Cranberry Orange Scones Recipe (2024)

Cranberry Orange Scones Recipe (1)

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The texture of these cranberry orange scones is phenomenal – billowy soft and crumbly (as evidenced by the next picture).My sister Tanya hosted a ladies brunch/ girls tea party and these were my contribution. Remember theprincess party? That’s the one! Everyone loved that these scones weren’t overly sweet (the scones themselves have just 3 Tbsp sugar!) – it’s a fairly low-guilt dessert.

The base of this recipe is modified from the strawberry scones that I guest posted for Better Homes and Gardens. The idea for the orange flavoring and glaze is based on Ina Garten’s Cranberry Orange Scones.

Cranberry Orange Scones Recipe (2)

Ingredients for Cranberry Orange Scones:

2 cups all-purpose flour *measured correctly
3 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 Tbsp grated orange zest (from 1/2 orange)
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold butter, cut into chunks
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream + 1 Tbsp to brush the top
3/4cup dried cranberries
1 Tbsp coarse/raw sugar to sprinkle the top, optional

Ingredients for the Orange Glaze:

2/3 cup powdered sugar
1 Tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice plus a pinch of orange zest

Cranberry Orange Scones Recipe (3)

How to Make Cranberry Orange Scones:

Preheat oven to 400˚F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
1. In a large bowl, stir together 2 cups flour, 3 Tbsp sugar, 1 Tbsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 Tbsp grated orange zest. Add butter pieces and using a pastry cutter(or 2 knives), cut butter into mixture until you have coarse pea-sized crumbs.

Cranberry Orange Scones Recipe (4)

2. Toss in 3/4 cup dried cranberries and stir gently to combine. Make a well in the center and set aside

Cranberry Orange Scones Recipe (5)

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg and 1/2 cup heavy cream. Pour egg mixture into the flour mixture and use a spatula to stir just until moistened. tip: don’t wash the dish with your cream/egg mix. Add a little cream to it and use it to brush the scone in the next step!

Cranberry Orange Scones Recipe (6)

4. Turn dough out onto a generously floured surface and pull it together into a round disk, about 3/4″ thick. Cut disk into 12 equal wedges and pull apart slightly. Brush tops of sconeswith 1 Tbsp heavy cream and sprinkle the top with raw sugar if desired.Bake 15-17 min until golden (mine took 16 min)

Cranberry Orange Scones Recipe (7)

5. Remove scones from the hot baking sheetand let cool 15 min then whisk together 2/3 cup powdered sugar and 1 Tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice, adding more or less to desired thickness then drizzleover cranberry scones.

Cranberry Orange Scones Recipe (8)

Cranberry Orange Scones Recipe

4.94 from 110 votes

Author: Natasha Kravchuk

Cranberry Orange Scones Recipe (10)

The texture of these cranberry orange scones is phenomenal - billowy soft and crumbly. And they are not overly sweet.

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Ingredients

Servings: 12 scones

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3 Tbsp sugar
  • 1 Tbsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 Tbsp grated orange zest, from 1/2 orange, plus more for glaze
  • 1/2 cup 1 stick cold butter, cut into chunks
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  • 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream + 1 Tbsp to brush the top
  • 3/4 cup dried cranberries
  • 1 Tbsp coarse/raw sugar to sprinkle the top, optional
  • 2/3 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 Tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400˚F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, sift together 2 cups flour, 3 Tbsp sugar, 1 Tbsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 Tbsp grated orange zest.

  • Add butter pieces and using a pastry cutter (or 2 knives), cut butter into mixture until you have coarse pea-sized crumbs.

  • Toss in 3/4 cup dried cranberries and stir gently to combine. Make a well in the center and set aside.

  • In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 eggs and 1/2 cup heavy cream. Pour egg mixture into the flour mixture and use a spatula to stir just until moistened.

  • Turn dough out onto a generously floured surface and pull it together into a round disk, about 3/4" thick. Cut disk into 12 equal wedges and pull apart slightly. Brush tops of scones with 1 Tbsp heavy cream and sprinkle with raw sugar if desired. Bake 15-17 min until golden (mine took 16 min).

  • Remove scones from the hot baking sheet and let cool 15 min then whisk together 2/3 cup powdered sugar, 1 Tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice and a pinch of orange zest. Add more or less powdered sugar or orange juice to reach desired thickness then drizzle over scones.

