These pumpkin brown butter scones are a delicious fall inspired breakfast! They sound complicated but trust me, they’re actually really easy! They’re soft and buttery with a hint of pumpkin, cinnamon, and nutty brown butter– all topped off with a delicious and tangy cream cheese icing.
Let’s talk ingredients
Brown Butter: Brown butter has a delicious nutty flavor and helps enhance the pumpkin and create a more “fall” like flavor.
Pumpkin: Canned pumpkin works perfectly in this recipe.
Brown Sugar: You can use light or dark brown sugar in this recipe.
Flour: All-purpose flour (bleached or unbleached) works perfectly!
Pumpkin Pie Spice: If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice, you can substitute 1.5 tsp of ground cinnamon and 0.5 tsp ground nutmeg.
Egg: I always bake with large eggs.
Heavy Cream: You must use heavy cream in this recipe. Lower fat milks are not recommended substitutions.
Pecans: You can use any nut you like– or leave them out entirely.
Vanilla: I always opt for Neilson Massey Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla– not sponsored, they’re just my favorite!
Whipped Cream Cheese: You can substitute regular cream cheese but whipped cream cheese makes a lighter, softer icing.
Powdered Sugar: Powdered sugar is often called confectioners sugar– either one is good! Just don’t use regular granulated sugar.
How to make pumpkin Brown butter Scones
Step one: brown the butter
Chop the butter into cubes and place it in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Once the butter has melted, begin to whisk it gently. Allow the butter cook until it is golden brown— about 4 minutes. The butter will foam on top but you’ll know the butter is ready when the foam on top starts to turn golden brown. Remove it from the heat and whisk it gently again. Transfer to a heat safe, airtight container and freeze until solid— about 2 hours.
step two: combine the wet ingredients
In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, cream, vanilla, and pumpkin puree until combined.
Step three: Break up the butter into the flour
Add the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse to combine. Chop the frozen brown butter into large cubes and add it to the food processor. Pulse again until the butter is the size of peas— about 10 pulses.
step four: Combine the wet & Dry ingredients
Transfer the butter/flour mixture to large bowl. Add the wet ingredients and chopped pecans (optional). Stir until no large clumps of flour remain.
step five: press into a large circle
Once the dough is fully combined (it will look dry, that’s okay!), transfer it onto a floured surface and pat it into a circle using your hands— the dough should be 1 inch thick and the circle should be 8 inches in diameter.
step six: Cut into triangles
Cut the dough into 8 triangles and transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet.
Pro tip~
To ensure evenly sized triangles, begin by cutting the dough in half. Then cut each half in half again (now you have 4 quarters). Then cut each quarter in half diagonally from the center of the circle.
step seven: bake
Bake in a preheated 425F oven for 16-20 minutes, or until the scones are lightly browned and puffed.
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The Recipe
Brown Butter Pumpkin Scones
Ingredients
For the Scones
- 10 tbsp butter
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp pumpkin spice
- 1 egg
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans optional
For the Cream Cheese Icing
- 2 oz whipped cream cheese at room temperature
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Brown the Butter
- Chop the butter into cubes and place it in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Once the butter has melted, begin to whisk it gently. Allow the butter cook until it is golden brown— about 4 minutes. The butter will foam on top but you’ll know the butter is ready when the foam on top starts to turn golden brown. Remove it from the heat and whisk it gently again. Transfer to a heat safe, airtight container and freeze until solid— about 2 hours.
- Note: Make sure to scrape all of the browned solids out of the bottom of the pan! You don’t want to lose any of that flavor.
For the Scones
- Add the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse to combine. Chop the frozen brown butter into large cubes and add it to the food processor. Pulse again until the butter is the size of peas— about 10 pulses.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, cream, vanilla, and pumpkin puree until combined.
- Transfer the butter/flour mixture to large bowl. Add the wet ingredients and chopped pecans (optional). Stir until no large clumps of flour remain.
- Once the dough is fully combined (it will look dry, that’s okay!), transfer it onto a floured surface and pat it into a circle using your hands— the dough should be 1 inch thick and the circle should be 8 inches in diameter.
- Cut the dough into 8 triangles and transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet.
- Bake in a preheated 425F oven for 16-20 minutes, or until the scones are lightly browned and puffed.
For the Icing
- To make the icing, combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until no large lumps of powdered sugar remain. Allow the scones to fully cool before icing or the icing will melt off the scones.
Notes
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