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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
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.
What is the best raising agent for scones and why? ›
A mixture of bicarbonate of soda and cream of tartar, or baking powder (which is a ready paired mixture of the two) are used as the raising agent in scones.
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? ›
The secret is using cake flour instead of all-purpose flour. It's lower in protein and makes for ultra-tender scones. If you don't have any on hand, you can easily make your own using all-purpose flour and cornstarch (see the FAQs below). For a kid-friendly twist, don't miss my chocolate chip scones.
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.
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.
Are plain scones OK for diabetics? ›
"I have been making these scones for a long time now and they are so quick to make and if like me you are a diabetic you can have these as they are very plain or you can add to them by the way of reduced sugar jam or cheese.
Is heavy cream or buttermilk 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.
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.
The egg gives the scones a golden and shiny finish once they are baked. It is however possible to omit the egg and use 1-2 tablespoons of extra milk as a glaze for the scones instead. They will not quite have the same colour and shine but they will still be delicious to eat.
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).
How do you make scones 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.
Does scone dough need to rest? ›
The explanation is simple: As with other doughs, including pizza dough, resting lets scone dough's gluten relax completely, so that it doesn't snap back during shaping or baking.
How do you get a good rise on 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 make scones rise and not spread? ›
Pack the scones closely on the baking tray so they will support each other as they rise rather than spreading. Make scones the day you need them – they taste far better warm.
Should you sift flour for scones? ›
Preheat oven to 200°C. Sift 3 cups self-raising flour into a large bowl. Using your fingertips, rub 80g butter, chilled and cubed into self-raising flour until mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
