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These Sourdough Pumpkin Scones are soft, tender, and full of cozy spices and pumpkin flavor. Filled with white chocolate chips and finished with a sweet brown butter icing, they practically melt in your mouth.
Save & Summarize
These scones come together easily in under 30 minutes, making them a quick and stress-free bake for the fall season. With no eggs required, they’re simple to whip up yet still deliver the rich, cozy taste you’ll love. More scone recipes you’ll love include Sourdough White Chocolate Almond Scones, Sourdough Gingerbread Scones, Sourdough Blueberry Coffee Cake Scones and Sourdough Strawberry Lemon Scones.
Why you will love this recipe
- Egg-free – The pumpkin puree in this scone recipe replaces the need for an egg, making it a great allergy-friendly recipe. More egg-free pumpkin recipes include Sourdough Pumpkin Snickerdoodles and Sourdough Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies.
- Cake-like texture – These sourdough discard pumpkin scones are not dry but instead melt in your mouth with every bite!
- The perfect fall treat – These scones are filled with fall flavor and are the perfect treat or breakfast, just like my Sourdough Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls.
- Quick and easy – This scone recipe can be made in just under 30 minutes!
Important Ingredients and Substitutions
- Sourdough discard – Use cold sourdough discard straight from the fridge so that the butter stays cold in the dough.
- Cold butter – Using cold butter helps create the flaky layers in the scone. Freeze your stick of butter for 20-30 minutes before grating and adding to the recipe.
- Pumpkin puree – There is enough pumpkin puree in this recipe that you do not have to add an egg. Be sure to use plain canned pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling. Or, if you prefer, you can also use a homemade pumpkin puree.
- White chocolate chip – The flavor of the white chocolate chips and brown butter is the perfect combination. If you prefer regular chocolate, you can use chocolate chips as well.
- Pumpkin spice – This seasoning is a blend of warm fall spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves.
- Brown butter – The warm, nutty flavor from the brown butter in the icing pairs perfectly with the cozy fall spices.
See all the ingredients and amounts in the recipe card below.
How to brown butter
While you can substitute regular butter for browned butter in the dough, the extra flavor takes these scones to the next level. Browned butter is just butter that is cooked until it is golden brown. It takes on a nutty flavor that adds depth and pairs so well with the warm spices used in this recipe. If you love brown butter, be sure to also try Sourdough Peanut Butter Cookies, Apple Crisp Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls and Sourdough Oatmeal Cream Pies.
Here’s how you do it:
- Melt the unsalted butter in a small saucepan over medium heat and stir frequently with a spatula. If you have a light colored pan that is helpful to see the color better but dark pans will do the job.
- Once the butter melts, it will begin to foam. The butter should begin turning a golden brown color. Continue to stir. You will want to keep an eye on this as it can quickly burn if not attended to.
- Once the color turns a deep bronze color and the foam begins subsiding, usually within 5-8 minutes of starting, the butter is ready. It should smell nutty.
- Once browned to your liking, immediately remove the pan from the heat and pour the butter into a heatproof bowl or jar.
You can find more in-depth instructions here.
Instructions to make Sourdough Pumpkin Scones
Step 1: If you don’t have any butter in the freezer, I recommend placing a stick of butter in the freezer for 20-30 minutes before making this recipe.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice.
Step 2: Shred a stick of frozen butter and mix it into the flour mixture, rubbing with your fingers to get it into small bits of butter, about the size of a pea. Add the white chocolate chips to the mixture and toss to combine.
Step 3: In a separate bowl, mix the sourdough discard, pumpkin puree, milk, and vanilla extract.
Step 4: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix with a fork or Danish dough whisk until the dough begins to come together.
Step 5: Dump the scone dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently press it together until the flour is incorporated and the dough forms. At first, it will seem like too much flour, but it will come together.
Shape the dough into an 8-inch circle.
Step 6: Cut the dough into 8 pieces using a bench scraper or a sharp knife.
Step 7: Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or silicone reusable baking mats and brush the tops with 1-2 Tablespoons of milk.
