Get ready to enjoy fall’s warm, cozy flavors with these pumpkin scones, a perfect Starbucks copycat recipe. They’re fluffy, moist, and topped with not one, but two delicious glazes that make them so irresistible.

When I see pumpkin scones at my local Starbucks, I know it’s officially the start of fall. There’s something so comforting about the warm spices and the soft, tender crumb that makes you want to eat them all up. Plus, the double glaze is soooooooo good and hard to resist.

Copycat Starbucks Pumpkin Scones

I like to prepare the dough the night before and let it chill in the fridge. That way, I can quickly bake them in the morning and enjoy a fresh, homemade breakfast without too much fuss. The smell of these baking is traumatizing as you wait for them to finish up and cool.

Pumpkin Scones Starbucks Copycat

Print Recipe

These pumpkin scones taste exactly like your local Starbucks.

Author: Julia
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 18 minutes
Total Time: 38 minutes
Yield: 8 1x
Category: Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale

Scones:

2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
⅓ cup (67g) granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
½ cup (113g) unsalted butter cold and cubed
½ cup (120g) canned pumpkin puree
3 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Sugar Glaze:

1 cup (125g) powdered sugar sifted
1 – 2 tablespoons cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Pumpkin Glaze:

1 cup (125g) powdered sugar sifted
1 tablespoon pumpkin puree
⅛ teaspoon cloves
⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
⅛ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 – 2 tablespoons half and half or cream

Instructions

Make the scones:

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger.
Add the cold cubed butter to the dry ingredients. Use a pastry cutter or your fingers to cut the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, milk, and vanilla extract.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead it a few times until it comes together. Pat the dough into a square about 1 inch thick.

Oven directions:

Cut the dough into 8 wedges and place the scones in a single layer on a lined baking sheet. Leave some space between each scone. Depending on the size of your baking sheet, you may need to cook them in batches.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F / 200 degrees C.
Bake for 15-18 minutes or until the scones are golden brown and cooked through. Remove from the oven and allow them to cool on a wire rack.

Air fryer directions:

Cut the dough into 8 wedges and place the scones in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Leave some space between each scone. Depending on the size of your air fryer you may need to cook them in batches.
Preheat the air fryer to 375 degrees F / 190 degrees C.
Air fry the scones for about 10-12 minutes, or until they are golden brown and cooked through. Check for doneness and adjust the cooking time if needed.
Once the scones are cooked, transfer them to a wire rack to cool.

Prepare the glaze:

Add the sugar to a small or medium bowl, then add one tablespoon of cream or half and half and vanilla extract and stir. Check the consistency, if it’s too thick add half and half, ½ teaspoon at a time. Stir until incorporated and the desired consistency is reached.
In another bowl combine the sugar, spices, pumpkin puree, and cream. Stir until you get a creamy glaze. Check the consistency, it should be thicker than the white glaze so it doesn’t mix with the sugar glaze, as you will use it to decorate on top.

Decorate the scones:

Once the scones have cooled, take the prepared sugar glaze and use a spoon to drizzle it over the top of each scone. Next, take the pumpkin glaze and drizzle it over the sugar glaze on each scone. Allow the glazes to set for a few minutes before serving.

Notes

Keep the butter cold. Cold butter makes all the difference for flaky scones. If your kitchen’s warm, pop the butter in the freezer for a few minutes. Trust me, it helps!
Don’t overmix. When you combine the wet and dry ingredients, mix just until everything comes together. Overmixing can make the scones dense instead of light and fluffy.
Chill the dough. After shaping the dough, let it chill in the fridge for 15-20 minutes. This step helps the scones hold their shape and improves the texture.
Fresh spices are best. Using fresh spices will give you the most flavor. If your spices have been sitting around for a while, it’s time for a refresh.
If baking in the air fryer, line the basket with parchment paper.
Air fryer temperatures can vary, so start checking the scones a couple of minutes early to avoid overcooking.
Preheat the oven fully. Make sure your oven is fully preheated before baking. This ensures the scones bake evenly and get that nice golden brown color.
Adjust glaze consistency. When making the sugar glaze, start with a small amount of cream and add more as needed. You want it to be thick enough to set, but still pourable.
Storage – Keep scones in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Reheat in a low oven or microwave for a few seconds to warm them up.