Healthy Pumpkin Scones
This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure.These easy healthy pumpkin scones are a delightful addition to any breakfast or brunch! They are filled with all the flavors and aromas of fall and are drizzled in a drool-worthy homemade maple glaze. Ready in 30 minutes, vegan, and can be made gluten-free too!
There are so many pumpkin recipes to enjoy when autumn arrives, and pumpkin scones are one of my favorites! There is never a wrong reason to make this healthy pumpkin scone recipe.
They are moist, tender, subtly sweet, and filled with all the ingredients I love when the weather begins to chill. They’re also vegan, and can be made gluten free!
Scones are often a classic addition to most brunch or breakfast tables. But truth be told, the traditional version of a scone will run you about 350-400 calories and anywhere from 20-30 grams of sugar! That’s more than a full-sized Snickers candy bar!
I knew there had to be a better way to enjoy one of my favorite baked goods in a lightened-up way. These healthy pumpkin scones are just that!
Each one is perfectly sweet, soft, crumbly, and will remind you of your favorite bakery scone – but you can enjoy it completely guilt-free! It’s positively heavenly and I can’t wait for you to try it.
🎥 Latest Recipe Video!
👩🏽🍳 Why This Recipe Works
- Made with simple ingredients
- Perfect for the pumpkin lover in your life!
- Kid friendly
- Homemade pumpkin scones!
- Vegan
- Gluten free option
- Packed with pumpkin flavor
- Great recipe for fall or any time of year!
🥘 Ingredients
- Flour: This recipe uses a combination of white flour and white whole wheat flour for added whole grains. For even more fiber, you can try this recipe with whole wheat pastry flour instead of the all purpose flour.
- Sugar: These healthy scones have only 6 grams of sugar for one giant scone! But if you want a sweeter scone, I recommend using 1/4 cup brown sugar and 1/2 cup powdered sugar (which would give you a scone with 9 grams of sugar per scone!) Use coconut sugar instead of brown sugar for an unrefined option.
- Pumpkin: Since these delicious pumpkin scones are fall-inspired, I used pumpkin puree in them. But you could very easily replace the pumpkin with your favorite add-in for this recipe – blueberries, nuts, or chocolate would all work well.
- Oil: I recommend using coconut oil in this recipe to keep these vegan friendly. You can also use olive oil, but it will change the flavor of the scones slightly.
- Milk: Your favorite plant based milk to thin out the batter! I like unsweetened almond milk, but coconut milk or other non-dairy milks will also work.
🍽 Equipment
- Baking Sheet / Baking Tray
- Parchment Paper
- Mixing Bowls
- A good quality Whisk
- Pastry Blender or Bench Scraper
- Pizza slicer
📖 Variations
Chocolate pumpkin scones: Add 1/4 cup of dark chocolate chips to the batter (right when you add the pumpkin puree)
Lemon blueberry scones: Switch out the pumpkin purée for an equal amount of fresh blueberries, and instead of pumpkin pie spice, add 1 teaspoon of lemon zest.
Maple pumpkin scones: These moist pumpkin scones are already topped with a maple glaze, but for even more maple flavor, use maple syrup instead of brown sugar in the pumpkin scone dough!
🔪 Instructions
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper. In a large bowl, combine flour mixture (white flour and whole wheat flour), sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and salt.
Step 2: Add the oil and use a pastry blender or fork to blend until the mixture resembles coarse sand.
Step 3: Add the pumpkin puree, almond milk, and vanilla extract and stir to combine.
Step 4: When the mixture resembles a wet dough, turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Knead the dough 10 to 12 times, then flatten the dough into an 8-inch disk.
Step 5: On a flat surface, use a pastry cutter or pizza cutter to cut the dough into 12 wedges.
Step 6: Place the wedges two inches apart on the lined baking sheet.
Step 7: Transfer the scones to the preheated oven. Bake for 14 to 16 minutes, until golden brown.
Step 8: Remove the scones from the oven and prepare the glaze by whisking together the powdered sugar, maple syrup, and almond milk until smooth.
