Orange Ginger Scones with Vanilla Glaze
Imagine the perfect breakfast. It would be these Orange Ginger Scones and a cup of coffee, well, latte for me. The warm hints of clove and cinnamon, the chewy bits of crystallized ginger, the fresh orange flavor, and the sweet vanilla glaze. And to top it all off, they’re easy to make. I really don’t know what could be better.
There’s something so wonderful about scones and their simplicity. They’re easy to make and infinitely customizable. They can be sweet or savory, and they always hit the spot. They’re also very transportable, so an easy breakfast to go. I also find them pretty forgiving. I especially love their rustic look.
Before this recipe, I had not thought to put orange and ginger together. Once I heard about this combination, I knew I had to create a scone recipe around it. Orange and ginger paired with cinnamon and cloves is a phenomenal combination. I’m planning on adapting my Maple Pecan Cinnamon Rolls to reflect these amazing flavors.
Why I Love This Recipe
Taste? The fresh orange flavor pairs so well with the warm crystallized ginger and the warm spices of cinnamon and cloves. And the sweet, delicious vanilla glaze.
Smell? The smell of the cinnamon and cloves coming from the warm scones is so good. You won’t be able to stop yourself from having a fresh one right out of the oven.
Are they easy to make? Scones are relatively easy to make. There are a few steps, but overall, easy to make. Perfect for beginning bakers.
Would I make it again? Yes, definitely. I love making scones. They’re so fun and easy to make. And I love having them for breakfast with my latte.
Ingredients
- Flour All-purpose works best for scones.
- Sugar Granulated is what we’ll need, and not too much so we don’t make these too sweet.
- Butter Unsalted or salted is fine. If you use salted, just omit the salt called for in the recipe.
- Egg To help bind everything together.
- Baking Powder To give rise, important for scones.
- Salt To bring out the flavors.
- Orange and Vanilla extract To add flavor. Not too much orange, we don’t want to overpower the scones.
- Orange Zest Extra orange flavor. Cause who doesn’t love oranges!
- Crystallized Ginger For the sweet and spicy ginger flavor quintessential to these scones.
- Cinnamon and Cloves Adds warm, slightly spicy flavors.
- Yogurt and Heavy Cream/Milk Moisture and a bit of tang.
How to Make Orange Ginger Scones
Tips and Tricks
It’s really quite simple. First, you’ll cube the VERY cold butter. Then you’ll mix the dry ingredients together. In a separate bowl, whisk the wet ingredients together.
Then, using a pastry cutter, or two forks, cut the cubed butter into the dry ingredients until it resembles pea gravel. Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, then add the orange zest and crystallized ginger.
Work the dough into a dough ball with your hands. You may have to add a tiny bit of milk if it seems too dry, but be careful not to add too much.
Once you have formed the dough ball, split it in half and form two smaller dough balls. Flatten the dough balls into two 6 inch discs onto a silicone lined baking sheet.
Slice the disks into six (mostly) equal triangles. Don’t worry too much if your pieces aren’t even. Mine are usually different sizes. I try my best to get them somewhat even though. Pull the triangles apart a few inches so the sides bake up crispy.
Pop the tray of scones into the fridge for 20 minutes while you clean up. Preheat the oven to 400 F while the scones are in the fridge. After 20 minutes, put them in the oven and bake for 18 minutes, or until golden brown on the top. Each oven is different, but 18 minutes has worked out very well for me when baking these scones.
While the scones are baking, make the glaze. Let the scones sit for 15 minutes before drizzling them with the glaze. It is a pretty thick glaze, but you don’t want it to melt off the scones.
Look at all of your delicious scones ready to be dipped in coffee.
Other Scone Recipes to Try
- Cinnamon Scones with Cinnamon Chips
- Homemade Apple Cinnamon Scones
- Blueberry Scones
- Cheese and Bacon Scones
- Gruyere and Shallot Scones
Frequently Asked Questions
Store scones in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. They can also be stored in an airtight container on the countertop for 3 days.
These scones freeze perfectly. Make sure they scones are cooled down completely before freezing them. Wrap them individually in plastic wrap and then in tinfoil. Store them in a freezer safe bag in the freezer for up to 3 months.
You can also freeze these scones before baking them. Form the discs, then wrap individually in plastic wrap and then tinfoil. Store in a freezer safe bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. Add 1-2 minutes to the baking time if baking from frozen. Or, thaw out in the fridge overnight and bake for the regular time.
Scones need to be kept as cold as possible. The butter, cream, and yogurt needs to be cold when put in the recipe. This is also why we put the scones in the fridge for 20 minutes before they are baked. Cold dough doesn’t spread, resulting in moist and flaky scones.
Yes, these would be perfect to make a day ahead of time. Wrap the discs whole in plastic wrap and store in the fridge in an airtight container overnight. Slice into six triangles each and bake as normal.
Orange Ginger Scones
Ingredients
Orange Ginger Scones
- 2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 cup yogurt
- 1/4 cup heavy cream/milk
- 3/4 cup crystallized ginger
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 1 teaspoon orange extract
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Vanilla Glaze
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon milk plus 1 teaspoon
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
Orange Ginger Scones
- Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper. Cube the butter and set in the freezer while you prepare the other ingredients.
- Sift the dry ingredients together. (2 1/4 cup flour, 1/4 cup sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon cloves, 1 teaspoon cinnamon) Whisk together the wet ingredients. I like to first whisk the egg for a minute. (1 egg, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon orange extract, 1/2 cup yogurt, 1/4 cup heavy cream/milk)
- Using a pastry cutter, or two forks, cut the butter into the dry ingredients. Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Fold in the 3/4 cup of crystallized ginger and the 1 tablespoon orange zest. Mix until the mixture starts coming together but is still a bit crumbly. At this point, I like to start forming the dough ball. You can add a tiny bit of milk if the dough seems too dry, but be careful not to add too much. Not much more than a teaspoon extra should be needed.
- Once you form the dough ball, split it in half and form two dough balls. Flatten them into 6-inch discs on the baking sheet. Cut the discs into six (mostly) equal pieces. Pull the pieces about 2 inches apart so the sides bake up crispy.
- Place the scones in the fridge for 20 minutes. I like to use this time to clean up. Preheat the oven to 400 F. After 20 minutes, bake the scones for 18 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown. Every oven is different, but 18 minutes has always yielded me with perfectly golden scones.
- While the scones are baking, make the glaze. In a small bowl, mix together 3/4 cup powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon milk/heavy cream plus 1 teaspoon, and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract.
- Once the scones are finished, let them rest for 10 minutes before removing from the baking sheet to cool. Once the scones have cooled, drizzle the vanilla glaze over them. You can add as little or as much as you want. Enjoy your delicious scones!
Notes
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days, or in a container on the counter for 3 days.
- If using salted butter, omit the salt in the recipe.
- You can choose to either cube the butter or use a box shredder and shred it.
- To freeze scones, make sure they are cooled down completely before freezing them. Wrap them individually in plastic wrap and then in tin foil. Store them in a freezer-safe bag in the freezer for up to 3 months.
You can also freeze these scones before baking them. Form the discs, then wrap them individually in plastic wrap and then tinfoil. Store in a freezer-safe bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. Add 1-2 minutes to the baking time if baking from frozen. Or, thaw out in the fridge overnight and bake regularly.
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