Pumpkin Pecan Scones with Maple Glaze
Incredible pumpkin scones made with whole wheat flour and coconut oil, topped with maple glaze and pecans. These healthy pumpkin scones are vegan, too!
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on July 9, 2024
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On the evening of Halloween, I found myself stretching at a familiar pace during my regularly scheduled yoga class. Arms up, forward fold, flat back, jump to plank. Somewhere between upward dog and downward dog, my mind started wandering. What happened to my favorite holiday? Why hadn’t I dressed up this year? Inhale, exhale. Where are the Halloween parties? If I’m not hearing about the parties, does that mean I’m doing something wrong with my life? Or am I just too old for them?
There I was, hanging upside down on my hands and feet, flashing back to college. At this time five years ago, I thought, I’d be asking my roommate Grace for help with my Princess Leia buns. Later that night, I’d be dancing around to Thriller with my friends—each a different character with a sloshing red Solo cup in hand.
I went home feeling all stretched out and sentimental. I poured myself a glass of wine and nibbled on a dark chocolate mini peanut butter cup. That wasn’t cutting it. I missed my roommates and our three-day Halloween extravaganzas. I briefly considered taking a shot of whiskey for old time’s sake (bad idea). Then I recalled that Grace wanted a pumpkin scone recipe. She mentioned it when I went to visit her in Minneapolis this summer. Grace loves to spend quiet mornings with a cup of black coffee and a scone.
I set down my glass of wine, got up and made pumpkin scones at midnight. Two batches later, I ended up with a simple whole wheat, vegan pumpkin pecan scone topped with a sweet maple glaze. I opted for coconut oil instead of butter in this scones, which is even easier to work with than butter and works just as well. I think you’ll like these, G.
I know some people try to avoid powdered sugar, whether it’s because the store-bought kind is usually cut with corn starch or simply because it’s refined sugar. I thought you might like to know that you can make your own powdered sugar in a blender or food processor. I used fine organic cane sugar (see above photo, left side) but read that you can also make it with turbinado sugar or sucanat. Just pulse the sugar until it’s nice and fluffy (see above photo, right side)!
More Pumpkin Treats to Enjoy
- Easy Pumpkin Cheesecake Cups
- Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pancakes
- Healthy Pumpkin Bread or Healthy Pumpkin Muffins
- Perfect Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
- Whole Wheat Pumpkin Pancakes
View more pumpkin recipes here.
Pumpkin Pecan Scones with Maple Glaze
Vegan (or not), whole wheat pumpkin pecan scones topped with a delightful maple glaze. This healthy pumpkin scone recipe will be a hit with your family and friends!
Ingredients
Pumpkin scones
- 1 cup raw pecan halves
- 2 cups (250 grams) white whole wheat flour or regular whole wheat flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ¼ cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves or allspice
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- ⅓ cup solid coconut oil* or 5 tablespoons cold butter
- ¾ cup pumpkin puree
- ¼ cup milk of choice (almond milk, cow’s milk, etc.)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Maple glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon fine salt
- 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil or butter
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup maple syrup, more if needed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the nuts in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Toast the nuts in the oven until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Reserve the parchment paper for later, and chop the nuts into fine pieces.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, three-fourths of the chopped nuts (reserve the remaining nuts for topping), baking powder, sugar, spices, and salt in a bowl. Whisk to combine.
- Use a pastry cutter to cut the coconut oil or butter into the dry ingredients. If you don’t have a pastry cutter, use a fork to cut the coconut oil into the flour, or use a knife to cut the butter into tiny pieces and mix it into the flour.
- Stir in the pumpkin puree, milk, and vanilla extract. At first, it will seem like there isn’t enough liquid to wet the dough, but keep mixing until you have thoroughly incorporated the wet and dry ingredients. If you must, use your hands to knead the last of the flour into the dough.
- Form the dough into a circle about an inch deep all around. Use a chef’s knife to cut the circle into 8 even slices.
- Separate the slices and place them on the baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes or until lightly golden brown.
- While the scones are baking, whisk together the glaze ingredients in a small bowl until smooth and creamy. Let the scones cool until they are lightly warm to the touch. Drizzle the glaze generously over the scones (I preferred mine with a solid layer across the top). While the glaze is wet, sprinkle it with the remaining chopped nuts. Enjoy!
