Cranberry Orange Scones

Name: Cranberry Orange Scones
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 65 min
Ingredients: 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour ((bleached flour toughens baked goods)); 1/2 cup granulated sugar; 1 1/4 tsp. baking powder; 1/2 tsp. baking soda; 1/4 tsp. sea salt; 1/2 cup salted butter (cold (1 stick)); 1 cup fresh cranberries (washed); 2 tsp. grated orange peel (packed ); 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract; 1 tbsp. orange juice; 3/4 cup buttermilk (or soured milk); 1 large egg; 1 tbsp. half-and-half (or whole milk); 1/3 cup unbleached flour (to roll out the scones); 3 cups powdered sugar; 1/4 cup half-and-half (or more, as needed); 1 tbsp. orange juice; 1 tsp. grated orange peel (for topping, if desired)

January 7, 2024Teresa Ambra

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Oh m gosh! These Cranberry Orange Scones are heavenly, exquisite, and so decadent you’ll think you’re eating donuts or dessert! The scones are filled with cranberries and grated orange peel. The icing includes orange juice and grated orange peel on top. It’s thick and luscious. Truly to die for!

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Last Sunday I brought these scones to our early church service for the Hostess Committee. I had two flavors: Cranberry Orange and a chocolate variety. They were sensational to say the least. I had SO many people tell me how scrumptious they were. We usually cut the scones in half because people won’t take them otherwise. They’re TOO large! Ha!

The flavors were wonderful. I was concerned because cranberries can be really tart, and this past year’s crop of cranberries seemed excessively bitter (versus other years). I thought they turned out wonderfully and asked a few people if the cranberries were too tart. Everyone without exception thought they were great and just loved them.

I don’t make scones the traditional way. These are not dense and dry! They have an almost bread-like texture along with being much sweeter than classic scones. But they are oh, soooo good!

If you still have fresh cranberries left over from Christmas or Thanksgiving dinner, this is a terrific way to use them up. Cranberry Orange Scones will be gobbled up in short order. And you’ll be wishing you had made even more!

Cranberry Orange Scones are marvelous!

These scones are so luscious, it’s hard to stay out of them.

Cranberry Orange Scones are rich, sweet and decadent!

This view shows the inside of the scones. They’re chocked full of fresh cranberries! The grated orange peel makes them heavenly.

Here’s what I did.

I used these ingredients for the scones.

Spoon unbleached flour into a mixing bowl. (Bleached flour toughens baked goods). Add granulated sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda.

Stir ingredients to combine; set aside.

Rinse cranberries in a colander.

Pat dry between layers of paper towels.

Grate orange peel with a grater. I grated enough for the icing as well.

Add cranberries and grated orange peel to the flour mixture.

Stir ingredients to combine.

Add cold butter and grate with a pastry blender.

Cut in the butter until coarse crumbs form. Set aside.

Measure buttermilk or soured milk into a measuring cup. Add vanilla extract and orange juice and stir to combine.

Add buttermilk mixture to flour/cranberry mixture.

Stir to combine. It’s going to be hard to get all the flour mixed in as the mixture is dry.

Sprinkle flour on a bread board. Add scone dough and sprinkle with more flour. Knead about 8-10 times. Turn dough over and knead another 8-10 times.

Shape the dough into a 7-inch round about one-two inches deep.

Cut the scone batter into eighths.

Place the scones on a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet pan. Be sure to leave plenty of room between each scone because they expand a LOT while baking.

Beat egg in a small bowl with a whisk.

Add half-and-half cream or whole milk. Stir again to combine.

Spread the egg wash mixture over the top and sides of each scone. Cover surface entirely.

Place scones in 400 degree oven.

Bake for approximately 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool scones about 10 minutes on cookie sheet. Transfer scones to a wire cooling rack.

I used these ingredients for the icing.

Place powdered sugar in a mixing bowl. Add half-and-half.

Add orange juice.

Whisk ingredients well to combine.

Spread icing on scone. Sprinkle with grated orange peel. Do only one scone at a time. Otherwise, the icing dries too fast and the orange peel will not adhere to the icing.

I used about two tablespoons of icing on each scone and used the back of the measuring spoon to smooth the icing over the top and sides of each scone.

Leave the scones on the wire cooling rack until the icing dries before serving.

