Citrus Scones with Orange Glaze
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Citrus Scones with Orange Glaze are great for breakfast, brunch, or dessert. Bright and delicious, this scones recipe is like a slice of sunshine and is ready in 30 minutes!
Looking for more delicious breakfast and brunch recipes? You’ll love French Toast, Bacon Egg Cups, and Blueberry Muffins.
Scones are such a treat for in the morning with a cup of coffee or any time for a tasty dessert. These Citrus Scones are full of flavor and so easy to make! This scone recipe is so bright and fresh, tender and delicious, and comes together in 30 minutes and freezes well too! My family loves these scones, and I can’t wait for you to try them too!
How to Make Citrus Scones
Ingredients
- all-purpose flour
- sugar – Use granulated or raw cane sugar
- baking powder – This helps the recipe to rise
- salt – a little salt helps to balance the flavors in these scones
- butter – Use cold butter
- heavy cream – This helps to make the scones tender and moist
- lemon juice – Adding a bit of lemon juice adds to the citrus flavor
- orange zest – Important for the citrus flavor of the scone
- lemon zest – Combines with the lemon juice and orange zest for the perfect blend of citrus
Citrus Glaze Ingredients
- confectioner’s sugar
- orange juice – Freshly squeezed is ideal, but you can use your favorite orange juice as well
- orange zest
- coarse sugar – optional – sprinkle freshly glazed scones with a bit of this if desired
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Prep. Preheat oven to 400º F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking sheet.
- Mix the dough. Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Add butter to the bowl and cut into the flour with a pastry blender or fork until the largest pieces of butter are about the size of a pea and the flour mixture resembles a coarse meal. Stir in heavy cream, lemon juice, and orange and lemon zest. Press dough together between the palms of your hands. If the dough doesn’t hold together, add more heavy cream until it just holds together.
- Prepare the scones. Pour dough onto a lightly floured countertop or a pastry board. Pat dough into a large round disc about an inch thick. Cut dough into equal-sized wedges and place onto the baking sheet. Brush the tops of the dough wedges with melted butter.
- Bake. Bake scones for 20-25 minutes or until they are just beginning to turn lightly brown. Remove from the oven.
- Make the glaze. While the scones are baking, whisk all the glaze ingredients together in a medium-sized bowl until smooth. Drizzle on top of each scone after it has cooled for about five minutes. You can also sprinkle the tops of citrus-glazed scones with coarse sugar if you wish.
Tips for Most Amazing Citrus Flavor
- Use fresh lemons and oranges when possible for the most intense, fresh taste.
- Using both lemon and orange in these scones results in an extra “citrusy” flavor.
- Add the orange glaze to still-warm scones so that it is absorbed a bit into the scone for an even more delicious citrus flavor!
- Adjust the amount of citrus zest for your personal taste preference. You can amp up the citrus if you want a stronger citrus flavor or back off a tad if you prefer a more subtle citrus taste.
- If not using the orange glaze, I suggest using extra zest in the scones to make sure to get that flavor.
Storage and Freezer Instructions
To store: Cover well or place in an airtight container and store the scones on the countertop for up to 3 days. You can also store completely cooled scones in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
To freeze: Simply allow unglazed scones to cool completely and then store in an airtight, freezer-safe container in the freezer for up to 3 months. To serve, thaw overnight and then serve at room temperature or warmed in the oven at 350º F for 5 minutes or in the microwave. Glaze the warm scones, if you desire after they’ve been reheated and are ready to serve.
More Favorite Scones Recipes
Here’s my Citrus Scones Recipe with Orange Glaze. I think you will absolutely love them.
Citrus Scones Recipe with Orange Glaze
Equipment
Ingredients
Citrus Scone Recipe:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup sugar , + more for topping
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup cold butter , + more for topping
- 3/4 – 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons orange zest
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
Orange Glaze:
- 1 cup confectioner’s sugar
- 3-4 tablespoons orange juice
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- coarse sugar for topping, optional
Instructions
- Prep. Preheat oven to 400º F. Line a rimmed baking sheet pan with parchment paper or a nonstick baking sheet.
For the scones:
- Make the Dough. Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Add butter to the bowl and cut into the flour with a pastry blender until the largest pieces of butter are about the size of a pea and the flour mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in 3/4 cup of heavy cream, lemon juice, and orange and lemon zests.. Press dough together between the palms of your hands. If it doesn't just hold together, add more heavy cream until is just holds together.
- Prepare the Dough. Pour dough onto a lightly floured countertop or a pastry board. Pat dough into a large round disc, about an inch thick. Cut dough into equal sized wedges and place onto prepared baking sheet pan. Melt about 2 tablespoons butter and brush on top of dough.
- Bake. Bake scones for 20-25 minutes or until they are just beginning to turn lightly brown. Remove from the oven.
Orange Glaze:
- Make the Glaze. Whisk all of the glaze ingredients together in a medium sized bowl until smooth and then drizzle on top of each scone after it has cooled for a few five minutes. Sprinkle with coarse sugar, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Enjoy!
Robyn xo
Love your recipes
Thanks, Irene. So happy you love them.
They are delicious but The amount of time suggested was too much. @400 degrees, my scones burned on the bottom. I reduced it to 15 minutes and they still came out a dark brown on the bottom. I also used parchment paper so I’m not sure why it was this happened.
Maria, I’m sorry but I’m not sure why yours burned on the bottom. I make these scones all the time and bake for between 20 and 25 minutes and they don’t burn. Have you checked your oven to make sure it is heating to the correct temperature?
Great scones! They melt in the mouth. Just made them now.
I have been baking for our weekly meeting for the past year. Lots of biscotti and scones. These win, hands down, as the most popular. The orange icing? I think people would lick the plate if they could.
Thanks so much, Dan! I can fully understand wanting to lick the plate. Enjoy!
We made this recipe and it fell flat and was to sweet . It was like a cookie.
I’m sorry they were flat when you made them Hilda. I’ve not had that happen when I make them.
Whole family looooved them! Even the child who said, “I don’t like lemon”, ate 2. The glaze I made was not as thick as the photo, but I just added more powdered sugar — still not as thick as photo, but very, very tasty and plenty attractive. We will definitely be making these again. :9
I’m so glad you enjoyed them! Thanks Laura! xo
Made these today. Wonderful, exactly the way scones should be.
So happy to hear you enjoyed them, Ernest! Thanks so much!
I love white lily flour and not sure what makes it so much better than other fours. I pick it up when I am in Mississippi visiting son and family. how many people can say that their trunk is full of flour from there vacation. if anyone has ideas about lily flour and why it is so much better, please let me know.
White lily flour has a very low gluten content. So you can make cakes with white lily instead of cake flour.
I made these scones yesterday, and they are delicious! I am adding them to my scone recipe collection. Thank you!
These are also fantastic with cranberries in them with a bit of dusted lemon sugar on top