Step 9: Drizzle the glaze over the warm scones and serve.
🌿 What Makes These Vegan Pumpkin Scones Healthy?
While there is some refined sugar in these vegan scones, they are definitely a few things that make them much healthier than other scones:
- Low Calorie and Low Sugar: Each scone has under 200 calories and only 6 grams of sugar per serving! That’s half the calories and less than half the sugar of a traditional scone.
- Antioxidants: Cinnamon, pumpkin puree and almond milk all share one thing in common…antioxidants!
- Dairy-Free: Whether you can’t tolerate dairy or you eat a vegan diet, this pumpkin scone recipe will fit your needs. It doesn’t have any dairy and tastes great too.
😋 Will Kids Enjoy These Scones?
Oh yes! If your kids love anything that is sweet or foods with pumpkin, then they will be excited to try these low fat pumpkin scones. Not only do they taste appetizing, but they are also really pretty and inviting too. Kids (and adults) can’t resist munching on one.
❓Recipe FAQs
Are Scones and Biscuits The Same?
There are some similarities between biscuits and scones, but they certainly aren’t the same thing. While biscuits tend to be fluffier, lighter, flakier, and more savory, scones have a more dense texture and are savory or sweet. Both can be eaten by themselves or served with jam. Although scones tend to have fruit in them, they can also be great with jam on them as well. To make easy biscuits, try this biscuits without baking powder recipe!
Can I Use Fresh Pumpkin?
Yes, you can use canned or fresh pumpkin, and they will both work well. If you use fresh pumpkin, you will need to puree it in a blender or food processor before making the scones. If you don’t then the scones will have some chunks, and they won’t be as appealing.
How Long Do Scones Last? Can You Freeze These Vegan Scones?
Scones are always going to be best served when they are freshly made.
However, they will last 1-2 days when covered in plastic wrap and stored in an airtight container at room temperature. After the vegan scones have cooled, then you can put them inside of a food storage container. Make sure the lid fits well, and they can be kept airtight. They are still safe to eat after 2 days but certainly won’t taste as fresh.
To Freeze: Leave the icing off and let the scones cool completely. Transfer to an airtight container and freeze. To defrost: Thaw in the fridge overnight and then heat in the microwave or in the toaster oven. Make the icing right before you decide to serve them and drizzle on top once they are warm.
💭 Expert Tips
- Don’t forget the parchment paper or a silicone mat for baking. This will prevent the scones from sticking to the pan and will turn out much nicer.
- For best results, make sure you don’t overwork the dough, so these low calorie pumpkin scones have the right texture.
- Make sure to leave space between the scones on the baking sheet. They will rise and spread as they bake, so they need to be at least two inches apart.
- You can use vegan butter, vegetable oil, or olive oil instead of the coconut oil.
- To make these gluten free, you can use Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten Free Baking Flour
- Next time you make these scones, feel free to omit the pumpkin puree and add in another fruit or filling. Blueberries, dried cherries, currants, chopped apples, nuts and seeds, lemon would all work well.
- For even more fiber, feel free to substitute whole wheat pastry flour for the all purpose flour.
🍳 More Incredible Breakfast Recipes!
- Vegan Baked Oatmeal
- Gluten Free Banana Muffins
- Biscoff Donuts
- Low Calorie Biscuits
- Healthy Banana Bread
- Vegan Breakfast Cookies
- Vegan French Toast Casserole
- Healthy Pumpkin Smoothie
- Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread
- Vegetarian Breakfast Ideas
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📋 Recipe Card
🎥 Watch How to Make It
Healthy Pumpkin Scones
These delectable Healthy Pumpkin Scones are a delightful addition to any breakfast or brunch! They are filled with all the flavors and aromas of fall and are drizzled in a drool-worthy homemade maple glaze. Ready in 30 minutes, vegan, and easily made gluten-free too!
