Cranberry Orange Scones
These Cranberry Orange Scones are a fun and tasty recipe for the holiday season. These scones are tender, crumbly and absolutely delicious!
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These Cranberry Orange Scones are an easy (and delicious) breakfast for the holiday season. They actually would be a great treat any time of the year, but cranberries tend to only be available in the latter months of the year. The tart flavor of the cranberries combined with the bright flavor of the orange juice complement each other. And of course the generous sprinkling of sanding sugar on top takes these scones to a whole new level!
Like all good scones, these Cranberry Orange Scones have a tender, flaky crumb with a crunchy outer coating. Part of the crunch comes from the sugared tops, but I also love the crunchy little nubbins (yes, I invented that term) along the edges of the scones. The texture is perfection – it achieves that perfect balance between tender and crispy. And the best part? These scones are easy to make!
Cranberry Orange Scones
If you are an experienced baker, then you’ll find scones very easy to make – the recipe is very similar to making homemade pie dough. Even if you are a novice baker, you’ll be surprised to find that you can master homemade scones! The hardest part is grating the frozen butter into the bowl. If you think you can grate a stick of butter using a coarse grater, then you can make these scones. *pinky swear*
To make homemade scones, simply combine all of the dry ingredients into a large bowl. Grate the frozen butter on top. Mix up the liquid ingredients in another bowl. Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir just until they come together. Shape the dough into a disc and cut it into wedges. That’s it. Easy peasy!
The next thing you know, your house will be filled with the fragrant smells of buttery pastry combined with cranberries and oranges. This is the perfect baking project on a cold winter morning! And if you happen to have guests staying with you? Then they’re in for a real treat when you pull the tray of warm scones out of the oven!
Secrets to Making Good Scones
There are a couple of “secrets” to making good scones at home. If you make homemade pie dough, then these secrets will be very familiar:
- Don’t Overmix the Dough. When you pour the liquid ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients, don’t overmix the dough. I recommend using a spatula to stir and carefully go around the outside of the bowl. You want the dough to come together, but that’s it. The baking term is ‘shaggy,’ which basically means the dough should look rough and uneven with a sticky texture. Rather than a smooth ball of dough like you might see with pizza dough, scone dough will be a lumpy, sticky mass. Don’t overwork the dough, or the scones will be dense and tough.
- Use Cold Butter. All of the liquid ingredients for scones should be cold. Like cold cold. The eggs and buttermilk should come straight from the refrigerator, and the butter should be frozen. Cold ingredients keep the butter from melting in the dough. Instead, the grated ribbons of butter will melt in the oven which leaves to scones with a flaky, lighter texture.
- Sprinkle the Top with Sanding Sugar. This really isn’t a “secret” as much as it’s a favorite tip. Once the scones are shaped and cut, brush the tops with a bit of cream (or more buttercream). Then sprinkle a generous amount of sanding sugar on top of each scone. Sanding sugar is a coarse sugar that is used for baking. Unlike granulated sugar, sanding sugar doesn’t dissolve easily. That means it stays on top and gives the scones a nice sweet, crunchy coating. Delicious!
How to Store Leftover Scones
Scones taste best when served shortly after baking. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days, but they will become a bit soft. I recommend reheating the scones in a 300°F oven for 8-10 minutes, or until the tops become crispy again. Leftover scones can also be frozen. Just remove the frozen scones from the freezer and let thaw overnight in the fridge. From there, reheat the same as above.
If you’re looking for a fantastic (and surprisingly easy) breakfast or brunch recipe for the holidays, then give these Orange Cranberry Scones a try. The tart cranberries combined with the bright orange flavor is quite delicious. These scones didn’t last long in our house – Happy Baking!
Did you make this Cranberry Orange Scones recipe at home? Leave a comment, or snap a photo and tag me on Instagram (@Spicedblog) – I’d love to see your version!
Cranberry Orange Scones
Ingredients
For the Scones
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ½ Tbsp baking powder
- 1 Tbsp orange zest
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¾ cup unsalted butter frozen
- 1 cup + 1 Tbsp of buttermilk divided, can substitute heavy cream
- 1½ tsp vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1¼ cups frozen cranberries can use fresh cranberries
- 2-3 Tbsp coarse sugar such as sanding sugar
For Topping
- 1 cup confectioners' sugar
- 1½ Tbsp fresh orange juice
- 1 Tbsp orange zest
Instructions
For the Scones
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with nonstick cooking spray; set pan aside.
- Using a large bowl, add flour, sugar, baking powder, orange zest, salt and baking soda; mix until well combined.
- Using a coarse grater, grate frozen butter into bowl; toss lightly until well combined. (Note: Alternatively, you can cut the butter into ½” cubes and cut the butter into the flour mixture using a pastry cutter or two table knives.)
- Whisk 1 cup of buttermilk, vanilla, egg and additional egg yolk together in a small bowl; pour wet ingredients into flour mixture.
- Add cranberries.
- Gently stir until shaggy dough forms. Do not overmix.
- Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface. Fold several times until dough comes together. Take care to not overmix. Shape dough into an 8” disc. Using a sharp knife, cut dough into 8 wedges. Place scones 2-3” apart on prepared baking sheet.
- Brush tops of the scones with the remaining 1 Tablespoon of buttermilk. Sprinkle tops of scones generously with coarse sugar.
- Refrigerate pan for 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400°F.
- Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until tops of scones are light golden brown.
For Topping
- Using a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar and orange juice until a smooth glaze forms.
- Once scones have cooled, drizzle orange glaze on top.
- For a fun garnish, microwave the orange zest on a paper plate or napkin in 10-second intervals until the zest is dry and crumbly. Sprinkle the dried orange zest on top of the glaze before it hardens.
Looking for more holiday breakfast recipes? Check out these other ideas, too:
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