Cranberry Orange Scones - Easy Scone Recipe! (2024)

ByJen Sobjack Posted on Updated on

Jump to Recipe Save Recipe

This post may contain affiliate links. Read the full disclosure here.

Tender and flaky with tart cranberries in every bite, these cranberry orange scones are the best fall scones you’ll ever have. They’re perfect for enjoying with a cup of coffee on a chilly morning!

Cranberry Orange Scones - Easy Scone Recipe! (1)

Table of Contents

  • 1 Easy holiday sconess
  • 2 Cranberry orange scones recipe
  • 3 What you’ll need
  • 4 How to Make Cranberry Orange Scones
  • 5 Tips for success
  • 6 Serving suggestions
  • 8 More scone recipes you’ll love
  • 9 Cranberry Orange Scones

Easy holiday sconess

With lots of orange flavors and each bite speckled with tart fresh cranberries, these scones are perfect for breakfast, served with a hot cup of coffee on a chilly morning. Or enjoy them in the afternoon as a pick-me-up or for dessert.

The important thing is to just take the time to enjoy them, no matter how busy the season gets!

Several months ago I made these peach almond scones. They had become my favorite summer scone. Now that the season has changed, I felt I needed a new flavor to get through the fall and winter.

I used my blueberry buttermilk scones recipe as a starting point and made a few changes to achieve the desired results for these cranberry orange scones.

Cranberry Orange Scones - Easy Scone Recipe! (2)

Cranberry orange scones recipe

Thanks to the cold butter used, these orange scones are light and airy. The butter releases steam, which creates little pockets of air as it melts in the oven, leading to a fluffy inside while the outside is crisp and flaky.

Then to take these holiday scones up a notch, I topped these scones with a sweet orange glaze that enhances the orange deliciousness throughout.

The coarse sugar added before baking adds a slight crunch to the tops, offering a great contrast in texture with the glaze.

Like my other scone recipes, these are fairly easy to make and a great scone recipe for beginners. Once you make these, you’ll be serving them up all winter long!

What you’ll need

For these orange cranberry scones, you’ll need just a few pantry staples, plus fresh cranberries and oranges.

Ingredient notes & substitions

  • All-purpose flour – 2 ¾ cups of all purpose flour is needed to make these wonderfully tall and thick scones.
  • Granulated sugar – ⅓ cup is all I use and find it adds a light sweetness to the dough.
  • Baking powder & baking soda – Using both leavening agents helps achieve the perfect texture and rise from the scones.
  • Salt & Vanilla – Enhances flavor.
  • Orange zest – Adds the orange flavor in every bite.
  • Unsalted butter – It’s essential to use cold butter and cut into small pieces.
  • Cranberries – Fresh cranberries are best for this recipe.
  • Fresh orange juice – Chill the orange juice before using.
  • Whole milk – I don’t recommend substituting the milk. It must be cold as well.
  • Heavy cream – You can also use milk. This is brushed over the top of the scones just before baking to provide a golden color.
  • Coarse sugar – Sprinkled on top to create a little crunch.

How to Make Cranberry Orange Scones

Scones are a surprisingly easy breakfast to make, though you do need to take the time to follow the directions carefully to ensure they rise properly.

  • Cranberry Orange Scones - Easy Scone Recipe! (3)
  • Cranberry Orange Scones - Easy Scone Recipe! (4)
  • Cranberry Orange Scones - Easy Scone Recipe! (5)
  1. Make the pastry dough. Whisk together the dry ingredients and orange zest in a large bowl. Cut in the butter, until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Gently fold in the cranberries.
  2. Add the wet ingredients. Whisk the orange juice, milk, and vanilla together. Gradually mix into the flour mixture, until the dough comes together. If you don’t need all of the mixture, that’s okay. Do not overmix the dough.
  • Cranberry Orange Scones - Easy Scone Recipe! (6)
  • Cranberry Orange Scones - Easy Scone Recipe! (7)
  • Cranberry Orange Scones - Easy Scone Recipe! (8)
  1. Cut the dough into scones. Transfer to a lightly floured surface and gently knead, then pat into a 7-inch circle. Cut the circle into 8 equal parts. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and freeze for 30 minutes.
Cranberry Orange Scones - Easy Scone Recipe! (9)
  • Bake. Brush the tops of the scones with heavy cream then sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake for 15-20 minutes in the center of the oven, until golden brown.
  • Add the glaze. Combine the glaze ingredients in a bowl, whisk until smooth, and drizzle over cooled orange scones.
Cranberry Orange Scones - Easy Scone Recipe! (10)

Tips for success

I’ve made so many variations of scones that I’m confident I’ve discovered the best tips and tricks to making perfect scones, these cranberry orange scones included!

