Pumpkin is back! Celebrate with scones.
October 20th, 2010 by PJ HamelRecipe: Harvest Pumpkin Scones
From “USA Today,” Sept. 27, 2010:
“PORTLAND, Ore. – Pumpkin lovers can relax: A nearly year-long shortage of the canned stuff is over. That means an end to the hoarding, rationing and even pumpkin profiteering that have been going on since heavy rain ruined last year’s harvest and caused a shortfall…”
WHEW! I’d been having serious worries about the absence of canned pumpkin in the baking aisle of my local grocery store.
I mean, for weeks I’d been heaving disappointed sighs every time I looked at the hugely expensive cans of organic butternut squash crowding the shelf where my favorite One-Pie canned pumpkin ought to be.
After all, what’s fall baking without pumpkin? From muffins, bread, pie, and cake, to frosted bars, and even soup – pumpkin lends a bright splash of color and flavor to what might otherwise be a pretty somber autumn landscape.
The other day, when pumpkin finally reappeared at the grocery store, I was in the mood for scones. Pumpkin scones. So I went searching for a King Arthur Flour pumpkin scone recipe online, and found… nothing. Zip, zilch, nada.
OK, kingarthurflour.com did offer a recipe for Curried Pumpkin and Ginger Scones. But I was looking for something simpler and more traditional: a moist, tender/crumbly treat, lightly spiced with pumpkin’s best friends – ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and a touch of allspice.
The recipe doesn’t exist? Great! That’s what test kitchens are for.
Bottom line, I quickly formulated a recipe based on our guaranteed scones; made the dough, baked the scones…
Oh, MY! Major success, on the very first try.
In fact, they were so good, I immediately made them again, just to be sure.
And once more, the next day – using the last of my precious canned pumpkin.
No brag, just fact: even taste-testers lukewarm about pumpkin were scarfing these down as fast as they came out of the oven.
Has pumpkin reappeared at your supermarket yet? If so, grab a can – or two, or three. It’s pumpkin baking time!
Put the following in a mixing bowl:
2 3/4 cups (11 1/2 ounces) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
When you’re making something with a lot of different dry ingredients – especially spices – put in the flour first, then make little wells for as many other dry ingredients as you’re adding. Put each ingredient in one of the wells. That way, if there’s an empty well at the end, you’ll know you missed an ingredient.
Add 1/2 cup cold butter, cut into pats.
Work in the butter just until the mixture is unevenly crumbly; it’s OK for some larger chunks of butter to remain unincorporated.
If desired, add 1 to 2 cups minced crystallized ginger, cinnamon chips, or chocolate chips; I’ve used 1 cup each mini diced ginger and cinnamon chips here.
Stir to combine.
Next: the pumpkin. If it’s still in short supply at your supermarket, use canned squash – if you can find it.
Now, this is pumpkin – PLAIN pumpkin. Don’t be fooled and use that canned pumpkin pie filling. It’s thick, not liquid; and bright orange. And it makes delicious muffins (gluten-free!), cake, and quick bread. And soup. And pie, of course.
Go ahead, search pumpkin online: King Arthur has 33 delicious recipes. (Did I mention pumpkin whoopie pies?)
Put 2/3 cup canned pumpkin and 2 large eggs in a bowl.
Whisk to combine…
…then add to the dry ingredients.
Mix to form a shaggy dough. Don’t mix any longer than you have to; the more you handle the dough, the tougher the scones will be.
Line a baking sheet with parchment; if you don’t have parchment, just use it without greasing it. Sprinkle a bit of flour atop the parchment or pan.
Scrape the sticky dough onto the floured parchment or pan.
Divide it in half, and round each half into a 5” circle (if you haven’t incorporated any add-ins); or a 6” circle (if you’ve added 2 cups of fruit, chips, etc.). The circles should be about 3/4” thick.
Brush each circle with milk or cream…
…and sprinkle with some coarse white sparkling sugar.
Or sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Here I’m using my favorite Cinnamon-Sugar Plus, a simple combination of two superior ingredients: Vietnamese cinnamon, and superfine sugar.
Using a knife or bench knife that you’ve run under cold water, slice each circle into 6 wedges.
Like this.
Carefully pull the wedges away from the center to separate them just a bit; there should be about 1/2” space between them, at their outer edges.
On the left, cinnamon-sugar topped scones; on the right, scones topped with coarse white sparkling sugar.
