These Potato flake sourdough pumpkin scones are tender and flaky, with slightly crisp, golden-brown edges and a soft, moist center. Topped with a coffee maple glaze, they’re perfect for a fall breakfast or afternoon treat, adding a festive, homemade touch to the season.
The potato flake starter brings a unique tang that complements the sweetness of pumpkin and brown sugar, making each bite a balanced blend of flavors. Whether you use active starter or discard, these scones are a wonderful way to use your potato flake sourdough and impress your family with a seasonal delight.
Why You’ll Love This Potato Flake Sourdough Pumpkin Scones:
Using a potato flake starter adds a subtle depth of flavor that balances the sweetness of pumpkin and the warmth of cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice. With frozen butter for a flaky texture and a coffee maple glaze to complement the pumpkin, these scones are as good as they sound.
Thanks to the potato flake starter, you’ll also love the fermented benefits of this dough, creating an easier to digest final product!
Best of all? The dough is flexible, so you can refrigerate it for a quick bake the next day, making it ideal for busy schedules. It can also be frozen to use at a later time! Let’s dive into the step-by-step process to create these perfect fall scones!
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Tools You’ll Need
Before you get started, gather the necessary tools to ensure your baking goes smoothly:
- Large mixing bowl: For combining dry and wet ingredients.
- Pastry cutter or fork: To cut in the frozen butter.
- Grater (optional): If you prefer to grate the butter instead of dicing it.
- Plastic wrap: For chilling the dough.
- Baking sheet: Lined with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
- Parchment paper: Prevents sticking and helps the scones bake evenly.
- Bench scraper: For cutting the dough into triangles.
- Wire rack: To cool the scones after baking.
- Small mixing bowl: For making the coffee maple glaze.
- Plastic zip bag or piping bag: For applying the glaze.
Ingredients for Potato Flake Sourdough Pumpkin Scones
To make these scones, you’ll need a variety of staple ingredients, plus your potato flake sourdough starter and a few fall flavors to elevate the recipe.
Dough Ingredients:
- 8 tablespoons frozen unsalted butter (If using salted butter, reduce salt to ¼ teaspoon)
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (376 grams)
- ¼ cup cornstarch (36 grams)
- ¼ cup brown sugar, packed (60 grams)
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar (36 grams)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 tablespoon baking powder (11 grams)
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (5 grams)
- ¾ cup heavy cream (180 grams)
- ½ cup pumpkin puree (117 grams)
- ½ cup potato flake sourdough starter (active sourdough starter or discard starter, 125 grams)
Coffee Maple Glaze:
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
- 1 ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons espresso or strong brewed coffee (if you aren’t a fan of coffee, you can replace this with milk)
- ⅛ teaspoon maple extract
- ¼ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
How to Make Potato Flake Sourdough Pumpkin Scones:
Prep the Pumpkin Puree
Start by measuring out the pumpkin puree and placing it in the fridge to keep it cool. This step is important because cold ingredients help create a flaky, tender scone by preventing the butter from melting too quickly when baking.
Prepare the Frozen Butter
Grate or finely dice the frozen unsalted butter into pea-sized pieces. This step is essential for achieving a flaky texture, the chunks of cold butter will steam during baking and create little pockets of air in the dough. Place the butter in the freezer to keep it cold while you prepare the dry ingredients.
Combine the Dry Ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisking helps distribute the ingredients evenly, ensuring a well-balanced dough.
Cut in the Butter
Remove the frozen butter from the freezer and add it to the bowl of dry ingredients. Using a pastry cutter or fork, cut the butter into the flour mixture until the butter is broken down into pea-sized chunks. This step ensures the butter is evenly distributed throughout the dough, which is key to achieving the perfect scone texture.
Mix in the Wet Ingredients
Combine the pumpkin puree, sourdough starter, vanilla extract, and cold heavy cream. Stir until just combined.
The key here is to handle the dough as little as possible to maintain its flaky, tender texture. The dough should come together easily but should not be over-mixed.
