Alright, who is ready for a recipe for scones made with buttermilk? These are the best buttermilk scones, and they are bursting with fresh orange flavor and yummy mini chocolate chips.

The buttermilk makes them light and fluffy with a delicious depth of flavor, and a simple powdered sugar glaze on top makes them extra special. Oh, and they are super easy to make. You really can’t go wrong with them!

The Best Buttermilk Scones (Orange and Chocolate Chip)

These scones are so delicious! Even if you skipped the orange and chocolate, they are still super soft and yummy. Scones made with buttermilk are seriously some of the most delicious scones I have ever had. If you don’t believe me, give them a try!

I couldn’t stop snacking on these and had to promptly think of who I could share them with so I wouldn’t eat them all! So make these and make not only yourself happy, but others too. Sharing is a wonderful thing.

These scones are quick to make and perfect any time of the day, but making them early and then sitting down with some hot tea, cocoa or coffee and a light, sweet scone sounds perfect. Maybe curl up with a good book and a big squishy blanket. That sounds amazing!

And although you don’t need to add the orange peel, orange extract and chocolate chips, if you are able to, then definitely do it! It adds that little something extra that puts this recipe for scones using buttermilk over the top. You won’t regret it, I promise!

Why You’ll Love These Buttermilk Chocolate Chip Scones

Light and fluffy. Buttermilk gives a soft, tender crumb with a delicious depth of flavor.
Orange and chocolate. Fresh orange peel and orange extract pair perfectly with mini chocolate chips.
Super easy. Mix, cut in the butter, shape into wedges and bake.
Makes a dozen. Plenty for breakfast, brunch or sharing with friends.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Here is what goes into these orange chocolate chip buttermilk scones and why each one matters. Exact amounts are in the recipe card below.

Flour: All purpose flour gives the scones structure. Spoon it into the measuring cup and level it off so you don’t pack in too much, which makes scones dry.
Sugar: Just a third of a cup sweetens the dough, plus a little extra for sprinkling on top for a sparkly, crisp finish.
Baking powder and baking soda: Both give the scones their rise. The baking soda reacts with the tangy buttermilk for extra lift and a tender texture.
Salt: Balances the sweetness and makes the orange and chocolate taste brighter.
Cold butter: The key to flaky scones. Keep it cold until the moment you cut it in. Little bits of butter melt in the hot oven and create steam pockets that make the scones light.
Orange peel: The zest from one orange. It holds the fragrant orange oils, so it adds big fresh orange flavor. Grate only the bright orange part and skip the bitter white pith.
Buttermilk: Makes the scones light and fluffy and gives them a delicious depth of flavor. Save a little extra for brushing on top so they bake up golden.
Orange extract: Doubles down on the orange flavor and makes the whole kitchen smell amazing.
Mini chocolate chips: Mini chips spread through the dough more evenly than regular chips, so every bite gets a little chocolate.
Easy glaze: Powdered sugar and a little milk make an optional drizzle. Add more or less of either to get the thickness you prefer.

How to Make Buttermilk Scones

Heat the oven. Preheat to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Mix the dry ingredients. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk well so the leaveners are evenly spread through the flour.
Cut in the butter. Use a fork or your hands to work the cold butter into the flour. You want the mixture to look somewhat clumpy and sandy, with some small pea sized bits of butter still visible.
Add the orange. Mix in the orange peel.
Add the wet ingredients. Pour in the buttermilk and orange extract and mix until fully combined into a soft dough. It will look a little shaggy and sticky, which is just right. Avoid overworking it so the scones stay tender.
Add the chocolate. Mix in the chocolate chips until evenly distributed.
Shape. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Divide it into three balls, flatten each into a circle about 5 inches across and cut each circle into four wedges. You can cut any shape you like.
Top and bake. Place the scones on the lined baking sheet, brush each with buttermilk and sprinkle with a little sugar. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until golden brown on top and lightly browned on the bottom edges. Let them cool on the pan for a few minutes so they firm up before you move them.
Glaze. While they bake, stir together the powdered sugar and milk. Drizzle it over the scones when they are done, even though they are good enough to eat without it!

Tip: Don’t skip brushing the tops with buttermilk and sprinkling on a little sugar. It gives the scones a golden, lightly crisp top that makes them look and taste bakery perfect.

Ways to Customize Buttermilk Scones

Keep them plain. Skip the orange and chocolate for simple, soft buttermilk scones that are still super yummy.
Go cranberry orange. This recipe was adapted from cranberry buttermilk scones, so dried cranberries are a natural swap for the chocolate chips.
Change the shape. Cut the dough into rounds, squares or any shape you like instead of wedges.
Adjust the glaze. Add more powdered sugar for a thick glaze or more milk for a thin drizzle.

Buttermilk Scones FAQs

Can I make these without orange or chocolate? Yes. Even if you skip the orange peel, orange extract and chocolate chips, they are still super soft and yummy.
Why does the butter need to be cold? Cold butter stays in little pieces in the dough. In the hot oven, those pieces melt and create steam, which makes the scones light and tender.
How many scones does this make? A dozen. The dough is divided into three rounds, and each round is cut into four wedges.
How do I know when they are done? Bake 15 to 20 minutes at 400°F, until they are golden brown on top.
Why are my scones dry or dense? Usually too much flour or too much mixing. Measure the flour by spooning and leveling, and mix just until the dough comes together so the butter stays in small cold pieces.
Is the glaze required? No. The glaze is optional, and the scones are good enough to eat without it.
How should I store scones? Put them in a gallon zip top bag, and they stay fresh for several days.
What should I serve with scones? Hot tea, cocoa or coffee, a good book and a big squishy blanket.

Buttermilk Chocolate Chip Scones

Lisa

Buttermilk chocolate chip scones bursting with fresh orange peel, orange extract and mini chocolate chips. The buttermilk makes them light, fluffy and full of flavor, and an easy glaze finishes them off.

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Ingredients

Scones

3 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar plus extra for sprinkling on top
2 ½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
¾ cup cold butter
orange peel from one orange
1 cup buttermilk plus more for brushing on top
1 tsp orange extract
½ cup mini chocolate chips

Easy Glaze (optional)

1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 ½ tbs milk

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400˚ and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium sized bowl.
Cut in the butter. You can use a fork or your hands! You want the dough to be somewhat clumpy/sandy.
Mix in the orange peel.
Add the buttermilk and orange extract and mix until fully combined.
Add chocolate chips to dough and mix until evenly distributed.
Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll out. You can cut the scones into any shapes you want, but I opted for wedge shapes. To get the wedge shapes I separted my dough into three balls, flattened each ball into a ~5in circle and then cut them into four wedges.
Place scones on lined baking sheet. Brush each scone with buttermilk and sprinkle a little sugar on each one.
Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown.
10. While baking mix together the powdered sugar and milk to make the glaze. You can add more or less powdered sugar or milk to get the thickness you prefer.
11. Drizzle with glaze when the scones are done- even though they are good enough to eat with it!
12. Enjoy!

Notes

Recipe adapted from Taste of Home Cranberry Buttermilk Scones.

Made these scones? Leave a star rating in the recipe card and tell me how they turned out in the comments below. For other delicious recipes, check out this Easy Sour Cream Coffee Cake and this Easy and Healthy Berry Smoothie!

This recipe was shared by Lisa. Visit her blog, A Table Full of Joy, for more recipes.