If you’re anything like me, you’ve been baking your little heart out this holiday season, 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, 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 cuties 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 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 to 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 your fingertips to blend.
Next break out the star of the vanilla bean scones — Vanilla Beans!
If you can’t find vanilla beans, vanilla bean pasta works great too! If you’re going the bean route though, split it down the center with a sharp knife then use the side of the knife tip to scrape out the seeds inside.
Scrape 2 vanilla beans then place the seeds into a mixing 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.
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.
Your kitchen will smell SO heavenly!
While the scones cool, whip up the vanilla bean-spiked icing. 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 onto a cooling rack over waxed paper to harden.
I like dunking the mini scones twice which I think contributes to them staying nice and moist on the inside.
Once the icing has hardened, serve ’em on up!
These little scone cakes are the best! They have just the right amount of sweetness, and the real vanilla bean flavor cannot be beat.
The icing barrier keeps the already cakey-like scones even more moist. Mmmmm, I could just eat the whole batch! I hope you and your family enjoy them as much as we do!
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