Step 8: Bake in a preheated 425°F oven for 14 minutes or until they are lightly golden brown on the edges and top. Don’t over-bake or they will get dry. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack.
Step 9: While the scones are baking, make the brown butter icing. Take the butter and cut it into cubes. Add it to a light-colored pan, if you have one, so that you can easily see when the butter has browned. Heat over medium heat, stirring consistently to prevent the butter from burning. Heat for about 5 minutes or until the milk solids have turned a golden brown color and you can smell the nutty aroma. Add the brown butter to a heat-safe bowl and add the remaining icing ingredients, and whisk until smooth.
Step 10: Allow the scones to slightly cool and then add the brown butter icing on top of the scones and enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- Use cold ingredients. Cold discard and frozen butter. The colder the ingredients, the better. If your discard is at room temperature and/or butter is not frozen, place the scones in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or more to chill before baking, or the scones will spread.
- Don’t over knead the dough. It will be flaky when mixing. Over kneading will turn a tender scone tough due to the gluten development.
Storage Instructions
To store the Pumpkin Sourdough Scones, add them to an airtight container or wrap in plastic wrap. You can keep them on the counter at room temperature for 2-3 days or in the refrigerator for up to a week. You can reheat them in a 300-degree oven until they are warmed through or in the microwave for 15 seconds.
If you would like to freeze, wrap the leftovers in plastic or store them in an airtight container and freeze them for up to 3 months. To thaw, you can leave them on the counter or add them to a 300-degree oven or microwave until warmed through.
You can also freeze unbaked scones. Once the scones are cut, wrap them in plastic wrap and place in a freezer-safe ziplock bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Bake directly from the freezer but add on a couple minutes to the bake time to accommodate for being frozen.
Recipe FAQ
Yes, either active starter or discard will work.
The scones will spread if the ingredients in the scones are not cold enough. That is why it is important to use cold butter and discard and be sure to not skip the step of freezing your butter. If the dough is getting warm or sticky when working with it wrap the dough in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before baking.
Yes! Once the dough is shaped into the circle, wrap it in plastic wrap and place it in the fridge for up to 3 days. When you are ready to bake just follow the remaining instructions.
You can also freeze unbaked scones. Once the scones are cut wrap them in plastic wrap and place in a freezer-safe ziplock bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Bake directly from the freezer but add on a couple minutes to the bake time to accommodate for being frozen.
No, if you prefer to skip the brown butter, you can just substitute with regular butter.
More Fall Sourdough Recipes
Soft Sourdough Bread Recipes
Sourdough Garlic Bread (Ready in 20 minutes!)
Sourdough Discard Recipes
Cranberry Orange Sourdough Scones
Fall Sourdough Recipes
Sourdough Apple Pie Pull-Apart Bread with a Vanilla Glaze
Sourdough Breakfast Recipes
Sourdough Sticky Buns
Tried this Sourdough Pumpkin Scones or another recipe from the site? I’d love to hear about it! Drop a star rating and share your thoughts in the comments—can’t wait to see what you’re baking!
Sourdough Pumpkin Scones
Ingredients
- 280 grams all-purpose flour, 2 cups
- 70 grams brown sugar, ⅓ cup
- 5 grams baking powder, 1 teaspoon
- 5 grams baking soda, 1 teaspoon
- 5 grams salt, 1 teaspoon
- 6 grams pumpkin pie spice, 2 teaspoons
- 113 grams butter, frozen, ½ cup
- 100 grams white chocolate chips, ¾ cup
- 120 grams sourdough discard, cold, ½ cup
- 120 grams pumpkin puree, ½ cup
- 45 grams milk, cold, 3 Tablespoons
- 5 grams vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon
Topping
- 15-30 grams milk, 1-2 Tablespoons
Brown Butter Icing
- 84 grams butter, 6 Tablespoons
- 15 grams milk, 1 Tablespoon
- 120 grams powdered sugar, 1 cup
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
- If you don’t have any butter in the freezer, I recommend placing a stick of butter in the freezer for 20-30 minutes before making this recipe.
