Hey everyone!
I made scones for you.
Full disclosure: I’m not usually an orange person. Orange-flavored confections — like those chocolate-covered orange slices sold around the holidays — aren’t my thing. The only orange treat I tolerate is dipping clementine wedges in ganache. Strange, I know.
Still, the cinnamon-and-orange pairing hits a nostalgic, holiday note for me. It brings to mind those classic orange rolls from a can — guilty pleasure memories I can’t quite shake.
Confession: when I shared my orange cinnamon pull-apart bread on Instagram, I joked that I’d buy canned orange cinnamon rolls for the holidays. Call me a hypocrite — but also call me nostalgic.
Instead of spending money on canned rolls, these little mini scones are a much cuter, tastier option. They’re small, which means you can have more than one — a valid culinary justification, if ever there was one.
To be honest, scones aren’t always my favorite — but this recipe wins me over every time. The dough can even be made the day before, refrigerated, then sliced and baked the next morning. They make a lovely, thoughtful holiday gift or breakfast treat.
Picture perfect little triangles: brushed with butter, topped with coarse orange-cinnamon sugar, and finished with a bright orange glaze. They’re crisp on the outside, tender inside, and packed with warm spice and citrus aroma.
Mini Cinnamon Orange Scones
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Ingredients
- 3 1/4 cups flour
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 3/4 cups cold butter cut into pieces
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 oranges zest, freshly grated
- melted butter for brushing
- 3 tablespoons coarse sugar
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
orange glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1/8 cup fresh orange juice
- 1/2 tablespoon orange zest
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 425°F. In a small bowl, combine 1/3 cup granulated sugar with about half of the grated orange zest. Rub them together with your fingers until fragrant.
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In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, orange-scented sugar, salt, cinnamon, baking soda and baking powder. Using a pastry blender, fork or your fingers, cut in the cold butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the buttermilk, vanilla and the remaining orange zest. Add the juice from half of one zested orange. Mix until a dough comes together, then turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently.
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Divide the dough into halves or thirds and pat each portion into a 5-inch round. Combine the coarse sugar, 1 teaspoon orange zest and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon. Brush each round with melted butter, sprinkle with the coarse sugar mixture, then cut each circle into 4 or 6 wedges (or use a biscuit cutter for rounds). Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, until the tops are lightly golden. Drizzle with orange glaze and serve warm.
orange glaze
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Whisk the powdered sugar, fresh orange juice, orange zest and vanilla until smooth. If the glaze is too thick, add orange juice 1 teaspoon at a time. If it’s too thin, add more powdered sugar a tablespoon at a time until you reach the desired consistency.
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Now I’m seriously craving one (or three).