Pumpkin Scones with Chai Glaze for Fall

Who's ready for fall? After a long - though admittedly mild, by southern standards - Memphis summer, I'm ready. And for about 48 hours, it felt like fall...and then it was back to highs in the 90's. So clearly, the solution is to make my own autumn, and that means homemade pumpkin scones.



They bake up moist and gorgeous, and the black tea in the icing makes them extra special. If you like your scones extra spice-forward, go ahead and increase the spices by half. 

~ Pumpkin Scones with Spiced Chai Icing ~

For the Scones

1/2 cup canned plain pumpkin

2 tablespoons whole milk

1 egg

6 tablespoons cold butter, cut into very small pieces

2 cups all-purpose flour

Scant cup sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1⁄2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1⁄2 teaspoon nutmeg

1⁄4 teaspoon cloves

1⁄4 teaspoon ginger

For the Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar

2 tablespoons whole milk

For the Chai Icing

1 cup powdered sugar + 3 tablespoons powdered sugar

2 tablespoons whole milk

1/4 tsp black tea, very finely ground

1⁄4 teaspoon cinnamon

1⁄8 teaspoon nutmeg

1 pinch ginger

1 pinch clove

To make the Scones

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Cut the butter into small, 1/6-inch sized pieces, and place the cut pieces into the freezer.

Whisk together the pumpkin, whole milk, and egg. Set aside.

Stir the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and spices together in a large mixing bowl. Using your hands, rub the butter into the flour mixture until the mixture resembles small peas.

Fold in the pumpkin mixture, stirring just until a shaggy dough forms.

Turn the dough out onto a floured pastry cloth or silicone baking mat. Knead the dough for three or four turns, and then form it into a long rectangle, about 3/4-inch thick. With a large knife, cut the dough into three squares, and then cut each square into two triangles. If you want smaller snack-sized scones, cut the squares into quarters.

Place the scones onto the lined baking sheet, and bake for about 15 minutes, or until the scones are lightly browned on top. Allow to cool fully (otherwise, the glaze will melt right off).

To prepare the glaze, stir together the milk and powdered sugar. Brush over cooled scones. For the spiced icing, stir together all ingredients. To pipe over the scones, you can use a pastry bag and a tip, or simply spoon the icing into a zipper storage bag and cut the tip of one corner off. Drizzle over each scone in a zigzag pattern; allow to set before serving.

Makes six large scones, or twelve small ones.

Do you live somewhere warm? How do you make autumn for yourself?

Share in the comments below!