For best texture and highest rise, place the pan of scones in the freezer for 30 minutes, uncovered.
And while we’re at it – here’s a tip on freezing unbaked scones. If you don’t want to bake scones right away, shape and put them on a pan, but don’t brush with milk, nor sprinkle with sugar. Place in the freezer, covered with plastic, and freeze until solid, which should take an hour or so. Remove from the pan, and bag airtight; return to the freezer.
When you’re ready for scones, there’s no need to thaw them; just place frozen scones on a pan, brush with milk, sprinkle with sugar, and bake as directed below, giving the scones about 5 additional minutes in the oven.
While the scones are chilling, preheat the oven to 425°F.
Bake the scones for 22 to 25 minutes, or until they’re golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of one comes out clean, with no wet crumbs.
Nice rise, eh?
If you pull one of the scones away from the others, the edges should look baked through, not wet or doughy.
Remove the scones from the oven. They’re best served warm; but they also reheat in seconds, one at a time, in the microwave.
Here’s a scone topped with coarse sugar. Look at that gorgeous orange interior!
And here’s how they look with cinnamon-sugar topping. It’s up to you; cinnamon-sugar enhances flavor, while coarse sugar adds crunch.
Hey, how about both?
Read, rate, and review (please) our recipe for Harvest Pumpkin Scones.
Are you a pumpkin lover? Check out our 33 delicious pumpkin recipes. (Did I mention the pumpkin whoopie pies?)
One final note: I realize it’s possible to bake with cooked fresh pumpkin, rather than canned; I simply like the ease and consistency (both meanings of the word) of canned pumpkin.
Are you a make-it-yourself pumpkin purée fan? Go for it.
Tags: cinnamon chips, ginger, pumpkin, scones
October 20th, 2010 at 7:14 am
Can the pre-shaped dough be held overnight in the fridge for baking the next morning?
Far better to stick it into the freezer, for best rise. But fridge would probably be OK, if you’re short on freezer space. PJH
October 20th, 2010 at 7:45 am
How do we think these would do as minis? I’m thinking a rectangle and then cut the scones into smaller squares.
That would work just fine. You can also cut small rounds with a biscuit cutter, but you do lose some dough that way. ~ MaryJane
October 20th, 2010 at 9:02 am
Do you think raisins would be good in this recipe?
Absolutely – or golden raisins, or currants, or dried cranberries… PJH
October 20th, 2010 at 9:37 am
One step here that I’ve been curious about – here and in other blog posts. When I make scones or biscuits, I cut the butter into the dry ingredients with a pastry cutter (or sometimes my fingers). In the pics here it looks like you use a mixer with a paddle attachment? Sounds like a time saver (and maybe even a mess saver). Is that what you’re doing? Thanks. Pumpkin scones. Yum.
Yes, that’s absolutely what I’m doing. I don’t like “fussing,” which to me means a pastry cutter or even my fingers. I’d rather just throw it in the mixer and do something else for a minute. Some would say your fingers or a pastry cutter do a better job… probably true. But my biscuits, scones, and pie crust seem to come out just fine using the mixer method. PJH
October 20th, 2010 at 9:48 am
Bright orange indeed – I keep meaning to roast pumpkin, puree that and then use it in something, but it always seems like such a waste and we devour it before it gets anywhere. Sad
October 20th, 2010 at 10:26 am
The only scone for me for years has been a cranberry orange peel with an egg wash I’ve been tweaking. I’ll try the Pumpkin ones here though.
October 20th, 2010 at 10:50 am
These are some gorgeous scones!
I’ve been collecting butternut squash and fresh pumpkins – this weekend I plan to cook up a big batch and freeze the puree so I will have plenty o’ pumpkin for the holidays. We’ve discovered we like fresh better and that butternut is pretty much indistiguishable from pumpkin when baked in breads.
I’m too lazy to make those beautiful big circles with the classic scone wedges – I just use an ice cream scoop to make drop-style – maybe it’s the southerner in me, turning everything into a biscuit.
October 20th, 2010 at 11:03 am
When I couldn’t find a can of pumpkin on the grocery shelf, I used sweet potatoes that I cooked in the microwave. It worked well as a substitute for pumpkin.
October 20th, 2010 at 11:41 am
How would you approach getting some whole wheat flour in here? Would you use regular whole wheat, white whole wheat or whole wheat pastry? Or maybe some other grain? Spelt?
I’d try replacing between 1/3 to 1/2 of the flour with White Whole Wheat. Frank @ KAF.
