These buttery Orange Scones are soft and moist with plenty of fresh orange zest. The combination of cold butter and heavy cream makes these scones tender and flaky, while ground cardamom and vanilla extract make them extra delicious. As they bake, they puff up beautifully, so you can see those flaky layers, and an egg wash gives them a perfect glossy finish. They’re perfect for an easy breakfast treat!
I created this easy orange scone recipe because I love scones, I love citrus, and I want to show you how easy it is to make scones at home from scratch. My scones are light and fluffy. This recipe is perfect for when you want something special but simple enough for any baker to make.
For more scone recipes, try my lemon poppy seed scones or brown sugar cardamom scones.
The orange glaze tastes great on these scones, but you can also try a lemon glaze. When making the lemon glaze, you can adjust the thickness to your preference.
What Makes These Orange Scones Special
- An orange, cardamom, and vanilla trio. This classic orange scone recipe shines thanks to this flavor combo. The orange brings a fresh, citrusy brightness, the cardamom adds a warm, floral depth, and the vanilla ties it all together with an aromatic sweetness.
- Creamy orange glaze. My super simple glaze has both orange and lemon juice, giving it a hint of tartness that balances the sweet powdered sugar. The heavy cream helps create a thicker glaze, and the vanilla blends well with the cream and citrus. Spread it over cooled scones for an extra citrusy bite.
- Easy, reliable method. My orange scones recipe is nice and straightforward with an easy-to-follow method. I'm excited to share this recipe and show you just how easy it is to make truly delicious scones at home.
How to Make Really Good Scones
- Use frozen butter and cold cream. This is my trick for extra tender orange scones. Frozen butter is grated into the dry ingredients, making it easier to work into the dry ingredients. The combination of cold butter and cold cream creates tender layers of dough with craggy edges.
- Create those layers without overworking the dough. I use two folds of the dough to get those flaky layers. It's important not to overwork the dough as this gives you a tough scone, which is why when we do the folds, we're not trying to get the perfect rectangle. Keep it light and soft with minimal kneading.
- Weigh the flour carefully. Even a little too much flour can give you a dry, tough scone, so weigh your flour on a scale to get the exact right amount.
Key Ingredients for These Tender Orange Scones
- Butter + Heavy Cream: Scones made with heavy cream are tender with an almost cake-like texture, while the addition of the cold butter creates a layered scone with craggy, crisp edges.
- Fresh Orange Zest: Use fresh oranges that have a shiny peel for the best-tasting and most vibrant zest.
- Pure Vanilla Extract: Creamy, sweet vanilla helps elevate the other flavors in the scone, especially the orange. Vanilla and citrus just go so well together!
- Ground Cardamom: This adds a warm floral flavor to the scones, and it pairs well with the vanilla and bright orange zest.
Full ingredients, measurements, and instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How to Make Flaky Orange Scones from Scratch
Step 1: Place the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cardamom in a large mixing bowl and whisk until well combined.
Step 2: Zest the oranges into the dry ingredients and then toss until well combined.
Step 3: Grate the frozen butter into the dry ingredients.
Step 4: Add the heavy cream and vanilla. Mix until just blended and most of the flour is incorporated.
Step 5: Dump the dough out onto a floured surface.
Step 6: With floured hands, gently press and smear the dough with your palms.
Step 7: Use a bench scraper to shape the dough into a rectangle. Fold it like a letter: top third down, bottom third up.
Step 8: Rotate the dough 90 degrees, press into a rectangle again, and repeat the fold.
Step 9: Shape the dough into an 8-inch circle. Cut it into 8 wedges. Chill the wedges in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
Step 10: Space out the scones on the sheet and brush the tops of the scones with the egg wash.
Step 11: Bake the scones until the tops are golden brown and the scones have increased in height.
Step 12: Take the scones out of the oven and let sit for 5 mins, before moving to a wire rack to finish cooling.
How to Store These Scones
You can store the cooled scones in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
How to Serve Your Orange Scones
These scones are so good if you eat them straight from the oven, split open with just a little butter or even lemon curd for an extra dose of citrus flavor.
If you want to add the orange glaze (and I highly recommend you do), let the scones cool completely before glazing. These also taste great paired with Earl Grey tea.
If you make these tender orange scones please leave a rating and a comment below.
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Orange Cream Scones with Citrus Glaze
Ingredients
Scones
- 2 1/2 cups (315 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon (12 grams) baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 2 tablespoons (12 grams) orange zest about 2 oranges.
- 8 tablespoons (113 grams) unsalted butter frozen
- 1-1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream cold
Egg Wash
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons heavy cream or milk
Orange Glaze
- 1 cup (120 grams) powdered sugar sifted
- Orange zest
- 2 teaspoons orange juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2-3 teaspoons heavy cream or 2 teaspoons of milk
- 1/16 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
Make the Scone Dough
- Place the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cardamom in a large mixing bowl and whisk until well combined. Zest the oranges into the dry ingredients and then toss the orange zest until well combined with the other ingredients. Grate the frozen butter into the dry ingredients using the large holes on a box grater.
- Measure the heavy cream into a 2-cup measuring cup and stir in the vanilla extract. Add the cream mixture to the dry ingredients and use a rubber spatula to mix the ingredients together until just blended and most of the flour is mixed in. The dough will look shaggy and there will still be some flour not mixed in.
- Dump the dough onto a floured work surface. Use a dough scraper to get all the dough out of the bowl. Generously flour your hands to keep them from sticking to the dough. Use the palm of your hand to schmear the dough across the work surface. Use a bench scraper to bring the dough together into a rectangle. Fold the top third of the dough towards the center. Fold the bottom third over the top fold. Rotate the dough 90 degrees. Lightly press the dough into a rectangle and repeat the tri-fold.
- Shape the dough into an 8-inch circle. Cut it into 8 wedges. Place the wedges on a board or tray (that will fit into the refrigerator) and chill for 1 hour.
Bake the Scones
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a half baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk together the egg and cream.
- Place the scones on a baking sheet. Brush the tops of the scones with the egg wash. Bake for 15 minutes until the tops are golden brown and the scones have increased in height. The internal temperature should be 204°F using an instant-read thermometer.
- Remove the scones from the oven. Let me sit on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then move them to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Serving the Scones
- The scones can be served warm. Serve plain, or with butter or lemon curd. If you want to add the orange glaze, let the scones cool to room temperature otherwise the glaze will melt off the scones.
How to Store the Scones
- Store the cooled scones in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days.
Make the Orange Glaze (Optional)
- Place the powdered sugar in a small mixing bowl. Zest a section of the orange into the powdered sugar. Add the orange juice, lemon juice, and vanilla extract and stir until the ingredients are mixed in. Add the cream or milk 1 teaspoon at a time until the desired consistency is achieved. Stir in a pinch of salt.
- Spread the orange glaze over the cooled scones and serve.
Jay says
I made these scones to bring into the office, and they were absolutely delicious! Light and tender with beautiful flavor-- this recipe is definitely a keeper!
Cheryl Norris says
Hi Jay
Thank for trying this recipe and leaving this wonderful review. I'm so glad you and your coworkers enjoyed these scones.