Last year, when I started testing pumpkin recipes towards the end of August, I only had two small cans in my pantry. I finished those off within a week, so I dashed over to the grocery store to pick up more over the weekend.
I knew exactly where my supermarket stocked their canned pumpkin on the baking aisle, but I searched every inch of every shelf… And found nothing. Eventually, I stopped an employee to ask.
“Canned pumpkin?” she repeated, looking at me as if I had two heads. “We don’t get that in until the end of September!”
Completely panicked, I called my mom. I needed to test pumpkin recipes the next day—not a month and a half later! Mom immediately volunteered to check around, and half an hour later, she ended up finding an entire shelf full of canned pumpkin at Target.
Whew!
So at the end of pumpkin season last year, I bought at least ten cans to save until this fall to avoid a repeat ordeal. Again, the cashier gave me a strange look… I must have seemed like a bear stockpiling food for a winter of hibernation!
But all those cans came in handy this year when I started pumpkin recipe testing during the first week of August! (Yes, that early!) And after making this ice cream and these peanut butter cups, these Healthy Pumpkin Spice Latte Scones were one of the next recipes on my list!
They’re supremely tender and taste just like the iconic Starbucks drink: cozy coffee, a generous sprinkling of spices, and plenty of pumpkin. Okay, maybe more pumpkin than the originals PSLs… But that’s exactly the way I like them!
Perhaps I should rename my blog to “Amy’s Healthy Pumpkin Baking” during the fall. Would you mind? Are you a pumpkin-aholic too?? ?
If you aren’t… Well, I have a feeling these scones might push your needle a little closer towards “obsessed” on the pumpkin scale! They’re so flavorful and super easy to make. You just need half an hour!
You’ll start with white whole wheat flour (like this), or gluten-free, if you prefer. Next comes the pumpkin spice! I always make my own. No use in spending extra money at the grocery store when I already have everything on my spice shelf! I use a combination of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. This cinnamon is my current obsession. It’s packs a huge flavor punch!
You’ll add in a small amount of very cold butter next. I highly recommend using a pastry cutter, like this! It makes the process go so much faster.
And yes, it needs to be butter! It’s very important that the butter is cold, straight from the refrigerator, because it creates tiny air pockets as it melts in the oven, which gives the scones their tender texture. You don’t want the butter to melt too early while you’re mixing together the dough!
For the PSL flavor, you’ll also mix in pumpkin purée (like this, not pumpkin pie mix!) and instant coffee (like this… or this, for a decaf version!). You cannot substitute regular ground coffee or brewed coffee. The former will make your scones taste gritty, while the latter isn’t strong enough to taste.
Trust me… I baked three batches of these scones to make sure the coffee flavor was perfect for you! ?
Just before baking, you’ll brush your scones with milk. This helps seal moisture into the dough so the scones’ insides turn out perfectly tender, while creating a lightly crisp crust on the outside at the same time. Then slice the dough circle into triangles, pop your pan in the oven, set a timer…
Top with a little coffee drizzle, and enjoy! ?? And when you make your own, remember to snap a picture and share it on Instagram using #amyshealthybaking and tagging @amyshealthybaking IN the photo itself! (That guarantees I’ll see your picture! ?) I’d love to see your scones and feature them in my Sunday Spotlight series!
| Healthy Pumpkin Spice Latte Scones | | Print |
- for the scones
- 6 tbsp (92g) pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie mix!)
- 2 tbsp (30g) plain nonfat Greek yogurt
- 2 tsp instant coffee granules
- 1 ½ cups (180g) white whole wheat flour or gluten-free* flour (measured like this)
- 2 tsp homemade pumpkin spice (see Notes)
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp (28g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 3 tbsp (45mL) pure maple syrup
- 3 tbsp + 2 tsp (55mL) nonfat milk, divided
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- for the drizzle (optional)
- 5 tsp confectioners’ style stevia
- 1 tsp brewed coffee
- Preheat the oven to 425°F, and line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
- To prepare the scones, stir together the pumpkin, Greek yogurt, and instant coffee in a small bowl until the instant coffee has fully dissolved. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, pumpkin spice, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or the back of a fork until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Make a well in the center. Add in the pumpkin mixture, maple syrup, 3 tablespoons of milk, and vanilla extract. Stir until just incorporated.
- Using a spatula, shape the dough into a ¾” tall circle on the prepared baking sheet, and brush with the remaining milk. Slice the circle into 8 triangular segments with a sharp knife. (No need to separate them!) Bake at 425°F for 19-22 minutes, or until the tops are lightly golden. Cool on the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
- Just before serving, prepare the drizzle by stirring together the confectioners’ style stevia and brewed coffee in a small bowl. Transfer the mixture to a zip-topped bag, cut off a tiny piece of one corner, and drizzle on top of the cooled scones.
For a gluten-free version, use the following blend: 1 cup (120g) millet flour, ¼ cup (30g) tapioca flour, ¼ cup (30g) brown rice flour, and 1 teaspoon xanthan gum. Most store-bought gluten-free flour blends will work as well, if they’re measured like this.
Do not substitute regular coffee grounds or brewed coffee! The former will make your cinnamon rolls gritty, while the latter isn’t strong enough to taste. This is the instant coffee that I use (or this for a decaf version). For a stronger coffee flavor, increase the instant coffee granules by an additional ½ to 1 teaspoon.
