole wheat flour. You could also use whole wheat pastry flour, as this has a lower gluten content.
A word on gluten
Why is lower gluten important? Gluten is formed by two proteins in a grain when they are exposed to moisture. This compound makes a dough stronger and more elastic. Flours with a high gluten content make yeasted breads rise better, so it is good for using in those recipes. Bread flour, pizza flour, and hard red whole wheat flours have high gluten content, up to 13%. Sometimes bakers even add extra gluten to their flour with a dough enhancer, if they need a dough to be especially strong.
However, gluten can make delicate cakes, pastries, and quick breads tough in texture. I like my scones light and feathery, so I look for lower-gluten flours and use a gentle hand when kneading.
Cake flour has the lowest gluten content of any flour, at 7 to 8% gluten. It has been subjected to a harsh bleaching process which strips the grain of vitamins and minerals, as well as weakening the gluten. Pastry flour is another good option for light-textured baked goods, at 8 to 9% gluten. It is made from a different type of wheat than bread flours, usually a soft spring wheat. You can find pastry flour in white or whole wheat varieties.
All-purpose flour is a combination of different types of flour, so its gluten content ranges from 9 to 12% depending on the brand. The point of all-purpose flour is that it can be used for any type of baked good, from yeasted breads to pastries. However, if you want a nice high rise to your yeast breads or the lightest, flakiest pastry, then it might be better to use a different type of flour.
I like to use a mixture of unbleached all-purpose flour and whole wheat flour in my baking. For yeast breads and pancakes, I use whole wheat flour made from hard red wheat. For scones, muffins, and quick breads, I use white whole wheat flour, which has a gluten content similar to all-purpose flour. (King Arthur White Whole Wheat Flour has 12.2% gluten.) And for the lightest cakes, I use straight all-purpose flour. Cake flour has an unpleasant flavor due to bleaching, in my opinion.
If you would like to learn more about gluten, this article on the Gluten Content of Flours is helpful.
Back to the recipe…
Once your dry ingredients are combined, cut in the butter and cream cheese with a pastry blender or a fork. It works best when they are cold, so keep them in the refrigerator until you are ready to use them. I add the butter and cream cheese together, even though the textures are slightly different. The pieces are small enough when they are about the size of peas and the mixture looks crumbly.
In a smaller bowl, combine the pumpkin puree, eggs, and cream. Whisk lightly, then pour into the flour mixture. Stir until the mixture forms a soft dough. Add a little more cream if necessary.
Place the ball of dough onto a floured board. Knead it very gently a few times, then shape it into one large or two small flat discs. If you want to make large scones, shape the dough into one large disc about 3/4-inch to 1-inch high. If you wish to make smaller scones, divide the dough in half and shape each half into a disc about 1/2-inch high.
Use a large, sharp knife to cut the dough into wedges: 8 wedges per disc makes a nice size. Arrange the scones on the prepared baking sheet so that the edges are not quite touching.
Bake the scones for 12-15 minutes, or until the edges are lightly browned. The larger scones may take a few more minutes to bake.
Make the glaze
Meanwhile, prepare the glaze. Combine the cream cheese, butter, and powdered sugar in a small bowl and mix well. Drizzle in cream or milk until the glaze reaches the desired consistency. If you are using regular cream cheese, add a few drops of vanilla extract or a pinch of cinnamon. Otherwise, pumpkin-spiced cream cheese spread makes a fun alternative! I have made it both ways, and both are delicious.
Cool the scones on a wire rack for 10 minutes before glazing. Scones are best enjoyed the day they are baked, but you may store them, tightly covered, for 1-2 days if necessary.
Happy baking!
~Kimberly
Iced Pumpkin Scones
Ingredients
- 2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour unbleached
- 1/2 cup sugar scant
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1-1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1-1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 2 ounces cream cheese
- 4 tbsp butter cold
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup cream
Cream Cheese Glaze
- 1 ounce cream cheese or pumpkin-spice cream cheese spread
- 1 tbsp butter softened
- 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract optional
- 3-4 tbsp cream or milk
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Butter a large rimmed baking sheet.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and spices. Cut in the cream cheese and butter with a pastry blender or fork until the pieces of butter are the size of small peas.
- In a small bowl, mix the pumpkin puree, eggs, and cream or milk. Stir the pumpkin mixture into the flour mixture until a soft dough forms. Remove the dough to a floured board and knead very gently a few times.
- Shape the dough into a large, flat disc about 3/4 to 1 inch tall. Use a large, sharp knife to cut the disc into eight wedges. Transfer the wedges to the buttered sheet. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the edges are lightly browned.
- For glaze, combine the cream cheese, butter, and powdered sugar. Add the vanilla, if using, and dribble in the cream a little at a time until the glaze reaches the desired consistency.
Notes
[…] This recipe makes one tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice, which is just what you need to make this granola! To make more pumpkin pie spice, simply multiply the recipe by 2 or 3. For example, use 3 tsp cinnamon, 1 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1 tsp cloves, and 1/2 tsp ginger to make a double batch. That way, you’ll have some handy for other autumn goodies like pumpkin spice snickerdoodles or iced pumpkin scones! […]