Description
Guaranteed to be your new favorite breakfast, these easy and delicious glazed orange scones are perfectly light and flaky, infused with lots of fresh orange zest and topped with a buttery orange maple glaze. Ideal for breakfast or an afternoon snack, these scones are best enjoyed warm, accompanied by a cup of tea or coffee.
Ingredients
Scale
Scones
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 stick cold butter (grated)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp grated orange zest
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 egg (beaten)
- 2/3 cup heavy cream
Orange Maple Glaze
- 1 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 3 tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice
- 1 tsp orange zest
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 6 tbsp butter (melted)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Begin by using a microplane grater to grate 1 tsp of orange zest. In a small bowl, combine the sugar and the orange zest together, gently working together with a spoon or your hands until combined. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, orange sugar mixture, baking powder, and salt. Using a box grater, grate in the cold butter. Begin working the butter into the dry ingredients using a pastry cutter, two forks, or your fingers until the mixture comes together in pea-sized crumbs.
- In another small bowl, whisk together the heavy cream, egg, and vanilla extract together. Slowly pour this over the dry ingredients, then mix together until everything appears moistened, being careful not to overmix.
- Turn the scone dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Using your hands, work dough into a ball as best you can. Dough will be slightly sticky. If it’s too sticky, add a little more flour. If it seems too dry, add 1-2 more tablespoons of heavy cream until it comes together. Press into an 8-inch disc and, with a sharp knife or bench scraper, cut into 6 wedges.
- Brush scones with remaining heavy cream and sprinkle with coarse sugar (this is optional, but makes them extra pretty!) Pop the scones in the fridge to stay cold while the oven comes up to temp.
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat. Arrange scones 2-3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 18-22 minutes or until golden brown around the edges and lightly browned on top. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes as you make the glaze.
- Make the glaze: In a small bowl, whisk the powdered sugar, melted butter, maple syrup, vanilla extract, orange zest and orange juice together. Add a little more powdered sugar to thicken or more juice to thin. Drizzle over scones, topping with an extra sprinkle of orange zest, if preferred. Enjoy!
Notes
- Refrigerate before baking. For best results, keep the scone dough as cold as possible. To avoid over-spreading, I recommend chilling the scones for at least 10 minutes in the refrigerator before baking. I usually do this while I am waiting for my oven to come up to temp! You can even refrigerate the dough overnight and for up to three days for a quick breakfast in the morning.
- Use cold butter. Using cold cubed butter ensures the scones will have that flaky texture we all love! I highly recommend you use frozen butter that has been grated, as it is the real key to success here. Make sure to work the cold butter into the dry ingredients to create crumbs. The butter/flour crumbs melt as the scones bake, releasing steam and creating air pockets. These pockets create a flaky center while keeping the edges crumbly and crisp.
- If you prefer smaller scones, you can always cut the scone dough into 8 equal pieces, rather than six.
- Storage: Leftover scones keep well at room temperature for 2 days or in the refrigerator for 5 days.
-
Freezing: I recommend baking them, letting them cool, and then storing in the freezer in an airtight container. They will store well for up to 3 months for an easy breakfast! Just pop them into the oven to reheat.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Breakfast Recipes
- Cuisine: American
