These gluten-free pumpkin scones are tender, almost cakey and full of flavor. The flavor comes from a combination of pumpkin spice, pumpkin puree and butter. The key to success is cold butter. It creates scones with a delicate texture. (Dairy-free option included with the recipe.)
The two glazes are a nod to coffee house pumpkin scones—and totally optional. These are tasty with or without the glaze.
Note: This recipe was originally posted and shared in September 2016. It was updated to include step-by-step photos and use a gluten-free flour blend in September 2025.
Pumpkin bread might be the king of the pumpkin baking season. And I love it. Which is why I think pumpkin scones should be the queen. They take a few more minutes to make. But don’t let that scare you.
It’s a fairly simple recipe. You whisk together dry ingredients. Cut in some cold butter. (This just means to work cold butter into the gluten-free flour mixture.) And add the wet ingredients. Once the dough forms, cut it into shapes. I like triangles but you can use a round or square biscuit cutter. Bake until brown. At this point, the house will smell amazing.
Then you can enjoy the scones or add a glaze. I always glaze them. First a vanilla glaze. Then a drizzle of pumpkin glaze.
This is a recipe I make again and again during the fall. After you take a bite, you’ll understand why.
Ingredients
There are three things you need to make these scones: canned pumpkin, pumpkin spice, and cold butter. The rest are pantry staples.
- Canned Pumpkin. You want canned pumpkin (Pumpkin puree). Canned pumpkin pie filling contains sugar and other ingredients. It won’t work in this recipe. I don’t recommend using homemade pureed pumpkin because it contains too much water. This makes for gummy scones.
- Pumpkin Spice. A blend of spices that’s sometimes labeled pumpkin pie spice. You can also mix your own. I included a recipe below.
- Cold Butter. The key here is cold. When you cut cold butter into the flour, it creates little pockets. This makes for delicate and light scones. You can use traditional or dairy-free scones.
- Gluten-Free Baking Flour. I tested the recipe with Bob’s Red Gluten-Free 1:1 Baking flour. Using a different gluten-free will change the texture of the scones.
- Sugar. Granulated sugar adds a nice sweetness.
- Half and Half. This is a premixed mixture of half heavy cream and half milk. If you don’t keep it in the house, replace it with milk.
- Egg. One egg helps to bring the dough together and adds a little richness and structure.
- Baking Powder. Gives the scones lift.
- Vanilla Extract. Works with the pumpkin spice to add flavor.
How to Make Gluten-Free Scones
Never made scones before? Here’s what you need to know.
- Whisk together the gluten-free flour, spice, baking powder, and salt. Add the cold butter cubes.
- Work the butter into the gluten-free flour mixture until no large pieces remain. You can do this with a pastry cutter, your fingers, or a fork.
- In another bowl, mix together the pumpkin puree, egg, half and half, and vanilla extract. This mixture will be very thick.
- Stir the pumpkin mixture into the gluten-free dry ingredients until a very thick and sticky dough forms. At first it will seem like there’s not enough liquid. Keep mixing. It will come together.
- Dust your counter with gluten-free flour. Pat the dough into a circle, about 7-inches.
- Cut the dough into 8 pieces. I like to cut it into triangles with a sharp knife. Place the dough onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake until the scones are set and golden brown.
- Let the scones cool completely. You can do this right on the baking sheet. If you glaze warm scones, the glaze runs right off.
- First, mix the vanilla glaze. Spoon it all over the cooled scone. Let the glaze set.
- Then mix the pumpkin glaze. Place it into a piping bag or a plastic baggie with the corner cut off. Drizzle the glaze over the scones.
Storing Leftovers
Keep leftovers covered on the counter. They keep for about four days. If you’d like to freeze these, let them cool and then place into a freezer container. They freeze for about three months.
Gluten-Free Pumpkin Scones
These gluten-free scones are moist and tender. Made with pumpkin purée and pumpkin spice, they're filled with flavor and perfect for fall baking.
Ingredients
For the Scones
- 2 cups Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free 1:1 Baking Flour, see note 1 (8 ½ ounces; 240 grams)
- ½ cup granulated sugar (3 ½ ounces; 100 grams)
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoon pumpkin spice, see note 2
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup butter, cold, cut into about 12 pieces, see note 3 (4 ounces; 113 grams)
- ½ cup pumpkin puree (4 ¼ ounces; 120 grams)
- 3 tablespoons half and half (1 ¼ ounces; 35 grams)
- 1 large egg
For the Vanilla Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar (4 ounces; 113 grams)
- 4 teaspoons half and half, plus more as needed (¾ ounce; 22 grams)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Pumpkin Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar (4 ounces; 113 grams)
- 2 tablespoons pumpkin puree (1 ounce; 28 grams)
- 1 tablespoons half and half, plus more as needed (½ ounce; 14 grams)
- ½ teaspoon pumpkin spice
Instructions
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For the Scones. Preheat oven to 425°F. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
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In a large bowl, whisk together gluten-free flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, pumpkin spice, and salt.
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Using your hands or a pastry cutter, cut the cold butter into the dry ingredients until the butter is about the size of small peas.
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In small bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree, half and half, egg, and vanilla extract. The mixture will be thick. Stir into the gluten-free flour mixture. Mix until a thick dough forms. At first it will seem dry. Keep mixing until the dough comes together.
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Dust your counter with gluten-free flour. Pat the dough into a circle, about 7 inches. Cut with a sharp knife into 8 pieces. If the dough sticks to the knife, wipe it between each cut.
Place the triangles onto the parchment-lined baking sheet.
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Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Let the scones cool on the baking sheet.
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Make the Vanilla Glaze. Stir the powdered sugar, half and half, and vanilla together in a small bowl. The glaze should flow easily from a spoon. If it doesn't add an additional half and half to the glaze. Spoon the glaze evenly over the cooled scones. Allow to glaze to harden.
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Make the Pumpkin Glaze. Stir together powdered sugar, pumpkin puree, half and half, and pumpkin spice. Glaze will be thick but should flow if dropped from a spoon. Transfer glaze to a piping bag. If you don't have a piping bag, place glaze into a plastic sandwich bag and snip one of the corners to make a bag or thin glaze with half and half and drizzle from a fork onto scones.
Drizzle glaze over each scone.
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Store scones at room temperature for up to three days. Or freeze scones in a freezer container for up to three months.
Recipe Notes
Note 1: I used Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free 1:1 Baking Flour for this recipe. Using a different flour will change the texture of the scones.
Note 2: If you don’t have pumpkin spice in the house, use the following. 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon ground cloves.
Note 3: To make these dairy-free, replace the butter with dairy-free butter. And replace the half and half with dairy-free milk.
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