Blood Orange Sugared Scones.
First up: Ben as the Bachelor. Just don’t get it. At all. At all!
Umm next: fruit for dessert? If it’s fruit… it is not dessert. Seriously. You will never, ever sell me on this. Ever. Unless it’s drenched in chocolate and stuff. In which case, that’s totally a snack. Not dessert.
And finally: dry, crumbly pastry. I just can’t get behind that ish. So I don’t.
Now… check out this sugar. Blood orange sugar baby.
I’m so enamored by it that I’m about to use it as a body scrub, which totally would not be weird because then it would be a sugar scrub! Too bad I’ll probably eat it all before the exfoliation process begins.
At least I’ll exfoliate my mouth.
Would you believe that this is now my all-time favorite scone recipe, beating out my brown sugar bacon scones and almond joy scones? That sounds all shades of crazy, but it’s true. A pretty bold statement for a previous scone hater. These just taste so refreshing… yet sweet. So fluffy… yet dense. So sweet and citrusy and bright and chewy.
So mouth-puckering delicious that I immediately ate two and burned the heck out of my mouth. I wonder if I’ll ever stop doing that.
And then I obviously had to have a third because I forgot about the topping I made. Can’t share without tasting, duh.
Oh oh oh! And this glaze? Completely au natural. No artificial color here. Straight up blood orange juice. So pretty, right? I know. I’m such a sucker for pink. Wave to the walking cliche.
And speaking of, this would make a pretty nifty Valentine’s Day breakfast, snack or edible gift. That was unintentional but as soon as I saw it’s pink color, I thought… V-day all up in this piece. And since blood oranges are only around for a little while longer… I suggest you make these every single day for the next two months. I’ll help you eat them.
Blood Orange Sugared Scones
makes about 16 scones
3 1/4 cups flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar + 2 tablespoons
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cups cold butter, cut into pieces
1 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 blood oranges, zested
melted butter
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a small bowl, combine 1/3 cup sugar with about 1/2 of the grated orange zest. Rub together with your fingers until combined and fragrant.
In large bowl combine flour, orange sugar, salt, baking soda and powder. Using your fingers, a fork or a pastry blender, cut in butter until it forms coarse crumbs. Stir in buttermilk and vanilla, and add half of the remaining orange zest. Add the juice from 1/2 of one blood orange. Stir with a spoon until a dough forms, using your hands to bring it together. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently.
Divide in half and pat into 7 inch round circles. Combine the remaining sugar and orange zest. Brush each scone with melted butter and sprinkle with orange sugar. Cut into 6 or 8 wedges, or use a biscuit cutter to make rounds.
Bake for 12-14 minutes (wedges) or 9-11 minutes (rounds). Top with blood orange glaze.
Note: if you can’t find blood oranges, any type of orange can be used for these scones!
Blood Orange Glaze
the juice of one blood orange
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup powdered sugar
Stir ingredients together until a smooth glaze forms. Depending on how juicy your orange is, you made need more juice or more sugar. If glaze seems too thin, add in sugar 1 tablespoon at a time. If it seems too thick, add more juice 1/2 teaspoon at a time. Pour over hot scones.
My soul is stuck up there in that scone.
138 Comments on “Blood Orange Sugared Scones.”
Oh what a wonderful scone. I am not sure if I ever had a blood orange, but I will look at it at the grocery store tonight! I never used to be a huge scone person, but lately I can’t get enough! By the way I love your photo’s, there so beautiful!
Delicious looking and so different! Our grocery stores don’t carry blood oranges, would subbing with a regular orange work? Maybe a tangerine or something with a stronger flavor than a regular navel??
Oh yes, definitely! I wanted to include that in the notes – thanks for reminding me.
Yeah I don’t get the whole ben thing either – um, he’s not cute ladies.
These are the prettiest darn scones in the world!
I love you, and I love scones.
Oh gee…I need this now. Seriously!
You forgot about Jessica and Nick.
Whoa! I felt your gasp just now!
(p.s. will you stick that scone in my mouth and drizzle that glaze all over my face? Hair included?)
YESSSS. I nearly did a happy dance when I finally found some good blood oranges at the grocery store yesterday. And I love scones (obviously). Perfect marriage? Yes.
Gotta admit, you’ve got me intrigued!
Love that you made classic, English scones! Those are my fave. Great idea using citrus!
see, i’m sold on the fruit as dessert thing – or at least scones as dessert!
I was totally thinking body scrub when I saw that sugar. These are mouthwatering!
I totally agree about Ben! He seems sweet, but I don’t think he would be the Bachelor if he wasn’t dumped after he proposed-ouch! This scone looks incredible…I love the pink glaze made with the blood orange juice!
That scone sounds amazing!!!!!!!!!!! So pretty, too!
I didn’t even know what blood oranges were until one of my roommates introduced me to them in university, and OMG are they ever good! I adore your pink icing too… well, anything pink for that matter!
I am so in love with that beautiful pink glaze, cliches be damned!!
Gorgeous photos in this post and I love that glaze!
I don’t get Ben as the bachelor at all either. He is not remotely cute in any way (in my opinion) so i don’t understand the obession over him.
Oh and for some super exciting news….I carmelized last night! I took your advice and used grapeseed oil (which was all I had and specifically said on the bottle that it was suitable for high heat) and I sauteed fish on the stove top without burning anything or making my house fill with smoke. You’re a genuis, Jessica. :)
And these scones….I die.
