Earl Grey Scones With Orange & Lemon Glaze
Earl Grey scones have buttery flaky layers (yet are dairy-free), a tender center with crumbly edges, and a nice Earl Grey flavor. Easily make them gluten free with one simple swap.
Looking for more baked goods? Try my raspberry lemon loaf, apple mug cake, or blackberry lemon bread.
What You’ll Love About This Recipe
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make Earl Grey scones:
- All-purpose flour – use gluten free if needed. Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Baking Flour works great.
- Organic cane sugar – or white granulated sugar.
- Earl Grey tea leaves – either from a tea bag or use loose-leaf tea.
- Baking powder – for fluffy scones.
- Kosher salt
- Very cold butter – I used Miyoko’s dairy free butter, but any dairy free brand is fine.
- Coconut milk – use the full-fat kind in a can. This is a great replacement for heavy cream or whole milk in traditional scones.
- Egg
- Vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- Glaze (optional): powdered sugar, lemon zest, orange zest, lemon juice.
How to Make Eary Grey Scones: Step By Step
Here are some quick visual instructions. The full instructions and ingredient list will be in the printable recipe card below!
1. Mix dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.
2. Add the grated cold butter. Work it into the flour mixture with your fingers (or a pastry cutter) until all the butter is covered in flour and you have pea-sized lumps. Place the bowl in the refrigerator or freezer while you prepare the wet ingredients.
3. Combine wet and dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the coconut cream, egg, and vanilla extract. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients to form a shaggy dough.
4. Knead the dough on a lightly floured work surface until it comes together. Transfer the dough ball onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and form it into an 8-inch disc. Cut the dough into 8 equal wedges using a bench scraper or knife. Chill in the fridge or freezer for 15 minutes before baking.
5. Bake. Space the pieces out so there’s a bit of room between each one and brush the tops of the scones with a little coconut milk. Bake until lightly golden brown on the edges.
6. Make the glaze. Add the powdered sugar, lemon zest, orange zest, and lemon juice to a small bowl. Whisk until combined then brush the tops of the cooled scones with the glaze.
Helpful Tips
- Keep the scone dough as cold as possible to prevent them from over-spreading in the oven.
- The secret to flaky scones is very cold, frozen butter. Instead of cubing it as you would for pie crust, use a box grater to grate the butter into the flour.
- If using gluten free flour, make sure to use a blend that has xanthan gum in it.
Quick Tip: Measure the flour with the spoon and level method to ensure you don’t end up with too much flour. Too much flour will result in dense, dry scones.
Storage & Reheating
Counter & Fridge: Let cool to room temperature, then store them in an airtight container on the counter for 2 days in the refrigerator for 5 days.
Freezer: Once baked, cooled, and glazed, transfer the scones to a freezer bag. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Reheating: Reheat at 350°F for 8 to 10 minutes, until warm.
Make It Your Way: Substitutions & Variations
Please remember that recipes are just a starting point.
How can you make this Earl Grey scones recipe using what you already have? Here are some ideas…
- Not dairy free? – use unsalted butter.
- No coconut cream? – you can also use high-fat dairy-free milk such as soy milk or cashew milk with a tablespoon of lemon juice or apple cider mixed in to make dairy free buttermilk.
- Variations – switch out the Earl Grey tea for a different tea or use dried herbs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Traditional English scones are served with jam and clotted cream. These Earl Grey scones are sweeter than English scones so they’re great on their own.
The secret to a good scone is having super cold dough. This will help keep the dough light and flaky as well as keep its shape in the oven. Also, make sure not to overmix the dough as this can lead to tough, dense scones.
More Baked Goods
I hope you love this Earl Grey Scones recipe! If you make it, be sure to leave a comment & a star rating so I know how you liked it!
Earl Grey Scones With Orange & Lemon Glaze
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour use gluten free if needed, Bob's Red Mill 1:1 works well
- ½ cup organic cane sugar or white granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon Earl Grey tea from 3 tea bags
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon diamond crystal kosher salt use ¼ teaspoon if using anything else
- ½ cup frozen dairy free butter or unsalted butter
- ½ cup full fat canned coconut milk plus 1-2 tablespoons for brushing the tops
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
Citrus Glaze
- ⅓ cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon EACH lemon zest and orange zest
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, tea, baking powder, and salt.
- Grate the frozen butter into the flour mixture. Mix it in using your fingers (or a pastry cutter) until all the butter is covered in flour and you have pea-sized lumps. Place the bowl in the refrigerator or freezer while you prepare the wet ingredients.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the coconut milk, egg, and vanilla. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients. Mix together to form a crumbly dough.
- Transfer the crumbly dough to a lightly floured work surface (or can do this directly in the bowl). Knead the dough until it comes together. Transfer the dough ball onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and form it into an 8-inch disc. Cut the dough into 8 equal wedges using a bench scraper or knife.
- Place the scones in the fridge or freezer for 15 minutes before baking and preheat your oven to 400ºF/200ºC.
- Space the pieces out so there's a bit of room between each one and brush the tops of the scones with a little coconut milk. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until lightly golden brown on the edges. Remove from the oven and let cool.
- Add the powdered sugar, lemon zest, orange zest, and lemon juice to a small bowl. Whisk until combined then brush the tops of the cooled scones with the glaze.