October 20th, 2010 at 12:06 pm
Oh I want these now! But first up on my to-do list are the pumpkin whoopie pies…I fell in love when I saw them in the catalogue last week! (FACT: When a new KAF Catalogue comes to my house, I must scan it while eating dinner that night! It’s my new tradition!)
October 20th, 2010 at 12:18 pm
Holy crap, you can use a MIXER to cut in butter? I always wonder about that, too, when I see it in your photos. Sorry to divert from the main topic (though I do plan to make these for my very first scone attempt), but can you tell us biscuit/scone/crust challenged souls a bit more about the mixer method? About how long do you let it run? What size are the butter chunks supposed to be, about like dimes? Do you cut the cold butter into tablespoons before adding? I’m in the middle of practicing my pie crusts and biscuits and am trying to find the route best suited for me.
Oh, I’m so excited about this post! I have always shied away from scones because of the cutting in butter and fear of making them tough from over handling. I believe this will be my breakthrough moment!
There are a variables to be aware of when you move from working butter in by hand to using an appliance. The primary one is temperature. Cut the butter into slices before adding it to the dry. Once the butter bits have become plastic, it’s time to add the liquid. All of this will take some experimenting an practice. Give it a try. Frank @ KAF.
October 20th, 2010 at 12:37 pm
I just made pumpkin muffins this morning, because I had a hankering for pumpkin. If I only knew about this recipe first! I know what we will be having for breakfast this weekend. Scone sampler, pumpkin, and cranberry orange, and orange walnut. Yum, I love scones!
October 20th, 2010 at 12:45 pm
Can you explain how putting the scones in the freezer makes them rise higher & better texture? Does this technique work when making Baking Powder biscuits, etc..??? Thanks for the recipe, they look yummy.
With a cold center, the outside of the scone will begin to set crust quickly before the dough has a chance to “slump”. This helps the height. With the butter returned to a firm state, when the heat does reach it, the water that it holds will almost instantly turn to steam, creating a very light texture. Frank @ KAF.
October 20th, 2010 at 12:57 pm
Pumpkin is back but I had a heck of a time finding it! Where would YOU look for canned pumpkin? In the canned vegetable aisle, right? In store #1, it was in the baking goods aisle with the pie fillings; except that there was none the first week I looked. The next week there was a big display at the end of that aisle. In store #2 it was with the canned fruit…. Oh, well, at least it’s back; I keep wondering if I should stock up.
October 20th, 2010 at 1:09 pm
YUM! This totally is on the list of things to make to feed my fall pumpkin craving!
I have a question about a conversation that a friend of mine and I were just having: Every recipe I’ve ever seen calls for just straight canned pumpkin. Most recipes emphatically state NOT to use “pumpkin pie filling”… so why is it even sold? Is it good for anything?
Just curious.
Stephanie
“Pumpkin Pie Filling” is a just that, ready to use “pie filling”. It may not be for everyone, but it is convenient. All the ingredients in 1 can, pour and bake. Frank @ KAF.
October 20th, 2010 at 2:45 pm
Would like to make these this weekend for food day next Thursday. Would it be best to make them up to baking and then freeze? Thaw or bake frozen? How much extra time if thrown in the oven straight from the freezer? Thanks!
In this instance, I suggest freezing the scones raw. Allow an extra 5-15 minutes for baking directly from the freezer. I know that is big swing, but it all depends on just how cold your home freezer is. Frank @ KAF.
October 20th, 2010 at 3:00 pm
The pumpkin scones look great, but make to many to eat for my small family. What is the best why to freeze them, before they are baked or after.
You may choose either. Freeze them raw for about 2 weeks. Freeze them baked for about 2 months. Frank @ KAF.
October 20th, 2010 at 5:54 pm
I love the KAF scone mixes as a time saver! That being said I also love to bake scones from scratch. I am planning on trying the pumpkin scones (as well as the pumpkin whoopie pies). My question/comment is. I use my food processor to incorporate the cold butter into the dry ingredients. Works great. Question: I like to make drop scones rather than going through the bother of patting them out and all that goes with that….I would like to know how much additional liquid to add to scratch recipes to make them light as they are when I follow the drop directions on the KAF box mixes.
It might vary recipe by recipe, but looking at the scone mix directions, it looks like the milk is increased from 8 tablespoons to 11 tablespoons to make drop scones – which is just under 40%. Go a little lighter than that when you try it; it’s easy to add more, but hard to take the milk out once it’s in.
