Starbucks Petite Vanilla Bean Scones

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Starbucks petite vanilla scones are always on the menu with this copycat recipe. Using my best scone recipe, you can bake these moist and tender scones in only 35 minutes. Serve warm with a cup of tea or coffee to bring out the soft vanilla flavor.

If you follow my blog, you know I have a serious Starbucks addiction. There are days that I make multiple trips, and my trips include a drink and a pastry. I seriously cannot resist Starbucks scone. The downside is how quickly the cost adds up. Lately, I have been recreating some of my favorite recipes at home and saving a lot of money.

So far, I have written recipes for blueberry scones, cake pops, and mango dragonfruit refresher. This week I will show you how to make these delicious vanilla scones copycats of Starbucks vanilla bean scones.

This is my best scone recipe! The result is a moist scone on the inside and a little flaky on the outside. I think scones are served best warm with a cup of coffee or tea.

Jump to:

• What are Petite Vanilla Bean Scones?
• What Makes Vanilla Bean Scones So Delicious?
• Ingredients
• Butter Tips
• Instructions
• Video - How to Make Starbucks Petite Vanilla Scones
• Alternatives and Substitutions
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Make-Ahead, Keep, and Store
• Great British Baking Show Bake
• Recipe

What are Petite Vanilla Bean Scones?

Scones are baked goods similar to American biscuits. The essential ingredients are flour, fat, and milk with little sugar. Instead, scones are sweetened using fruit, glaze, or clotted cream.

Vanilla is used twice in this recipe. Once within the scone and vanilla beans are used in the glaze. The result is a warm vanilla flavor.

These scones are ⅓ the size of a traditional scone, making them petite.

What Makes Vanilla Bean Scones So Delicious?

• Real whole vanilla beans create a soft, warm flavor!
• The heavy cream makes these scones moist and tender.
• Homemade scones always taste better than anything from the pastry case!

Ingredients

Scones

All-purpose flour - 2 and ½ cups - APF is the perfect flour for this recipe. It is versatile and bakes perfectly. Always fill the measuring cup with a little overflowing. Gently tap the cup to fill any voids, then use a knife to level the top. This method will give you a consistent measurement.

Salt - 1 teaspoon - I recommend using a standard table or sea salt.

Baking Powder - 1 tablespoon - To achieve a lift, use baking powder opened in the last six months and stored in your pantry. The baking powder from your refrigerator will create a not-so-great melody of extra flavors and smells.

Sugar - ⅓ cup - Regular granulated sugar is perfect for this recipe.

Egg - 1 large - Look for large eggs at the store. They are the most common.

Heavy Cream - ½ cup - It is vital to use heavy cream in this recipe. Changing this ingredient will result in scones that spread out.

Pure Vanilla Extract - 1 tablespoon - I used clear vanilla extract to keep the scone on the lighter side. However, clear or standard will have the same flour.

Cold Butter - ¾ cup - Cold and cubed - ALWAYS ensure the butter is cold. When I make this recipe, I cut the butter and then keep it in the refrigerator until I am ready to add it to the flour.

Glaze

Confectioners' Sugar (powdered sugar) - 1 and ½ cups - Spoon and level before mixing.

Milk - 2 tablespoons - You can use any milk with this mixture. If you use heavy cream, plan on adding 1 - 2 more tablespoons.

Vanilla bean - ½ half - I recommend using real vanilla beans. You can also use vanilla bean paste.

Butter Tips

In pastry making, butter is cut into small cubes and mixed with dry ingredients. The fat in the butter melts to create air pockets. When this happens, flaky layers are formed.

As a baker, you always want to use cold butter. I recommend starting with frozen butter and a sharp knife. Cut the butter into small cubes. I find that cubes bake better than grated butter.

Use a pastry blender (sometimes called a pastry cutter), two forks, or your fingertips when working with butter. Using your whole hand will create heat resulting in the butter cooling faster.

Instructions

Prep

Preheat the oven to 400F/200C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.

Mix Dry Ingredients

Use a whisk to combine flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar.

Add Butter

Using your fingertips or a pastry blender, incorporate the butter into the flour. The largest size of butter should be equal to a green pea. The flour will be loose and seem unincorporated in places. This is the desired outcome. Overmixing will result in a flat scone.

Mix Wet Ingredients

Whisk egg, heavy cream, and vanilla extract in a small bowl.

Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients

Using a wooden spoon, add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients until barely combined.

Shape

Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface. Divide into three equal sections. Gently pat each section into a round shape about an inch high. Cut into six similar triangles. Place on the baking (cookie) sheet and arrange scones in the same rounded shape about 2 - 3 inches apart. Bake at 400f/200c for 20 - 24 minutes or until golden brown. Place on a cooling rack.

* Bake at 400f/200c for 20 - 24 minutes or until golden brown. Place on a cooling rack.

Glaze

Mix all the glaze ingredients. Drizzle on top of the scones once they have cooled, about 10 minutes.

Video - How to Make Starbucks Petite Vanilla Scones

Alternatives and Substitutions

Food Processor - Some people prefer to blend the butter into the flour mixture using a food processor. If you choose this method, place the flour mixture and butter in the food processor and give 2 - 3 quick pulses. There should remain chunks of butter and loose flour.

Vanilla Bean Paste - Substitute vanilla bean paste at a 1:1 ratio for vanilla beans.

Plant-Based/Vegan Butter - This is my preferred type of butter. Swap at a 1:1 ratio.

Frequently Asked Questions

Make-Ahead, Keep, and Store

Make-Ahead Instructions: Make, shape, and cut the dough. Cover and leave in the refrigerator for one night. Or freeze the dough in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

Keep and Store Instructions: All the scones to completely cool, glaze, and allow 1 - 2 hours for the glaze to harden. Store in the refrigerator for up to three days. (Warm scones will create moisture in the fridge, changing the texture to mush.)

Freezer Instructions: Allow scones time to come to room temperature. Freeze on a baking sheet for 1 - 2 hours. Transfer to an airtight container and store for up to three months.

Great British Baking Show Bake

Season 5, Episode 10 - Final - Scones

This is part of my challenge to bake my way through The Great British Baking Show

34 down, 245 to go!

Recipe