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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.
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
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.
2. Toss in 3/4 cup dried cranberries and stir gently to combine. Make a well in the center and set aside
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!
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)
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
The texture of these cranberry orange scones is phenomenal - billowy soft and crumbly. And they are not overly sweet.
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Prep Time: 15 minutes mins
Cook Time: 16 minutes mins
Total Time: 31 minutes mins
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
Have you tried scones? What’s your favorite variety?
Natasha Kravchuk
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.
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FAQs
Baking tips for making the perfect scones
The colder the better when it comes to scones, we recommend a chilled bowl and pastry cutter too. Use pastry flour: This will create a noticeably lighter scone. However, self-raising flour works just as well and creates a higher rising scone that holds its shape nicely.
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.
How do you get high scones? ›
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.
How do you test to see the scones are fully baked? ›
Bake scones
Break one open to check for doneness: the interior shouldn't appear doughy or wet, but should feel nicely moist. Remove scones from the oven and serve warm; or cool completely on a rack before topping with any optional glaze.
What type of flour is best for scones? ›
Cake flour is finer and lower in protein, which makes lighter and fluffier scones. If you don't have any on hand, a simple blend of all-purpose flour and a bit of cornstarch makes a great substitute. Simply whisk together 1¾ cups all-purpose flour and ¼ cup cornstarch.
Is it better to make scones with butter or oil? ›
For example, if you substitute oil for butter or margarine, you can significantly reduce the amount of saturated fat in your baked goods. This streamlined recipe for Light Scones uses just 3 tablespoons of canola oil, which contains a fraction of the saturated fat found in butter or margarine.
Should diabetics eat scones? ›
Serve these fluffy scones at your next afternoon tea. They are light, golden and diabetes friendly too.
Do scones raise blood sugar? ›
Low in sugar and high in fibre, wholemeal scones are good options for diabetics. Incorporating yoghurt and fruits is a good option to make desserts for diabetics. Diabetics need proper management of sugar intake to handle their blood sugar level.
Are scones unhealthy? ›
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.
Should you chill scone dough before baking? ›
Not chilling the dough before baking: to really ace your scones, it helps to chill your dough again before it's baked. Using cold ingredients does help, but your hands will warm up the dough when you're working with it and the extra step of chilling will help you get the best result.
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.
What happens if you don't put baking powder in scones? ›
I didn't use baking powder in the scones I made yesterday and they were light and fluffy but I did use self raising flour. If you used plain flour they might be a bit biscuity! They'll still taste good but might be thin.
Should you open the oven when baking scones? ›
It can be so tempting to keep opening the oven door to check on your scones, however each time you open the door you loose the heat that is kept inside and increase the cooking time. Try to leave your scones alone until the end of the cooking process and then quickly check them before removing.
What temperature do you bake scones at? ›
Internal temperature 182 degree F.
How thick should scone dough be? ›
It is far better that the scone mixture is on the wet side, sticking to your fingers, as the scones will rise better. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and flatten it out with your hand, or use a rolling pin, to a thickness of 1-2 cm (1/2 – ¾ inch).
Why are my scones not light and fluffy? ›
Some common reasons for dense scones are not using enough baking powder, overworking the dough and not baking with the oven at the correct temperature.
Is buttermilk or 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.
