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    Kelly Neil » Recipes » Fall

    Date And Orange Scones

    Published: Nov 20, 2020 · Modified: Mar 16, 2022 by Kelly Neil · 2 Comments

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    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Date and orange scones are flecked with bits of chopped dark chocolate. They make a gorgeous winter breakfast treat, snack, or dessert!
    Prep Time: 15 mins
    Cook Time: 22 mins
    Chilling Time: 30 mins
    Total Time: 1 hr 7 mins
    Date and orange scones piled ina. box lined with parchment paper with a small dish of butter and a tiny pearl-handled knife.

    Medjool dates are one of my favourite snacks ever! Naturally sticky and sweet, with a caramel-like flavour, they taste amazing (and let’s get real, they’re great for your insides too if catch my drift).

    These date and orange scones are made with butter and heavy cream which yields a light, tender cakey crumb. Before baking, I like to finish my date scones with a brushing of heavy cream, and a sprinkle of coarse sugar which adds a touch of sparkle. With golden, crumbly edges, the scones are loaded with pieces of Medjool dates, chopped bits of dark chocolate, and a citrusy-floral note of orange zest. A festive winter treat, serve date and orange scones plain, warm topped with butter, or with a drizzle of honey!

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • Step-By-Step Instructions
    • Notes & Tips
    • Substitutions
    • 🖨 Recipe
    Eight date and orange scones on a cooling rack.

    Ingredients

    Ingredients to make date and orange scones.

    Step-By-Step Instructions

    Place the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and orange zest in a large bowl and whisk to combine.

    A bowl of flour with sugar, orange zest, baking powder, and salt.

    Add the butter to the flour and cut it in with a pastry blender or a fork until the mixture is coarse and sandy. Smoosh any larger remaining pieces of butter with your fingertips. Place the flour-butter mixture in the freezer for the butter to harden.

    A hand using a pastry blender to cut butter into flour.
    A pastry blender resting inside a glass bowl of flour and butter mixed together.

    Preheat the oven and line a standard half-sheet baking sheet with parchment paper.

    Remove the flour from the freezer and stir in the chopped dates and chocolate.

    Chopped dates and chocolate inside a bowl of flour.
    A hand mixing chopped dates and chocolate into a bowl of flour.

    Make a well in the middle of the flour. Add the heavy cream and egg and whisk them together with a fork. Once the cream and egg are well mixed, switch to a wooden spoon or hard-edged rubber spatula and fold the mixture together until all of the dry bits of flour are incorporated. It may seem like all of the flour won’t mix in, but don’t worry, it will.

    A hand whisking egg and cream together in a well in the middle of dry dough ingredients.
    A hand mixing dry and wet dough ingredients with a wooden spoon.

    Lightly flour a work surface. Dump the dough out onto the work surface and sprinkle the top of it with a bit more flour.

    A ball of dough sprinkled with flour on a lightly floured work surface.

    Working quickly, press the date scones dough into round circle. Sprinkle a bit more flour on the dough if your fingers are sticking. Pressing a bench scraper along the edges of the dough will help shape it into a perfect circle.

    Hands pressing dough into a circle with fingertips.
    Hands forming dough into a circle with a bench scraper.

    Using a long sharp knife, slice the circle into eight wedges. You may need to flour the blade of your knife if you find it a bit sticky.

    Slide an offset spatula or a butter knife under each of the date scones and transfer them to the prepared parchment-lined baking sheet.

    Hands lifting a scone from a work surface with a small offset spatula.

    Brush the top of the date scones with heavy cream and sprinkle with coarse sugar if using.

    A hand brushing cream on unbaked scones.
    A hand sprinkling coarse sugar over unbaked scones on a baking sheet.

    Place the date and orange scones in the preheated oven and bake until the bottoms and edges are golden. Cool the scones on a wire rack before serving.

    Eight baked date and orange scones on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

    Notes & Tips

    For best results, use a scale (if you have one) to weigh ingredients.

    You can cut the date and orange scones into circles if you want, however, the baking time may change. I like wedges because there’s no re-rolling needed which can lead to tough scones.

    Take your date and orange scones to the next level with a simple orange glaze. Sift ½ cup (60 g) of powdered sugar into a bowl. Add fresh orange juice by the ½ teaspoon, stirring well between each addition, until the glaze is thick but pourable like honey. Spoon or drizzle the glaze over the cooled date scones.

    To freeze unbaked date scones, simply follow the recipe and cut the scones into wedges. Wrap each scone gently but tightly in foil. Store the date scones in a large zip top bag in the freezer for up to 2 months. To bake, pull from the freezer and proceed with the recipe as written. Frozen date scones will need a bit more time in the oven, so watch for pale tops and golden bottoms.

    To freeze baked date and orange scones follow the same method as listed above. Wrap each scone gently but tightly in foil and store them in a large zip top bag in the freezer for up to 1 month. To thaw, pull a scone from the freezer and let it sit, still wrapped, at room temperature for 30 minutes. Alternatively, unwrap a frozen scone and defrost in the microwave or in the oven at 350ºF (180ºC) until heated through.

    Closeup of date and orange scones on a cooling rack.

    Substitutions

    You can substitute spelt or whole wheat flour for all-purpose in the date scones if you want. If doing so, increase the amount of cream in the dough by a tablespoon or so to prevent dryness.

    Substitute the orange in date and orange scones for any other citrus zest you like.

    If you don’t love dark chocolate, milk or white chocolate are good substitutes.

    Use dried cranberries, currants, or raisins if you don’t have dates.