Chill the Scone Dough
Lightly dust flour on the dough and on the plastic wrap. Wrap the dough tightly in the plastic wrap and refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes. If you’re planning ahead and want to enjoy the fermented benefits, you can let the dough chill overnight for up to 24 hours. This resting time allows the flavors to develop and the gluten to relax, resulting in a more flavorful and tender scone.
Preheat the Oven and Shape the Scones
Once you’re ready to bake, preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line your large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Turn the chilled dough out onto a clean surface and flatten it into a 1-inch thick circle. Using a bench scraper or a sharp knife, cut the dough into 8 equal pieces.
If you look closely at the scones you can still see the chunks of butter in the dough. This is how you want it to look. You don’t want your butter to disappear, this means it has melted and you won’t achieve the right texture in your scones.
Gently place the unbaked scones on a prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches of space between each one. Using the bench scraper to help lift them off the clean work surface.
Pop the baking sheet into the freezer for about 10 minutes to re-chill the butter and ensure the scones hold their shape during baking.
Bake the Scones
Once the oven is fully preheated, remove the scones from the freezer and immediately place the baking sheet on the middle oven rack. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the scones are golden brown on the edges.
Prepare the Coffee Maple Glaze
While the scones are baking, prepare the glaze. In a small bowl, combine the melted butter, powdered sugar, strong brewed coffee, maple extract, and pumpkin pie spice. Stir until the glaze reaches a thick, pourable consistency. If it’s too thick, add a little milk, a teaspoon at a time.
Cool and Glaze the Scones
Once the scones are done, transfer them to a wire rack to cool for about 10 minutes. You can drizzle the glaze over warm scones for a more melty effect, or wait until they’ve cooled for a thicker glaze that sets nicely on top.
To apply the glaze, use a spoon to drizzle it over the tops of the scones, or pour the glaze into a plastic bag and snip off a corner to pipe it on for a cleaner look.
Serving and Storing the Scones
These scones are best enjoyed fresh, with a cup of coffee or tea on a crisp fall morning. If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days. For longer storage, wrap the scones individually in plastic wrap and freeze them for up to a month. When ready to enjoy, simply thaw at room temperature or warm them in a low oven for a few minutes.
Final Tips for the Best Results:
- Use frozen butter: Frozen butter is a must for creating that signature flaky texture. Avoid using soft or room temperature butter, as it will melt too quickly in the dough. Cold butter is key!
- Chill the dough: Chilling the dough for at least 30 minutes (or up to 24 hours) ensures the butter stays cold and the scones maintain their shape during baking. Ideally you want to chill the dough for at least 12 hours to gain the fermentation benefits.
- Don’t overwork the dough: Over-mixing the dough can result in tough scones, so be gentle when combining the wet and dry ingredients.
Do I have to do the long ferment?
You do not have to long ferment these for them to turn out delicious. They have the help of additional leavening agents to get them to rise without the sourdough fermentation. Simply make the dough as directed in the recipe, but skip the long fermentation time in the fridge.
If you choose to do this, they will still need the the 30 minutes chill time in the fridge. This is a must for the recipe to turn out correctly.
Please note, that if you do not use the long fermentation, it won’t have the same health benefits that a fermented dough would have.
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Other Pumpkin recipes you will love:
Potato Flake Sourdough Pumpkin Scones with Coffee Maple Glaze
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl: For combining dry and wet ingredients.
- Pastry cutter or fork: To cut in the frozen butter.
- Grater (optional): If you prefer to grate the butter instead of dicing it.
- Plastic wrap: For chilling the dough.
- Baking sheet: Lined with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
- Parchment paper: Prevents sticking and helps the scones bake evenly.
- Bench scraper: For cutting the dough into triangles.
- Wire rack: To cool the scones after baking.
- Small mixing bowl: For making the coffee maple glaze.
- Plastic zip bag or piping bag: For applying the glaze.