Notes
Recipe adapted from my blueberry lemon scones . Glaze and chopped nut combination was inspired by Laura’s gorgeous baked maple doughnuts.
Change it up: You can modify this recipe by omitting the nuts altogether and/or adding chopped dark chocolate. If you want a heartier, less sugary topping option, try serving the scones with pecan butter and maple syrup instead of the glaze.
*Coconut oil note: The scones turn out their flaky best when you cut solid coconut oil (or cold butter) into the ingredients (melted oil would not have the same effect). Coconut oil hardens at temperatures under 77 degrees Fahrenheit, so I hope your oil is good to go. If it’s liquid, refrigerate the amount needed just until it turns opaque and solidifies, but not until it’s rock hard.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
I made the scones yesterday (used walnuts instead of pecans, and doubled all the spices)– turned out great! The coconut oil worked well. The scones were a little dense straight out of the oven, but today they’re less dense and taste wonderful without being heavy like traditional scones. I drizzled maple syrup on top instead of the glaze; a spoon of creamed honey also spreads out and settles into a low-effort glaze. Definitely making this again, will be wary of over-mixing next time.
YUM!! I’ve been making these for a year now, and soo enjoy them. (…finally leaving a rating!) Thank you for sharing!!
You’re welcome, May! I’m glad you love them.
Hi, I’m wondering if it would work to make these ahead of time and then refrigerate or freeze the dough (overnight) before baking? Or would that mess it up?
Hi Megan! These’ll keep at room temp for at least a couple of days, and a few days longer in the fridge. I think you could freeze the dough after shaping and slicing it, though I haven’t tried. If your dough is starting out cold, your scones will likely need a little extra time in the oven. Hope this helps!
Can I use Almond flour or gluten free flour for some of these reciepes.
Thank you! I loved this recipe
I found this recipe over a year ago, and it has been my go-to sweet treat recipe to surprise my friends and family with ever since! Thank you Kate!!
These were super yummy- used a combo of spelt and whole wheat- great depth of flavor!
I made these yesterday for the first time and I’ll be making my second batch today! They are absolutely amazing! Easily a shoo in for my “go to recipes” folder on my computer. Absolutely perfect!
Do you think I can use all purpose flour( or 1/2 whole wheat and 1/2 all purpose) instead and 2 tsp of pumpkin spice?
Yes, I believe so!
Just made these with gluten free flour. The dough was slightly crumbly, but held up well with a good “mouth feel” scone consistency.
Delicious!
Looks delicious and I can’t wait to try this week!!! I wonder if I could freeze the dough for a day like I sometimes do to save time?
Hi Rachel, I haven’t tried it and I’m hesitant to say yes without trying it myself. These do freeze well once baked from my understanding.
Outstanding! What I would love to see is the option to convert your recipes to metric (grams). I find it is so much more accurate, especially for ingredients like flour, which can be so variable.
These were dreamy, perfect with a cup of coffee and a chilly morning! Everyone in the family enjoyed them, we couldn’t help but share them and make another batch for my parents! We used the coconut oil version and the toasted pecans add so much flavor. This will absolutely be a favorite. I love seeing the variations in the comments and may have to try a few of them!
These scones are sooooo yummy. Perfect way to kick off the fall season. Thank you!
this recipe sounds delicious! are the scones kind of hard and crumbly (like your typical british scone) or are they soft like the ones you get at Starbucks (which aren’t too yummy :( )?
Hi! I would say these are more traditional scones, if that helps!
Can you use almond flour in substitute of the whole wheat flour?
Hi Charu! I don’t typically recommend almond flour as a great 1:1 substitute. It tends to require more adjustments if it will work.
Delicious and tastes like fall, plus simple to make. The scone is moist (not hard/scone like) and not too sweet. wasn’t going to do the maple glaze originally but happy I did- it gives it the sweetness plus the maple flavor is great. Highly recommend for a dose of fall baking.
Thank you, Jenna! I’m happy you loved them.
Made these scones for the first time today and they are absolutely delicious!
I absolutely loved this! I used butter in my scones. I guess I worked too slowly because the dough was quite sticky. So I chilled it in the fridge for 30 mins and lightly floured my countertop before shaping and cutting. Worked like a charm. Only thing is I did not need 1/4 cup maple syrup for the icing. 2 tbs was enough for the perfect flavor & consistency. Will definitely make again!