  • Use fresh cranberries if possible. I like fresh cranberries best because they’re dry and don’t stain the dough. You can use packaged, frozen, and thawed cranberries but keep in mind they may be wet and stain the dough. If you have fresh cranberries that have been frozen, these will work beautifully.
  • Keep the dough cold until it goes into the oven. This is one of the most important things to note when working with scones and why it’s essential that all liquids added should be chilled. Placing the shaped dough into the freezer for 30 minutes ensures the scones will bake up light and fluffy. Alternatively, you can place the scone dough in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
  • Handle the dough as little as possible. Avoid overworking the dough when mixing the ingredients together. You only want to mix until the mixture begins to stick together.
  • Knead the dough just a few times. If you over-knead, gluten will develop. Gluten will make the scones tough. No one likes tough scones.
  • You may not need all the orange juice mixture. Add a little at a time until the dough is moist but not too wet. Do not over mix the dough or the scones will be tough.

Serving suggestions

Like most scones, these cranberry scones are best enjoyed the day they are baked. If you can, enjoy them while slightly warm or room temperature out of the oven – just let them cool enough to add the glaze first.

You can enjoy these with a cup of coffee or tea. They’re the perfect dessert for a cozy winter night or you can even enjoy them as a breakfast pastry!

How to make ahead & store

  • How to store unbaked scones. You can store the unbaked scones in the fridge overnight or in the freezer for up a month. If baking directly from the freezer, add 2 minutes to the baking time.
  • How to store baked scones. Baked scones (without glaze) can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight then reheat in the oven until warmed through. Glaze before serving.
  • How to store & reheat leftovers. Leftover scones can be stored for up to 2 days in the fridge. Reheat in the oven for 5 minutes or so until warmed through.

More scone recipes you’ll love

  1. Carrot Cake Scones
  2. Honey Citrus Sweet Potato Scones
  3. Apple Cinnamon Scones

Cranberry Orange Scones - Easy Scone Recipe! (11)

4.61 from 122 votes

Cranberry Orange Scones

Tender and flaky with tart cranberries in every bite, these Cranberry Orange Scones are the best fall scones you'll ever have. They're perfect for enjoying with a cup of coffee on a chilly morning!

Prep Time :45 minutes mins

Cook Time :20 minutes mins

Total Time :1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Servings :8

Author :Jen Sobjack

Print Save

Ingredients

For the scones

  • 2 ¾ cups (357 g) all-purpose flour
  • cup (67 g) granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon orange zest
  • ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, cold & cut into small pieces
  • ¾ cup (77 g) fresh cranberries
  • ½ cup (120 ml) fresh orange juice, cold
  • ½ cup (120 ml) whole milk, cold
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons heavy cream or milk
  • 2 tablespoons coarse sugar

For the glaze

  • 1 cup (120 g) confectioners' sugar
  • 3 tablespoons fresh orange juice

Instructions

Make the Scones

  • In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and orange zest together.

  • Cut the butter into the flour mixture using a pastry blender, 2 knives, or your fingertips. The mixture should look like coarse crumbs. Gently fold in the cranberries.

  • Whisk the orange juice, milk, and vanilla together then gradually add it to the flour mixture. Stir just until the dough comes together. You may not need all the orange juice mixture. Add a little at a time until the dough is moist but not too wet. Do not over mix the dough or the scones will be tough.

  • Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and gently knead four or five times. Pat the dough into a 7-inch round circle.

  • Cut the circle in half, then cut each half into four triangle-shaped wedges. Arrange the scones 2 inches apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place the scones in the freezer for 30 minutes.

  • Meanwhile, position the oven rack to the center of the oven and heat to 400°F.

  • Brush the tops of the scones with heavy cream and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool and drizzle with glaze.

Make the Glaze

  • Combine all the ingredients for the glaze in a small bowl and whisk until smooth.

Video

Notes

  • Cranberries: I like fresh cranberries best because they’re dry and don’t stain the dough. You can use packaged, frozen, and thawed cranberries but keep in mind they may be wet and stain the dough. If you have fresh cranberries that have been frozen, these will work beautifully. Dried cranberries will also work.
  • Keep the dough cold: The scones need to be cold when going into the oven. Placing the shaped dough into the freezer for 30 minutes ensures the scones will bake up light and fluffy. Alternatively, you can place the scone dough in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

Make ahead tip

  1. Unbaked scones can be refrigerated overnight. Or seal in an airtight container and freeze for up to 1 month. Add about 2 minutes to the baking time when baking from frozen.
  2. You can keep leftover scones for up to 2 days in the refrigerator.
  3. Unglaze scones can be frozen for up to three months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight then reheat and glaze before serving.