Transfer cranberry Orange Scones to a serving tray to serve.

I like to freeze fresh cranberries so I can make baked goods like these scones, throughout the year!

Cranberry Orange Scones are so mouthwatering. You’ll be swooning over every one!

If you enjoy the flavors of cranberries and oranges, these are terrific to make during the holiday period.

These scones turned out incredibly well. I could have eaten all of them by myself!!! Ha!

Here’s the recipe.

CRANBERRY ORANGE SCONES

(My own concoction)

Cranberry Orange Scones

Teresa Ambra

Cranberry Orange Scones is the most delectable, exquisite scone recipe imaginable! These lovely scones include fresh cranberries, orange juice and orange zest with a luscious orange flavored icing to die for! Scrumptious breakfast or brunch idea during the holiday season. Freeze fresh cranberries and you can make this recipe year round! Your family and friends will swoon over these luscious scones.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 45

Cook Time 20

Total Time 1 5

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Servings

Calories 504 kcal

Equipment

1 large cookie sheet pan
parchment paper
1 large mixing bowl
1 wooden spoon
1 grater or orange zester
measuring cups
measuring spoons
1 pastry blender
1 pastry brush
1 small bowl
1 small mixing bowl
1 whisk

Ingredients

SCONES:

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (bleached flour toughens baked goods)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1/2 cup salted butter cold (1 stick)
1 cup fresh cranberries washed
2 tsp. grated orange peel packed
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 tbsp. orange juice
3/4 cup buttermilk or soured milk
1 large egg
1 tbsp. half-and-half or whole milk
1/3 cup unbleached flour to roll out the scones

ICING:

3 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup half-and-half or more, as needed
1 tbsp. orange juice
1 tsp. grated orange peel for topping, if desired

Instructions

SCONES:

Preheat oven to 400º.
Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, place flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Stir or whisk well to combine ingredients.
Add butter and cut into mixture with a pastry blender until coarse crumbs form.
Add orange zest and cranberries and stir again to combine.
Measure out buttermilk in a small measuring cup.
Add vanilla extract and orange juice and stir to combine.
Pour buttermilk mixture into flour mixture adding only enough to make a soft dough.
Measure out about a 1/3 cup of flour; sprinkle a few tablespoons of flour on top of bread board.
Transfer dough to the floured bread board; sprinkle very generously with some of the flour; knead dough about six to ten times.
Turn dough over about half way and sprinkle with remaining flour.
Knead dough again about 8-10 times.
Pat dough into a 7-inch round about one to two inches thick.
Cut the dough into eighths.
Transfer the scones onto the parchment paper-lined cookie sheet.
Combine egg and cream in a small bowl with a whisk.
Brush each scone with egg/cream mixture.
Bake at 400º for approximately 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Remove scones to wire racks and cool approximately 10 minutes before adding glaze.
Add glaze and serve.

ICING:

In a large sized mixing bowl, whisk half-and-half, powdered sugar and orange juice until smooth.
Transfer scones to wire cooling rack.
Spoon icing over top of each scone with a one-tablespoon measuring spoon.
Smooth the icing over the whole top and down the sides of the scone adding as much icing as necessary.
(Usually between one and two tablespoonfuls of icing per scone is all that’s needed).
Sprinkle each scone immediately with grated orange zest after glazing each scone with icing.
Let glaze set for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Serve.

Notes

NOTE: You will not need all of the egg wash.

NOTE: My scones took 23 minutes to cook completely.

NOTE: I sprinkle the knife with flour before cutting the scone dough into eighths to prevent the dough from sticking.

NOTE: This is not the traditional way to make scones which usually turn out dense and dry. Mine have a softer, bread-like texture and are sweeter than regular scones.

NOTE: To sour milk: measure half-and-half or whole milk into a measuring cup. Add about a tablespoon of vinegar and allow mixture to sit out on counter for about 5 minutes to thicken before using in recipe.

NOTE: You will not use all of the icing for this recipe.

Nutrition

Calories: 504kcalCarbohydrates: 89gProtein: 6gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 60mgSodium: 357mgPotassium: 117mgFiber: 2gSugar: 59gVitamin A: 482IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 99mgIron: 2mg

Keyword breakfast, brunch, cranberries, holiday breakfast, orange zest, scones

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