There is nothing better than a freshly baked scones for morning, this Orange Scone will surely make you look forward to breakfast. It is flaky, absolutely delicious and oozing withe fresh orange flavor in every bite.

Congratulations! You just found the BEST Scone recipe! I am not exaggerating, this scone is very soft and flakey and every bite melts in your mouth. Just what a perfect scone should be. I tried several recipes, but nothing turned out as good as this one. I am excited to share this with you, another one of my successful for keeps recipe.

I love orange flavour as you can probably tell from my Orange Chiffon Cake, Chocolate Orange Cake, Orange Biscotti and now I have this Orange Scones to add in my orange flavoured bake goodies. This is another quick breakfast option that can be made ahead of time. The dough freezes well, maybe up to 2-3 months. Although, this is a small batch, you can always double it for a larger serving.

The first scone that I tried that I really liked was the Blueberry Scone from Starbucks. From then on, I started looking for a basic scones recipes. I tried quite a few, but I was not lucky enough to find the one I am looking for. I finally decided to mix and match recipes to get to this one. This scone recipe is very simple, but it turned out really good!

Scones requires only very few ingredients and simple steps. There are just key things to remember to get a soft and flaky scone. All cold ingredients and don’t over mix. If you keep this in mind, you’ll get a scones that is worth sharing to your friends and family just like this one. This is my favorite Scone, and I hope it will be yours too. Let’s get started!

Tips to a Successful Flaky and Light Scone

• Cold Ingredients: This is one of the secret to a flaky Scones just like with biscuit and pie crust. Eggs, cream/milk/water should be cold not only the butter. Using cold ingredients prevents the butter from melting before the scones are baked, leaving it instead to melt in the oven and create a super-flaky end result
• No Over Mixing:  Just like when making bread over mixing could result to a tough scones. This is why it is very important to handle the dough with care, slightly and gradually push it around but do not knead it too much to make the texture smooth. Stop as soon as you are able to gather it up together. With scones, lumps and bumps is perfectly fine, in fact, it is advisable.
• Chill or Freeze Before Baking: The dough will soften as you handle it because of the warmth of your hands, so as extra precaution, chilling it or even freezing it before baking is highly recommended for a flaky texture.
• Hot Oven – Pre-heated hot oven is recommended when baking Scones or Biscuits. This is important so that the Scones could reach its fullest height and lightest crumb.

Why Use Cake Flour?

I used to make scones and biscuit using all-purpose flour, and it does work too. For years I thought it was great, until I started usign cake flour to make them. They are fine, they taste good and a lot of recipe online uses all purpose flou too. But if you want more than great scones and biscuit, if you want a light tender scones, cake flour will do the job better. Cake flour have the lowest protein content among all other type of flour, about 5 – 8 percent which produces a light tender crumb. This is why this is the recommended type of flour when making cakes as cakes are better with light tender texture. Another benefit of using cake flour is that it absorb liquid and sugar better thus making the bake product moist. This is one thing also that you have to keep in mind, if you are swaping all-purpose flout for a recipe, consider the amount of liquid you are putting in, you m ay need less than usual.

All-purpose flour on the other hand have 10 – 12 percent protein content. The higher protein content produces a chewier compact baked product like cookies and flaky pie crust. Over mixing will easily result to a tough baked goods with flour that have high protein content. High protein content flour like bread flour are made specially for bread, hence the name. Bread flour have protein content of 11 – 12 percent. The high protein content produces a chewy texture that we love in bread.

This is not saying that All-purpose flour will not work, as I mentioned I tried it several times before and it also worked but with difference in texture. When I started using cake flour for my scones and biscuits, I immediately noticed the difference and never looked back. Give it a try and compare the texture if you want to test it yourself. Judy, one of the reader commented this when she made my Flaky Glazed Orange Scones.

