Description
These Best Cranberry Orange Scones are a delightful breakfast or brunch treat featuring a flaky texture, tangy dried cranberries, and fresh orange zest. Topped with a sweet and citrusy orange glaze, these scones perfectly balance tart and sweet flavors, making them an irresistible companion to your morning coffee or tea.
Ingredients
Scale
Scone Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- ⅔ cup heavy cream, plus more for brushing
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Orange Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2–3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
- ½ teaspoon orange zest
Instructions
- Preheat the oven and prep baking sheet: Set your oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt. This creates the base for your scones.
- Incorporate butter: Add the cold, cubed unsalted butter to the dry mixture. Use a pastry cutter or your fingertips to cut the butter into the flour until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs, which helps create flaky layers.
- Add flavorings: Stir in the orange zest and dried cranberries evenly to distribute their flavor throughout the dough.
- Combine wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk the heavy cream, egg, and vanilla extract until smooth and well blended.
- Form the dough: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently mix just until the dough comes together. Avoid overworking to keep the scones tender.
- Shape the scones: Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently a few times. Pat the dough into a 1-inch thick circle and cut into 8 wedges.
- Prepare for baking: Arrange the wedges on the lined baking sheet and brush the tops lightly with cream to encourage a golden crust.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 16–18 minutes until the tops turn golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool the scones: Transfer the baked scones to a wire rack and allow them to cool before glazing.
- Make the glaze and serve: Whisk together powdered sugar, fresh orange juice, and orange zest until smooth. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled scones and serve.
Notes
- For an extra citrusy flavor, soak fresh cranberries in orange juice and use these instead of dried cranberries.
- These scones freeze well if wrapped tightly and frozen before glazing. Thaw and warm them before serving for best results.
