Sage Pumpkin Scones are a cozy, flavorful breakfast bake for the start of fall. Made with pumpkin puree, warm pumpkin spice, fresh sage, cold butter, and a little heavy cream, these homemade pumpkin scones bake up tender, fragrant, and lightly savory. They are simple enough for a slow weekend morning and special enough to share at an autumn brunch table. Serve them warm with butter and a cup of coffee for a comforting seasonal treat.
When the leaves begin to change and pumpkins start appearing on porches, in markets, and in nearly every fall recipe, it feels like baking season has officially arrived. This savory pumpkin scone recipe is a lovely way to bring those autumn flavors into your kitchen without making anything overly complicated. The pumpkin keeps the dough soft, the spice adds warmth, and the sage gives each bite an earthy, aromatic finish. If you enjoy fall baking, these scones are a satisfying recipe to make from scratch.
Let’s Start with What You Need for Pumpkin Scones
- Pumpkin puree
- Fresh sage leaves
- Pumpkin spice
- Bread flour and all-purpose flour
- Light brown sugar
- Cold unsalted butter
- Heavy cream
- Mixing bowl, whisk, and wooden spoon
- 2 large eggs
- Optional shredded gruyere cheese for a richer savory flavor
Tips for Making Savory Sage Pumpkin Scones
- Sift the flours if you want a smoother, lighter dough.
- Whisk the flours, pumpkin spice, salt, and baking powder together before adding the butter. This helps distribute the dry ingredients evenly.
- Use cold butter and work it into the flour mixture with your hands until the texture looks like coarse cornmeal with small pieces of butter throughout.
- Avoid overmixing the dough. Stir just until it begins to come together, then shape it gently with your hands.
- Leave space between the scones on the baking sheet so they can rise and bake evenly.
- Add the cold butter cubes to the flour mixture. Work the butter in by hand until the mixture resembles cornmeal with a few small butter pieces remaining. Those bits of butter help create a tender scone texture.
- In a separate bowl, mix the pumpkin puree, egg, brown sugar, and heavy cream.
- Add the wet pumpkin mixture and chopped fresh sage to the flour bowl.
- Stir with a wooden spoon until the dough begins to come together.
- Use your hands to form the dough into a ball, then place it on a lightly floured surface.
- Flatten the dough into a 10- to 12-inch circle.
- Cut the dough into 6 to 8 triangle-shaped pieces and brush each one lightly with egg wash.
- Place a fresh sage leaf on top of each scone before baking for a simple, pretty finish.
- Transfer the scones to a parchment-lined baking tray. Leave 1 to 2 inches of space between each piece so the heat can circulate.
- Bake until golden brown, cool briefly, and enjoy warm with coffee and butter.
Sage Pumpkin Scones
Ingredients
Scone Dough
- 1 cup (125 grams) all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup (96 grams) bread flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin spice
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cut into small cubes
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (115 g) pumpkin puree
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) heavy cream
- 6 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons fresh sage leaves, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup shredded gruyere cheese, optional
Egg Wash
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon water
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
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In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, bread flour, pumpkin spice, baking powder, salt, and chopped sage.
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Add the cold butter cubes and work them into the flour mixture with your hands until the texture resembles coarse cornmeal with small flakes of butter.
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In a separate medium bowl, stir together the pumpkin puree, egg, heavy cream, and light brown sugar.
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Pour the wet pumpkin mixture into the flour and butter mixture.
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If using gruyere cheese, sprinkle it into the dough at this stage.
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Stir until the dough begins to form, then gently bring it together into a ball with your hands.
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Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface.
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Press the dough into a 10- to 12-inch circle, shaping it gently so the scones stay tender.
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Use a bench scraper or sharp knife to cut the dough into 6 to 8 even triangles.
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Place the scones on the prepared baking sheet, leaving 1 to 2 inches of space between each one.
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Whisk the egg and water together for the egg wash, then gently brush the tops of the scones.
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Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the scones are golden brown.
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Set the baking tray on a cooling rack for 5 minutes.
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Serve the sage pumpkin scones warm with butter and coffee.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.