“Great recipe! I followed your suggestion of using cake flour along with the high protein KA flour I normally use. My scones were finally the light and tender texture that I have been missing since switching over to KA flour about 5 years ago! (I have been blaming my new oven for 5 years!). Thanks!”

Big Batch Ingredients (Makes 8 pieces)

• 2 1/4 cups Cake Flour or All-Purpose Flour
• 1/3 cup granulated White Sugar
• 1 tbsp Baking Powder
• 1 tsp Cornstarch
• 1/8 tsp of Salt
• Zest of 2 large Oranges
• 1/2 cup + 5 tbsp frozen unsalted Butter, grated or cut into 1-inch cubes
• 3/4 cup Buttermilk, plus extra for brushing the top of the scones
  • You can make your own buttermilk by adding 1 tsp lemon juice or white vinegar to 3/4 cup milk. Leave for 5 minutes before using.
  • You can also use powder milk. Add 3 tbsp of powder milk to 3/4 cup of water then and 1 tsp lemon juice or white vinegar. Leave for 5 minutes before using.

Small Batch Ingredients (Makes 4 pieces)

• 1 cup Cake Flour or All-Purpose Flour
• 2 tablespoon granulated White Sugar
• 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
• 1/8 teaspoon Cornstarch
• 1/8 teaspoon of Salt
• Zest of 2 large Oranges
• 1/4 frozen unsalted Butter, grated or cut into 1-inch cubes
• 7 – 8 tablespoon Buttermilk, plus extra for brushing the top of the scones
  • You can make your own buttermilk by adding 1 teaspoon lemon juice or white vinegar to 8 tablespoon milk. Leave for 5 minutes until it curdle
  • You can also use powder milk. Add 2 tablespoon of powder milk to 8 tablespoon of water then and 1 teaspoon lemon juice or white vinegar. Leave for 5 minutes before using.

Sugar Glaze:

• 1/4 cup Icing/Confectioners Sugar
• 1-2 tablespoon  freshly squeeze Orange Juice (pulp removed) OR milk, OR water
• Zest of 1 Orange

Important Note Regarding Small Batch:

I thought it would be best to put down my answer here as there are some interested people asking about why the small batch recipe doesn’t equate to half the size of the large batch. This small batch variaton is not half the size of the original. It was not my intention to make a small batch that is just half the portion of the large batch. What I wanted is a small batch that is even smaller portion than when you cut the large batch into 2. This small batch portion is smaller than when you cut the recipe in half. I designed it this way so that it is perfect for 1 or 2 person sharing it. I had the small batch divided into 4, which when you compare to a large batch divided by 4, the size will not be the same. The small batch will be smaller. Probably divide it by 3 instead to get a similar size as the large batch inidividual pieces. As you can see, it is still less portion. I also reduced the sugar for the small batch, but do not worry because even with less sugar added you will still get the sweetness from the Orange glaze on top. If you want a sweeter scones and you do not plan to drizzle Orange glaze on top, feel free to increase the granulated sugar to 3 tablespoon.

