Starbucks Pumpkin Scones Copycat Recipe
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These pumpkin scones are a Starbucks copycat recipe! They’re budget-friendly and easy to make right at home (and even better when homemade!).
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why you’ll love Starbucks Pumpkin Scones
- Starbucks copycat recipe. This is a complete copycat of the most beloved Starbucks bakery item that has since been discontinued! Except you can easily whip this up right at home with better taste and better texture without breaking the bank.
- An irresistible fall treat. These pumpkin scones pair so well with your morning cup of coffee or pumpkin spice latte, giving you your fall dose in every single bite. Not to mention, these make for a hot-selling ticket item at your next bake sale.
- The signature double glaze. The dual-layer icing is pure gold, featuring a sweet white glaze which is then topped with a warm-spiced drizzle.
- No mixer needed. Believe it or not, this is an incredibly easy, no-fuss recipe. There is no mixer required, and you can even make these ahead of time and freeze as needed (without the glaze).
What are starbucks pumpkin scones?
This was their iconic fan-favorite seasonal item that has since been discontinued in 2023, featuring a moist, cake-like scone flavored with pumpkin puree and a strong blend of warm, autumn spices, topped with a white glaze first, then finished with a pumpkin-spiced glaze.
How to make Starbucks Pumpkin Scones
- Mix the dry ingredients. Combine the all-purpose flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, cloves, ginger, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt.
- Cut in the butter. Add the cold, cubed butter, using a pastry cutter or your fingers to work the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse, pea-sized crumbs.
- Mix the wet ingredients. Whisk together the pumpkin puree, milk, egg, and vanilla.
- Form the dough. Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture, stirring gently with a rubber spatula just until the dough comes together. Do not overmix.
- Shape and cut. Knead the dough 3-4 times onto a lightly floured surface, rolling the dough into an 8-inch circle, about 1-inch thick. Cut the dough into 8 equal triangles.
- Bake. Place the triangles onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Bake at 400°F for 12-15 minutes until lightly golden and the centers feel set and firm to the touch. Let the scones cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack.
- Make the glazes.
- For the first glaze, combine the confectioners’ sugar and milk, whisking until smooth.
- For the second glaze, combine the confectioners’ sugar, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, nutmeg, and milk, whisking until smooth.
- Glaze and serve. Once the scones are slightly cooled, spoon the first glaze on top of each scone and let it set. Then drizzle or pipe the second glaze in a zigzag pattern over top and let it set.
freezing and storage
Make-ahead
Place the assembled unbaked scones in the fridge overnight, then bake as directed.
Storage
Leftover baked scones can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days.
Freeze before baking
Place the scones on a baking sheet lined with wax paper or parchment paper, freezing for 1 hour until solid. Transfer the scones to an airtight, resealable freezer bag. Label, date, and freeze up to 2 months. To bake, thaw overnight in the fridge and bake as directed.
Freeze after baking (without the glazes)
Let the scones cool completely. Transfer the scones to an airtight, resealable freezer bag. Label, date, and freeze up to 2 months. To reheat, thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in the oven at 350°F, covered in aluminum foil until warmed through, about 5-10 minutes. Drizzle with glazes when serving.
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Tools For This Recipe
Starbucks Pumpkin Scones Copycat Recipe: Frequently Asked Questions
Starbucks officially discontinued their pumpkin scones in 2023.
The signature double glaze, of course!
Unfortunately, no. Pumpkin puree contains 100% unsweetened cooked pumpkin whereas pumpkin pie filling contains pumpkin and various additives such as sugar, water, and spices.
Cold, cubed butter will create tiny pockets of fat, yielding tender, flaky scones.
Yes! Pumpkin scones will hold up very well in the freezer both before and after baking (without the glazes), keeping in the freezer for at least 2 months.
Starbucks Pumpkin Scones Copycat Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
- ½ cup pumpkin puree
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
For the glaze
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- 2 tablespoons milk
For the spiced glaze
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
- 2 tablespoons milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat; set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, cloves, ginger, nutmeg, baking soda and salt. Add cold butter, using your fingers to work the butter into the dry ingredients until it resembles coarse crumbs.
- In a large glass measuring cup or another bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree, milk, egg and vanilla. Pour mixture over dry ingredients and stir using a rubber spatula until a soft dough forms.
- Working on a lightly floured surface, knead the dough 3-4 times until it comes together. Using a rolling pill, roll the dough into an 8″ circle, about 1-inch thick, and cut into 8 wedges.
