Sourdough Pumpkin Scones With Maple Glaze

Crisp autumn mornings call for something warm, spiced and a little indulgent. These Sourdough Pumpkin Scones are everything you'd hope for in a seasonal bake: tender scone dough, flaky layers, and just the right balance of pumpkin flavour and tang from sourdough discard. They're the perfect fall treat for sourdough home bakers looking for a quick breakfast with a little different twist.

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What Sourdough Discard Does In Scones?

Sourdough discard isn't just a clever way to prevent food waste; it actually improves your scone recipes:

✅ Adds a subtle sourdough tang that balances the sweetness and warm spices

✅ The natural acidity works like buttermilk, making for softer, tender scones

✅ Extends freshness, so your scones don't dry out as quickly

✅ Makes use of cold sourdough discard that might otherwise be thrown away

It's a great way to use extra sourdough starter for a fast treat.

Ingredient Notes

Here's a breakdown of the simple ingredients you'll need to make these delicious scones for the fall season. 

• Plain flour (purpose flour): You can swap up to a third with whole wheat flour for a nuttier depth. Too much and you risk tough scones.
• Baking powder: The lift here is crucial, since discard doesn't provide much rise. Do not confuse baking powder with baking soda. 
• Caster sugar (or granulated sugar): Either works. For extra flavour, replace half with light brown sugar.
• Salt: A small amount sharpens the pumpkin spice flavours.
• Pumpkin pie spice (or mixed spice): Adjust to taste. A touch of vanilla extract can also be added.
• Frozen butter (unsalted butter): The colder the better. Grated butter or cubes cut with a pastry cutter keep the flour mixture light. Cold butter = flaky layers.
• Sourdough discard: Use it cold from the fridge. Avoid discard that smells overly acidic. You may also use active sourdough starter, as the dough isn't long fermented. 
• Pumpkin puree: Use real pumpkin puree rather than pumpkin pie filling, which already contains sugar and spices. Pat it dry with paper towel to remove excess moisture.
• Egg: A large egg binds the dough and adds richness.
• Milk (optional): or heavy cream. Only add a tablespoon or two if your dough forms too dry.

For the glaze: I use icing sugar, maple syrup and a splash of milk. This sweet maple glaze is simple but lifts the flavour beautifully. However, feel free to make a cream cheese glaze. 

Step-By-Step Method

• Prepare: Preheat oven to 190°C (375°F). Line a prepared baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper.
• Mix dry ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin spice.
• Add butter: Grate frozen butter using a box grater straight into the flour mixture. Toss quickly with your fingers until coated.
• Combine wet ingredients: In a small bowl or jug, whisk sourdough discard, egg and pumpkin puree.
• Bring dough together: Pour wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix gently with a rubber spatula, then use your hands to bring it into a rough dough. If too dry, add a splash of milk.
• Shape: Turn onto a lightly floured work surface. Pat into a circle about 18-20 cm wide. Use a sharp knife or bench scraper to cut into 8 shaped scones.

• Bake: Arrange on the prepared baking sheet. Brush tops of the scones with a little milk using a pastry brush. Bake for 14-16 minutes until golden brown.
• Cool and glaze: Transfer to a wire rack. Mix glaze ingredients in a small bowl, drizzle over the top of the scones, and leave to set.

Recipe Tips for Best Results

Here are some tips for making a perfect scone:

• Use cold butter and cold sourdough discard - warmth is the enemy of flaky layers. This goes for all my scone recipes, including Sourdough Raspberry and White Chocolate Scones and Lemon Poppy Seed Scones.
• Don't overwork the dough - tough scones happen when the gluten is overdeveloped.
• Drain pumpkin puree on paper towel if it's watery, otherwise the dough will be too sticky.
• If your scone dough seems dry, add only a tablespoon of milk at a time.
• For the best results, cut cleanly with a sharp knife instead of dragging through the dough.
• Bake scones close together on the tray if you like soft sides, or spaced apart for crisper edges.
• Leave shaped scones to chill under plastic wrap for 20 minutes before baking if your kitchen is very warm.

Storage

These sourdough discard pumpkin scones are best fresh, but leftover scones also keep well:

• Room temperature: Store cooled scones in an airtight container for 2-3 days.
• Freezing: Freeze unbaked scones on a tray, then transfer to a freezer bag once solid. Bake frozen scones, adding a couple of extra minutes to the bake time. Unglazed baked scones can also be frozen and thawed overnight at room temperature.

More Pumpkin Sourdough Recipes

If you love pumpkin recipes, I've got more seasonal bakes that use sourdough discard. These pumpkin sourdough scones are just the start - see below for recipes including sourdough pumpkin bread (or streusel-topped sourdough discard pumpkin bread) and sourdough pumpkin cinnamon rolls:

Sourdough Pumpkin Scones With Maple Glaze

Crisp autumn mornings call for something warm, spiced and a little indulgent. These Sourdough Pumpkin Scones are everything you'd hope for in a seasonal bake: tender scone dough, flaky layers, and just the right balance of pumpkin flavour and tang from sourdough discard. They're the perfect fall treat for sourdough home bakers looking for a quick breakfast with a little different twist.

5 from 5 votes

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Course Afternoon Tea, Breakfast, Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American, British

Servings 8 scones

Calories 332 kcal

Ingredients

 

1x2x3x

• 280 g (2¼ cups) plain flour all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• 100 g (0.8 cups) caster sugar or granulated sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoon mixed spice or pumpkin pie spice
• 100 g (3.53 oz) unsalted butter frozen
• 100 g (½ cups) sourdough discard
• 1 large egg
• 100 g (0.4 cups) pumpkin puree
• milk for brushing the tops

For Maple Glaze

• 70 g (0.58 cups) icing sugar a.k.a. powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon milk

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 190°C (375℉). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
• In a large mixing bowl, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and mixed spice (or pumpkin pie spice).
• Grate the frozen butter into the dry ingredients and rub with your fingers to distribute it well in the flour.
• In a separate bowl or jug, lightly whisk sourdough discard, egg and pumpkin puree.
• Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix to combine. Using your hands, knead just enough to bring the dough together. It should barely hold together, but if it's too dry, add 1-2 tablespoon of milk.
• Scoop the dough onto a work surface and shape it into an 18-20cm (7-8-inch) circle.
• Cut the circle into 8 wedges. Arrange the sourdough pumpkin scones on the prepared baking sheet. Brush the tops with a little milk to promote browning.
• Bake for 14-16 minutes until golden brown around the edges.
• Leave the scones to cool down to room temperature.
• To make the glaze, mix the icing sugar with maple syrup and milk. Once the scones are cooled down, glaze them, and leave it to set before enjoying.

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Nutrition

Calories: 332kcalCarbohydrates: 54gProtein: 5gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 47mgSodium: 191mgPotassium: 87mgFiber: 1gSugar: 23gVitamin A: 2293IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 82mgIron: 2mg

Keyword Pumpkin Sourdough Scones, Sourdough Discard Pumpkin Scones, Sourdough Pumpkin Scones

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