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375ºF / 180ºC. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Dry Ingredients: In the bowl of a food processor, put flour, sugar, baking powder, cornstarch and salt. Process few seconds just to mix (around 10 seconds).
   • Manual: Alternatively, you can mix everything in a large bowl, from all the dry ingredients to wet ingredients. Add the wet ingredients gradually until the dough starts to come together.
3. Add Butter & Orange Zest: Scatter butter and orange zest over this mixture, and pulse a few times until the butter is the size of peas.
   • Alternatively, you can  use a large cheese grater, or a  pastry cutter.
4. Buttermilk: Transfer into a large mixing bowl (if using food processor) and gradually pour buttermilk and mix everything until most of it is moist enough to make the mixture to clump together. You may NOT need to use all the buttermilk, so it is important  to add it gradually. STOP when you are able to form a ball out of the dough.
5. Shape: Dump it onto the kitchen counter and quickly give it a few turns to avoid very dry spots. Do not over mix,the more you touch it and mix it, the tougher the baked scones will be. Stop once it starts to clump together. Form it into a disk, about 5 (thicker scones) or 6 inch diameter, cut in quarters and stacks each portion of top of each other. Gently press- down and re-shape into a 5-6 inch disk. The stacking will help create layers in the scones.
6. Chill: Freeze for at least 30 minutes up to 1 hr before baking. The freezing will help lessen the spreading and will produce a thcker scones.
7. Cut: Cut the scones into 8 (if making a large batch or 4 if making a small batch) arrange them on the baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
8. Brush Top: Brush top with additional buttermilk or for better browning, brush the top with egg wash (1 beaten egg + 1 teaspoon water)
9. Bake for about 20- 25 minutes or until top turned golden brown and the scones are puff-up and tall. Rotate the pan half way the baking time. This helps even baking of the scones.
   • Tip: If baking a frozen scone straight from the oven, bake for 25 – 30 minutes or until top turned golden brown and rise.
10. Cool in a wire rack. As this stage, you can serve this as is o with a dusting of icing sugar. If you are galzing it, make sure the scone is completely cooled.
11. Make the Glaze: Mix icing sugar, orange juice and zest of orange. Stir until smooth. If you want a thicker glazed, just add more sugar.
12. Drizzle: Drizzle the glaze on top of the cooled scones
13. Re-heating: Re-heat in a 300F for 10 -15 minutes. If you have the sugar glaze on top, expect that this will melt. I suggest adding glaze only to the one that you are consuming for the day.
14. Storage: Scones are best served the day they are made but if you have leftover, cover and store in room temperature (away from sunlight) for 3 days, more than that it is best kept in refrigerator. If you plan to eat it for few days, I suggest add the glaze on top so you can re-heat the scone when you want to it eat.

Makes 8 pieces

Sugar Glaze Instructions:

• Mix icing sugar and liquid. Add orange juice/milk/water gradually. Start with 1 tsp, then mix. Add the remaining liquid until you get the consistency that you like. If you want it thicker and sweeter, use more sugar. If you want it runny and less sweet, add more orange juice/milk/water.

Recipe Notes:

• Make sure to use very cold ingredients. Do not take out the ingredients (butter, milk) from the fridge unless you are ready to use it.
• Do not leave the scones at room temperature while pre-heating the oven. Take it out from the fridge only when you are ready to bake it.
• Do not over mix it. Knead it just enough to form it. Over mixing it will make it tough and you will not get a flaky texture.
• Orange zest can be replaced by lemon zest, or if you do not want any citrus flavoring, you can totally omit it.
• You can freeze the dough for 2-3 months. No need to leave in room temperature, bake directly from the fridge. Expect a difference in texture as freezing makes the dough a little bit dense.

Enjoy! If you make this, share and tag me in Instagram #SweetNSpicyLiving. I would like to see your creations too.

Featured Posts:

• Small Batch Cranberry and Raisins Irish Soda Bread
• Classic Skillet Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread
• Pumpkin & Raisins Buttermilk Biscuit
• Herbed Feta Buttermilk Biscuits
• Small Batch Cream Scones (Makes 4)
• [VIDEO] Small Batch Orange Biscotti
• Small Batch Orange and Cranberry Irish Soda Bread
• Blueberry Streusel Scones
• Potato and Cheddar Scones
• Green Onion and Cheddar Drop Biscuits
• Coconut & Raisins Streusel Scones
• [VIDEO] Orange Glazed Scones
• Irish Soda Pecan & Raisins Scones
• [VIEDO] Mango Scones

My Latest Video

Thank You for visiting my website. Please don’t forget to click the “Like” button below if you like this recipe. Lastly, did you know that I have a YouTube Channel? Please support my channel by clicking on the “Subscribe” button in my video and the “Bell” icon to get notification of new videos.

FOLLOW SWEETNSPICYLIVING ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter | YouTube