Description
My from-scratch Cranberry Orange Scones recipe yields light, flaky, buttery scones bursting with flavor in just 35 minutes! Perfect for holiday brunches and cozy weekend mornings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 1/2 sticks (170 grams) unsalted butter, cold
- 1/3 cup (66 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated orange zest
- 3 cups (381 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup (240 grams) buttermilk
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup (110 grams) fresh or frozen cranberries
- Sparkling sugar, for topping, optional
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon water
- 1 1/2 cups (188 grams) powdered sugar
- 2 ½ tablespoons orange juice
- 2 tablespoons (28 grams) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Cut the butter into small cubes. Keep it in the fridge or freezer while you prepare the other ingredients.
- In a large bowl, combine the sugar and zest. Rub them together with your fingers until fragrant. Whisk in the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, 1 egg, and vanilla extract. Set aside.
- Add the cold butter to the dry ingredients and cut with a pastry cutter or a fork until the butter pieces are the size of large peas. Work quickly to keep the butter cold.
- Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the liquid mixture. Stir with a spatula until streaks of flour remain.
- Gently fold in the cranberries until barely combined. The dough will look crumbly and messy at this point.
- Transfer the dough onto a floured surface. Pat into a rough circle, pressing any loose cranberries back in. Fold the dough in half, then fold in half again the opposite direction. This helps create flaky, tall layers.
- Using a sharp knife, divide the dough in half. Pat each half into a 6-inch round, about ¾-inch thick. Cut each round into 8 wedges. Place the wedges on the prepared baking pans, spacing about 2 inches apart.
- At this stage, you can freeze the unbaked scones for up to 1 month. Place the baking sheet in the freezer and freeze uncovered for about 30 minutes, or until firm. Then transfer to an airtight container or freezer bag. When ready to bake, brush with egg wash and add about 2 minutes to the baking time (no need to thaw).
- In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining egg with 1 teaspoon water. Brush lightly over the scones.
- Bake for about 13 minutes, or until the tops are lightly golden. Cool on a wire rack before glazing.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, orange juice, melted butter, and orange zest until smooth. It should be thick but pourable. Add more orange juice if too thick, or more powdered sugar if too thin.
- Drizzle over cooled scones. Sprinkle with coarse sugar if using. Let set before serving.
- Scones are best enjoyed the same day they’re baked.
Notes
- Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
- For best results, use cold butter.
- Experiment with different fruits or extracts.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 13 minutes
- Category: Baked Goods
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 scone
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 40mg