For the homemade pumpkin spice, use as follows: 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground ginger, ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg, and ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves. Store-bought pumpkin spice will also work.
It’s very important that your butter is cold, straight from the fridge. (Freezing it isn’t necessary for this recipe!) With very cold butter, it won’t heat up until you put the scones in the extremely hot oven, and it will create little air pockets and a very tender crumb when it melts.
Honey or agave may be substituted in place of the pure maple syrup.
Any milk may be substituted in place of the nonfat milk.
a pinch, coconut oil may be substituted for the butter, but the texture of the scones will be affected. Very cold butter is required to achieve their tender texture, and since coconut oil melts at a much lower temperature, the results will not be the same.
In the drizzle, regular confectioners’ (powdered) sugar may be substituted for the confectioners’ style stevia. However, it is more absorbent, so start with ½ teaspoon of brewed coffee and add more as necessary to achieve the desired consistency.
{gluten-free, clean eating, low fat}
View Nutrition Information
You may also like Amy’s other recipes…
♡ Healthy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Scones
♡ Healthy Pumpkin Scones with Maple Drizzle
♡ Healthy Pumpkin Spice Latte Cinnamon Rolls
♡ Healthy Pumpkin Spice Latte Protein Overnight Oats
♡ Healthy Pumpkin Spice Latte Energy Bites
♡ …and the rest of Amy’s healthy pumpkin recipes!
Hello, this recipe looks very appealing !!Unfortunately I don’t like coffee…can i make the scones without it ?
Thanks for the reply 🙂
Yes, you definitely can! 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you think of these scones Eda!
YUM. Just printed the recipe to try this week!! I will also probably leave out the coffee, and I’m planning on making these GF. thanks 🙂
I can’t wait to hear what you think of these scones Ali! 🙂
I’m in the UK. I normally baked with whole meal flour. I’m a bit confused by your recipe saying white whole meal flour. We don’t have that so I would just go for whole meal ( in white )
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe Sarah! If you click on the link in the Ingredients list, it’ll show you exactly what white whole wheat flour that I use. 🙂 I’m guessing that your white whole meal flour should work just fine. So strange how things are named quite differently depending on the country! 😉 I’m excited to hear what you think of these scones!
THIS. Is. It. I am in loooove with this recipe- all the fall baked good goodness I crave without all the gift!
You’re so sweet! That means a lot coming from you Karly! 🙂
Will the scones work if I don’t use any coffee granules? I’m hoping for just pumpkin flavored without any coffee…
Yes, you can definitely omit the coffee if you’d just like plain pumpkin scones! 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you think of these Palutena!
These were amazing! I was finally able to make them and they were DELICIOUS. I am a HUGE fan of pumpkin… even if it’s springtime! 😉 I made a glaze using coconut sugar and pure maple syrup, and it worked quite nicely. Thanks for this great recipe!
I’m so glad you loved these scones, Palutena! That means a lot to me that you’d take the time to let me know — thank you! 🙂 I’m right there with you… I love pumpkin all year round!!
I made these over the weekend (tis the season!) and they were delicious. I didn’t have the crystals to make it a latte batch per se, but I added the coffee glaze and they were delightful. I even doubled the batch because I knew my family would want more 😀 And of course, I had them with a big cuppa!
I’m so glad you and your family enjoyed these scones Celina! That means so much to me that you doubled the batch — that’s the best kind of compliment! 😉
Do you use a convection oven or a conventional oven? Thank you!
I’ve used both, and each has worked perfectly well! If using a convection oven, you may need to reduce the oven temperature by 25°F compared to what I call for in the recipe to compensated for the convection fan. However, that’s not always true for newer convection ovens since some of those are already programmed to do that for you if you select the “convection” option (that’s how mine is!), so consult your owner’s manual (or look up the owner’s manual online!) if you’re unsure. 🙂 I’d love to hear what you think of these scones if you try making them, Giulia!
Wonderful recipe! I wanted to make pumpkin scones and thought pumpkin latte scones were a genius idea. This is the third scone recipe I’ve made from your site. I love how they are lower in fat but still delicious. Easy to make with nice texture and flavor. I’m definitely stocked up on pumpkin for the baking season! Thanks Amy!
I’m so glad you enjoyed these scones, Molly! I’m really touched that you’ve tried three of my scone recipes. That’s the best kind of compliment there is — thank you for taking the time to let me know! 🙂
Tried these yesterday and used only half of the coffee but they still taste wonderful. Thanks so much!
I’m so glad you enjoyed these scones, Lois! Thanks for taking the time to let me know. It really means a lot!
After searching hundreds of “healthy pumpkin loaf” recipes, I landed on your recipe for pumpkin cake. It’s currently in the oven and my fingers are crossed. What I like about your recipes is that I have all the ingredients already (except white whole wheat flour. – not in Canada)
I am anxious to try this scone recipe. We love scones with tea or coffee and again, your recipe looks possible with what I already have.
So I am new to your teachings, even as an old baker (and oh my, those old recipes are deadly with the amount of sugar and fat) I look forward to learning from you.
Theres
It means so much that you’re trying my recipes, Theresa! I really hope you enjoy the pumpkin cake and these scones as well, if you end up making them. 🙂
What are the major stores where you do your grocery shopping in Canada? In other countries, white whole wheat flour sometimes goes by other names, so I’m happy to do a little poking around on the internet and see if those stores near you sell something similar!