Sweet Spot: The BEST Glazed Vanilla Scones (Big Batch Recipe)

Hello friends! I have another scone recipe for you all, but this one is much different from my other scone recipe. These are extra decadent and yummy, and the huge batch size lets you enjoy them much longer.

The Lineup (Scones):
      4 cups AP flour
     4 tbsp sugar
     2 tbsp baking powder
     1/2 tsp salt
     12 tbsp salted butter, cold and cubed
     1 large (5.6 oz) box instant vanilla pudding mix
     2 tbsp vanilla
     2 eggs
     1 1/4 cups heavy whipping cream
(Glaze)
     4 tbsp salted butter, softened
     1 tbsp vanilla
     1/2-1 cup heavy whipping cream (depending on desired glaze consistency - 1/2 cup
          will be more like frosting, 1 cup will be a thick but fluid glaze, which is what I did)
      2 cups confectioners sugar

The Play-by-Play:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and line baking sheets with either parchment paper or silicon mats.
2. Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in large bowl. Drop in cold butter cubes and quickly squish into flour. This will create flakes of butter but must be done fairly quickly to avoid melting (alternate methods below).
3. Mix in pudding mix, then add vanilla, eggs, and cream. Work together with a spoon, then use hands to combine. Dough is done when no longer tacky to the touch.
4. Using an ice cream scoop, place 1 tbsp balls of dough onto sheets. Flatten slightly, as dough doesn't spread too much.
   
5. Bake for 8-10 minutes and leave to cool.
   
6. To make the glaze: Whip butter, then beat in cream and vanilla, starting only with 1/2 cup cream (more can be added after sugar). Beat in sugar until combined, then check consistency. For more runny glaze, add more cream).
7. Spread or pour the glaze onto the scones, and eat them as quickly as possible. If you make them last more than a few hours, they keep uncovered for two days or covered for a week.
   

Quick Play:
This recipe made 45 scones, and I certainly did not need that many at one time. I made the dough as directed, then scooped the balls onto a lined baking sheet and stuck them in the freezer. I saved ten to bake and glaze, and then put the glaze into individual(ish) cups and froze them, too. I then divided the frozen dough into bags (about a dozen per bag), labeled them with baking directions, and put everything in a big bag to freeze until I want these heavenly scones again. To bake them, I thaw the dough to room temperature, flatten it, and bake as directed. The glaze will also thaw, and it goes on top of the tasty little scones as quickly as I can do it. I waste no time in eating these guys.

*I mentioned about that there are a few other ways to cut butter into flour, the most popular being a pastry cutter (or forks if you don't have that), and then by pulsing them together in a food processor. Frankly, I'm too impatient for a pastry cutter and too lazy to wash a food processor bowl and blade, so quick hands are definitely my preferred method, but do whatever you'd like.

The Playmaker:
Adapted from http://www.crazyforcrust.com/2013/05/starbucks-petite-vanilla-scone-copycat/

I wish you all the best,
Erin