    Two date and orange scones in a wooden box lined with parchment paper with a small dish of butter and a pearl-handled butter spreader.

    More Seasonal Baked Treats

    Small-Batch Cinnamon Rolls Rich and unapologetically laden with brown sugar and butter, small batch cinnamon rolls are what cool weather dreams are made of!

    Stamped Brown Sugar Shortbread Buttery and rich with a crisp, sandy, melt-in-your-mouth texture. Great for gifting!

    Sour Cherry Chocolate Chunk Biscotti A classic, twice-baked cookie flavoured with cardamom for a special holiday treat. Get the coffee on!

    🖨 Recipe

    Date and orange scones piled ina. box lined with parchment paper with a small dish of butter and a tiny pearl-handled knife.

    Date And Orange Scones With Dark Chocolate

    Author: Kelly Neil
    Date and orange scones are flecked with bits of chopped dark chocolate. They make a gorgeous winter breakfast treat, snack, or dessert!
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Recipe Saved!
    Prep Time 15 mins
    Cook Time 22 mins
    Chilling Time: 30 mins
    Total Time 1 hr 7 mins
    Course Muffins & Scones
    Cuisine British / Canadian
    Servings 8 servings
    Calories 422 kcal

    Equipment

    • Measuring cups and spoons or digital kitchen scale
    • Large mixing bowl
    • Whisk
    • Pastry blender or fork
    • Baking sheet
    • Parchment paper
    • Rubber spatula or wooden spoon
    • Bench scraper optional
    • Long sharp knife
    • Offset spatula or butter knife
    • Pastry brush
    • Wire cooling rack

    Ingredients
     

    • 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for shaping the scones
    • ½ cup sugar
    • 1 tablespoon baking powder
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • zest of one orange
    • ⅓ cup butter, room temperature
    • 1 cup dates, about 10 to 12 dates, pits removed, chopped
    • ¼ cup dark chocolate, chopped
    • ¾ cup 35% whipping cream, plus extra for brushing the scones
    • 1 large egg
    • coarse sugar for garnish, optional

    Instructions
     

    • Place the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and orange zest in a large bowl and whisk to combine.
    • Add the butter to the flour and cut it in with a pastry blender or a fork until the mixture is coarse and sandy. Smoosh any larger remaining pieces of butter with your fingertips. Place the flour-butter mixture in the freezer for 30 minutes.
    • Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
    • Remove the flour from the freezer. Stir in the chopped dates and chocolate. Make a well in the middle of the flour. Add the heavy cream and egg and whisk them together with a fork. Once the cream and egg are well mixed, switch to a wooden spoon or hard-edged rubber spatula and fold the mixture together until the flour is just mixed in. It may seem like all of the flour won’t mix in, but don’t worry, it will.
    • Lightly flour a work surface. Dump the dough out onto the work surface and sprinkle the top of it with a bit more flour. Working quickly, press the dough out to an 8-inch (20-cm) round circle, about ¾-inch (2-cm) thick. Sprinkle more flour on the dough if your fingers are sticking. Pressing a bench scraper along the edges of the dough will help shape it into a perfect circle. Using a long sharp knife, slice the circle into eight wedges. You may need to flour the blade of your knife if you find it a bit sticky. Slide an offset spatula or a butter knife under each scone and transfer them to the prepared baking sheet.
    • Brush the top of each scone with whipping cream and sprinkle with coarse sugar if using. Place the scones in the preheated oven and bake them for 22 to 24 minutes, or until the bottoms and edges are golden. Cool the scones on a wire rack for 10 minutes before serving. 

    Notes

    For best results, use a scale (if you have one) to weigh ingredients.
    You can cut the scones into circles if you want, however, the baking time may change. I like wedges because there’s no re-rolling needed which can lead to tough scones.
    Take your date and orange scones to the next level with a simple orange glaze. Sift ½ cup (60 g) of powdered sugar into a bowl. Add fresh orange juice by the ½ teaspoon, stirring well between each addition, until the glaze is thick but pourable like honey. Spoon or drizzle the glaze over the cooled scones.
    To freeze unbaked scones, simply follow the recipe and cut the scones into wedges. Wrap each scone gently but tightly in foil. Store the scones in a large zip top bag in the freezer for up to 2 months. To bake, pull from the freezer and proceed with the recipe as written. Frozen scones will need a bit more time in the oven, so watch for pale tops and golden bottoms.
    To freeze baked scones follow the same method as listed above. Wrap each scone gently but tightly in foil and store them in a large zip top bag in the freezer for up to 1 month. To thaw, pull a scone from the freezer and let it sit, still wrapped, at room temperature for 30 minutes. Alternatively, unwrap a frozen scone and defrost in the microwave or in the oven at 350ºF (180ºC) until heated through.

    SUBSTITUTIONS

    You can substitute spelt or whole wheat flour for all-purpose if you want. If doing so, increase the amount of cream in the dough by a tablespoon or so to prevent dryness.
    Substitute the orange for any other citrus zest you like.
    If you don’t love dark chocolate, milk or white chocolate are good substitutes.
    Use dried cranberries, currants, or raisins if you don’t have dates.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 113gCalories: 422kcalCarbohydrates: 57gProtein: 6gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 12gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 72mgSodium: 532mgPotassium: 238mgFiber: 3gSugar: 28gVitamin A: 634IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 127mgIron: 3mg
    Did you make this recipe?Let me know on Instagram @kellyneildotcom or tag #kellyneil!

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    Hi there! 👋🏻 I'm Kelly, the photographer, and voice behind kellyneil.com. This is where you'll find my favorite baking recipes and easy meals I make for my family.
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