Sourdough Pumpkin Scones With Maple Glaze

Last Updated on August 26, 2025 by Jamie Saechao

These flaky sourdough discard pumpkin scones with maple glaze are the perfect fall treat! This is a quick and easy recipe, perfect for busy autumn days.

Moist and tender, with flaky layers created with frozen butter, these delicious sourdough scones will delight your family!

This recipe looks impressive but is easy to make, made with just a few simple ingredients like flour, frozen butter, cream, brown sugar, and discard!

A creamy maple glaze smothers these pumpkin scones with delightful flavor, making them the perfect fall breakfast or dessert.

Why This Recipe Works

Heavy cream creates a buttery scone that is flaky and soft, yet still retains its layered texture. Pumpkin puree and pumpkin spices combine with sourdough for moisture + flavor. Maple icing on top packs adds the sweetness of fall!

I just love creating sourdough pumpkin recipes, and my kids love to eat them! Try my sourdough pumpkin muffins or sourdough pumpkin bread, or sourdough pumpkin focaccia.

Ingredients

See the recipe card for ingredient amounts + directions.

For the dough:

• All-purpose flour
• Baking powder
• Pumpkin pie spice
• Cinnamon
• Salt
• Frozen butter (unsalted)
• Heavy cream (you can also use buttermilk!)
• Sourdough discard
• Pumpkin puree, blotted (see tips below!)
• One egg
• Light brown sugar
• Vanilla extract

For the glaze:

• Unsalted butter
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup confectioner’s sugar (sifted to remove lumps)

What Is Sourdough Discard?

Discard is the flat, runny, unfed portion of your sourdough starter. You can collect the discard after you have created a loaf of bread and the starter has gone flat, or any time that your starter is flat and needs to be fed.

Recipe Tips

These important tips will help you achieve flaky, light scones:

• For flaky dough, blot your pumpkin puree before adding it to the dough. Grab some paper towels and blot to remove moisture for about 10-15 seconds.
• Use cold, FROZEN butter. Use really cold butter for this dough and grate it in.
• Do not over mix the dough! This is a dough that requires minimal mixing. You want to see flakes of frozen butter.
• Prepare dough in advance and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days for a longer ferment!

Kitchen Notes: The first time I made this recipe, the butter wasn’t cold enough. The scones were moist, but not flaky! Cold butter is essential for a perfect scone texture!

How To Make Sourdough Pumpkin Scones

Scones:

1. Whisk together flour, cinnamon, pumpkin spice, baking powder, and salt.
2. Grate the frozen butter into the dry ingredients. Use a pastry cutter or fork to work the butter into pea-sized bits. This should only take a few seconds. Do not overwork the butter.
3. Whisk all of the wet ingredients together, including the discard.
4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until just combined. You want everything to be moist but not overworked.
5. Flatten the dough into an 8-inch round disk. Use a sharp knife to cut the dough into 8 wedges.
6. Brush the dough with additional heavy cream and sprinkle with sugar. This step is optional, but it adds a nice crunch to the pastry.
7. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until the scones are set on the top and lightly golden.

Glaze:

1. While the scones bake, make the glaze: melt the butter over low heat in a small saucepan. Add the sifted powdered sugar, maple syrup, salt, and vanilla extract and stir until smooth.
2. Drizzle the maple glaze over the warm scones for a delicious, decadent dessert!

Variations

• Substitute buttermilk for the heavy cream if desired!
• Drizzle homemade caramel instead of maple glaze.

Storage

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-5 days.

To freeze, wrap each scone individually in plastic wrap and place in a freezer-safe container for 3-4 months.

FAQ’s