Orange Scones (Panera Copycat)

Light, tender, moist and flaky Orange Scones are better than Panera! Cream scones made with fresh orange juice and zest, bursting with bright citrus flavor while not overwhelming the scone. Glazed with fresh orange vanilla butter icing, bound to bring a smile to anyone!

Our youngest has had a long-standing obsession with orange scones from Panera and I thought it was high time I made a copycat version we can enjoy at home.

We think you might love these other scone recipes too: Glazed Berry Scones and Cinnamon Crunch Scones, be sure to read to the end for a lot more great scone recipes.

My favorite Scone Recipe

Have you ever just bit into something and knew immediately you were 100% in love?

This Panera Orange Scone recipe is so easy, made with fresh orange juice, orange zest, the citrus is literally bursting forth! You will fall in love too!

What’s to love about this recipe?

We love cream scones and this orange scone recipe is a delicious cross between a muffin, a biscuit and quick bread.

Scones are in a league all their own, less sweet than a muffin, more biscuit than quick bread! Be sure to browse to the bottom for many more fabulous scone recipes!

Ingredients

The full ingredient list is in the recipe card at the bottom of the post, but these are made with pretty basic pantry ingredients.

• ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR | I used organic all-purpose flour, or use Gluten Free All-purpose flour along with a small amount of oat flour.
• SUGAR | Not a lot, just enough to sweeten it up a bit, I use all natural cane sugar.
• BUTTER | If you have been with me any amount of time, you know that I believe in real, cream butter — if it’s soft coming out of the fridge, it’s not real butter, but a blend. For scones, splurge, you don’t make them every day!
• HEAVY CREAM | Use the real stuff, this is in part what allows the scone to to rise, fluffy and tender.
• EGG | I use large eggs in all my baking, the egg works together with the butter and the cream to make all the magic happen.
• VANILLA BEAN PASTE | Adds beautiful flecks of vanilla bean, aromatic and subtle, enhancing other flavors. You may substitute vanilla extract.
• ZEST & JUICE | This is the essence of the orange scone, fresh zested and a splash of juice.

ZESTING ADVICE | Ever grated a knuckle while trying to zest citrus? I have the tool for you! This Microplane zester is one of my most used and favorite kitchen tools! And makes short work to a lot of zest!

How to Make Moist Scones

I like a biscotti or even these Greek cookies; delicious when dipped into a cup of rich coffee or tea. But these Panera Orange Scones are amazingly moist with the freshest ingredients.

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large mixing bowl, whisk flour, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt together.
2. Toss frozen, grated butter into flour mixture and using a pastry cutter or your hands quickly mix until it resembles coarse crumbs.

3. In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the heavy cream, vanilla bean paste, egg, orange zest and a splash of orange juice.

4. Make a small well in the center of the dry ingredients and then pour in egg mixture.
5. Gently mix with a fork until the dough just comes together, forming a shaggy dough.

6. Turn out dough onto a parchment lined cookie sheet, using the parchment paper to shape and bring the dough together into a disc, about 1/2 – 3/4 inch thick.
   
   If the dough is really dry, add a little splash of orange juice or heavy cream (just a few dribbles and work it in quickly). See TIPS below.

6. Using a bench scraper or large knife cut the disc in half, then quarters, then again cutting the quarters in half; making 8 large scones (see below for mini scones).
7. Separate scones barely away from the other. Keep them closer to one another will yield a more even raised scone. Further apart they will appear more rustic, which was what I was going for in these orange scones.

9. Freeze or refrigerate scones to firm the butter back up for about 10 minutes, now is a great time to preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
10. Bake scones until lightly golden brown on the bottom, about 13-15 minutes, 13 will be softer, 15 more firm. Remove to a rack to cool completely.

How to Make Orange Butter Vanilla Glaze

The orange glaze is optional (but amazing), gather the following ingredients:

1. In a wide bowl mix together the powdered sugar, orange zest, melted butter, vanilla bean paste and the orange juice; whisk until smooth.

2. Once scones are cool, one at a time, carefully pick up and dip scone top into the orange glaze to coat, then return to the rack to set the glaze.

Storing Scones

Store scones on counter in airtight container up to 5 days, or pretend you are a bakery and wrap individually and place in a pretty covered cake stand. Scones may also be frozen 3-4 months wrapped well.

Frequently Asked Questions

High Altitude Orange Scone Recipe

For Panera orange scones, I simply decreased my baking powder to 1 1/2 teaspoons, you might need a bit more flour or a bit more liquid depending on the type of flour you use, but remember they should just barely hold together.

How to make Petite Scones

• When forming the dough discs, split the dough into two even portions on their own parchment sheets.
• Proceed with shaping into a smaller disc and cutting the same way, yielding 8 smaller petite scones per disc.
• Baking time and temp will be the same, but check them on the earlier side at about 12 minutes.

More great scone and baked goods recipes:

• Copycat Starbucks Date Scones |sticky and amazing
• Eggnog Scones with White Chocolate Glaze | a holiday treat
• Maple Pumpkin Scones|all the Fall feels!
• Fresh Strawberry Buttermilk Scones | perfect for Easter, Mother’s day or tea!
• Blueberry Streusel Muffin Cake | it’s the (blueberry) bomb!
• Cinnamon Swirl Coffee Cake |one of a few made with a boxed cake mix goodies
• Lemon Rosemary Scones | Hello bright flavors!
• Blackberry Scones | a serious spring or summer obsession!
• Savory Ricotta Scones | be still my Italian beating heart!
• Chocolate Chip Scones | from a scone lover like me!
• Gluten Free Coffee Cake | not just for gluten free folks! Amazing!
• Banana Streusel Oat Muffins
• Healthier Snickerdoodle Zucchini Bread

When to make this recipe?

