Cranberry Scones Recipe
These homemade cranberry scones are tender, buttery, and filled with delicious bursts of sweet tart cranberry flavor. They're easy to make and perfect for breakfast, brunch, or an afternoon treat with your favorite cup of coffee or tea. Whether you're baking for a cozy weekend morning or adding something special to your holiday breakfast table, these cranberry scones are sure to become a favorite.
Equipment
- 2 large mixing bowls
- 1 whisk
- 1 pastry cutter
- 1 large baking sheet
- 1 sheet parchment paper
Ingredients
Cranberry Scones
- 2½ cups (300 g) all purpose flour
- ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large orange, zested
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 10 tablespoons (141 g) cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup (120 ml) cold heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons (10 ml) vanilla extract
- 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
Orange Glaze
- 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar
- 2 - 3 tablespoons (30 - 45 ml) orange juice
Instructions
- Whisk in the flour, sugar, light brown sugar, baking powder, orange zest and salt until well combined. Grate or toss very small cubes of cold butter into the flour. When all the butter has been added in, use a pastry cutter or your fingers to work the butter into the flour mixture until the butter is fully incorporated and the mixture resembles coarse sand with some larger pieces. This is similar to making a pie crust.2½ cups (300 g) all purpose flour, ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar, ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar, 1 large orange, zested, 1 tablespoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt, 10 tablespoons (141 g) cold unsalted butter, cubed
- In a separate bowl, lightly whisk an egg to smooth. Then whisk in the heavy cream, and vanilla extract until well combined. Form a little well in the center of the flour and butter mixture. Pour ½ of the wet ingredients into the dry and gently incorporate. Repeat with the remaining wet ingredients into the dough, followed by the cranberries. Mix until the dough just comes together. There should be a few stray pieces of the dough. Try to mix everything in as gently as possible.1 large egg, ½ cup (120 ml) cold heavy cream, 2 teaspoons (10 ml) vanilla extract , 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
- Transfer the cranberry scone dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently shape the dough into a ball. Gently knead the scone dough by pressing down on the dough from middle to edges to form a disk. Fold in half. Repeat gently pressing the dough back into a round disk. Shape into a 7 - 8 inch disk that’s about 1 inch thick.
- Place the disk onto a parchment lined baking sheet or plate to chill in the freezer for 20 - 30 minutes. While the scones chill in the freezer, preheat the oven to 425 F (218 C).
- Remove the scones from the freezer and cut into 6 - 8 wedges using a dough scraper or long sharp knife. Space the scones about 2 - inches apart on a lined baking sheet. Brush the tops of the scones with the heavy cream and sprinkle with sugar if you like.
- Bake in the oven at 425 F (218 C) for 14 - 18 minutes. The scones should be lightly golden brown and will be very fragrant. Allow scones to cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring them to a cooling rack. If you would like to top with glaze, whisk the powdered sugar with fresh citrus juice (use the same citrus as the zest) until smooth and well combined. Drizzle on top of the cooled scones and enjoy.
Notes
Store: Store baked cranberry scones in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days or in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Cranberry Scones Troubleshooting Guide
- Scones turned out dry or crumbly. Too much flour or overbaking can make scones dry. Measure the flour carefully and bake just until the edges are lightly golden.
- Scones are dense instead of tender.Overworking the dough can develop too much gluten. Mix just until the ingredients come together, and handle the dough as little as possible. Don't judge the dough by how smooth it looks. Scone dough should be soft and just combined, not kneaded until perfectly smooth. A few visible bits of cold butter and a slightly shaggy appearance are exactly what you're looking for.
- Butter melted before baking. Warm butter can affect the flaky texture. Use cold butter and chill the shaped scones for 30 minutes before baking and while the oven preheats.
- Dough is too sticky to handle. A slightly sticky dough is normal, but if it's difficult to shape, lightly flour your hands and work surface. Avoid adding too much extra flour.
- Scones spread too much in the oven. The dough may be too warm or too soft. Chill the shaped scones before baking to help them hold their shape.
- Cranberries are sinking or unevenly distributed. Fold the cranberries gently into the dough until evenly distributed. I like to do this when about half of the dry ingredients are still unmixed into the wet ingredients. Avoid overmixing, which can make the scones tough.
- Scones are too brown on the outside but underbaked inside. Your oven may be running hot, or the scones may be too large. Check the oven temperature with an oven thermometer and adjust the baking time as needed.
did you make this recipe?tag @olivesnthyme on Instagram