Buttery Pumpkin Scones with Cream Cheese Frosting

If you ask me, pumpkin scones are pure fall comfort food.

These tender, spiced scones make a cozy breakfast or afternoon treat that’s packed with warm autumn flavors. The pumpkin keeps them moist while cinnamon and nutmeg add that perfect seasonal touch.

They’re topped with a smooth cream cheese frosting that melts slightly into the warm scones. The tangy sweetness of the frosting balances out the earthy pumpkin perfectly.

It’s a comforting recipe that feels fancy but comes together easily, perfect for weekend mornings or when you want to treat yourself.

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What Kind of Pumpkin Should I Use?

For these scones, you’ll want to use canned pumpkin puree rather than fresh pumpkin, as it gives you the most consistent results and saves you tons of time. Make sure you’re grabbing plain pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling, which already has spices added that could throw off your recipe. Libby’s is a popular brand that works great, but any pure pumpkin puree from the baking aisle will do the trick. If you do have fresh pumpkin on hand and want to use it, just roast it until tender, then puree it until smooth – but honestly, the canned stuff is just as good and way more convenient.

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Options for Substitutions

These pumpkin scones are pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps, so here’s what you can do if you’re missing a few things:

• All-purpose flour: You can substitute with whole wheat flour, but use about 1/4 cup less since it absorbs more liquid. The scones will be a bit denser but still tasty.
• Pumpkin puree: Sweet potato puree works great as a 1:1 swap, or you can use butternut squash puree. Just make sure it’s not pumpkin pie filling with added spices.
• Heavy cream: Half-and-half or whole milk will work, though your scones might be slightly less rich. For the frosting, you can use milk instead of cream too.
• Individual spices: If you don’t have all the spices, you can use 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice instead of the cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves combo.
• Brown sugar: White sugar works fine, or you can make your own brown sugar by mixing 1/3 cup white sugar with 1 teaspoon molasses.
• Cream cheese frosting: Skip the frosting entirely and dust with powdered sugar, or make a simple glaze with powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla for a lighter option.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake when making pumpkin scones is overworking the dough, which leads to tough, dense scones instead of the light, flaky texture you want – mix just until the ingredients come together and you still see small pieces of butter.

Make sure your butter is truly cold before cutting it into the flour mixture, as warm butter won’t create those pockets of steam that give scones their signature layers.

Don’t skip patting the dough gently rather than rolling it out with a rolling pin, and when cutting your scones, press straight down with a sharp knife or bench scraper instead of twisting, which can seal the edges and prevent proper rising.

For the cream cheese frosting, let both the cream cheese and butter come to room temperature completely before mixing – cold ingredients will create a lumpy frosting that won’t spread smoothly over your warm scones.

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What to Serve With Pumpkin Scones?

These pumpkin scones are perfect for a cozy fall morning with a hot cup of coffee or spiced chai tea – the warm spices in the scones pair beautifully with both drinks. I love serving them alongside fresh fruit like sliced apples or pears to balance out the sweetness of the cream cheese frosting. For a more indulgent brunch spread, try them with crispy bacon or breakfast sausage, since the savory-sweet combo is absolutely delicious. You can also serve them as an afternoon treat with a pot of Earl Grey tea or even hot apple cider when you want something extra seasonal.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep your pumpkin scones in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to a week. If you’ve already frosted them, definitely store them in the refrigerator since the cream cheese frosting needs to stay cool.

Freeze: These scones freeze really well! You can freeze them unfrosted in a freezer bag for up to 3 months, then just thaw and add the frosting when you’re ready to serve. I like to wrap them individually in plastic wrap first to prevent freezer burn.

Warm Up: To bring back that fresh-baked taste, warm the scones in a 300°F oven for about 5-7 minutes. If they’re frozen, let them thaw first, then warm them up. Add the cream cheese frosting after warming so it doesn’t melt off completely.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 2700-2900
• Protein: 28-34 g
• Fat: 120-130 g
• Carbohydrates: 380-410 g

Ingredients

For the scone dough:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 1/3 cup heavy cream, plus 1 tbsp for brushing
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed

For the cream cheese icing:

• 2 oz softened cream cheese
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 to 2 tbsp heavy cream or whole milk
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Step 1: Prepare Baking Sheet and Mix Dry Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat baking mat and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, packed brown sugar, baking powder, kosher salt, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground ginger, and ground cloves until well combined.

Step 2: Whisk Wet Ingredients

• 1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

In a separate medium bowl, combine the canned pumpkin puree, 1/3 cup heavy cream, large egg, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.

Whisk until the mixture is smooth and homogenous.

This will help ensure the liquid blends evenly into the dough.