While looking up the recipe for one of our autumn breakfast stand-bys (your healthy pumpkin muffins, which my kids and I adore), I saw this one and thought I’d change it up this Sunday morning. They are amazingly delicious! I was sad for you that you missed your Halloween party friends this year, as we all did, but glad the silver lining was this recipe. Btw, I made a powdered coconut sugar in my blender for the maple glaze, and it worked wonderfully. Thank you, Kate!
Hi! I am making these in preparation for a brunch tomorrow morning. Do you have any recommendations on how to store the scones?
Hi Batya! Sorry for my delay. You can store them on the counter for a few days in an airtight container or in the refrigerator. I hope you loved them!
So yummy!! I had already made a batch of pumpkin pie spice and used 2t of that with a bit of added cinnamon (just because I love it!) the maple glaze is the ultimate! Love your site! Thanks for all the great inspiration!
You’re welcome! Thanks for taking the time to comment, Angie.
I make these all the time when friends/family come over for coffee. I also add chopped candied ginger to the mix when adding the pecans, and sometimes substitute maple extract for the vanilla. OMG these are SOOO good! Thank you, Kate!
You’re welcome, Michelle! I’m happy you enjoyed them.
Really excited to make these! Am I to assume that the ginger in this recipe is ground ginger?
Hi Morgan! Yes, ground ginger.
I just made these scones and am in love with them!!! They are so devious and he perfect treat for the start of fall!!
I did end up using white flour instead of wheat and they still turned out great!! I also just got the roughly chopped pecans from the store to save myself some time.
I plan to make another batch this weekend and am wondering the best way to store them and how long they will last for??
I Ellie! I’m glad you love them. Store them in an airtight container. They should last for 3-5 days.
I’ve made these scones like 6 times and they are so good it’s ridiculous. Kate, your site and your book totally taught me how to cook, and I make your recipes so often my partner asks me ‘is this from your girl?’ whenever I make something new. I even got my MIL your cookbook for Christmas. :) Thanks for your fabulous work!!
6 times, that’s great! Thank you for sharing, Megan. I’m glad you are enjoying my recipes and cookbook.
The glaze is terrible! I spread it liberally on the scones once they’d cooled and when I went to have them for breakfast, it had separated. Some solid parts stuck to the scones, but there was a liquid sticky mess at the bottom of the container. This made the scones a lot harder to eat on the go! (Hard to be on the go when you have to wash your hands and be care of your clothes and hair.)
I suspect this was the coconut oil’s fault. Either use the butter or just stick to the scones! They were nice enough on their own.
Hi Vita, I’m sorry to hear you didn’t love these. I have made these several times and didn’t have that issue once the coconut oil was combined well with the other ingredients. Thank you for your feedback.
Hi Kate! Could I replace the brown sugar with maple syrup instead? I made this recipe years ago and absolutely loved it. But since then I’ve discovered that I react really badly to sugar.
Hi, If you want a heartier, less sugary topping option, try serving the scones with pecan butter and maple syrup instead of the glaze.
Hi Kate! Thank you for responding. However, I was asking about the 1/4 of brown sugar in the scones themselves, not the glaze. Could I replace it with 1/4 cup of maple syrup instead?
Hi R, sorry for the misinterpretation. I don’t recommend changing the sugar type.
So yummy Kate! Thanks for the great recipe! I made the scones mostly as written using butter (about 75 grams for those who weigh). Used half whole wheat and half light spelt for the flour, spooned and levelled. I had defrosted pumpkin puree, so had to drain and blot excess liquid – then added more to make up my cup of wet ingredients with the milk.
Thanks for the heads up on mixing it – some chunks were flying there a bit ;) but it worked. Here’s a tip for your readers, after mixing as best I can in bowl I dump the dough right on parchment on baking sheet then finish shaping while covered with a piece of saran wrap to minimize handling. Then I pop that in fridge to chill and then preheat the oven (I toasted the pecans on parchment in the micro 30 – 40 seconds, stirring in between). Cut and separate just before going in, a butter knife worked fine. I also used only half of the maple glaze and thought it was just right! Delicious, not too sweet and so pretty with the glaze and pecans :).