PJH
October 20th, 2010 at 6:06 pm
I actually baked these last Friday when I was jonesing for a pumpkin recipe. There wasn’t any candied ginger in the stores (apparently that’s a seasonal item, and I couldn’t afford like 10 of those tiny jars of crystallized ginger) so I freestyled with caramel chips, butterscotch chips and toffee brickle. The scones lasted all of two hours at the office! I think the best compliment was “Whatever those are, they’re good!”
October 21st, 2010 at 6:36 am
Two weeks ago, I was in need of a pumpkin fix – fall had come to Florida – the temperature Saturday morning was a brisk 65 degrees! These scones were the answer. I did not use 2 cups of crystalized ginger or cinnamon chips. Next time I will add more. They were delicious and satisfied my craving. The good news? I only taked half of the recipe. The other disc of dough is waiting in my freezer for a moment such as today! Gotta go!
October 21st, 2010 at 9:54 am
I need to learn to not read email late at night. I ran across this around 10:00pm and I was so excited to make it I went into my kitchen and put the recipe together and had it in the freezer by 11:00. The anticipation of smelling warm cinnamony pumpkin goodness was almost too much excitement to get to sleep.
But morning did finally arrive and up out of bed, turn the oven on for a quick heat and in they went … and let me tell you, I could hear the angels singing this morning as the aroma wafted its way to Heaven, or atleast to my nostrils. They are amazing!!! Thank you so much.
Wahoo! Glad you liked them! Elisabeth
October 21st, 2010 at 10:31 am
I made these this morning and actually took the time to make the circles with the wedges – so very easy I don’t know why I don’t do it more often. I used two cups of sprouted wheat flour with the remaining total in the all purpose, subbed sucanat for the white sugar. Stuff like that helps boost the nutritional profile and so I feel less guilty serving them for breakfast to my kids.
We love pumpkin/chocolate so I used mini choc chips (only 1/2 cup again trying to keep it less sugary) and everyone loved them!! They came out puffy and golden and the whole house smelled wonderful and homey. Such a treat for breakfast with a big glass of milk and a steaming cup of tea.
That’s it! I am making these. You set the scene perfectly! Elisabeth
October 21st, 2010 at 4:24 pm
I made these today; they came together easily and tasted…good. There was a bit of a baking powder taste in them. Is a whole tablespoon really necessary? I use Rumford aluminum-free baking powder, and I’ve never had a baking powder taste linger in a finished product. Then again, I’ve never seen a recipe call for quite so much. Any thoughts?
You could certainly cut back on the baking powder. The scones will be a bit denser, that’s all. A tablespoon of BP in scones and biscuits, using that amount of flour, isn’t unusual. Did you use canned pumpkin? I’m trying to see where maybe there wasn’t enough acid when you made them, and canned pumpkin is the only acidic ingredient…. Bottom line, I’m not sure where the taste came from, but try cutting back to 2 teaspoons next time, and see how you like them. PJH
October 21st, 2010 at 5:51 pm
Tis finally the season for all things pumpkin. Will probably bake later tonight. They look wonderful. Years ago I found a different technique for cutting in the butter in one of the classic supermarket magazines (FC or WD). You take a cold stick of butter (holding it with the wrapper) and shred it with a flat grater using the largest holes. Great flakes of butter fall into the dry ingredients and I just mix it with my hands. Your step of putting the dough in the freezer should take care of any softening caused by the grating. And all I have to wash is the grater (dishwasher) and my hands. I am very happy with the texture of the scones. Thanks for what looks like a tasty treat.
October 22nd, 2010 at 7:15 am
Nice variation. I made these last night with some cinammon chips. Beautiful texture and a little less heavy than the traditional scone base made with heavy cream that I usually use.
Recipes like this make the loss of summer far more bearable!
October 22nd, 2010 at 7:50 am
Scones have always caused me a problem. The dough always turns out so sticky and unmanageable, I can never form nice discs and cut into little wedges. I decided to give it one last shot with these scones. This dough is perfect! I had no problem with stickiness and it cut beautifully into wedges. Apparently I just needed the right scone recipe! Thanks for such a good one and giving me the confidence to now try others!
Hurrah – a new “expert” scone baker! Thanks for sharing your success here- PJH
October 22nd, 2010 at 10:34 am
I was given the cast scone pan as a gift a couple Christmases ago. Would you alter this recipe in any way to fit the pan, or should I just follow this recipe but otherwise follow the filling/baking instructions with the scone pan? Thank you.
