Name: Date and Orange Scones
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Ingredients: 400 g plain flour; 15 g baking powder; 2 tbsp caster sugar; ½ tsp salt; zest of 1 orange; 110 g cold butter (cubed); 200 g dates (roughly chopped); 220 g cold milk + extra for brushing

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These Date and Orange Scones are a simple twist on a classic scone, with sweet, chewy dates and plenty of fresh orange zest running through the dough. The orange adds a lovely brightness to the buttery scones, while the dates become soft and caramel-like as they bake.

They’re quick to make, require just a handful of basic ingredients, and are best served warm from the oven with plenty of butter. They’re perfect for a weekend morning tea, afternoon tea or whenever you’re craving something freshly baked.

Why you’ll love these scones…

Quick and easy: Quick to prepare, quick to bake and can be enjoyed straight from the oven!
Buttery and tender: Cold butter and a gentle touch help create lovely flaky layers.
Full of flavour: Fresh orange zest and sweet dates make these much more interesting than a plain scone.
Perfect with a cuppa: Serve them warm with butter for the ultimate afternoon treat.

How to make Date and Orange Scones

1. Preheat the oven

Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan bake) and line a large baking tray with baking paper.

2. Mix the dry ingredients

Add the flour, baking powder, caster sugar, salt and orange zest into a large bowl. Mix to combine.

3. Rub in the butter

Add the cold, cubed butter and toss it through the flour mixture. Use your fingertips to rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.

Stir through the chopped dates.

4. Add the milk

Start by adding 200g of cold milk and mix gently with a fork or spoon until a shaggy dough begins to form.

Tip the dough onto a clean, lightly floured work surface and gently bring it together with your hands. Add a little more milk if needed until you have a soft dough that comes together without being sticky. You’ll likely use around 220g of milk in total.

Don’t knead the dough. Overworking the dough develops the gluten and can result in dense, tough scones. The less you handle the dough, the lighter your scones will be.

5. Shape and cut

Gently shape the dough into a circle approximately 3cm thick. Cut it into eight wedges and transfer them to the prepared baking tray.

Lightly brush the tops with a little extra milk.

6. Bake

Bake for 20 minutes, or until the scones are well risen and golden brown.

Allow them to cool slightly before serving warm with plenty of butter.

Tips for making the best scones

Keep your butter cold. Cold butter is important for creating a light, tender texture. If your kitchen is particularly warm, you can even pop the cubed butter back into the fridge while you prepare the other ingredients.

Don’t overwork the dough. This is probably the most important tip for light, fluffy scones. Once the dough has just come together, stop mixing.

Add the milk gradually. You may not need exactly the same amount every time. Start with 200g and add more only if the dough needs it.

Don’t worry if the dough looks a little rustic. Scone dough doesn’t need to be perfectly smooth. A slightly shaggy dough is exactly what you’re looking for.

Use fresh orange zest. The zest is where most of the orange flavour comes from, so freshly grated zest makes a big difference.

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Recipe FAQs:

Personally I don’t flour my surface when making scones. The key to perfect scones is working the dough as little as possible, so I always shape mine super rustically, cut them, then carefully lift them onto a tray. If your dough is feeling a little too sticky, you can flour your surface if you feel necessary.

Yes absolutely! You can swap the dates for any other chopped dried fruit e.g. raisins, sultanas

Scones are best eaten fresh on the day they’re made, but you can prepare the dough a little ahead of time and keep it chilled until you’re ready to bake. You can also freeze baked scones for later.

Storage:

Scones are best enjoyed fresh on the day of baking. If you have any left over scones you can store them in an airtight container at room temperature or I like to pop any left over scones straight into the freezer once cooled, in an airtight container or bag. Then I just reheat them in the microwave straight from frozen.

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Date and Orange Scones

Anna Wainwright

These Date and Orange Scones are soft, fluffy and buttery, filled with chewy dates and tangy orange.

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Course Baking, Breakfast

Servings 8

Ingredients

400 g plain flour
15 g baking powder
2 tbsp caster sugar
½ tsp salt
zest of 1 orange
110 g cold butter cubed
200 g dates roughly chopped
220 g cold milk + extra for brushing

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan bake). Line a large baking tray with baking paper.
In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and orange zest.
Add the cold butter and toss to coat. Rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs, then stir through the chopped dates.
Starting with 200g of milk, mix it into the dry ingredients using a fork or spoon until a shaggy dough forms. Tip the dough onto a clean work surface and gently bring it together to form a soft dough. Add just enough of the remaining milk until the dough comes together but isn’t sticky (you’ll likely use around 220g in total). Do not knead the dough, as this will develop the gluten and result in dense scones.
Shape the dough into a circle about 3cm thick. Cut into eight wedges and transfer them to the prepared baking tray. Lightly brush the tops with milk, then bake for 20 minutes, or until well risen and golden brown. Allow to cool slightly before serving warm with plenty of butter.