The office where I work moved to a new location down the street last summer. Consequently, we are now within walking distance of the Starbucks we used to have to drive to in order to get our fix. Over the summer, field trips to the coffee shop became a regular occurrence. There was a group of people walking there after lunch almost on a daily basis.
Some of my coworkers would get iced coffee to combat the warmer weather, others would get lattes or regular black coffee. I usually found myself in front of the pastry window, fingers crossed hoping they still had some petite vanilla bean scones. Glazed in sweet icing and just the right size for a post lunch treat.
There were a couple days in November we managed to brave the ever-declining temperatures to hike to the coffee shop, but as the weather made a turn towards more frigid conditions, our trips to Starbucks became few and far between.
I could certainly drive there, but that would mean going outside, scraping the ice that managed to collect during the morning off my car, driving, parking, leaving the car to go back outside and following the same steps once I got my scone. When I woke up this morning, the temperature was 0. There were no degrees outside. Any chance I have to not be outside, even for a short time, I’m taking.
So I’m getting my scone fix the old fashioned way – by making them myself.
In lieu of the classic vanilla bean flavor, I’ve made these little puppies with a hint of chocolate and smothered them with a light citrus glaze. The scones themselves are light, chewy and not too sweet. The icing is bright and makes them feel a little more like a treat.
The benefits absolutely outweigh the time and effort put into making these treat. I don’t have to leave my house in the dead of winter, the oven does a nice job of heating our living space, and, in the long run, I’m saving a little cash by not purchasing a scone every other day.
The dough comes together quick and easy. Once the ingredients are combined, I roll out the dough onto a floured surface and shape it into a square. I then divide the dough into quarters each way then slice each square on the diagonal to get the mini shape. Once the scones are cooked, I slice a few of them again to make them even smaller so they’re more bite sized.
After the scones have had a chance to cool they get iced in a mixture of powdered sugar and orange juice.
These mini scones are absolutely adorable and a perfect treat for brunch and go perfectly with a cuppa joe or hot tea.
Mini Chocolate Scones with Orange Glaze
For the Scones
(Adapted from King Arthur Flour Scone Nibbles)
- 2 3/4 All-Purpose Flour
- 1/2 Cup Sugar
- 1/3 Cup Cocoa Powder
- 3/4 Tsp Salt
- 1 Tbsp Baking Powder
- 1/2 Cup Cold Butter, cubed
- 2 Eggs
- 1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1/2 cup to 2/3 cup half and half or milk
- 1 Tsp Orange Zest
For the Glaze
- 4 Cups Confectioners Sugar
- Zest from 1 Orange
- 4-6 Tbsp Orange Juice
- 2 Tsp Vanilla
Combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, salt and baking powder in a large mixing bowl. Add the cubed butter and use a fork or pastry cutter to incorporate the butter into the flour mixture.
In a separate bowl, thoroughly whisk the eggs, vanilla, 1/2 cup milk and orange zest. Slowly add the flour mixture to the egg mixture and mix until just combined. If necessary, add more milk until the mixture just comes together.
Roll the dough onto a floured surface and press into the shape of a square about an inch high. Divide the dough into quarters vertically and horizontally. Cut each new square diagonally.
Place the dough into a freezer for 30 minutes. While the dough is in the oven, preheat the oven to 425.
Bake the scones for 16-18 minutes. Remove from the oven and cut each scone in half (this is optional, you can leave them as is for larger scones). Let the scones cool on a wire rack.
While the scones cool, combine the ingredients for the glaze. The icing should be smooth but not too thin. Dip either just the tops or soak the whole scone in the icing and place back on the wire rack to dry (be sure to put a sheet of parchment paper under the wire rack to catch any drippings).
Once the scones have dried they can be stored in an airtight container for 2-3 days. Serve with hot coffee or tea and enjoy!