OMG yay! And I love grapeseed oil – I use it all the time for roasting. It’s actually my current favorite oil!
Beautiful! Hoping there are blood oranges at the store today so I can make these. Oh, wait. I am on a no sugar thing. But it is fruit…
I just picked up some blood oranges at the supermarket yesterday – what perfect timing you have!
Oh.My.These look good… wishing we were neighbors right about now.
I agree– Ben is such a tool. Yet I will still watch. Every week.
These look delicious! And beautiful, as always :)
I never used to be a big fan of scones, but that’s changing. AND, I’ve never had a blood orange. I think I may need to make a grocery store run today.
You are so creative! Love scones and will definitely be trying these out!
So pretty!
I love the color combination from the glaze – I might have to try these Saturday morning! Are the blood oranges super expensive?
Hmmm I don’t know… I’m really bad with prices. They were in the organic section at my Giant Eagle and were $.89 a piece.
that glaze is beautiful. period.
That glaze is a gorgeous color! I think it would be perfect for a Valentine’s breakfast!
I thought I was excited when Chobani came out with blood orange Greek yogurt, but scones wow these really tickle my fancy!!
I totally need to hop on the scone bandwagon. I guess I just have a fear of them turning out as dry as the desert?
First of all, yes. Ben. Such a dork. And like, can we say little boy body? I don’t get what they were all hooting and hollering about when he took his shirt off to reveal that little bird chest of his.. but whatever, I’m going off on a tangent.
And secondly I have NEVER had blood oranges. Partially bc I don’t think my rinky dink Giant carries them, secondly because the opening of Dexter has ruined them for me.
We JUST started watching Dexter a few weeks ago! We’re hooked.
best. show. ever.
Oh wow I LOVE these! And uh yes I must agree, not a fan of Ben as the Bachelor and he certainly has some crazies to get through. Least drama is entertaining!
I love blood orange flavor, those look delicious! Haha and I kind of like Ben as the Bachelor. No, he’s not as gorgeous as some of the other guys, but sometimes I think it’s nice to have a more regular guy on there!
Well, these just look divine! I’ve got to get my hands on some blood oranges.
Gorgeous! Citrus in scones is seriously a heavenly combination. Love these!
drool…
I will need to make these several times, I’m sure….because eating something pink and it tasting like an orange makes about as much sense as Ben being the Bachelor. I totally get you.
The photo of that orange rocks. WOW! I want one right now. Ok, I am also going to have to make some of those yummy looking scones. I love the pink glaze. It’s so girly! These would be perfect to serve up at a baby shower!
That’s a keeper recipe! I’ve never made scone, looking forward to it. Perhaps I’ll healthified a little by mixing unbleached flour with whole wheat? Or would it be a sacrilège? :)
these are beautiful! makes me want to run to the store right now :)
I know, I don’t understand the whole Ben thing either. YES, I would love the Sonoma thing but that is IT. Sorry, he seems nice and all but um-not a total cutie. I guess it’s all an opinion though….
This scones on the other hand- I UNDERSTAND and want one, NEED ONE in my mouth!
Please tell me you don’t get Ben as the Bachelor because he is so sexy that you can’t imagine he isn’t married yet?????
Hahahaha ummm… no.
These look delicious! I love the color of blood oranges, so pretty!
These look fab. Everything about blood oranges makes me happy (Dexter, anyone?). I made a glazed blood orange loaf cake last year and the glaze was so similar – no one could believe it was natural from the oranges! Gorg!
http://www.theavidappetite.com/home/2011/3/15/glazed-blood-orange-loaf-cake.html
Ok so fruit “dessert”? It’s totally just breakfast that is acceptable to eat with ice cream. I love a good cobbler at 7 am.
Also I made orange scones once… Only I added chocolate chunks. It was heavenly. I am totally going to make those or these or a combination of both today.
I do NOT like Ben as the Bachelor either.. SO awkward.
I’ve never had a blood orange bc I’m usually not a fan of citrus, but these look so pretty I sort of want to try them! Are they sweeter than regular oranges?
Yes! They are said to have almost a “raspberry” flavor to them. SO good!
i love blood oranges! and these scones are delightfully pink. perfect for a sunday breakfast i think.
“V-day all up in this piece.” LOL!!!!!!! I love you and these look phenomenal.
Yum! I heart anything blood orange. I’m lucky enough to have a friend with a blood orange tree! For those of you having difficulties finding them, perhaps try Trader Joe’s? They usually carries bags of blood oranges this time of the year. And local grocery stores sometimes carry them in the specialty fruits section.
Ben as the Bachelor is just baffling. I don’t find him attractive at all and can’t see how any of the women on the show do either. I’m giving them the benefit of the doubt and assuming he looks better in person (not likely). I mean his frizzy hair looks beyond awful in HD, so it’s probably even worse in person.
I can’t stand the ladies this season either. The only ones I like are Emily, Lindzi and Kacie. Courtney annoys me so badly that I actually considered turning the show off. Ben thinks she’s absolutely gorgeous, but there are other girls on the show that blow her out of the water in the looks department.
What happened to Ames as the Bachelor!? He totally dumped Jackie Gordon so that ABC would choose him. He may be a bit awkward and have bad fashion sense, but that’s what producers and stylists are for.
Ok I’m done ranting. The Bachelor just gets me all fired up. LOL!