Vanilla Orange Scones

A recipe for Vanilla Orange Scones with a light glaze. 

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These Vanilla Orange Scones are the perfect accompaniment for breakfast/brunch or an afternoon tea! The scones are lightly flavored with half a vanilla bean (or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract) and orange zest, then topped with a light glaze.

The scones are best the day they are made, especially with the addition of the glaze. They can be frozen after cutting, but before baking for future use. Arrange in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. When solid, transfer to a freezer-safe bag for up to a couple of months. Bake straight from the freezer. Just add a couple of minutes to the baking time.

I split a vanilla bean in half and used one for the scones and another for the glaze. You can also substitute with a teaspoon of vanilla extract in each.

To help create the buttery flaky texture, I used a dough blender to cut in the diced butter. You can also use two forks or the tips of your fingers. Just try to work as quickly as possible to keep the butter from melting. I added just enough cream to bring the dough together. Try to avoid adding too much. Overworking the dough will cause the scones to toughen a bit.

The glaze only has a light hint of orange with 1 tablespoon of orange juice. If you want the flavor to be stronger, whisk in a little orange zest. Be sure the scones are completely cooled before adding the glaze. Otherwise, the glaze will soak into the scones and become soggy.

Looking for more scone recipes? Try my Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Scones, Irish Scones, and Cardamom Vanilla Cream Scones.

Vanilla Orange Scones Recipe

Adapted from Diethood

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5 from 2 votes

Vanilla Orange Scones

A recipe for Vanilla Orange Scones with a light glaze.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine N/A

Keyword breakfast, brunch, orange, scone, vanilla, vanilla bean

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

0 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 8 Scones

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Zest of 1 orange
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter cold
• 3/4-1 cup heavy cream plus more for brushing
• 1 egg
• 1/2 vanilla bean or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Glaze:

• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
• 1/2 vanilla bean or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons milk

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400˚F and line a large baking sheet with parchment or lightly grease.
• In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and orange zest.
• Cut the cold butter into pieces and add to the flour using a dough blade, two forks, or your fingers until the dough has a crumbly texture and no pieces are larger than a pea.
• In a small bowl, beat together the cream, egg, and vanilla extract (or seeds from vanilla bean). Pour into the dry ingredients and gently combine just until the mixture comes together. Do not overmix. If the mixture continues to fall apart, add a little more cream.
• On a lightly floured surface, divide the dough in half and pat each one into a 3/4 inch thick circle. Cut each circle into 4-6 wedges.
• Place the cut scones on the prepared baking sheet, about 1/4 inches apart. Brush the tops with cream. Bake in preheated oven until golden, 12-15 minutes. Let cool on pan 5 minutes before removing to wire rack.

To make the glaze:

• In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, orange juice, seeds from vanilla bean (or extract), and milk. If too thin, add a little more powdered sugar. If too thick, add a little more milk or orange juice. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled scones or dip the top of each scone into the glaze. Allow to set and serve within a day.