Follow the recipe for the dough, and the pan instructions for filling and baking suggestions. Frank @ KAF.
October 22nd, 2010 at 4:19 pm
The scones look great. I will definitely try this recipe. As always, PJ has great receipes!
Hey, I was wondering… Frank @ KAF, how about a guest appearance on baking banter??? You always have great tips and ideas. I think they gotta dedicate a blog post to you.
We should also start a fan club or something
Thanks – we’d discussed Frank doing a guest blog, and hopefully we’ll get there in the future; the issue is time. Frank is a VERY busy baker!! He’s interested in doing a blog on different meringues… PJH
October 22nd, 2010 at 6:05 pm
I made these today with leftover butternut squash. I did need to add a bit of milk to make the dough come together. They are delicous. I always use my mixer to combine dry ingredients and fat (shortening or butter), it works wonderfully. I love to learn and I very much enjoy the tidbits of science you add to the blog. I also judge 4-H were there is more of an emphasis on the science of baking and this helps me to educate the 4-Hers too. Thanks so much.
October 22nd, 2010 at 7:49 pm
I made these this morning. What a wonderful aroma my house had. I took them to work and only brought home the platter! They were delicous especially with the candied ginger. This will definitely be a keeper.
My dough was a bit wet and sticky when I finished mixing it. I added a bit more flour on the parchment and hands and it turned out fine.
I really like the idea of freezing these. I will make some more this weekend (use up the leftover pumpkin) and freeze them raw.
Thanks!
October 22nd, 2010 at 9:44 pm
I do love One-Pie pumpkin – maybe it’s my New England roots but I swear it’s the best out there. I can’t wait til the new batch comes out! I want to try these scones! YUM!
October 24th, 2010 at 2:44 pm
These look so tasty! Pumpkin is finally back in my store (although only a few cans at a time, and not One-Pie but a more expensive organic pumpkin…which I still buy b/c I miss pumpkin so much), and I would love to make these. Do you have a suggested egg substitute to accommodate an allergy? The egg substitute in an allergy-free cookbook I often use is 1.5 T water + 1 t baking powder + 1.5 T oil (I think this must equal 1 egg), but I’m wondering if there is something else.
Hello- another popular egg substitution is the “flax seed egg replacer”. For the equivalent of 1 egg: blend 1 TBS flax seed in a blender/food processor with 3 TBS water until the mixture is thick and creamy, then let the mixture sit for a couple minutes to thicken. Then add to the recipe as usual. Happy Baking! kelsey@KAF
October 24th, 2010 at 4:35 pm
We just made these this afternoon and they were fabulous. Our dough was quite dry but we live in the desert so our flour tends to be drier. The finished product is moist, fluffy and delicious. Only drawback was we couldn’t find cinnamon chips here so I am ordering them from KA today! Thanks for the recipe!
And thanks for letting us know how the scones came out for you, Danny – think you’ll like ‘em even better with the cinnamon chips. PJH
October 27th, 2010 at 7:36 pm
Quick question – could this recipe be doubled or tripled easily? Or is is it best to make one batch at a time? I made these earlier this week & now I’ve been requested for another batch for tomorrow . . . trying to maximize my efforts as much as I can. Thanks for a great recipe!!!
This one is safe to double. Just make sure the mixing bowl is big enough to allow for quick mixing. Frank @ KAF.
October 27th, 2010 at 8:03 pm
I can’t have any milk products can these be made using non-hydrog margarine & almond milk? I like the post about the sprouted wheat flour & do you think flax seed could be added? My local Winco grocery store has the candied Ginger in their bulk food section at a great price. Can’t wait to try these.
These substitutions should work. The scones may end with slightly different characteristics. Give them a try. When adding flax, I suggest it be done in small increments. Flax not only adds fiber and flavor, it is also an emulsifier, which can lead to some gummyness in the finished item if over done. Frank @ KAF.
October 30th, 2010 at 6:25 am
I had a partial can of pumpkin left over a few weeks ago and decided to make some scones to stash in the freezer for later. Imagine my consternation when King Arthur didn’t have what I was looking for! I ended up using a different recipe, and my scones rose beautifully straight out of the freezer a week later. When I saw the new scone recipe above, I ran straight out to buy more pumpkin! My scones (with brickle bits and walnuts) are in the oven right now and I can’t wait to try them.
