Apparently, I haven’t had enough pumpkin this year.
Now, I love a dry, thick, and dense scone, but these are not that. These sourdough pumpkin scones have a soft interior and craggy, sturdy crust—kind of like the best of both worlds, if I’m honest. So then you might wonder: are they scones or biscuits? Well, I’ll leave the technicalities to you and which side of the pond you most closely associate with, but for me, they’re squarely (or triangularly, as the case may be) a scone since they lean sweet.
In making these pumpkin scones, I discovered a few little tricks I’ve found to get a super-tall rise instead of a flatter, more spready scone. And while I do love both varieties, there’s something very nice about a clean-cut, straight-sided, and tall scone.
If you live at a high altitude like I do here in the high desert, I think these little tricks are even more important. And just like when baking sourdough bread at high altitude, a few small adjustments can take you from a flat scone to a tall, proud scone (or loaf).
Let’s dive in.
Tall, sturdy, and yet surprisingly flaky and tender.
What If I Don’t Have Einkorn?
If you don’t have whole-grain einkorn on hand, swap it for any whole wheat flour you have in the pantry. I’d especially love these with Red Fife, Butler’s Gold, or Marquis. The earthiness of the whole-grain flour really does bring a rustic slant to these scones, complementing and balancing the sweet pumpkin.
For a Flaky and Flavorful Scone, Use Buttermilk
While buttermilk has less fat than heavy cream (about 1-2% versus 36%), its acidity is what makes these scones special. That low pH works with your sourdough starter to make the gluten more relaxed and extensible, which is especially helpful for whole-grain einkorn’s delicate structure.
Sourdough discard pumpkin scones cut into triangles.
The result? A tender, flaky crumb that comes from the acid’s effect on gluten behavior, plus the tangy buttermilk plays beautifully with both the fermented notes from your discard and the earthy sweetness of pumpkin. In our more traditional flaky sourdough scones, we use heavy cream for its high fat content, which coats flour particles and creates distinct layers when the cold fat melts during baking. It’s not better or worse; it’s just a different path to a tender texture.
For a Taller Scone, Use Convection
In experimenting here over the years, I’ve come to realize convection is your friend in just about all forms of baking (except when you’re steaming your oven for bread, of course). The intense, even heat helps to form a crust on the outer edges of these scones in the first few minutes of baking. I see this as helping “set” the dough quickly, preventing it from spreading and resulting in tall scones rather than flat, spready ones.
If your oven doesn’t have convection, you could try increasing the baking temperature by 25° for the first few minutes, which may emulate convection in a way.
These pumpkin scones are golden and craggy, but oh-so-tender on the inside.
These sourdough discard pumpkin scones are tall and craggy with a soft, tender interior. The sweet pumpkin pairs incredibly well with the warm spices and nutty, wholesome whole-grain einkorn (or whole wheat).
Dry
160g whole einkorn flour (or whole wheat flour)
160g all-purpose flour
80g sugar
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ginger
16g (4 tsp) baking powder
170g (12 tablespoons) frozen butter, cut into small cubes
80g (1/2 cup) raisins
Wet
80g ripe sourdough starter (discard)
1 egg
75g (about 1/3 cup) buttermilk, plus more for brushing
110g pumpkin puree
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp pumpkin spice (optional)
Notes
Instead of einkorn flour, use any whole wheat.
Instead of pumpkin puree, use sweet potato or butternut squash puree.
Instead of raisins, use dried currants or cranberries.
Sourdough Pumpkin Scones FAQs
What can I use instead of pumpkin puree?
Instead of pumpkin, use sweet potato puree or butternut squash puree at the same weight. Or use applesauce or mashed banana at 100g (they’re slightly sweeter).
What if I don’t have einkorn flour?
Use any whole wheat in its place.
What if I don’t have buttermilk?
I tend to always have a pint of buttermilk in my fridge (for sourdough pancakes or sourdough waffles!), but you can add 1 teaspoon (5g) of white vinegar or lemon juice to 70g whole milk and let sit for 5 minutes until it slightly curdles. Or, swap out the buttermilk, one-for-one, with kefir.
I’m not a fan of raisins. What else can I use?
I’d go with dried cranberries, but fresh (or frozen) blueberries might also be a nice twist!
What’s Next?
Now that you’ve made these sourdough pumpkin scones, use any leftover pumpkin puree in a delicious loaf of Pumpkin Cinnamon Sourdough or, something even easier, pumpkin pancakes!
Thanks go out to Michele for the inspiration and for helping me develop this recipe over the past several years!
