This post is all about how to make pumpkin scones.
When I transitioned to a vegan lifestyle I honestly had a pretty easy time, I found that they were a lot of tasty substitutes for all my favorite foods (okay, except candy corn…still waiting for that one!).
….but one business that hasn’t quite fulfilled my vegan desires? STARBUCKS. Seriously, when will we get vegan scones, cookies, cake pops? All of it! Pretty sure the only vegan option they have is Hippeas, and honestly? Not bad Starbucks, not bad. However, as much as I love my Hippeas, it’s just not the same as enjoying a coffee and fresh scone.
*Okay, updating to say that now in 2022 we at least have a vegan snack box! Fingers crossed I’ll be able to keep updating this as the years go on.
But – have no fear, these copycat Starbuck’s pumpkin scones might just be better than Starbuck’s version. I had my mom be the ultimate taste-tester for these. We bought a Starbuck’s pumpkin scone to compare it with mine, and the winner? You guessed it! My version. And don’t worry, she’s brutally honest.
I tried to mimic everything pretty closely so they taste and look as authentic as possible. You definitely don’t have to be vegan to enjoy these either. If you’re looking for a healthier, fresher version, these are for you.
How do I make scones?
Did you know making these pumpkin scones is super easy? They only take 10 minutes to prep and around 20 minutes to cook. Then you have fresh out of the oven scones to start your morning – a dream come true!
The first step is to incorporate the butter into the flour. You can do this in a variety of ways. The most important part is you want the butter to be cold, so don’t remove it from the fridge until you’re ready to use it. Using cold butter leads to the best scones because the butter melts in the oven and creates a super flaky dough.
You can incorporate the butter into the dough by using a pastry cutter, fork, or your hands. If you’re using your hands, just be careful that the heat from your hands doesn’t soften the butter too much.
If you make scones often, I’d recommend investing in a pastry cutter. It’s way easier than working with your hands (or a fork!) and it helps keep the butter cold. My favorite method is to grate the butter and then cut it into the flour with a pastry cutter. I’ve found that yields the flakiest scone!
Next, mix in the rest of the dry ingredients and in a separate bowl mix together the wet ingredients. Fold the dough together until you get a smooth, non-sticky dough. Then, cut the dough into 8 equal portions and space on a baking sheet.
Bake the scones until the bottom is golden brown and let cool. And that’s it!
How do I frost the scones?
Scones without frosting is like fall without pumpkins! It’s just a necessity. The best way to frost scones is to mix the frosting in a shallow bowl. Then dip the scone in the frosting and let hang upside down until the excess drips off. Then, add the pumpkin icing to a pastry bag or ziploc bag and drizzle on in a zig-zag portion.
Can you freeze scone dough?
Yes! You can freeze the pumpkin scone dough for up to 2 months. Just make sure you cut it into individual portions, then stick in an airtight container. When you are ready to make the scones, just bake according to the instructions.
And, don’t forget, if you try them out, I would love it if you left a review below and/or tagged me in a picture on Instagram @nourishedwithnatalie.
Looking for other fall recipes? Try one of these below:
Starbuck’s Copycat Vegan Pumpkin Scones
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- 2 tbsp sugar
- ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ⅓ cup vegan butter, cold
- ⅓ cup pumpkin puree
- ¼ cup +1-2 tbsp almond milk
- 1 tsp vanilla
Icing
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 3-4 tsp almond milk
- ¼ tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 2 tsp pumpkin puree
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F
- Add the flour into a medium sized bowl
- Cut in the cold butter with a pastry cutter or fork until you achieve a crumbly texture. You can also grate the butter and then cut it in with a pastry cutter (or fork).
- To the bowl, add the rest of the dry ingredients and whisk together.
- In a separate bowl, mix together the pumpkin puree, non-dairy milk, and vanilla.
- Mix the wet and dry ingredients together until you get a non-sticky dough, if needed add more milk dependent on texture.
- Roll the dough into a circle (about 1 inch thick) and cut 8 triangles
- Bake for 17-23 minutes or until golden brown on the bottom.
Icing Instructions
- Mix together the non-dairy milk and powdered sugar, put 1/4 of the mixture aside and add pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice to it, whisk until combined
- Add the icing after the scones have cooled (about 20 minutes). Start by covering the scone with the vanilla icing and once set, use a piping bag or spoon to drizzle on the pumpkin icing
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