Crumbly and light, these Pumpkin Cranberry Scones are a perfect breakfast or snack during the fall season!
It’s October, and that means it’s officially time to bring out the pumpkin. And today, we are combining pumpkin with one of my all-time favorite loves: scones.
Out of all the breakfast pastries, I always gravitate towards scones. I think it’s because they have such a unique texture and taste—crumbly yet soft, they are usually not overly sweet. Plus they are perfect paired with a cup of tea or coffee!
In my opinion, these pumpkin cranberry scones are the epitome of fall. Packed full with pumpkin flavor and studded with cranberries, they practically exude coziness. I had an autumn-scented candle burning while I made these, and I highly recommend doing that to generate major fall vibes!
A quick note before we get into it: this post contains referral links for products I love and use myself. The Baker’s Almanac earns a small commission on these links at no cost to you, and the links will always be marked with an asterisk.
How to Make Pumpkin Cranberry Scones
For a long time, I didn’t know how to make scones. In my mind, they seemed so complicated, and I was afraid of messing them up. I couldn’t have been more wrong!
As long as you have the proper technique down, making scones is easy. Here’s all you have to do to make these pumpkin cranberry scones:
1. Make the scones: Start by whisking together all your dry ingredients, then cut in the cold butter using a pastry cutter* or fork until the butter is lentil-sized. Grab a separate bowl and mix together all the liquid ingredients, then mix everything together until just combined. Finally, fold in the dried cranberries.
2. Shape the scones: Transfer the dough to a sheet tray lined with parchment paper. Then, pat it into an 8-inch disk and cut out 8 wedges. At this point, I like to refrigerate the scones for at least 30 minutes to let them firm up.
3. Brush with heavy cream and turbinado sugar: After the scones have chilled, brush the tops with heavy cream. Then, generously sprinkle some turbinado sugar on top. This will give the scones a wonderful crunch, and it also makes them look prettier on top.
4. Time to bake! Bake the scones at 400°F for 25-28 minutes, or until golden brown. You can also see if they are done by inserting a toothpick in the center. If it comes out clean, they are good to go.
5. Make the spiced glaze: While the scones are cooling, you can work on the spiced glaze. Simply whisk together powdered sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and milk in a bowl. Then, generously drizzle the glaze on top of the warm scones. Personally, I think the glaze is what makes the scones so delicious!
Pumpkin Cranberry Scones FAQ
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, cutting the butter, and wipe the cutter every so often.
Does the butter temperature matter when making scones? Yes! When making scones, it’s essential that the butter is as cold as possible. By using very cold butter, 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 cranberries. If you mix for ages and ages, you run the risk of making the scones taste tougher.
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 the 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 do you chill the scones in the fridge before baking? This is more of a personal preference, but I find that chilling the scones helps them firm up and then later rise more in the oven. If it’s hot in your kitchen, the scones can get a bit too soft, so throwing them in the fridge for a bit will help them maintain their shape.
How long do these scones stay fresh? After they’ve completely cooled, you can keep these scones in an airtight container for up to 2-3 days at room temperature. You can also wrap them in plastic and keep them in the freezer for up to 3 months.
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Pumpkin Cranberry Scones
- Prep Time: 35 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 8 scones 1x
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Pin RecipeDescription
Crumbly and light, these Pumpkin Cranberry Scones are a perfect breakfast or snack during the fall season!
Ingredients
Pumpkin Cranberry Scones:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (248 g)
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed (60 g)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder (8 g)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (1 g)
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (1 g)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (3 g)
- 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed (112 g)
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree/canned pumpkin (120 g)
- 1 large egg (50 g)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract (5 g)
- 3 tablespoons heavy cream + extra for brushing (42 g)
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries (74 g)
- Optional: turbinado sugar for sprinkling on top
Spiced Glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar (109 g)
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (1 g)
- 2 tablespoons milk (30 g)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (204.4°C). Line a sheet tray with parchment paper and set aside.
- Make the scones: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, light brown sugar, baking powder, ground cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Then, use a pastry cutter or a fork to cut in the butter until the butter is about lentil-sized. In a separate bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree/canned pumpkin, egg, vanilla extract, and heavy cream. Add the liquids to the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Finally, fold in the dried cranberries until evenly distributed.
- Transfer the dough to the parchment paper-lined sheet tray and pat into a circle. If the dough is sticky, sprinkle a bit of flour on the dough. Continue patting the dough until it is about an 8-inch disk. Then, use a bench scraper or knife to cut the circle into 8 wedges.
- Refrigerate the scones for 30 minutes. This allows the gluten to relax and helps them firm up before baking.
- Next, separate the scones from each other on the sheet tray, then brush the tops with heavy cream. Sprinkle the tops with turbinado sugar if desired to get a delicious crunch!
- Bake the scones in the preheated oven for 25-28 minutes, or until they’re golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle of one comes out clean.
- Make the glaze: While the scones are cooling, whisk together the powdered sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and milk. When the scones are still warm, drizzle the glaze over them and serve.
- Wrap any leftovers airtight, and store at room temperature for 2-3 days.
Notes
- If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice on hand, you can substitute the following: 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice, 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, and 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves.
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: pumpkin cranberry scones, pumpkin scones, cranberry scones, fall desserts
