October is here! Pumpkins are popping up everywhere (our house has two already—a small one from Trader Joe’s that I couldn’t resist, and a medium one that my roommate brought home from an LA pumpkin patch in her carry on). Halloween decorations are appearing all around the neighborhood. And in the pink house, fall baking is in full swing. There have been cinnamon rolls, multiple batches of pumpkin scones, and I can’t wait to make this Apple-Walnut Upside-Down Cake next. (Let me know what you’ve been baking or are excited to bake in the comments! 😊)
Right now, I’m completely hooked on these scones. They make my house smell so good, and they taste incredible. Since scones are best enjoyed straight out of the oven (or at least same-day), I like to freeze the unbaked scones and then bake them off one or two at a time as needed.
There’s an extra step to these scones that you might find really annoying— roasting canned pumpkin. It only takes 15 extra minutes, and I think it’s very necessary. I found that doing this reduced the pumpkin by 30%, so I was able to add 30% more pumpkin to the dough without adding too much extra moisture! More pumpkin = more flavor, more color. Worth the extra time.
pumpkin scones
recipe adapted from sally’s baking addiction
[ makes nine scones ]
1/2 cup + 2 1/2 tablespoons (149 grams) canned pumpkin puree, from 1 15-ounce can, roasted
2 cups (250 grams) all purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (115 grams) unsalted butter, frozen
1/2 cup (100 grams) chocolate chips (I like these extra dark ones!)
1/3 cup (80 ml) buttermilk (plus more for brushing)
1 large egg
1/2 cup (100g) light brown sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread the canned pumpkin into an even, thin layer and roast for 15 minutes. The pumpkin will look slightly darker, with a dry, cracked surface. Measure the amount needed for the scones into a medium bowl. Transfer the rest to a jar and refrigerate for another use.
In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, cloves, nutmeg, and salt.
Grate the frozen butter on a box grater and add to the flour mixture. Toss to coat, then cut in the butter with a pastry cutter. Mix in the chocolate chips. Place the bowl in the freezer while you mix the wet ingredients.
Whisk the buttermilk, egg, brown sugar, and vanilla into the roasted pumpkin, which should be cooled by this time.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix with a fork until all the dry bits are gone. Be careful to not overmix.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and pat into a 6-inch square. Cut into 9 equal pieces.
If freezing: Transfer the scones to a cutting board lined with wax or parchment paper, and freeze until solid. Store frozen scones in a zip-top bag until ready to bake (brush with buttermilk and add 2-3 minutes to baking time).
If baking right away: Transfer the scones to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush the tops of the scones with buttermilk. Bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes, or until golden brown.
Enjoy right away. :)