Layered Pumpkin Cream Scones

A pumpkin scone with a zigzag of icing on a cooling rack.

These layered pumpkin cream scones bake up tall and tender, with buttery layers, plenty of warm pumpkin spice, and a crunchy, sparkling sugar topping. A drizzle of bright orange glaze adds just the right citrusy finish. Perfect with your morning coffee or afternoon tea!

Course Breakfast

Cuisine British

Prep Time 45

Cook Time 20

Total Chill Time 1 30

Total Time 2 35

Servings scones

Calories 386kcal

Author Jennifer Field

Ingredients

Pumpkin Reduction

230 g pumpkin puree 8 oz or about 1 cup
1 ½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
6 grams kosher salt about 1 1/4 teaspoons Morton's kosher salt. If using Diamond Crystal, use 2 teaspoons

Wet Ingredients

all the pumpkin reduction (See Above)
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
150 grams heavy cream 5.3 oz or about ⅔ cup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Dry Ingredients

300 grams all-purpose flour 10.6 oz or about 2½ cups
40 grams granulated sugar 1.4 oz; or about 3 Tbsp
40 grams dark brown sugar 1.4 oz or about 3 tablespoons, packed
1 Tbsp baking powder 12 g
70 grams unsalted butter, cold 2.5 oz or 5 Tbsp

To Finish

40 g heavy cream 1.4 oz or about 3 Tablespoons, for brushing
32 g coarse, sparkling sugar 1.1 oz or about 2 Tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons, for sprinkling (such as Sugar in the Raw)

To Glaze (Optional)

75 grams powdered sugar
2-3 teaspoons orange juice freshly squeezed or strained bottled
pinch salt
3 drops orange extract

Instructions

For the Pumpkin Reduction

In a small saucepan, combine the pumpkin puree, 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin spice, and the salt.
Heat over medium-high heat, stirring frequently to avoid sticking, until the pumpkin is noticeably drier and the puree is a deep rusty orange color. The combined starting weight of the puree plus spices and salt is about 239 grams. Shoot for a final reduced weight of 189 grams. Check every couple of minutes by scraping the puree onto a plate to weigh it. Always zero out the weight of the plate before weighing the puree.

For the Wet Ingredients (Pumpkin Cream)

Once the puree has reached the target weight, put it in a medium-sized bowl and add 150 grams of cold cream, the additional 1 teaspoon of pumpkin spice, 1/4 teaspoon of cardamom, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla. Whisk well to combine.
Cover the pumpkin cream, and refrigerate it while you assemble the dry ingredients.

For the Dry Ingredients

In a large bowl, combine the 300 grams of all-purpose flour, 40 grams of granulated sugar, 40 grams of dark brown sugar, and 1 Tbsp of baking powder. Whisk well so the leavening is evenly distributed.
Add the 70 grams of cold butter, cut into small chunks.
Rub about half the butter into the dry ingredients. This helps coat the flour with fat to control gluten development.
Press the rest of the butter between your fingers, flattening it into flakes. These larger pieces of butter help to define the layers. Toss everything together well. Refrigerate for about 45 minutes.

To Shape and Finish the Scones

Once the pumpkin cream and dry ingredients are nice and cold, it's time to make the scone dough.
Scrape the pumpkin cream into the dry ingredients, and use a spatula to fold and press the wet mixture into the flour/butter mixture. Don't worry if there are some floury bits left. Rather that than overworking the dough trying to get it uniformly orange and ending up with tough scones.
Lightly flour a clean work surface, then scrape the dough out along with any remaining loose flour.
Press the dough into a square roughly 8-9" / 20-23 cm. Use a bench knife to help you fold the square in half, and then give it a 90° turn. Brush off any excess flour from the surface.
Repeat the preceding step 3 more times, pressing the dough into a square, folding it over, and turning it 90°. Make sure to brush off excess flour after each turn.
On the last turn, press the rectangle of dough out into a roughly 8" / 20 cm round about 1" / 2.5 cm thick. Brush off the surface once more.
Use your bench knife or a large pizza cutter to cut the round of dough into 8 wedges. Place each shaped scone on a parchment-lined half sheet pan, and then freeze for 45 minutes.
Set a rack in the middle of your oven and heat to 425°F / 218°C. Pour the heavy cream into a small bowl and have your sparkly sugar ready to go. I gave your actual gram amounts, but honestly, it's kind of a judgment call. You need some of each.
Once the scones are firm and the oven is nice and hot, brush each scone with some cream, and then liberally sprinkle with coarse sugar. Do one scone at a time, because otherwise the cream might freeze, keeping the sugar from sticking.
Once all the scones are finished with cream and sugar, pop them in the oven and bake until well-risen, firm on top, and deeply golden brown on the bottoms. Use an instant-read thermometer to check the internal temperature. You're shooting for 195 - 200°F / 91 - 93°C. In my oven, they take 21 minutes. Start checking at about 18 minutes, just to be safe.
Remove the scones from the baking tray onto a cooling rack to cool completely. Then drizzle lightly with orange glaze. (See below) If you can stand the wait, allow the glaze to set up for about 30 minutes or so before serving.

For the Orange Glaze (Optional)

In a small bowl, add the powdered sugar and a tiny pinch of salt. Whisk to combine.
Add 2 teaspoons of orange juice and about 3 drops of orange extract. Whisk until you have a smooth, thick glaze. If it is not quite coming together, add a few more drops of orange juice, a little at a time, until you have a thick glaze that will hold its shape when drizzled or piped.
Transfer it to a small piping bag to apply, or just drizzle it on using a fork or spoon.

Notes

1. Do I really have to reduce the pumpkin? I strongly recommend it! Cooking down the pumpkin removes excess water, concentrates the flavor, and helps the scones rise tall without spreading. You could try draining the puree instead, but I haven't tested that method with this recipe, and you won't get the same flavor development.

2. Keep everything cold. Cold butter is essential for those lovely layers. Don't skip the refrigerator and freezer rests. They help keep the butter from melting into the dough before the scones hit the oven.

3. Don't overwork the dough. It's okay if the dough looks a little shaggy or has a few pale streaks. Mixing until it's perfectly smooth can lead to tough scones. The four folds will help bring everything together, and using a bench knife to assist will keep you from adding extra flour.

4. Brush away excess flour. Before each fold, brush loose flour from the dough, including the underside as you fold it over. This helps the layers stick together and prevents unattractive floury streaks in the finished scones.

5. About the orange glaze. The recipe makes just enough for a light drizzle that adds little bursts of citrus flavor without overwhelming the pumpkin. If you're a glaze enthusiast, feel free to double or triple it and use it with abandon!

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