Einkorn pumpkin-raisin scones

If you love a quick scone recipe as much as I do, you're going to really enjoy these pumpkin scones.

When I started developing this sourdough discard recipe, I knew I wanted to work in two things:

whole-grain einkorn flour
pumpkin puree

The result is an incredibly craggy, rustic scone, rich golden in color and with a lovely hint of sweetness from the pumpkin.

These are absolutely incredible.

In this week's newsletter:

Recipes: Pumpkin scones, cocoa galette crust
Baking Tip: What's the difference between a low-seed and high-seed starter or levain?
Links: Italian chestnut bread; Neapolitan pizza shaping technique

🍞 New sourdough pumpkin scones

I finally cracked the code to getting tall, neat, and orderly scones here in my kitchen (even more challenging at my high altitude!). Be sure to check out the development notes on these scones for tips.

If you don't have raisins, feel free to swap them out for currants, dried cranberries, or other dried (and even candied!) fruit.

GET SCONE RECIPE →

In the same vein as the scones above (that is, the magic of flour + butter)...

🍞 Cocoa Galette Crust

If you haven't tried this cocoa galette crust yet, now's the time to make two and keep one in the freezer for the holiday.

GET GALETTE CRUST RECIPE →

🎁 In case you missed it... 2025 Baker's Gift Guide

There's still plenty of time to snag the perfect baking gift for the holidays!

READ 2025 GIFT GUIDE →

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Want to chat with me and a bunch of other friendly and enthusiastic bakers? Join us and get all my sourdough tools, exclusive recipes, and access to our private chat channel. Plus, get first dibs on booking workshops and international trips (think: Sicily, Copenhagen, and more)!

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💬 Member Discussion of the Week

Your recipes generally call for building the levain with a 1:2:2 inoculation (sometimes, 1:1:1?), whereas Chad Robertson's basic recipe calls for one tablespoon of starter and 200 grams each of water and flour. (I think he also recommends 1:10:10.) So far as I was concerned, the sole difference between a low and a high inoculation (seed) was the time it took for the levain to peak. Once the levain peaks, it doesn't matter how long it took to get there; the bread will turn out the same. But is there any other impact on the process or the finished product?

The main difference in levain seeding is that it needs to be adjusted for scheduling. However, there are some implications for flavor. The longer something ferments, the more time bacteria have to ramp up, leading to greater bacterial activity and sourness. When trying to do something that's the most flavorful, I go for the longer-running levain. But these days, I most often like a 5-hour levain; it's very convenient.

🛟 2 Ways I Can Help You Today

How do I keep my starter and dough working hard during the winter months?
Looking for a new mixer? Check out my guide to mixing dough with a smaller spiral mixer at home.

📙 What I'm Reading and Watching

Tuscany's Lost Wood-Fired Chestnut Bread Kept Alive by One Baker (YouTube; Thanks, Mike!). For me, the holidays always have chestnuts in one way or another (usually just cooked in my wood-fired oven—there is no better treat). His bread looks mighty interesting, almost like a cake.
Neapolitan Pizza Making with the Masters! Part 2 (YouTube; Thanks Craig!). Who needs a scale? Love this "slap" style technique.

Happy baking!

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🍞 NEW: Einkorn pumpkin-raisin scones