These cranberry orange scones are tall, flaky, and bursting with citrus flavor! After four rounds of testing, I nailed the flour-to-fruit ratio for the perfect texture—whether you use fresh or dried cranberries. Based on my master scone recipe and packed with tips for buttery, golden scones with gorgeous pops of orange zest.
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
1cupfresh 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 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 lemon juice as needed to achieve your desired consistency. Drizzle over the scones.
1 cup (113g) powdered sugar, 2-3 Tbsp orange juice