Easy Vanilla Scones
User Reviews
4.9
Easy Vanilla Scones
Description
Easy Vanilla Scones combine all-purpose flour and cornstarch with baking powder, salt, granulated and light brown sugars for a balanced base. Cold unsalted butter is cut into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs, which creates a flaky texture. Eggs and heavy cream mixed with scraped vanilla bean seeds and vanilla extracts add moisture and flavor. The dough is gently kneaded to a sticky but workable consistency before baking.
Once baked, the scones have a tender, flaky crumb with warm vanilla notes throughout. A glaze made from confectioners' sugar, vanilla extracts, vanilla bean seeds, and heavy cream is spread on top, adding a glossy, sweet finish that highlights the vanilla bean’s fragrance. The result is a lightly sweet pastry suitable for breakfast or snacks.
These scones pair well with butter, jam, or clotted cream and fresh fruit. They make a refined accompaniment to tea or coffee.
Store baked scones in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days or refrigerate for up to a week. Reheat briefly in the microwave or oven before serving. The dough or unbaked shaped scones can be refrigerated overnight or frozen for up to three months, baking directly from frozen with slightly longer baking time.
Ingredients
- 469 g all-purpose flour spooned into a measuring cup and leveled with a knife
- 30 g cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 50 g granulated sugar
- 50 g light brown sugar
- 226 g unsalted butter 2 sticks, cold, cut into ½-inch pieces
- 4 egg straight from the fridge, large
- 1 cup heavy cream or buttermilk
- ½ tablespoon vanilla extract pure
- ½ tablespoon vanilla extract clear
- ½ vanilla bean split and scraped
- 2 tablespoons turbinado sugar
For the Vanilla Glaze:
- 1 cup confectioners' sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract pure
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract clear
- ½ vanilla bean split and scraped
- 2 to 3 tablespoons heavy cream or evaporated milk
Instructions
For the Vanilla Scones:
- Split the vanilla beans in half lengthwise and scrape out all the vanilla seeds from inside; stir into the heavy cream and set aside while preparing the dry ingredients.
- In a food processor, pulse flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, and sugar to combine. Add the chilled butter pieces and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and place in the freezer while mixing the wet ingredients. (Alternatively, cut the butter into the flour in a large mixing bowl using a pastry cutter or two forks).
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together heavy cream and vanilla bean mixture, eggs, clear vanilla, and pure vanilla extract. Pour over the flour mixture, then mix until just blended.
- Turn dough onto a floured surface, and with floured hands, knead the dough into a ball shape; the dough should be slightly sticky but not so wet that it is difficult to work with. If the dough is too sticky, sprinkle on some additional flour little by little. If the dough is dry, add 1 tablespoon of heavy cream.
- ✏️Camila Made Tip: Don’t overwork the dough; mixing and kneading are both actions that develop gluten, which makes for chewy breads as opposed to tender, cakey crumbs for scones. Mix dough gently with a wooden spoon, and gently pat when shaping to keep from overworking.
- Shape into a circle and pat it until it is 12 inches in diameter and about 1 inch thick. Using a knife or bench scraper, cut into 8 or 12 wedges. Pull the wedges and transfer them to a parchment paper-lined baking sheet about an inch away. Freeze or refrigerate unbaked scones for a minimum of 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400ºF. Remove the scones from the freezer, brush the tops of the scones with heavy cream and sprinkle with turbinado or coarse sugar for texture if desired. Bake for 20–25 minutes until golden brown.
- Remove the vanilla scones from the oven and allow them to cool for 15 minutes on the cookie sheet, then transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
How to Make Vanilla Glaze:
- Split the vanilla beans in half lengthwise and scrape out all the vanilla seeds from inside; stir into 2 tablespoons of heavy cream. Add the confectioners' sugar and vanilla extract and whisk together until smooth and thick but pourable. Add 2 to 3 teaspoons extra of heavy cream if needed. Spoon the vanilla glaze over each cooled scone. Transfer to parchment paper or the cooling rack. Allow the glaze to set completely.
Notes
- Baked scones store well in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days or refrigerated for up to 1 week.
- Reheat scones in the microwave for 10-15 seconds or in a 350°F oven for 12-15 minutes.
- Unbaked scones can be refrigerated overnight or frozen and baked directly from frozen with a slight increase in baking time.
- For best results, freeze scones before baking to maintain their texture and freshness.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
You'll Also Love
