Description
These Pumpkin Spice Cranberry Walnut Scones are a perfect fall treat featuring a tender, spiced dough studded with tart dried cranberries and crunchy walnuts, topped with a smooth cream cheese frosting for added sweetness and creaminess.
Ingredients
Scale
Scones:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin spice
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- ¾ cup pumpkin puree
- 4 tablespoons milk
- ½ cup dried cranberries, coarsely chopped
- ½ cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
- ¼ cup turbinado sugar
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 4 oz cream cheese
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1-2 tablespoons milk
Instructions
- Preheat and prep baking sheet: Preheat your oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, kosher salt, and pumpkin spice blend until evenly combined.
- Incorporate butter: Cut the cold unsalted butter into the dry ingredients using a pastry cutter or crumble it with your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Add wet ingredients and mix: Stir in the pumpkin puree, milk, chopped cranberries, and walnuts. Fold everything together gently until the dough is evenly blended but do not overmix.
- Shape and cut dough: Divide the dough into two equal halves. Shape each half into a circle about ½-inch thick on a lightly floured surface. To handle sticky dough, keep a bowl of cold water nearby to wet your fingers. Cut each circle into 6 even wedges, placing them on the prepared baking sheet.
- Sprinkle sugar and bake: Sprinkle the tops of the scones evenly with turbinado sugar. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes or until the edges are golden brown and the scones are cooked through.
- Cool scones: Transfer the baked scones to a cooling rack and let them cool completely before adding the frosting to prevent melting.
- Prepare frosting: In a mixing bowl, beat together cream cheese, softened butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy. Add 1-2 tablespoons of milk to thin the frosting to your desired consistency.
- Frost scones: Use a spoon to drizzle the cream cheese frosting over the cooled scones. Serve and enjoy your delicious pumpkin spice cranberry walnut scones!
Notes
- Use cold butter to ensure flaky, tender scones.
- If fresh cranberries are preferred, substitute dried cranberries with chopped fresh cranberries but expect a softer texture.
- For a dairy-free version, use plant-based butter and cream cheese substitutes and almond milk.
- Make sure scones are fully cooled before frosting to prevent frosting from melting and sliding off.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 1 month.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 scone
- Calories: 280 kcal
- Sugar: 15 g
- Sodium: 220 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 33 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 35 mg
