Vanilla Orange Scones

Aug 3, 2026 · By VanillaGoods

Baking Scones Origin: Tahitian Vanilla: Beans Easy

These scones are tender inside with crisp, golden edges and visible layers from cold butter. Best with Tahitian vanilla (floral, cherry, anise); any pure vanilla works.

Prep 20 min

Cook 18 min

Cooling 10 min

Total 48 min

Yield 8 scones

Diet —

Ingredients

Adjust yield

scones

2 ½ cups (300.0 g)all-purpose flour
½ cup (100.0 g)granulated sugar
½ cup (113.0 g)cold unsalted butter, cubed
¾ cup (180.0 ml)heavy cream
1.0 (50.0 g)large egg
1.0 tbsp (12.0 g)baking powder
½ tsp (3.0 g)fine sea salt
½ (2.0 g)VanillaGoods vanilla bean, split and scraped
1.0 tbsp (6.0 g)finely grated orange zest

Make it at home

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Instructions

Heat the oven to 400°F (205°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment.
Rub the orange zest into the sugar with your fingertips until fragrant, then whisk the flour, orange sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the cold butter until most pieces are pea-sized, with a few smaller flakes. Visible pieces of cold butter help create a tender, layered scone.
Whisk the cream, egg, and vanilla together. Pour the mixture over the dry ingredients and fold until a shaggy dough forms. Stop before the dough becomes smooth; overworking makes scones dense.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, pat it into a 1-inch-thick disk, and cut it into 8 wedges. Transfer the wedges to the prepared sheet.
Bake for 16 to 20 minutes. The scones should be well risen with golden tops and browned edges.
Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Tips

No vanilla bean? Use 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste or 1 teaspoon vanilla powder instead. Add it where the recipe adds the seeds; if the bean is steeped in hot milk or cream, stir the swap in after cooking, off the heat.
Best vanilla for this: Tahitian (floral, cherry, anise), or Madagascar (rich, creamy, classic). Any pure vanilla works.

Recipe FAQ

How long does it take to make vanilla orange scones?

Plan on 20 minutes of prep and 18 minutes of cooking, plus 10 minutes to rest, chill, or cool. It makes 8 scones.

Can I use a different form of vanilla?

No vanilla bean? Use 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste or 1 teaspoon vanilla powder instead. Add it where the recipe adds the seeds; if the bean is steeped in hot milk or cream, stir the swap in after cooking, off the heat.

These scones are tender inside with crisp, golden edges and visible layers from cold butter. Best with Tahitian vanilla (floral, cherry, anise); any pure vanilla works.

Estimated · per serving

Nutrition

Per serving = 1 of 8 servings this recipe makes.

371 Calories / serving

20.4g Fat

41.8g Carbs

5.2g Protein

13.3g Sugar

Whole recipe (8 servings): ~2968 cal · 163g fat · 334g carbs · 42g protein · 106g sugar

Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.

Per serving · 371 calories

What it takes to burn one serving

Brisk walking 70 min·4.1 mi·~8200 steps
Walking uphill or incline treadmill 50 min·2.5 mi·~5000 steps
Moderate cycling 38 min·7.6 mi
Swimming laps 52 min
Jogging 36 min·3.0 mi·~5750 steps
Stair climbing 34 min·~3050 steps
Dancing 60 min
Bodyweight circuit training 38 min
Cleaning, errands, or playing with the dog 86 min

Rough estimates for one serving, based on standard MET values at about 155 lb. Your own burn depends on body size, effort, and fitness. Shown for context only — food is not something you have to earn.