Glad we could help, Natalie – albeit a bit late!
PJH
November 7th, 2010 at 6:23 pm
Wish I could find One-Pie in the South. I grew up in Maine, where it’s One-Pie or nothing.
This is a great recipe. I tried dried cranberries in place of the chocolate chips–worked out great! A photo on my blog:
http://pleasepassthepie.blogspot.com/2010/11/when-speed-baking-doesnt-pay-pumpkin.html
Thanks for the idea!
November 9th, 2010 at 11:57 am
I am a fan of just about anything pumpkin and almost always have a batch of pumpkin scones in the freezer (along with cranberry/orange scones, blueberry scones, cranberry scones, etc.). My microwave is also a convection oven, so I can bake up a batch of scones from the freezer without having to heat the big oven — delightful on a Saturday or Sunday morning (or a rainy Sunday afternoon with a cup of tea and a good book!)
I substitute brown sugar in this recipe and instead of the cinnamon chips, I add pecan pieces. I also use the cookie scoop method instead of the wedge approach — it makes a smaller scone, but that way I can rationalize having more than one and mixing the kinds that I’m baking
November 12th, 2010 at 10:37 am
I just made these this morning. Since I didn’t have ginger or cinnamon chips on hand, I used your Maple Flav-R-Bites. Yum!
November 13th, 2010 at 12:15 am
Can this recipe be either easily doubled or tripled? I had such fantastic results that the requests are pouring in for these & the single batches are hard to keep up with . . . Also, has anyone tried this recipe with a sugar substitute (e.g. Splenda)? I just had a request for those tonight.
This recipe should be fine to multiply – just be sure to stir carefully so it isn’t overmixed. Irene @ KAF
November 14th, 2010 at 10:23 am
I made this recipe a couple weeks ago with cinnamon chips. AMAZING! I have been making a lot of pumpkin recipes this fall, and this recipe is by far my favorite. They are incredibly moist and flavorful. I can’t wait to make them again!
Thanks! I really like this particular recipe, too; it’s my go-to scone recipe right now. PJH
December 6th, 2010 at 9:54 am
Just want to be sure I didn’t miss anything. There’s no milk or cream used in this recipe? Thanks, Susan @ thecookiescoop.blogspot.com
“br> Hello Susan, you are right. The only time you use cream is to brush on the top of the scones before baking. The eggs and water content in the pumpkin provide ample moisture to this recipe. Enjoy! -Amy“
December 10th, 2010 at 4:28 pm
How long can the baked scones “keep” if left at room temp? I just made a batch but instead of cutting down to smaller triangle shaped scones – I made little bite size “log shaped” biscuits for cookie trays. Can I leave these at room temp or should I freeze?
Scones really don’t keep well, especially if they’re in small pieces; they’re very prone to going stale. I’d say freeze if you need to keep longer than 24 hours, OK? PJH
January 24th, 2011 at 7:05 pm
Thanks to KAF, I’ve learned to love scones! I wish I hadn’t been in a hurry with this recipe. I didn’t measure my flour the right way so I’d bet my boots that’s why mine were on the drier side. I did blog about your recipe here, http://michellebudreau.blogspot.com/ though!
Hey, they look good to me… cool blog! PJH
February 16th, 2011 at 6:49 am
The tutorial and end result were amazing! I really felt like I was treating myself by making these. Thanks.
http://aplacetoreside.blogspot.com/2011/02/pumpkin-sconesfive-stars-two-thumbs-up.html
GREAT picture of the scone on your blog – thanks for the link! PJH
September 11th, 2011 at 2:54 pm
My scone dough came out incredibly sticky and gooey. I double checked and I did follow the recipe correctly…but it literally oozed between my fingers. I had to add a TON more flour to even start shaping it into circles. Any idea what I might have done wrong. the kitchen temp was cool, too…so I don’t think it was humidity…help!!!
Amanda, canned pumpkin can sometimes be quite watery, especially when you get the “off” brands, which seems to be what’s available right now; once again, it’s been a bad year for pumpkins and the supermarket shelves (at least where I live) are devoid of name-brand canned pumpkin. Another possible culprit – did you use a different flour, not King Arthur? That would make a huge difference in absorption… PJH
October 7th, 2011 at 8:09 am
I’d like to increase the intensity of the ginger a bit. Anybody know a rule of thumb for substituting fresh ground ginger for powdered?
