Zested Orange & Vanilla Bean Scones

Have I mentioned before that scones are basically my favorite thing ever?

HELLO crispy-edged, buttery little bites of goodness that are super-easy to make. I like you. ♡

this recipe

Here's the thing; when I'm feeling ambitious, I make fancy cupcakes with whipped ganache and all that jazz. When I feel like putting in effort is just short of impossible and something needs to go right with my day, I make scones. Quick, simple, and always delicious -- exactly what a rough day calls for.

These orange-vanilla bean scones are currently on my go-to list because they're about as easy as scones can get and filled with enough bright, citrusy flavor to make it not feel like the dead of winter ➝ which can be over already in my book. They're bold in flavor but light in texture, perfectly crisp on the outside but super-tender on the inside, and so simple but yet so spot-on-perfect. Plus all those pretty specks of vanilla bean dotted throughout? My fave.

I'm making myself really sad now because I don't have any of these left for tomorrow's breakfast. :( On the agenda: MAKE MORE SCONES. Guarantee you'll being seeing some on the Insta very soon. ;)

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Zested Orange & Vanilla Bean Scones

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Light, fresh, and citrusy scones with a bold orange flavor. These smell heavenly as you make them and bake up with a perfect bit of crispiness to the edges and a buttery, tender crumb.

• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 15 minutes
• Yield: 12 scones 1x

Ingredients

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Scones

• 9 ½ ounces (2 ¼ cups, spoon and level) all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 2 ⅝ ounces (6 tablespoons) vanilla sugar (or granulated sugar)
• 2 tablespoons orange zest
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 vanilla beans, split and scraped
• 3 ounces (6 tablespoons) butter, frozen and cubed
• 6 ¼ ounces (¾ cup) heavy cream
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Glaze

• 1 tablespoon heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla sugar (or granulated sugar)
• 1 teaspoon orange zest
• sparkling sugar, for sprinkling

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Instructions

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, orange zest, salt, and vanilla bean seeds until evenly combined. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter until all pieces are small (pea-sized or less). Add cream and vanilla extract and fold in until incorporated. Use hands to gently knead everything together into a single ball of dough, adding a bit more cream if needed to bring dough together. Dough should not be wet or sticky.
3. Divide dough in half and shape each half into a round disc about ¾" thick on prepared baking sheet. Freeze for 1 hour.
4. Preheat oven to 400ºF. Whisk together cream, vanilla sugar, and orange zest for glaze.
5. Cut each disc of dough, pizza-style, into 6 individual scones and spread apart on baking sheet. Brush tops with cream mixture and sprinkle with sparkling sugar.
6. Bake scones in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of one comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack until ready to serve. Scones are best fresh, but leftovers can kept in an airtight container at room temperature.

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