- Place scones onto the prepared baking sheet. Place into oven and bake for 12-15 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
- When the scones are done, cool for 10 minutes and spoon the glaze on each scone before drizzling with spiced glaze.
- Allow glazes to set before serving.
For the glaze
- In a small bowl, combine confectioners’ sugar and milk. Whisk until smooth. If the glaze is too thick, add more milk as needed.
For the spiced glaze
- In a small bowl, combine confectioners’ sugar, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, nutmeg and milk. Whisk until smooth.
Equipment
Notes
- Avoid pumpkin pie filling. Canned pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie filling are not the same, and are not interchangeable. Be sure to use 100% pure pumpkin as pumpkin pie filling comes pre-mixed with sweeteners and spices.
- Use cold butter. The cold butter will create pockets of steam that will lift the dough, yielding light, airy scones.
- Do not overmix. Overmixing the dough will result in tough, dense, rubbery scones. Handle the dough as gently and as little as possible until it just comes together.
- Sift the confectioners’ sugar. Sift the sugar before mixing the glazes to prevent any unwanted lumps in the smooth, glossy icings.
- Adjust the consistency. If the glaze is too thick, add a splash of milk. If the glaze is too runny, add more confectioners’ sugar.
- Freeze without the glazes. When planning for leftovers to freeze, hold off on glazing or they will turn sticky and grainy upon thawing.
Did you make this recipe?
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Wow, I just cooked these scones, it’s fabulous! Thanks for this recipe 🙂 hi from Russia :))))
Thank you for the recipe – the scones are really good! I had too much of the spiced glaze, so I used it to sweet my coffee, and still had much to much – so I had to make a second batch 🙂
PS: The recipe works great with “real pumpkin purree” (unfortunately I can’t get canned pumpkin in Austria)
I just made these. They are unREAL. Thank you!
This is my favorite Starbucks scone!! They look easy enough to make. Thanks for this great recipe!
These scones turned out great! I made them into circles. The glazes are very necessary to get that sweet, perfect bite. Next time I’ll add more spices to the dough. Unless a day-old scone has more flavor. Also: I veganized it using 2 ‘flax eggs,’ non-dairy butter, and almond milk.
Thanks for the recipe. Cheers*
These look amazing. Do you think they would freeze well?
Unfortunately, I cannot answer this with certainty as I have never tried freezing this myself – there were no leftovers left to freeze! I recommend using your best judgment for freezing and reheating.
They freeze perfect I have literally taken a ball of this dough and wrapped in a plastic bag. Left to thaw a few hours and its perfect. I have made these over again and I think they are my favorite desert by far. I think people run into problems because they don’t know that when measuring flour you need to measure it loosely …spoon flour into measuring cup and don’t pack it in.
Came across the recipe last week and my second batch is in the oven now – my roommate and I demolished the first batch within a few days (this despite the fact that said roommate detests cloves… they were that good). The dough was a little bit dry, so I moistened it with a splash of caramel Bailey’s and it turned out amazingly. I bet these would taste good with a caramel drizzle, too!
I just made these this morning and I have to say that they are scrumptious! I followed the recipe exactly and they turned out perfect. Thank you for the delicious recipe!
Hi!
Just found this today. I have tons of beautiful pumpkins in the garden this year: do you think this would work with real pumpkin purée instead of canned? Love to have your opinion! Thanks!
Yes, that would work amazingly well! After all, nothing’s better than homemade, right?
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Hi Chung-Ah,
I made these last night and the scone part was very good, easy to cook and came out perfect (although not as pumpkin tasting as Starbucks..will have to add more puree next time) I really liked them!
But I followed the directions exactly for your frostings and it was runny (had to add more icing sugar) and I felt like the ginger was overpowering and I swear I only put the 1/4 teaspoon. I don’t feel like the Starbucks scone has any ginger taste…but luckily I like ginger so it was still yummy.
I think next time I will put just a pinch of ginger in and see what happens!
Thanks for the post!
i used regular sugar do you think that would make a huge difference?
Yes, absolutely. I recommend using all the listed ingredients here for optimal results.
i don’t think these taste like the starbucks ones maybe i did something wrong but I’ve been trying many diff recipes to find the ones starbucks makes.
That’s strange because I think they’re an exact replica, if not better!
A juicer is on my wishlist.
The pasta attachment for my KitchenAid mixer!
I’m wishing for a nice stand mixer this year :+)
I’d love a breadmaker for the holiday! Thanks for the great giveaway! — Laura @ Frugal Follies
I want some cute moccasins
A Kitchenaide mixer
These look amazing! Plus I love pampered chef!