Tall, flaky cranberry orange scones built on my master scone recipe. After four rounds of testing, I nailed the flour to fruit ratio, so fresh, frozen or dried cranberries all work. Finish them with an orange glaze or a crunchy sanding sugar top.
Prep Time10 minutesmins
Cook Time30 minutesmins
Chill Time40 minutesmins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cranberry orange scones
Servings: 8scones
Author: Beth
Ingredients
2 ½cups (300g)all-purpose flour
½cup (99g)granulated sugar
1Tbspbaking powder
½tspsalt
1Tbsporange zestabout 2 oranges
½cup (113g) cold unsalted buttercubed
½cup (118ml)buttermilk
1Tbsporange juicefreshly squeezed
1large egg
1cup (99g)fresh or frozen cranberriesor dried cranberries, do not thaw frozen cranberries
Glaze, optional
1cup (113g) powdered sugar
2-3Tbsporange juice
Instructions
In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt, and orange zest. Add in the cold, cubed butter and use your hands or a pastry cutter to cut in the butter until pea sized amounts of butter remain.
2 ½ cups (300g) all-purpose flour, ½ cup (99g) granulated sugar, 1 Tbsp baking powder, ½ tsp salt, 1 Tbsp orange zest, ½ cup (113g) cold unsalted butter
Create a well in the center of the flour mixture. Add the buttermilk, orange juice, and egg. Use a spatula to gently combine until the dough is thick and sticky. Gently stir in the fresh or frozen cranberries (do not thaw), or dried cranberries.
½ cup (118ml) buttermilk, 1 Tbsp orange juice, 1 large egg, 1 cup (99g) fresh or frozen cranberries
On a silicone mat or kitchen counter, gently knead the dough, until all the flour is incorporated.
Add 1-2 additional tablespoons of flour if the dough is too sticky.
Lamination (folding the dough to create flaky layers!): Fold the dough in half, press it down slightly, then turn the dough 90 degrees and fold in half again. Repeat this folding and turning process 4-5 times.
Shape the dough into a 8-10 inch disc that is about 1.5 to 2 inches tall. Refrigerate the scone in a disc for 5-10 minutes.
Use a knife or pizza cutter to cut the scones into 8 equal wedges.
Place the scones 2-3 inches apart on a baking sheet that’s lined with a silicone mat or parchment paper.
Freeze the scones for 30 minutes. The last 5 minutes, preheat the oven to 400º F.
Brush the tops of the scones with egg wash (1 large egg + 1 Tbsp water), buttermilk or heavy cream. Add coarse sanding sugar if desired.
Bake for 20-26 minutes or until the scones are lightly golden. Allow the scones to cool.
Glaze, optional
Combine the powdered sugar and 2 Tbsp of orange juice. Add more orange juice as needed to achieve your desired consistency. Drizzle over the scones.
1 cup (113g) powdered sugar, 2-3 Tbsp orange juice
Video
Notes
Gluten-Free: Use a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend in place of all-purpose flour. I used King Arthur's Measure for Measure Gluten Free Flour with great results.To Store: Cool completely, then store in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 to 2 days. Don't refrigerate.To Freeze: Freeze baked scones for up to 1 month. Thaw at room temperature.To Make Ahead: Shape and cut the scones, then freeze them unbaked for up to 6 months. Bake straight from frozen as directed, adding a few minutes to the bake time if needed.