Nutrition

Serving: 1sconeCalories: 403kcalCarbohydrates: 64gProtein: 5gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 37mgSodium: 298mgPotassium: 283mgFiber: 2gSugar: 29gVitamin A: 487IUVitamin C: 13mgCalcium: 101mgIron: 2mg

*Nutrition Disclaimer

Course :Bread & Biscuits

Cuisine :American

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Cranberry Orange Scones - Easy Scone Recipe! (2024)

FAQs

What to avoid when making scones? ›

5 Mistakes to Avoid When Baking Scones
  1. Using anything but cold ingredients. The secret to the flakiest scones is to start with cold ingredients — cold butter, cold eggs, and cold cream. ...
  2. Only using all-purpose flour. ...
  3. Overmixing the dough. ...
  4. Not chilling the dough before baking. ...
  5. Baking them ahead of time.
May 1, 2019

What is a substitute for heavy cream in scones? ›

Milk and cornstarch

Cornstarch is used to thicken milk to help reproduce the texture of heavy cream. To replace 1 cup (237 mL) of heavy cream in your recipe, add 2 tablespoons (19 grams) of cornstarch to 1 cup (237 mL) of milk and stir, allowing the mixture to thicken.

What is a bisconie? ›

Biscotti made from scones or, as we called it, Bisconie. Since then, Bisconie has become a favorite of many. We make it in a variety of flavors and it is available in gluten-free. It's softer than traditional biscotti and is great dunked in tea or coffee.

Which flour is best for scones? ›

Use all-purpose flour for a higher rising scone that holds its shape nicely, both in and out of the oven. To make more delicate, lower-rising, cake-like scones, substitute cake flour for all-purpose flour.

Is it better to make scones with butter or oil? ›

(A fat is saturated when it is solid at room temperature, like butter, margarine or shortening.) Light Scones contain just 0.3 gram of saturated fat, and 3.6 grams of total fat. In baking, you can generally substitute half the amount of oil as the butter or margarine called for.

Should you chill scone dough before baking? ›

Keep scones cold before putting them in the oven: For best results, chill the mixture in the fridge before baking, this will help to stiffen up the butter again, which will stop your scones from slumping as soon as they hit the oven's heat.

How to get scones to rise high? ›

To ensure taller scones, start with a thicker dough disc and place the scones on a tray with sides, allowing them to slightly touch one another. This arrangement encourages the scones to push against the pan and each other, promoting height.

Why are scones bad for you? ›

They are typically extremely high in calories from the heavy butter and cream. And, although scones with fruit might seem healthier, most are even higher in calories and still high in saturated fat. Steer clear of scones.

Is buttermilk or heavy cream better for scones? ›

Heavy Cream or Buttermilk: For the best tasting pastries, stick with a thick liquid such as heavy cream or buttermilk. I usually use heavy cream, but if you want a slightly tangy flavor, use buttermilk.

Is milk or cream better for scones? ›

Cream is higher in lactose (a natural milk sugar) than butter, which helps the scones brown in the oven. I cut that richness with a splash of milk to hydrate the dough. Using 100% cream would make a dry but rich dough that's golden and tender, but far too crumbly and dense.

What happens if I use milk instead of heavy cream? ›

Keep in mind that flavor and fat content will determine where you can successfully make a substitution. For example, because milk doesn't have enough fat, it won't maintain a structure when whipped. So it wouldn't be ideal as a dessert topping, nor will it hold up in a pan sauce.

How many calories in a bisconie? ›

There are 190 calories in 1 scone (156 g) of Kirkland Signature Cranberry Orange Bisconie.

How to get scones to rise higher? ›

To ensure taller scones, start with a thicker dough disc and place the scones on a tray with sides, allowing them to slightly touch one another. This arrangement encourages the scones to push against the pan and each other, promoting height.

Why aren t my scones light and fluffy? ›

Overworking the dough: when you overwork your dough, your scones can come out tough and chewy, rather than that desired light, crumbly texture. The trick is to use light pressure and only the work the dough until it just comes together.

What is the best raising agent for scones and why? ›

As well as the raising agent in the flour, baking powder adds a bit of lift to scones. Baking powder is a convenient choice as it is a ready-mixed leavening agent, generally made of bicarbonate of soda and cream of tartar (usually some cornflour too).

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Fr. Dewey Fisher

Last Updated:

Views: 5692

Rating: 4.1 / 5 (42 voted)

Reviews: 81% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Fr. Dewey Fisher

Birthday: 1993-03-26

Address: 917 Hyun Views, Rogahnmouth, KY 91013-8827

Phone: +5938540192553

Job: Administration Developer

Hobby: Embroidery, Horseback riding, Juggling, Urban exploration, Skiing, Cycling, Handball

Introduction: My name is Fr. Dewey Fisher, I am a powerful, open, faithful, combative, spotless, faithful, fair person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.