Try making these Better than Panera orange scones for Easter, Mother’s day, a luncheon, tea party or anytime a bright, flavorful, low-sugar scone craving hits!

If you tried this orange scone recipe, please take a minute and post a comment and 5 star rating in the recipe below.

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Don’t forget to give it a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️star rating in the recipe below!

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Yield: 8 regular scones, 16 mini scones

The Best Orange Scones (Panera Copycat)

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Chill Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Light, tender, moist and flaky Orange Cream Scones are better than Panera! Made with fresh orange juice and zest, these scones are bursting with bright orange flavor while not overwhelming the scone. Glazed with fresh orange vanilla butter icing, bound to bring a smile to anyone!

Print

Ingredients

Orange Scones

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour | I use organic unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup all natural cane sugar | regular sugar may be substituted
• 2 teaspoons baking powder | reduce to 1 1/2 teaspoons for high altitude
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 4 tablespoons cold, salted butter | grate the butter and place in freezer or cut into small cubes, keep in fridge until ready to use)
• 1/2 cup heavy cream | might need an extra splash
• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste | may replace with regular vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• Orange zest, grated from one orange | I used large naval oranges
• 1-2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

Orange Vanilla Butter Glaze

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
• 1 tablespoon melted butter
• Zest of 1 orange
• Juice from 1/2 large orange

Instructions

For Orange Scones

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt together.
2. Toss frozen, grated butter into flour mixture and using a pastry cutter or your hands quickly mix until it resembles coarse crumbs.
3. In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the heavy cream, vanilla bean paste, egg, orange zest and a splash of orange juice. Make a small well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the egg mixture. Gently mix together with a fork until the dough just comes together, forming a shaggy dough.
4. Turn out the dough onto a parchment lined cookie sheet, using the parchment to quickly form the dough into disc, about 1/2 - 3/4 inch thick. If the dough is really dry, add a little splash of orange juice or heavy
5. Using a bench scraper or large knife cut the disc in half, then quarters, then again cutting the quarters in half; making 8 large scones (see below for mini scones).
6. Separate scones barely away from the other, closer to one another will yield a more even raised scone, further apart they will appear more rustic. Freeze or refrigerate scones to firm the butter back up for about 10 minutes, now is a great time to preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
7. Bake scones until lightly golden brown on the bottom, about 13-15 minutes, 13 will be softer, 15 more firm. Remove to a rack to cool completely.

Glaze

1. In a wide bowl mix together the powdered sugar, orange zest, melted butter, vanilla bean paste and the orange juice; whisk until smooth. Once scones are cool, one at a time, carefully pick up and dip scone top into the orange glaze to coat, then return to the rack to set the glaze.

Store scones on counter in airtight container up to 5 days, or wrap individually and place in a pretty covered cake stand. Scones may also be frozen 3-4 months wrapped well.

Notes

Can I freeze scones?

Scones are fabulous make ahead treats! You can make the scones up to the point of baking, wrap well and freeze up to 4 months. Bake as directed, possibly adding a little time at the end. You may also freeze already baked scones, the same way, wrapped well in an airtight container up to 4 months. I recommend that you freeze
un-glazed, but if that is your only choice, they will be fine.

For Smaller Scones

When forming the dough discs, split the dough into two even portions on their own parchment sheets.

Proceed with shaping into a smaller disc and cutting the same way, yielding 8 smaller petite scones per disc.

Baking time and temp will be the same, but check them on the earlier side at about 12 minutes.

Glazing Tips

Liquid | When adding fresh squeezed orange juice, whisk in a few tablespoons at a time until the consistency is thick, yet pourable.

Wire Rack | This makes clean up and setting so much simpler. Using your same baking pan, and parchment, set a wire rack over the top then use it to place scones on to set the glaze.

Glaze falls off | If the glaze falls off or soaks in, it's one of two things. Your scones are not cooled and/or you thinned out the glaze too much. Simply add a bit more powdered sugar a tablespoon at a time until the glaze is the right consistency.

Leftover glaze | Using a spoon or spatula, add a little extra drizzle to each scone!

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  Dough Bench Scraper/Cutter/Chopper Stainless Steel 
• 
  Pyrex Glass Measuring Cup Set
• 
  Anchor Hocking 2 Quart Glass Batter Bowl With Lid 
• 
  Unbleached Parchment Paper, Set of 100, 
• 
  Microplane Premium Classic Series Zester Grater
• 
  USA Pan Half Sheet Baking Pan and Bakeable Nonstick Cooling Rack

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 344Total Fat: 14gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 59mgSodium: 277mgCarbohydrates: 52gFiber: 2gSugar: 28gProtein: 5g

Nutritional information is estimated and based on a glazed, full sized scone and may not be entirely accurate, at times it pulls information for suggestions and options which may increase calories, etc. Nutritional information will change based on used ingredients, quantities used, etc.

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