These Mandarin Orange Scones are the perfect treat to whip up for breakfast or brunch! Loaded with fresh mandarin zest and juice, these scones are crispy on the outside, soft on the inside and have the best cozy orange and cinnamon flavor!
This post is sponsored by Peelz! However all opinions are 100% my own. Thank you for continuing to support the brands that make OBB possible!
You guys! I’m so excited to be sharing this recipe with y’all today. I’m pretty sure I’ve literally been dreaming of these scones ever since I began testing them and let me tell you, these Mandarin Scones are absolutely dream worthy! And drool worthy for that matter, haha!
If you’re anything like me, scones used to be somewhat intimidating. Yes of course I loved to pair the ones I bought from my local coffee shop with my steaming hot cup of joe but, did I really have what it takes to make them on my own?
Well, you’re in luck! With only 15 minutes of chill time and SUPER simple instructions, I promise that even the most rookies of bakers can easily bake these scones to perfection!
Why These Scones Are the BEST:
Oh where to even begin! First off, these scones are made with…wait for it, FRESH mandarin oranges! YUP!
For this recipe, I used Peelz Mandarins which are just out of this world flavorful, sweet and juicy!
They yielded the perfect orange flavor for these scones which paired perfectly with some sweet holiday spices like cinnamon and of course, vanilla extract! Oh, and speaking of Peelz, it’s the perfect name for these mandarins because they’re incredibly EASY to peel, which makes your life and baking these scones super easy!
These scones are perfectly crispy and flaky on the outside. Brushing them with heavy cream before you bake and then giving a generous sprinkle of raw sugar ensures the perfect golden crispy scone!
And the inside? You got it! So super soft and fluffy. The mandarin orange flavor permeates the entire scone and is found in every single bite.
And of course, you can’t have a scone without a glaze, right? Right! For these scones, I did a Vanilla Orange glaze and oh my word, it SO did not disappoint.
By using the fresh mandarin juice and zest from the Peelz, as well as vanilla extract, it results in a sweet, cozy and delicious glaze that coats the scone delightfully.
For extra garnish and a punch of flavor, sprinkle a pinch more cinnamon on top and of course, zest more mandarin as well.
These scones are the perfect Thanksgiving brunch idea – especially if it’s for a smaller crowd! And the best part? You can bake them fresh in the morning and then throughout the day if people are hungry for a snack, you have a special treat prepared already! Cozy and perfect to go with a cup of coffee or tea!
So let’s get into what you need to bake them!
Ingredients You Need:
- All purpose flour
- Granulated sugar
- Baking powder
- Cinnamon
- Whole milk
- Heavy Cream
- Egg
- Vanilla Extract
- Cold Salted Butter
- Peelz Mandarin Oranges – you will use both the zest and the juice!
- Raw sugar
- Powdered Sugar
Best Scone Baking Tips:
Use cold butter! Seriously, make sure you’re pulling it straight from the refrigerator before you use it. Using cold butter will help make the scones crispy!
Speaking of butter, I highly recommend that you use a pastry cutter to combine the dry ingredients with the butter! I used to always use my hands to “cut it in” aka combine the butter and dry ingredients but once I got a pastry cutter, my life became so much easier! It’s quicker and simpler – you want the dry ingredient/butter mixture to resemble pea size crumbs.
This is what the scone dough should look like once it’s completely ready and has incorporated both the wet and dry ingredients:
Another must have kitchen item for this recipe? A super sharp knife! This will help you when you are slicing your scones. If needed, you can also gently add some flour to your knife. Use a super sharp knife to slice your scones and if needed, flour your knife to help make sure you get clean cuts.
Dough can be difficult to work with sometimes, I totally understand that. If you feel like your dough is too sticky, you can always add a little bit more flour and/or flour your hands well! This will make it so much easier.
Chill the scones before you bake them! When you are combining the dough and making the disc to slice your scones, you’re basically warming up the dough (and butter!). Chilling the dough right before you bake them allows the scones to cool off and get ready to become perfectly crisp in the oven.
The scones are done when the edges and tops begin to get golden brown. My oven took about 18-20 minutes. I know it’s hard, but let them cool on the pan for a few minutes before you drizzle the glaze on top. However, I do totally recommend eating these scones when they are warm!
There is just nothing like a freshly baked scone with that vanilla orange glaze fresh out of the oven. Pair it with hot coffee, tea, a good book or a loved one and you’ve got a perfect day ahead of you!
Hope you guys enjoy this recipe! XO – Haylie
Did you enjoy this recipe? Here are a few others you also might like:
Dark Chocolate Donuts with Blood Orange Glaze
Thank you so much for following along here, friends! Want to see more? Be sure to follow ourbalancedbowl on Instagram and tag me with your photo if you end up making a recipe! You can also post a photo of your recipe to the Our Balanced Bowl Facebook page! Like a recipe that you saw? Follow me on Pinterest here! I always love to see your re-creations! If you do make a recipe, it would make my whole day if you were to rate and comment so I can get your feedback! Lots of love! – Haylie
Mandarin Orange Scones
These Mandarin Orange Scones are the perfect treat to whip up for breakfast or brunch! Loaded with fresh mandarin zest and juice, these scones are crispy on the outside, soft on the inside and have the best cozy orange and cinnamon flavor!
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 2 and 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 large egg
- 2 tbsp heavy cream
- 1 and 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (1 stick or 8 tbsp) COLD salted butter, diced into large chunks
- Zest of 2 Mandarin oranges (should be about 1.5 tsp)
- 2 tbsp fresh Mandarin juice
- Raw sugar for sprinkling on scones
Vanilla Orange Glaze
- 1.5 cups of powdered sugar
- Fresh mandarin juice to thin the glaze
- 1 tsp mandarin zest
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
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Whisk dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon) into a bowl as well as the mandarin zest. Cut the cold butter into large chunks and then using a pastry cutter or your hands, cut the butter into the dry mixture, until it is all combined and the butter is in pea size crumbs.
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To another small bowl, add in milk, mandarin juice, egg and vanilla extract. Whisk together to combine and then gently add it to the dry ingredients.
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Pour the dough onto a clean, gently floured surface or counter and roll into a ball the best you can - if it’s too sticky, add a bit more flour! And be sure to flour your hands as well!
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Make the dough into a 8-9 inch disc and with a super sharp knife, you can cut them equally into wedges. I cut mine into 8 wedges. It’s okay if they’re not perfectly even!
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Add the scones to a baking sheet lined with either parchment paper or a silicon mat. Brush the scones with heavy cream and sprinkle with raw sugar. Let chill in the fridge for 10-15 minutes or so.
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While it’s chilling, preheat the oven to 350.
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Bake the scones for 18-20 minutes, or until the edges begin to turn slightly golden brown and the tops as well. Let cool on the pan for 5 minutes and then whip up the glaze!
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Add powdered to a small bowl with the vanilla extract and orange zest. Gently squeeze fresh mandarin juice over top of the mixture and begin whisking until a glaze forms. Use as much or as little mandarin juice until you reach your desired consistency.
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Generously drizzle the glaze over top of the scones. Garnish with a pinch more cinnamon and extra orange zest. Enjoy! Best eaten warm but you can store them in a tightly sealed container at room temperature for 1-2 days.