I’d say “to taste,” Mark – you might have to experiment and make up your own rules, as ground ginger can vary quite a bit in strength, depending on manufacturer and how old it is. For significant ginger flavor, I think I’d start with 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh- apparently rule of thumb is 6 times the amount of fresh ground ginger for dried. Let us know how they come out! PJH
October 17th, 2011 at 12:30 pm
I’m new to this super blog! I want to print out this recipe. How do I do that? Thanks a heap!
Hi there, and welcome. To get to the recipes, click on the links at the very top of the post, or the very bottom of the post. Once you are on the recipe, on the right will be a link for the printable version. Happy baking! ~ MaryJane
October 25th, 2011 at 9:33 pm
KAF has been my “go-to” company for specialty ingredients, great gadgets, and wonderful kitchen small appliances. I have been making scones(pronounced like “prawns” if you’re a Scot) for many years, from scratch! I have told everyone that “oohs and aahhs” over them how very simple they are to make…as a light and moist scone always is!!
This is possibly the worst recipe i have ever made!! It is labor intensive, used many bowls, utensils, and pans, and the resulting scones(like stones) were awful! They were heavy and hard…yep, just like a Starbucks “door-stopper” scone. My biggest mistake was trusting a KAF recipe and not even reading through all of the directions before i started it. Whoever heard of freezing or chilling scone dough!!! Ludicrous, and i think part of why it went so very wrong.
I was upset and embarrassed to take them to my Bible study group that morning…i couldn’t apologize enough!! The very next day, i searched for a simpler ,typical scone recipe and made moist and lighter than a cloud scones for a dear friend. Partie deux for my Bible study ladies is tomorrow and will use the standard recipe. You never want to overwork scone dough, for the more you work it, the heavier they will be.
KAF does so many things well, this was definitely not one of them!!
So sorry these weren’t to your liking. And they’re definitely not Scottish/English; they’re absolutely Americanized. I have to say, this is one of the very highly rated recipes on our site, with nearly all 5-star customer reviews; so I’m guessing it’s simply a British/American difference in taste… Again, sorry you wasted your ingredients for a result you found unsatisfactory, but I hope this doesn’t prevent you from coming back and trying other recipes – just not scones! PJH
November 18th, 2011 at 10:37 am
I recently moved from an east coast elevation of about 100 feet to a town at 8,000 feet, and have been struggling with high altitude cooking. These scones sound wonderful, and would be great with tea after snowshoeing. What adjustments should I make for the altitude? Thank you.
We have the High Altitude Adjustment Chart here: http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipe/high-altitude-baking.html
Frank @ KAF.
November 18th, 2011 at 11:24 am
I am planning on baking roasting my own pumpkin and storing it for all my pumpkin recipes in the winter.
What is the best way to store them in the freezer-containers, plastic freezer bags, etc…and how for should I keep the frozen pumpkin in the freezer
I like to use quart-size freezer bags and freeze a certain amount (say 1 cup) of puree in each bag. Then I flatten them out freeze them so that I can stack them once frozen–that way they don’t take up so much room in the freezer. I would use the frozen puree within 6 months. ~Mel @ KAF
November 18th, 2011 at 12:12 pm
too much liquid = heavy scones. I get my hands messy by hand mixing. Stop adding liquid when the ball of doh just barely comes together, knead just a bit more to more evenly blend; shape into disc(s), cover with plastic and regfrigerate before proceeding. this makes light and very flakey scones.
I haven’t used this recipe, but I would use a 50/50 brown and white sugar mixture and 2 3/4 teasp baking powder and 1/2 teasp baking soda which would minimize the bitter aftertase mentioned above.
November 18th, 2011 at 12:16 pm
My experience with fresh pumpkin is it has a lot more liquid in it than canned. You have to be sure to drain it thoroughly before substituting for canned. I use a colander, lined with coffee filters. Unfortunately I’ve found it’s a lot more work, with not much difference in quality, than canned.
November 18th, 2011 at 1:17 pm
These are better then fabulous!!! I always bake and bring goodies to work; however when I made these and brought them in I was elevated to Master Pastry Chef in my co-workers eyes. The scones really do come out as beautiful as they look and the flavor is scrumptious. I encourage everyone to try making them you will be pleasantly suprised at the outcome.
November 18th, 2011 at 2:11 pm
Can’t wait to make these, but I am a lacto-vegetarian so can I omit the eggs with good results?
