These Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Scones are buttery, flaky, and filled with warm pumpkin spice flavor and pockets of melted chocolate chips. Made with pumpkin purée, cold butter, and simple baking ingredients, they bake into golden scones with crisp edges and soft, tender centers.
The texture is a perfect balance of flaky layers and a moist crumb, while pumpkin spice adds a gentle warmth that pairs beautifully with sweet chocolate chips. These scones are ideal for breakfast, brunch, afternoon coffee, or a seasonal homemade treat.
Why This Recipe Should Be on Your Menu
- Flaky & Tender: Cold butter creates delicate layers with a soft center.
- Seasonal Flavor: Pumpkin purée and warm spices add rich autumn inspired taste.
- Easy to Make: Simple mixing and shaping create bakery style scones at home.
- Perfect Pairing: Chocolate chips add sweetness and a delicious melted texture.
- Great for Any Time: Enjoy them with coffee, tea, or as a breakfast treat.
Gather Your Ingredients and Swap Ideas
- All-Purpose Flour: Provides structure and creates a tender, flaky scone texture. Substitute with whole wheat flour, a gluten free flour blend, oat flour, or a mix of all-purpose and whole wheat flour.
- Granulated Sugar: Adds sweetness and helps with browning. Substitute with brown sugar, coconut sugar, maple sugar, or a granulated sugar alternative for baking.
- Baking Powder: Helps the scones rise and become light and fluffy. Substitute with a combination of baking soda and cream of tartar if needed.
- Salt: Enhances the flavors and balances sweetness. Substitute with sea salt, kosher salt, or table salt.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice: Adds warm fall spice flavor. Substitute with a blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and allspice.
- Ground Cinnamon: Provides extra warmth and sweetness. Substitute with apple pie spice, nutmeg, cardamom, or pumpkin spice.
- Cold Unsalted Butter: Creates flaky layers and a rich texture. Substitute with cold salted butter (reduce added salt), vegan butter, shortening, or coconut oil.
- Pumpkin Purée: Adds moisture, color, and pumpkin flavor. Substitute with mashed sweet potato, butternut squash purée, or homemade pumpkin purée.
- Egg: Helps bind the dough and adds richness. Substitute with a flax egg, applesauce, yogurt, or a commercial egg replacer.
- Heavy Cream: Creates a rich, tender crumb. Substitute with whole milk, half-and-half, buttermilk, coconut cream, or plant-based cream.
- Vanilla Extract: Enhances the sweetness and overall flavor. Substitute with vanilla bean paste, maple extract, or almond extract (use sparingly).
- Mini Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips: Add chocolate flavor and texture. Substitute with dark chocolate chips, milk chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, chopped chocolate, or dried cranberries.
Topping Ingredients & Substitutions
- Egg Wash: Gives the scones a golden, shiny finish. Substitute with heavy cream, milk, melted butter, or a plant based milk wash.
- Milk: Helps loosen the egg wash for brushing. Substitute with cream, water, or dairy-free milk.
- Coarse Sugar: Adds a crunchy, sweet topping. Substitute with turbinado sugar, sanding sugar, cinnamon sugar, or omit.
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Scones
These Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Scones are buttery, flaky, and filled with cozy pumpkin spice flavor and melty chocolate chips in every bite. Made with real pumpkin purée and cold butter, they bake up with crisp golden edges and soft, tender centers, making them perfect for breakfast, brunch, or an afternoon coffee break.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon until evenly combined.
- Add the grated cold butter and gently work it into the flour mixture using a pastry cutter or your fingertips until coarse, pea-sized crumbs form. Fold in the chocolate chips.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the pumpkin purée, egg, heavy cream, and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently stir until a soft dough just comes together. Avoid overmixing to keep the scones light and flaky.
- Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently pat it into an 8-inch circle about 1 inch thick. Cut the dough into 8 equal wedges and transfer them to the prepared baking sheet, leaving space between each scone.
- Brush the tops with the egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sugar if desired. Refrigerate the shaped scones for 30 minutes to help them rise taller during baking.
- Bake for 16 to 18 minutes, or until the tops are lightly golden and the centers are fully baked.
- Allow the scones to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Nutrition Information (Per Serving, Approximate)
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 295 |
| Carbs | 39g |
| Protein | 5g |
| Fat | 14g |
| Fiber | 2g |
| Sugar | 18g |
| Sodium | 260mg |
Things to Avoid While Making This Recipe
- Using Warm Butter: Soft butter prevents the flaky layers that make scones tender.
- Overmixing the Dough: Too much mixing creates dense, tough scones.
- Skipping the Chill Time: Cold dough helps the scones rise higher during baking.
- Adding Too Much Flour: Excess flour can make scones dry.
- Overbaking: Longer baking can remove moisture and make scones crumbly.
Creative Ways to Change It Up
- Pumpkin Pecan Scones: Add chopped pecans for extra crunch.
- White Chocolate Pumpkin Scones: Replace chocolate chips with white chocolate pieces.
- Maple Pumpkin Scones: Add maple syrup glaze for extra sweetness.
- Cranberry Pumpkin Scones: Mix in dried cranberries for a fruity twist.
- Glazed Pumpkin Scones: Finish with a simple vanilla or cinnamon glaze.
- Spiced Nut Scones: Add walnuts with extra pumpkin spice flavor.
Try More Breakfast Recipes
Best Make-Ahead and Storage Tips
- Prepare Dough Ahead: Shape the scones and refrigerate overnight before baking.
- Freeze Unbaked Scones: Freeze shaped dough and bake directly from frozen with extra baking time.
- Store Baked Scones: Keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- Reheat Before Serving: Warm briefly in the oven to refresh texture.
- Freeze Leftovers: Store baked scones in freezer safe bags for up to 3 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can I use fresh pumpkin instead of canned pumpkin purée?
Yes, use smooth pumpkin purée with similar moisture and consistency. - Can I make these scones without chocolate chips?
Yes, replace them with nuts, dried fruit, or leave them plain. - Can I freeze pumpkin chocolate chip scones?
Yes, freeze baked or unbaked scones for convenient storage. - How long do these scones stay fresh?
They stay fresh for about 3 days when stored properly. - Can I make smaller scones?
Yes, divide the dough into smaller portions and reduce baking time. - What spices pair well with pumpkin scones?
Cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves complement pumpkin beautifully. - How should I serve pumpkin chocolate chip scones?
Serve warm with coffee, tea, butter, or a light drizzle of glaze.
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