Pumpkin Cranberry Scones

Why You're Going to Love This Recipe

Fall comfort food at its best. From the addition of pumpkin puree, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice, these scones have all the fall flavors you could ever want. Why not enjoy them with a big ol' cup of coffee on a chilly fall morning?

The spiced glaze. After taking these scones out of the oven, I like to generously drizzle a homemade spiced glaze over the top of them. Because in my book, the more glaze, the better when it comes to scones.

Perfect for brunch. These scones would be the highlight of any brunch table. Whip up a batch in the morning for a delicious weekend brunch, or serve them on Thanksgiving morning!

Tips for Making These Scones

Keep your butter as cold as possible. When you cut cold butter into your mixture, it stays solid until it goes into the oven. Once the scones start to bake, the butter melts and creates those flaky layers that we all know and love. When making your scones, keep the butter in the fridge (or even the freezer) right up to the moment that you need to use it.

Don’t overmix your dough. Overmixing your dough leads to tough and chewy scones, which nobody wants! After adding in your liquid ingredients, make sure to only mix until just combined.

Chill your scones in the freezer before baking. Chilling the scones in the freezer for at least 30 minutes before baking lets them firm up and helps the gluten relax. This also helps keep the butter cold, which enhances those beautiful flaky layers.

Pumpkin cranberry scone on a plate with a fork next to it

Common Questions About These Scones

What's the best way to cut the butter into the dry ingredients?

While you can cut the butter into the dry ingredients with a mixer, I personally recommend using a pastry cutter. If you don't have one on hand, you can use a fork instead, but it will take a bit longer. Simply press the pastry cutter into the butter chunks, cut the butter, and wipe the cutter every so often until the butter chunks are lentil-sized.

Does the butter temperature matter when making scones?

When making scones, it's essential that the butter is as cold as possible. When the butter is cold, it stays solid until it hits the heat of the oven. Then, it melts in the oven, creating flaky layers and helping the scones rise.

Does it matter how much I mix the scones?

Yes! When mixing the dough together, make sure not to overmix. Once you add in the liquid ingredients, you want to mix only until everything is just combined. Same goes for when you add in the dried cranberries! If you mix for ages and ages, you run the risk of ending up with tough scones.

What if I'm having trouble shaping the scones?

Once you transfer the scones to the sheet pan lined with parchment paper, you want to create an 8-inch disk by patting the dough down. If you find that the dough is too crumbly at this point, you can brush on a bit more heavy cream. Alternatively, if you find the dough is too wet, you can sprinkle on a bit of flour.

Why should you chill scones in the freezer before baking?

Chilling the scones helps them firm up and rise more in the oven. If it's hot in your kitchen, the scones can get a bit too soft, so chilling them in the freezer for a bit will help them maintain their shape.

How should you store leftover scones?

After they've completely cooled, you can store scones in an airtight container for up to 2-3 days at room temperature. If they haven't been glazed yet, you can also wrap them in plastic and keep them in the freezer for up to 2 months.