Servings: 12 scones
Calories: 191kcal
Ingredients
For The Scones
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1½ cups white whole wheat flour
- ⅛ cup brown sugar unpacked (can use 1/4 cup sugar for a sweeter scone)
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup coconut oil or olive oil
- ¾ cup pumpkin puree
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup unsweetened almond milk
For The Maple Glaze
- ⅓ cup powdered sugar can use 1/2 cup for a sweeter glaze
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tbsp unsweetened almond milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees and prepare a baking sheet by lining with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, whole wheat flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and salt.
- Add the oil and use pastry blender or fork to blend until the mixture resembles coarse sand.
- Add the pumpkin puree, vanilla, and almond milk and stir to combine.
- When the mixture resembles a wet dough, turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Knead the dough 10 to 12 times, then flatten the dough into an 8-inch disk.
- Use a pastry cutter or pizza cutter to cut the dough into 12 wedges.
- Place the wedges two inches apart on the lined baking sheet and bake for 14 to 16 minutes, until golden brown.
- Remove the scones from the oven and prepare the glaze by whisking together the powdered sugar, maple syrup and almond milk until smooth. Drizzle the glaze over the warm scones and serve.
Notes
Tips For Making Pumpkin Scones
- Don’t forget the parchment paper or a silicone mat for baking. This will prevent the scones from sticking to the pan and will turn out much nicer.
- Make sure you don’t overwork the dough, so the vegan scones have the right texture.
- Make sure to leave space between the scones on the baking sheet. They will rise and spread as they bake, so they need to be at least two inches apart.
- You can use vegan butter, vegetable oil, or olive oil instead of coconut oil.
- To make this gluten-free, you can use Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour
- Feel free to omit the pumpkin puree and add in another fruit or filling. Blueberries, dried cherries, currants, chopped apples, nuts and seeds, lemon would all work well.
- For even more fiber, feel free to substitute whole wheat pastry flour for the all-purpose flour.
Nutrition
Serving: 1scone | Calories: 191kcal | Carbohydrates: 23.9g | Protein: 3.3g | Fat: 9.5g | Saturated Fat: 7.9g | Sodium: 106.7mg | Potassium: 25.2mg | Fiber: 2.5g | Sugar: 6.2g
Great scones!
I did not make the glaze since I love putting jam on scones; this recipe has the perfect flavor to add jam without being too sweet. It is going into my recipe folder! Thank you!
So happy to hear you loved this recipe Maggie!! Serving them with jam is a delicious way to enjoy them too! 🙂
Sounds yummy& easy to do, love anything “pumpkin”& using coconut oil! Presume the vanilla goes in with the pumpkin& milk? Thanks!
Hi Debbie! Oh yes! Sorry that was a typo in the recipe card – the vanilla gets added with the milk and pumpkin 🙂 Let me know how these scones turn out for you!
These are very different from the scones I am used to, but they sound amazing with the pumpkin.
These are definitely a twist on a classic recipe but I promise they taste delicious! You will love them!
I love scones so much, especially pumpkin ones! These are right up my alley, thanks so much for the recipe 🙂
Thanks Cathleen! I can’t wait for you to try this recipe!
Great recipe! Froze half the batch for closer to the holidays.
Thanks so much Gina! I will often do that too – these freeze and reheat really well! 🙂
Perfect for Fall Sunday brunch!! The pumpkin flavor takes regular scones to the next level!
Thanks so much Jess! So glad you liked this recipe!
These look so good and easy to make too.
They really are! Ready in just 30 minutes!
The perfect fall treat, we love these scones, and the gorgeous flavour! Perfect to enjoy with a good cup of coffee!
Hooray! I’m so happy to hear that Alexandra! 🙂
I am so excited for all the pumpkin recipes coming. I am definitely adding this to my list of ones to make.
Thanks Dannii!! These are perfect for fall!
Your scones look absolutely delicious! I love scones, but my daughter cannot eat eggs so I’d stopped making them – thank you for this recipe, now we both can enjoy scones again.
Yay! I’m so happy this egg free recipe will work for you and your daughter! 🙂
These scones look amazing! Can’t wait for the pumpkin season to come to try these!
Yay! I’m sure you will love these Jovita! 🙂