I love making scones, and love pumpkin. have you tried making these without the pecans? I love pecans, but I am allergic to them, along with most tree nuts. I wasn’t sure if the consistency would work without them.
Hi Melani, you can try to omitting them altogether. Let me know how it turns out for you!
My first time making scones and they are delicious, my husband had two right out of the oven! Next time I’ll double the spices as we like “spicy”, but they smelled wonderful and looked beautiful. The dough was easy to work with and made perfect triangles. One tip is use the “Bake” not the “Convection” on your oven as that will keep them moist. Thanks for the great recipe!!
That’s great to hear, Tricia! I appreciate your review.
Happy Thanksgiving! Making these now while we watch the Macy’s Parade. I’ve used your recipe a few times and it’s great, my daughter loves these.
Sounds like a great way to start the day! Thank you for sharing, Amy.
It seems no one carries while whole wheat flour or pastry flour anymore. Today I made these with 1 1/2 cups of AP flour and 1/2 cup of Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Flour mix. The texture was PERFECT !! And…my trick is to freeze the coconut oil until really hard and add it to the flour mixture in my food processor. Pulse a few times, then scrape down the bowl and process until you get a very fine crumb. Super easy and prevents the oil from melting until you bake them. Everyone raves (ne, fights over these). thanks for this awesome recipe.
Thank you for sharing, Nan! I appreciate your review.
Do you think I could use maple syrup in the scones instead of brown sugar?
Hi Sofia, I recommend this best as written.
Hi Kate!
I don’t have brown sugar… can I use coconut sugar or maple syrup instead?
Hi Alivia, I haven’t tried it. I do use them interchangeably sometimes. Let me know if you try it!
This was Soooooo good!
I’m glad you enjoyed it, Erin! Thank you for your review.
Family, friends and everybody’s favorite….This recipe is sooo good! Simple to make and very rewarding taste. I have made many times and will continue. Thank you so much for this recipe!
(I make this with gluten free flour and it turns out perfect every time)
Delicious, but perhaps I overmixed? They were a bit tough.
Also, a bit undercooked inside and overcooked on the edge so I might reduce the temp next time.
Flavor was delicious, not too sweet, pumpkin-y.
this is one of my favorite recipes from this site. They are very flavorful and the texture is great because of the pecans. The suggestion to use a food processor was very helpful! Now it’s too easy to make these! :) I think the texture was better because I didn’t have to handle the dough as much. I made a rectangle and cut 12 triangles and also made only half the glaze as it’s always too much for my taste.
A great favorite to have! Thank you for your review, CRH.
I have made these 3 times now.
I love that, Amanda! Thank you for your review.
Recovering from colds, these two sisters needed something that tasted like real food. Thank you for a great recipe.
You’e welcome! I’m glad you all were able to enjoy this.
Hi
Can pumpkin purée be made at home ?
Any recipe for that
Sure, you could try following my Creamy Roasted Pumpkin Soup on roasting the pumpkin.
Mmmmm, these are so good! Tender, crunchie, buttery perfection. I made two dough disks to make them smaller.
I love this recipe .. my toddler and I had fun making it, and enjoyed eating after.
Worked great with King Arthur gluten free measure for measure flour. The glaze is amazing and really makes these special, along with the slightly toasted pecans. Perfect fall treat!
I’m glad you loved it, Simone!
These scones are one of our family’s fall favorites! It’s the time of year when I make a lot of pumpkin dishes, yum! I just made them this morning and am happy to see you post the recipe in your latest newsletter.
I love to hear that! Thank you for haring, Tamsie.
I love all of your recipes I have tried. And because I live on a small island in the middle of the pacific I am always trying to find ways to make my own food interesting, healthy and fun. I recently have been using pandanus (very easy to get here in pumpkin/squash recipes) I will try it in this muffin recipe and let you know how it goes…but my question is? Coconut oil is produced here and I do not have it in solid form…to use in this recipe should I put it in the refrigerator..prefer to us it over butter. Tamie
Made as directed, these are fantastic.
Happy to hear you enjoyed these, Jack!
Absolutely delicious. If you are using the glaze, no need for sugar on the scones. I always want to freeze these, but they are eaten before I can do this.
How long do u bake the scones. Can’t find info I. Recipe
Hi Kim, see step 6.