Merry Christmas Eve!
If you’re anything like me, you’ve been baking your little heart out over the past couple of weeks, and have the powdered sugar and flour-covered clothes to prove it. Why I continue to wear black when I bake is a complete mystery to me. Will I never learn?!
Anyway, if you can find it in your heart to fit in one final baking project before the big day, I’ve got just the recipe for you. Mini Vanilla Bean Scones. You know, the 2-bite delights enveloped in a sweet, vanilla bean-speckled icing, like they serve at Starbucks? The ones that are so yummy that 3 just never really cut it? One and the same!
These cutie pies are moist and cakey, rather than dry and crumbly, and are perfectly poppable. They’re also laced with real vanilla beans – a total treat – and just as easy to make as a batch of cookies. These would be perfect to have around on Christmas morning to nibble on with a cup of coffee, tea, or, nog!
Bonus: they actually taste better the second day, which completely breaks every scone law in existence, which means you can bake ’em up TONIGHT!
Start by combining 2 cups flour, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 Tablespoon baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large food processor or bowl. Pulse or whisk to combine.
Next add 1/2 cup cold and cubed butter. Pulse until the mixture is the texture of cornmeal, or use a pastry cutter or fingers to blend.
Next break out da staaaaah. Vanilla Beans! I am working on a project with Frontier Co-op, and they recently sent me a vial of beans to try out. I was psyched!
I’ve never worked with real vanilla beans before, but it’s always been a culinary dream of mine to. Is that weird?
Anyway, I’ve watched enough Food Network in my day to know exactly what to do with ’em. Split the bean down the center with a sharp knife, then use the tip to scrape out the wee seeds inside. It was not hard at all!
Scrape 2 vanilla beans then place the seeds into a bowl with 1 egg.
Next add 1/2 cup half & half then whisk everything together.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, then pulse or stir until the dough comes together in a ball.
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface then roll into a large rectangle, about 1/2″ thick. Trim the sides, then cut the rectangle into 6 rectangles, and then each rectangle in half to make “petite” sized scones. Cut each triangle in half again to make “mini” sized scones. (I did half and half.)
Place the scones onto a silpat or parchment paper-lined baking sheet then bake at 425 minutes for 8-9 minutes for the petite-sized scones, or 6-7 minutes for mini scones.
The kitchen smelled SO Heavenly when I pulled these out!
While the scones cool, whip the vanilla bean-spiked icing together. Simply whisk together the seeds from 1 vanilla bean, with 3 cups powdered sugar, and 6 Tablespoons half & half.
Mmmmm…
Dunk the cooled scones into the icing on both sides so they’re totally covered, then scrape the bottoms on the side of the bowl and place them on a cooling rack over waxed paper to harden.
I dunked the mini ones a couple of times, which I think contributed to their moistness even a day later!
Once the icing has hardened, serve ’em on up!
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Mini Vanilla Bean Scones
Description
Mini Vanilla Bean Scones tastes just like Starbucks Petite Vanilla Bean Scones. Sweet, cakey - perfect!
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup cold butter, cubed
- 1/2 cup half & half
- 1 egg
- 2 vanilla beans, scraped
- For the Vanilla Bean Glaze:
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 6 Tablespoons half & half
- 1 vanilla bean, scraped
Directions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees then line a baking sheet with a silpat or parchment paper and set aside.
- In the bowl of a large food processor (or in a large bowl) add flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt, then pulse or whisk to combine. Add cold butter and pulse until well incorporated and mixture is the texture of cornmeal. Alternatively, use your fingertips or a pastry butter to blend butter in.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together half & half, egg, and vanilla bean seeds. Add to flour mixture and pulse until just combined. Alternatively, stir until the dough comes together in a ball. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface then gently knead 4 or 5 times to bring the dough together. Roll dough into a rectangle about 1/2" thick then trim sides to make a rectangle.
- To make petite-sized scones: Cut rectangle into 6 rectangles, then cut each one in half diagonally. Transfer to prepared baking sheet then bake for 8-9 minutes, or until edges are just starting to turn golden brown.
- To make mini-sized scones: Cut rectangle into 6 rectangles, then cut each one in half diagonally. Cut each triangle in half to make 2 triangles. Transfer to prepared baking sheet then bake for 6-7 minutes, or until edges are just starting to turn golden brown.
- Remove scones to a cooling rack to cool completely. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together glaze ingredients. Dip cooled scones in glaze then place back onto cooling rack to harden completely.
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
These little scone cakes are the best! I literally had to hide them from Ben to keep his paws off the batch. They have just the right amount of sweetness, and that vanilla bean flavor cannot be beat.