No, you can’t omit the eggs with good results. However, you could try this egg substitute: Flax gel egg replacer – for 1 large egg, use 2 tablespoons flax meal (the more finely ground, the better) blended with 3 tablespoons cold water. Let for 10 minutes to thicken before blending into recipe. No guarantees, but it would probably be better than simply leaving out the eggs… PJH
November 18th, 2011 at 2:49 pm
Saw this post when it came out (a year ago?) and had to try these. They’re wonderful! I bake lots and lots of goodies and my husband told me that these are his all time favorites. I don’t use the candied ginger… small town and impossible to find (in fact, only one store carries the cinnamon chips) so I just bump up the ground ginger to a very rounded 1/4 tsp. They come out great and are just the ticket with a cup of tea or coffee in the morning. Thanks for a GREAT recipe!
November 18th, 2011 at 3:15 pm
MMmmm…I’m making these right now.
Any way I could get “gears” to share the
orange-cranberry recipe she’s been ‘tweaking’?
I’ll show you mine if you’ll shoe me yours! LOL
I had a sinfully delicious muffin several years back &
have been trying to duplicate it ever since…..
November 18th, 2011 at 6:49 pm
I made these recently for an afternoon “Tea” that one of the oncology floors in my hospital holds each Friday afternoon for patients and their visitors. They were the biggest hit, and apparently, the only ‘homemade’ offering so far. I had never attempted scones before and this recipe was easy to do. I’ll be making something else next month from the KAF recipes. It is a good cause and I get to do some cooking that I love.
November 18th, 2011 at 11:13 pm
I live at roughly 6500 feet, what changes would I have to make for the high altitude?
Here is the High Altitude Adjustment Chart: http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipe/high-altitude-baking.html
Frank @ KAF.
November 21st, 2011 at 6:00 pm
Has anyone tried espresso chips in the pumpkin scones? I’d love to get your feedback!
I know I love chocolate with pumpkin so why not espresso??? Try it! Elisabeth
November 22nd, 2011 at 9:44 am
Just to be clear – do you freeze the dough after it has been totally mixed with all ingredients? thank you
Yes, Louise, that’s right – make the dough, shape the scones, then freeze. Brush with milk or cream and sprinkle with sugar, if desired, either before freezing, or just before baking. PJH
November 24th, 2011 at 11:12 am
These are soooo divine! We’ll have these again at Christmas for sure, but I could stand them all year long. Made them this morning with the following changes:
I used 2 1/2 cups of whole wheat pastry flour and 1/4 cup of white whole wheat flour instead of the white flour.
I used organic dehydrated cane sugar instead of white sugar in both the scones and the sprinkles on top.
I added a cup of organic dried whole cranberries instead of the crystallized ginger or chocolate chips. They are huge and very moist, and added JUST the right flavor.
I served them with orange butter, made by mixing 3 tablespoons of finely chopped orange zest with 2/3 of a stick of butter and a tablespoon of honey.
Wow, love your tweaks – I’ll definitely try with the cranberries. I usually use the organic cane sure, too… I enjoy these year-round – I’m sure you will, too. Thanks for your feedback here- PJH
November 27th, 2011 at 5:03 pm
I made these this morning with minced ginger and cinnamon chips. The house smelled so lovely. And they tasted great. So much more moist than most other scones I’ve had. Great recipe. Thanks for sharing.
These really are a tasty, moist scone, aren’t they? Glad you like them as much as I do! PJH
December 3rd, 2011 at 9:14 pm
I just used this recipe on my own blog. Thank you so much for such clear instructions and tested results. These scones came out amazing!
December 5th, 2011 at 9:49 am
I tried Momsib1’s swap of all-purpose with ww pastry flour, and and added 1/4 cup of bread flour with excellent results! I only added 1 1/2 cups of minced ginger, dried cranberries, and regular-sized chocolate chips with excellent results!
Also, I found it helpful to pull away the scones on the baking sheet halfway through the freezing period– it helped keep the wedges intact.
I think that the addition of the whole wheat flour kept the pumpkin from being as prominent, but this could have been due to the fact that I used my own roasted, pureed pumpkin too.
A healthy treat for these cold days! Thanks, KAF bakers!
December 24th, 2011 at 1:39 pm
These were amazing. . .still warm from the oven and I couldn’t wait to comment. I followed the recipe to the T, with a 1 1/2 c cinnamon chips and 1/2 crysalized ginger.
Definitely a favorite recipe of mine, too – glad you’re enjoying them. Happy holidays – PJH