Pumpkin Cottage Cheese Scones

These Pumpkin Cottage Cheese Scones are flaky, filled with the taste of fall, and have 7 grams of protein. The sweet maple glaze makes them impossible to resist!

If you love healthy homemade scones, you’ve got to try these blueberry Greek yogurt scones.

Since you all loved zucchini cheddar cottage cheese scones so much and given it’s September, it’s time for pumpkin! Honestly, what’s fall without a cozy cup of coffee and a pumpkin scone in hand?

These pumpkin cottage cheese scones do not necessarily fall into the category of high protein recipes nor are they super healthy, but they are definitely lighter and taste so, so, SO good!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Easy to make: Just 8 minutes of prep, and then the oven takes over. The hardest part is waiting for the scones to cool.
• You’ll love the texture: They’re flaky and light, and the caramelized edges and bottom are to die for!
• Fall vibes: These pumpkin scones are perfect for breakfast or dessert, letting pumpkin lovers enjoy a sweet and spiced treat any time.
• Healthier: I use less butter and add cottage cheese for a protein boost, making these scones a lighter option than traditional recipes.

Ingredients for Pumpkin Cottage Cheese Scones

This recipe is made up of 10 simple ingredients, less if you decide to skip the glaze.

• All-purpose flour: Measuring your flour right is key! Always scoop it into your measuring cup and level it off. You’ll need a little extra for dusting. Check out the variations below for different flours.
• Sugar: Regular sugar and cane sugar are both great for adding sweetness and giving the scones that beautiful golden color. You can swap in brown sugar or coconut sugar, but your scones will turn out darker.
• Baking powder: Acts as a leavening agent, helping the scones rise perfectly.
• Pumpkin pie spice: Adds warm, cozy flavor to all your fall baking. I like to make my own pumpkin pie spice, but store-bought works too.
• Cottage cheese: I used 2% cottage cheese, but just like with most of my cottage cheese recipes, any kind will work. Full fat dairy gives a creamier flavor with more tender, moist scones, while low fat or reduced fat might make them a bit less rich.
• Pumpkin puree: Pumpkin puree has less sugar than pumpkin pie filling, so be sure to use the right one. Check my recipe tips on draining and blotting the puree to get the perfect texture.
• Salted butter: The butter needs to be super cold, it’s very important! Measure it out, then pop it in the freezer for about 10 minutes.
• Egg: An egg wash on top gives the scones a golden crust. You can whisk together 1 egg with some cold water, or just use egg whites.
• Maple glaze: Equal parts maple syrup and icing sugar make a sweet glaze with rich maple flavor.

How to Make Pumpkin Cottage Cheese Scones

These scones are way easier to make than you might think. Just one bowl and a bit of counter space, and you’re all set.

First, preheat your oven to 400 F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Set it aside.

• Combine dry ingredients: Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder and pumpkin pie spice together in a large bowl.
• Add cottage cheese and pumpkin: Start by mixing in the cottage cheese and pumpkin puree with a spatula, then switch to using your hands and mix until the dough starts coming together almost like a ball, but still a bit chunky.
• Grate the butter: Grate the butter right over the dough, then quickly work it in with your hands. I like to tear the dough into pieces and push butter in between. Repeat a few times to mix it in well.
• Shape and cut the dough: Set the dough on a floured surface and shape it into a ball. Roll it out into an 8 inch circle, keeping the top flat and edges even. Use a pizza cutter or knife to slice into 8 triangles, then gently separate and place them on the lined baking sheet, spacing them out.

• Brush and bake: Give each scone a brush with the egg wash or egg whites, then set them in the oven for 22 minutes or until they’re beautifully golden brown.
• Cool and glaze: Once out of the oven, let them cool. In a small bowl, whisk together the maple syrup and icing sugar. Drizzle it over the cooled scones and let it set for about 30 minutes. Enjoy!

Tips for Best Results

Here are my top tips for making the best cottage cheese scones with pumpkin.

• Briefly freeze the butter: Frozen butter melts and releases steam as the scones bake which creates tender, flaky pockets with crisp edges. If the butter isn’t cold enough, it’ll melt too soon and you’ll miss out on that flaky texture.
• If using unsalted butter: Add 1/4 teaspoon salt. Salt helps balance the sweetness and enhances the other flavors so don’t skip it.
• Blot the pumpkin puree: Pumpkin puree is quite moist so we need to drain some of the liquid to keep the scones flaky and chewy instead of muffin-like. Measure out the pumpkin, let it sit for a minute, then drain the liquid. After that, press a few paper towels on top to soak up any extra moisture.
• Grate the butter: The tiny shreds mix evenly into the dough. If you don’t have a box grater just cut the butter into small chunks with a sharp knife.
• Work as fast as you can: If you spent a bit more time prepping, your kitchen is hot, or your butter has gotten too warm, chill the dough in the fridge for about 10 minutes before baking.
• Don’t overmix the dough: Scones are similar to pie crust where over mixing the dough can make them tough. Keep the dough slightly floury so it stays dry and holds together without becoming sticky.
• All ovens vary: If your scones have crispy edges and are a bit burned on the bottom and edges, don’t worry they’re fine! Also, it’s normal to hear sizzling and see some liquid oozing while they bake, that will disappear.

Variations

• Omit the glaze: This is an easy way to adjust the recipe for a lighter scone with less sugar.
• Different flour: An all-purpose gluten free flour like Bob’s Red Mill should work at a 1:1 ratio. For whole wheat flour, I recommend using a bit less, about 1 3/4 cups. Coconut flour and almond flour will not work for this recipe.
• Self-rising flour: Skip the baking powder and use a 1:1 ratio of self-rising flour.
• Round scones: If you prefer your pumpkin cottage cheese scones in a biscuit shape, use round cookie cutters to cut the dough and bake for a shorter time.
• Previously frozen pumpkin: This will work, but you will have to blot it more because liquid separates a lot once thawed.

How to Store

Store: Once the glaze has set, drape a linen towel over them for the first 24 hours. After that, transfer scones to an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, then move to the freezer.

Freeze: Keep scones in an airtight container or Ziploc bag for up to 3 months. Let them thaw on the counter for a few hours.

Reheat: If you’d like, you can pop pumpkin scones in the microwave or air fryer for a few minutes, or bake at 300 F until warmed through.

FAQs

More Cottage Cheese Recipes

• Cottage cheese bagels
• Cottage cheese pizza crust
• Cottage cheese bread
• Cottage cheese flatbread

More Pumpkin Recipes to Try

• Healthy pumpkin bars
• Healthy pumpkin chocolate chip bread
• Healthy pumpkin cookies