The icing barrier keeps the already cakey-like scones even more moist, and mmmm, I could just eat a zillion of ’em. I hope you and your family enjoy them as much as we did!
Merry Christmas and happy holidays, everyone! You are all such a blessing to me!
Stephanie Boyles 06.20.2023
This is the recipe for the scones, but instead of vanilla beans I used currents and instead of icing, just before baking I used a beaten egg wash on top. Best cream scones ever!
Love and blessings, Stephanie Boyles
Kristin 06.21.2023
I’m SO thrilled you loved this recipe, Stephanie!!
Becky 10.11.2021
So I just made these. They are good, but have the consistency of a sugar cookie. Maybe I didn’t use enough vanilla bean? I only had one long bean and split it between the dough and the icing. Also, when I mixed the wet ingredients with the dry, i stirred it all together and it was very pasty like – I ended up adding more flour. It originally didn’t turn into a dough ball. I don’t have a food processor or I mixed the butter with my fingertips. Not sure where I went wrong…but I will keep trying !!
Ameena 04.18.2020
I used 2tsp vanilla essence instead of the bean and they turned out delicious. However the 6-7 minute baking time is a joke! They were raw and doughy and not cooked at all. I baked for 15 minutes and they were still moist but actually almost cooked. I will definitely use this recipe again maybe with vanilla bean but I will bake for 15-18 minutes.
Erin 06.22.2019
Have you ever revisited these using gluten free flour? It’s been almost 4 years since I’ve had these scones and I can still perfectly imagine them.
Kristin 06.24.2019
I haven’t (and I can still perfectly imagine them too – sob!!) Honestly I think it would work totally fine with a 1:1 replacer like Bob’s Red Mill GF flour in the blue bag!
Asa 11.07.2018
You ought to take part in a contest for one of the best websites on the
web. I will highly recommend this web site!
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[…] While they were gone I was looking at other recipes, and Hannah texted me and said “Iowa Girl Eats has a good looking recipe.” […]
Niro 05.23.2018
This recipe is awesome. First time and nailed it. taste like Starbucks scones. Everyone loved it. Thank you.
Dalal 03.26.2018
Hi, can I use whole wheat flour and does the butter have to be salted or unsalted? Thank you
Misty 09.27.2016
I only have vanilla bean paste. How much would it use instead of vanilla beans?
Kristin 09.28.2016
Hi Misty! I’ve never used paste but assuming it’s 100% vanilla beans I’d start with 1/2 teaspoon.
Brenda 08.29.2016
What does a cup of Half & half mean? I am from the Netherlands and have no idea what to buy :-)
Kristin 08.29.2016
Hi Brenda! Half and Half is a product that’s half whole milk and half cream. You could probably use either whole milk or heavy cream and get very similar results, or mix the two to make homemade half and half! :)
Petite Vanilla Bean Scones :: My Blog 05.25.2016
[…] recipe I used is from Iowa Girl Eats. Click Here for the recipe. Mini Vanilla Bean Scones with Vanilla Glaze – What’s better than a […]
Pam 03.15.2016
Have you ever frozen these? If so, how do you package them for storage? I need to make them on Thursday for use at a Sunday morning event.
Kristin 03.28.2016
I think these would freeze perfectly in a Ziplock freezer bag, Pam! Just thaw in the fridge overnight and they should be good to go.
Violet 09.26.2015
I made these and they are amazing!!!
One question though, how long do they keep?
Kristin 09.28.2015
So glad to hear, Violet!! They’ll keep for 3-4 days in a sealed container. :)
Pam 06.04.2015
Will they stick together if I stack them? I’m sending them into school for my son’s class event. I’d like to pile them in a storage container. Should I layer with parchment paper instead?
Kristin 06.05.2015
Once they harden completely they should be fine to stack between layers of parchment!
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The Doctor 03.28.2015
Hi,
can you substitute the vanilla beand with vanilla extract? If you can’t where can you buy the vanilla beans?
Thanks,
-The Doctor
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karla 03.04.2015
my dough didn’t come out stiff, plus i made it with a stand mixer, it came out sticky.
sam 11.06.2014
Hello, how would you go about substituting the vanilla beans for vanilla bean paste? Ive got a lot of paste left and haven’t found a good recipe to use it with!
Kristin 11.10.2014
I just did a Google search and 1 teaspoon paste should equal 1 vanilla bean.
may 11.06.2014
Should I store on the counter or in the fridge?
Kristin 11.07.2014
Counter!