- In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Shred a stick of frozen butter and mix it into the flour mixture, rubbing with your fingers to get it into small bits of butter, about the size of a pea.280 grams all-purpose flour, 70 grams brown sugar, 5 grams baking powder, 5 grams baking soda, 5 grams salt, 6 grams pumpkin pie spice, 113 grams butter
- Add the white chocolate chips to the flour mixture and toss to combine.100 grams white chocolate chips
- In a separate bowl, mix together the wet ingredients.120 grams sourdough discard, 120 grams pumpkin puree, 45 grams milk, 5 grams vanilla extract
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix with a fork or Danish dough whisk until the dough begins to come together.
- Dump the scone dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently press it together until the flour is incorporated and the dough forms. At first, it will seem like too much flour, but it will come together.
- Shape the dough into an 8-inch circle.
- Cut the dough into 8 pieces using a bench scraper or a sharp knife.
- Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or silicone reusable baking mats and brush the tops with 1-2 Tablespoons of milk.15-30 grams milk
- Bake in a preheated 425°F oven for 14 minutes or until they are lightly golden brown on the edges and top. Don’t over-bake or they will get dry. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack.
- While the scones are baking, make the brown butter icing. Take the butter and cut it into cubes. Add it to a light-colored pan, if you have one, so that you can easily see when the butter has browned. Heat over medium heat, stirring consistently to prevent the butter from burning. Heat for about 5 minutes or until the milk solids have turned a golden brown color and you can smell the nutty aroma. Add the brown butter to a heat-safe bowl and add the remaining icing ingredients, and whisk until smooth.84 grams butter, 15 grams milk, 120 grams powdered sugar, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, 1 pinch salt
- Allow the scones and icing to slightly cool, and then add the brown butter icing on top of the scones and enjoy!
Notes
Tips:
- Use cold ingredients. Cold discard and frozen butter. The colder the ingredients, the better. If your discard was at room temperature, place the scones in the fridge for 30 minutes or more before baking, or the scones will spread a lot.
- Don’t overknead the dough. It will be flaky when mixing. Overkneading will turn a tender scone tough.
- If the dough is not coming together, add a little extra milk to the dough until it just comes together.
Storage instructions:
- Add the scones to an airtight container or wrap in plastic wrap. You can keep them on the counter at room temperature for 2-3 days or in the fridge for up to a week. You can reheat them in a 300-degree oven until they are warmed through or in the microwave for 15 seconds.
- If you would like to freeze, wrap the leftovers in plastic or store them in an airtight container and freeze them for up to 3 months.
- You can also freeze unbaked scones. Once the scones are cut wrap them in plastic wrap and place in a freezer-safe ziplock bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Bake directly from the freezer but add on a couple minutes to the bake time to accommodate for being frozen.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I’ve made these three times already! they are so quick and such an easy way to just discard. I love a discard recipe that doesn’t use yeast, and this scone recipe is perfect! they are soft and delicious. I made a batch without the white chocolate chip and only the AMAZING brown sugar icing, it was just the right amount of sweet. my son likes things on the sweeter side so I made another batch with the chips in it and he loved it. I used 90g chips and felt it was still a little too much. I don’t like things overly sweet, you can def make these with or without the chocolate chips or with chips and no glaze, mix it up to your liking, I did it all! I think I’ll stick to using glaze and chocolate chips, but I’ll do 75g on the chocolate. My bunco girls enjoyed every bit of this! I highly recommend.
Thanks so much for the detailed review. I agree the icing is the best!
These scones are to DIE for! My family absolutely loved them. Thank you!! We will be making them regularly in this house.
I’m so happy to hear that. Thanks for sharing!
These scones are to DIE for! Blew my family away! Thank you so much for such a fantastic recipe. They will be made regularly in this house!
Amazing, even without the glaze
Thanks Brittany!
These sourdough pumpkin scones are incredible!! They are super soft and flavorful and the brown butter icing takes these to the next level.