Ingredients
Dough Ingredients:
- 8 tablespoons frozen unsalted butter If using salted butter, reduce salt to ¼ teaspoon
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 376 grams
- ¼ cup cornstarch 36 grams
- ¼ cup brown sugar packed (60 grams)
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar 36 grams
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 tablespoon baking powder 11 grams
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 5 grams
- ¾ cup heavy cream 180 grams
- ½ cup pumpkin puree 117 grams
- ½ cup potato flake sourdough starter active sourdough starter or discard starter, 125 grams
Coffee Maple Glaze:
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter melted
- 1 ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons espresso or strong brewed coffee if you aren’t a fan of coffee, you can replace this with milk
- ⅛ teaspoon maple extract
- ¼ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Instructions
- Start by measuring out the pumpkin puree and placing it in the fridge to keep it cool. This step is important because cold ingredients help create a flaky, tender scone by preventing the butter from melting too quickly when baking.
- Grate or finely dice the frozen unsalted butter into pea-sized pieces. This step is essential for achieving a flaky texture, the chunks of cold butter will steam during baking and create little pockets of air in the dough. Place the butter in the freezer to keep it cold while you prepare the dry ingredients.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisking helps distribute the ingredients evenly, ensuring a well-balanced dough.
- Remove the frozen butter from the freezer and add it to the bowl of dry ingredients. Using a pastry cutter or fork, cut the butter into the flour mixture until the butter is broken down into pea-sized chunks. This step ensures the butter is evenly distributed throughout the dough, which is key to achieving the perfect scone texture.
- Combine the pumpkin puree, sourdough starter, vanilla extract, and cold heavy cream. Stir until just combined. The key here is to handle the dough as little as possible to maintain its flaky, tender texture. The dough should come together easily but should not be over-mixed.
- Lightly dust the plastic wrap and dough with flour to prevent it from sticking to your hands. Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes. If you’re planning ahead, you can let the dough chill overnight for up to 24 hours. This resting time allows the flavors to develop and the gluten to relax, resulting in a more flavorful and tender scone.
- Once you’re ready to bake, preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line your large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Turn the chilled dough out onto a clean surface and flatten it into a 1-inch thick circle. Using a bench scraper or a sharp knife, cut the dough into 8 equal pieces.
- Place the unbaked scones on a prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches of space between each one. Pop the baking sheet into the freezer for about 10 minutes to re-chill the butter and ensure the scones hold their shape during baking.
- Once the oven is fully preheated, remove the scones from the freezer and immediately place the baking sheet on the middle oven rack. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the scones are golden brown on the edges.
- While the scones are baking, prepare the glaze. In a small bowl, combine the melted butter, powdered sugar, strong brewed coffee, maple extract, and pumpkin pie spice. Stir until the glaze reaches a thick, pourable consistency. If it’s too thick, add a little milk, a teaspoon at a time.
- Once the scones are done, transfer them to a wire rack to cool for about 10 minutes. You can drizzle the glaze over warm scones for a more melty effect, or wait until they’ve cooled for a thicker glaze that sets nicely on top.
- To apply the glaze, use a spoon to drizzle it over the tops of the scones, or pour the glaze into a plastic bag and snip off a corner to pipe it on for a cleaner look.
I HAD to leave a comment because this recipe is amazing!! I made these last week, shared a couple and placed the remainder in the freezer. Fresh baked and still a little warm, they were a hit. My sister took one to work and ate on it for a couple days and said it was very nice even heated in the microwave (which I personally would never do, LOL). I pulled one out of the freezer today, allowed it to thaw at room temp and then heated in the toaster oven. It was still moist and soft. Very nice recipe!!
We are not big on pumpkin spice so I subbed ground ginger and cloves. I also allowed for a 24 hour ferment/rest in the refrigerator.
These are very generous in size and I would probably divide the dough in two and wrap each separately before placing in the fridge next time. Half size is plenty for my crowd.
Thank you for this wonderful recipe and for being such a great Potato Flake Sourdough resource. I am looking forward to trying more of your recipes soon!
Thank you so much for your kind review!! I appreciate it so much and am so glad to hear that you all enjoyed them! 🙂