Step 3: Cut in Cold Butter and Combine Dough

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
• pumpkin mixture from Step 2

Add the cold, cubed unsalted butter to the bowl of dry ingredients and quickly toss to coat.

Using a pastry cutter or your fingers, cut or rub the butter into the flour mixture until you have a pebbly texture with pea-sized chunks of butter remaining.

Pour the pumpkin mixture from Step 2 into the flour-butter mixture.

Gently fold together with a spatula until just combined.

Don’t overmix—the dough will be wet and sticky.

Knead the dough in the bowl just a few times until it comes together.

Step 4: Shape and Chill the Scones

• dough from Step 3

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface.

Gently pat and shape it into a circle about 1 inch thick.

Use a sharp knife to cut the dough into 8 even triangles.

Arrange the pieces on your prepared baking sheet.

Place the scones in the freezer for 15-20 minutes so the butter re-chills—this prevents the scones from spreading too much when baking.

While chilling, preheat your oven to 400°F.

I always find chilling the scones helps them bake up flakier and taller.

Step 5: Bake the Scones

• scones from Step 4
• 1 tbsp heavy cream (for brushing)

Remove the chilled scones from the freezer and brush the tops with the remaining 1 tablespoon heavy cream.

Place the baking sheet on the middle rack of the preheated oven and bake for 15-22 minutes, until the tops and edges are golden brown and the centers are just set but slightly soft.

Once baked, remove from the oven and let the scones cool on the sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Step 6: Make the Cream Cheese Icing

• 2 oz softened cream cheese
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 to 2 tbsp heavy cream or whole milk
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

While the scones are cooling, prepare the cream cheese icing.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the softened cream cheese, 2 tablespoons softened unsalted butter, powdered sugar, 1 to 2 tablespoons heavy cream or whole milk (adjust for desired consistency), and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract until smooth and spreadable.

For a richer flavor, I prefer using heavy cream in the icing.

Step 7: Frost and Serve the Scones

Once the scones have cooled completely, use a spoon to generously frost each one with the cream cheese icing from Step 6.

Serve and enjoy—these are especially delicious with a hot cup of coffee or tea!

Buttery Pumpkin Scones with Cream Cheese Frosting

Delicious Buttery Pumpkin Scones with Cream Cheese Frosting recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 14 minutes mins

Cook Time 29 minutes mins

Total Time 43 minutes mins

Servings 4

Calories 2800 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the scone dough:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 1/3 cup heavy cream, plus 1 tbsp for brushing
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed

For the cream cheese icing:

• 2 oz softened cream cheese
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 to 2 tbsp heavy cream or whole milk
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Instructions

 

• Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat baking mat and set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, packed brown sugar, baking powder, kosher salt, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground ginger, and ground cloves until well combined.
• In a separate medium bowl, combine the canned pumpkin puree, 1/3 cup heavy cream, large egg, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Whisk until the mixture is smooth and homogenous. This will help ensure the liquid blends evenly into the dough.
• Add the cold, cubed unsalted butter to the bowl of dry ingredients and quickly toss to coat. Using a pastry cutter or your fingers, cut or rub the butter into the flour mixture until you have a pebbly texture with pea-sized chunks of butter remaining. Pour the pumpkin mixture from Step 2 into the flour-butter mixture. Gently fold together with a spatula until just combined. Don't overmix—the dough will be wet and sticky. Knead the dough in the bowl just a few times until it comes together.
• Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Gently pat and shape it into a circle about 1 inch thick. Use a sharp knife to cut the dough into 8 even triangles. Arrange the pieces on your prepared baking sheet. Place the scones in the freezer for 15-20 minutes so the butter re-chills—this prevents the scones from spreading too much when baking. While chilling, preheat your oven to 400°F. I always find chilling the scones helps them bake up flakier and taller.
• Remove the chilled scones from the freezer and brush the tops with the remaining 1 tablespoon heavy cream. Place the baking sheet on the middle rack of the preheated oven and bake for 15-22 minutes, until the tops and edges are golden brown and the centers are just set but slightly soft. Once baked, remove from the oven and let the scones cool on the sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
• While the scones are cooling, prepare the cream cheese icing. In a medium bowl, whisk together the softened cream cheese, 2 tablespoons softened unsalted butter, powdered sugar, 1 to 2 tablespoons heavy cream or whole milk (adjust for desired consistency), and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract until smooth and spreadable. For a richer flavor, I prefer using heavy cream in the icing.
• Once the scones have cooled completely, use a spoon to generously frost each one with the cream cheese icing from Step 6. Serve and enjoy—these are especially delicious with a hot cup of coffee or tea!