  • Full Nutrition Label
  • Nutrition Disclosure

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Cranberry Orange Scones

Skill Level: Easy

Cost to Make: $

If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen

Cranberry Orange Scones Recipe (11)

Have you tried scones? What’s your favorite variety?

Natasha Kravchuk

Cranberry Orange Scones Recipe (12)

Welcome to my kitchen! I am Natasha, the blogger behind Natasha's Kitchen (since 2009). My husband and I run this blog together and share only our best, family approved and tested recipes with YOU. Thanks for stopping by! We are so happy you're here.

Read more posts by Natasha

Cranberry Orange Scones Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to making good scones? ›

Top tricks I learnt from the experts for baking perfect scones:
  • Resist the twist.
  • Use frozen butter.
  • Don't overwork the dough.
  • Freeze the dough. ...
  • Create rise and shine.
  • Follow this recipe.
  • Reduce the juice.
  • Fresh is best.
May 10, 2024

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

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. You can use whole milk or opt for skim milk to help slash the calories and fat content of your recipe.

How much sugar is in a cranberry scone? ›

Amount per serving: Calories 390, Total Fat 13g (17% DV), Saturated Fat 7g (35% DV), Trans Fat 0g, Cholesterol 50mg (17% DV), Sodium 460mg (20% DV), Total Carbohydrate 65g (24% DV), Dietary Fiber 2g (7% DV), Total Sugars 29g, (Includes 11g Added Sugars, 22% DV), Protein 7g, Vit.

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

We love using oil as it is light on animal fat and also very easy to use. Because we serve the scones with butter or whipped cream, it is okay not to use butter in the scone itself. However, if you prefer a scone made with butter, rub the butter into the dry ingredients until the flour resembles a coarse type of grain.

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.

How long should you rest scones before baking? ›

Recipes for scones sometimes provide a make-ahead option that involves refrigerating the dough overnight so it can simply be shaped and then popped into the oven the next day. But now we've found that resting the dough overnight has another benefit: It makes for more symmetrical and attractive pastries.

Why are scones bad for you? ›

ANY TYPE OF SCONE

Although convenient and tasty, scones are a complete loss. 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.

What makes scones rise best? ›

How to make scones rise high? Once you've cut out your scone shapes, flip them over and place upside down on the baking tray. This will help them rise evenly and counteract any 'squashing' that happened when you cut out the dough. Perfect scones should rise to about 2 inches high.

Is milk or cream better for scones? ›

Heavy cream (grand majority): hydrates while adding a generous amount of fat, which helps lead to tender scones. Whole milk: provides moisture but provides significantly less fat. Surprisingly, recipes using whole milk still performed better in this bake off compared to similar higher-fat recipes using cream.

What is the British equivalent of heavy cream? ›

In the UK, what is commonly referred to as "heavy cream" in the United States is known as "double cream." Double cream in the UK has a higher fat content compared to single cream, making it thick and rich. It typically contains about 48% fat, making it suitable for whipping and adding richness to dishes.

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.

Are cranberries high in sugar? ›

Cranberries are naturally sour, so some brands add sugar to cranberry juice and dried cranberries. This makes it taste better but impacts how healthy they are. So for example, a cup of raw cranberries has 4 grams of sugar, but a cup of dried cranberries has nearly 90 grams.

How many calories are in an orange cranberry scone? ›

Wegmans
Nutrition Facts
For a Serving Size of 1 scone (120g)
How many calories are in Cranberry Orange Scones? Amount of calories in Cranberry Orange Scones: Calories 400Calories from Fat 126 (31.5%)
% Daily Value *
How much fat is in Cranberry Orange Scones? Amount of fat in Cranberry Orange Scones: Total Fat 14g-
16 more rows

How much sugar is in an orange scone? ›

Nutrition & Allergens
Nutrition InformationValue
Carbohydrates77 g
Dietary Fiber2 g
Total Sugars39 g
Protein8 g
7 more rows

What are the qualities of a perfect scone? ›

Scones are considered ”quick” breads since they are leavened with baking powder or baking soda and cream of tartar. They may be plain, but often have a wide variety of sweet or savory ingredients. Scones should be golden on the outside and tender and flaky inside, like a slightly sweetened biscuit.

Why are my scones not 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.

Should you rest scones before baking? ›

The resting of the dough helps to relax the dough so everything remains tender, if you kneaded the dough and baked the scones immediately the insides would be great but the outsides would be tough and chewy.

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