Orange Pecan Scones are made with buttermilk, currants and a hint of orange zest ensuring they are buttery, flaky and delicious. Serve with clotted cream or your favourite preserve!
Orange Pecan Scones
Scones always taste best when fresh, don’t they?! These Orange Pecan Scones are made with butter, currants, orange zest and juice and are so good with an afternoon tea, brunch or served with your favourite cup of coffee!
Sweetness comes from the currants with a pop of flavour from the orange zest. They are finished with chopped pecans adding a little texture to every bite!
A Basic Recipe
This is a basic formula and recipe featuring six simple ingredients. The currants, orange juice and zest are added in to amp up the flavour profile but taste equally scrumptious without these added in. You can shape the dough into a pie shape and cut into wedges, or use a round cookie cutter and create a more traditional shape of circles.
Using two separate bowls, mix together dry ingredients in one and in the second wet ingredients. The two bowls are combined and the dough formed into wedges or round scones. Brush with a liquid like milk, buttermilk, egg yolk or a combination and sprinkle on some chopped nuts or course sugar. Bake about 15-20 minutes until golden and serve.
If there are scones in your immediate future, here are a few tips and tricks to get you started.
Tips and Tricks
- Swap currants for raisins, chopped dried apricots or cranberries.
- Don’t overwork the dough. Think of the muffin method and stir as little as possible.
- Use whatever chopped nuts or seeds (pumpkin, sunflower) you have on hand.
- It never hurts to add in a tablespoon or two of chocolate chips.
- Replace the orange juice with extra buttermilk, cream or coconut milk.
What are Scones anyways?
These British afternoon tea staples are an afternoon delight when served with jam, your favourite curd or clotted cream.
More often then not when you attend an afternoon tea at a restaurant, scones will be served as part of the offering. Scones are not a biscuit, yet traditionally made with flour, butter, sugar and milk.
Not just for breakfast
Scones might be the perfect quick breakfast, brunch accompaniment or afternoon tea star, however have you tried them cut open and filled with roast ham or turkey breast and cheese?! Served with a green salad, they make a lovely light dinner!
Breakfasts are big around here and we’ve got a few ideas for you to try the next time you want a tasty brunch. Dive into this Roasted Garlic and Sausage Casserole, go sweet or savoury when you make these Simple Crepes. Take a walk on the sweet side with this French Toast Casserole or wrap and roll your leftover ham into these Ham and Cheese Breakfast Strudels.
If you made this recipe tag Wanda Baker on Instagram and hashtag it #bakersbeans or #wandabaker
Ingredients
- 1 medium orange zested and juiced
- 1/2 cup dried currants stems removed
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 5 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup cold butter
- 1 1/4 cup buttermilk
Scone Topping
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tbsp milk
- 1/3 cup pecan pieces toasted
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 F.
- Zest your orange and set zest aside. After scanning your currents for stems, plump them in a bowl in the orange juice.
- Mix together your dry ingredients. Cut the butter into small pieces and cut it into the dry mixture using a pastry blender. Do this until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add in your currant/orange juice. Add your orange zest to the buttermilk, give it a quick stir. Add to dry ingredients and mix until moistened. Do not over mix. If you find batter slightly dry add another tbsp of buttermilk.
- Put your dough on a lightly floured counter and form into a round, 1 inch high. Cut like a pizza into approximately 8 wedges. Place on parchment lined baking sheet ensuring they are about 1 inch apart. Stack another cookie sheet underneath to keep bottoms of scones from browning too quickly.
- Whisk together egg & milk and brush onto the tops of the scones. Sprinkle with toasted pecans. Bake until lightly browned on top, 15-20 minutes.
- Serve warm with butter or jam. Makes 8 scones.
Jenn Kerr says
I never knew about using a second cookie second cookie sheet to prevent browning.What a great idea! I’m going to try this with Speke flour and date sugar- since Ethan and I can’t do wheat or cane sugar. I’ll keep you posted on the results. Thanks Wanda!
bakersbeans says
Thanks Jenn! Please let me know how it goes with the Speke Flour and Date Sugar as I love to repost the recipe with those ingredients for those readers that can not do wheat/cane sugar 🙂
imsen says
it looks so yummy 🙂
Jacqueline Meldrum says
What a fabulous flavour combo. I do love a fresh scone.
Katherine says
I love the flavor of the orange scones, and the pecan topping looks great!
Sandra says
They look delicious! Love the orange and pecan combination so good!! Thanks.
Beth says
MmmMMMM. Those look good. I love scones, especially ones like these. They make a great breakfast with my coffee.