There’s nothing quite like the aroma of freshly baked Cranberry Orange Scones filling your kitchen. Imagine a crisp, golden-brown exterior giving way to a soft, tender, and buttery crumb, all bursting with the vibrant flavors of tart cranberries and zesty orange. This is not just another scone recipe; this is your new go-to guide for achieving bakery-quality scones right in your own home. Forget dry, crumbly disappointments. We’re diving deep into the simple techniques that guarantee a perfectly flaky and moist texture every single time. Perfect for a holiday breakfast, a cozy afternoon treat, or a special brunch, these scones are a delightful way to brighten any day.
Why You’ll Love This Cranberry Orange Scones Recipe
This recipe is designed for success, whether you’re a seasoned baker or a first-timer. The combination of tart cranberries and bright orange zest creates a flavor profile that is both refreshing and comforting. What truly sets these Cranberry Orange Scones apart is their incredible texture. By using very cold butter and a gentle touch, we create countless flaky layers that make each bite melt in your mouth.
Incredibly Flaky: We use a simple technique with frozen grated butter to create the most amazing, tender crumb.
Bursting with Flavor: The classic pairing of cranberry and orange is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.
Perfect for Any Occasion: Serve them for a festive Christmas morning, a weekend brunch, or with your afternoon tea.
Easy to Make Ahead: You can prep the dough in advance, so you can have fresh scones with minimal effort. Find more easy recipes in our winter desserts collection.
The perfect start to any morning.
Key Ingredients for Perfect Scones
The magic of a great scone lies in simple, high-quality ingredients. The interaction between the cold fat, flour, and liquid is what creates that signature texture. Here’s what you’ll need.
For the Scones
All-Purpose Flour: Provides the structure for our scones.
Granulated Sugar: Adds just the right amount of sweetness to balance the tart cranberries.
Baking Powder & Baking Soda: These leaveners give the scones their beautiful rise.
Salt: Enhances all the other flavors.
Unsalted Butter: Must be frozen solid! Grating the frozen butter is the secret to creating flaky pockets.
Dried Cranberries: Offer a chewy texture and tart flavor. You can also use fresh or frozen.
Orange: We’ll use both the zest and the juice for a powerful citrus punch.
Heavy Cream & Buttermilk: This combination provides the perfect balance of fat and acidity for a tender, flavorful crumb.
Egg: Helps bind the dough and adds richness.
For the Simple Orange Glaze
Powdered Sugar: The base for our smooth, sweet glaze.
Orange Juice: Freshly squeezed is best for flavor.
Vanilla Extract: A hint of vanilla rounds out the glaze beautifully.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Follow these steps carefully for the best Cranberry Orange Scones. The key is to work quickly and keep the dough as cold as possible to ensure the butter doesn’t melt prematurely.
Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Grate the Butter: Using the large holes of a box grater, grate the frozen butter directly into the flour mixture. Toss gently with your fingertips to coat the butter shreds in flour. This prevents them from clumping.
Add Wet Ingredients: In a separate smaller bowl, whisk together the heavy cream, buttermilk, egg, and orange zest. Pour this mixture into the flour and butter mixture.
Form the Dough: Use a spatula to gently fold the ingredients until a shaggy dough begins to form. Do not overmix! A few dry spots are okay. Gently fold in the dried cranberries.
Shape the Scones: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Gently knead it a few times—just enough to bring it together into a cohesive ball. Pat the dough into an 8-inch circle, about 1-inch thick.
Cut and Chill: Use a sharp knife or bench scraper to cut the circle into 8 equal wedges. Place the scones on a parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches between them. For the flakiest results, chill the cut scones in the freezer for 15-20 minutes while your oven preheats.
Bake: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Brush the tops of the cold scones with a little heavy cream. Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until they are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Glaze and Serve: While the scones cool, whisk together the powdered sugar, orange juice, and vanilla extract to make the glaze. Once the scones are slightly cooled, drizzle the glaze over the top. For a similar flavor profile, try our Cranberry Orange Loaf recipe.
Look at those flaky layers! The secret is in the cold butter.
Baker’s Tips for Flaky, Tender Scones Every Time
Achieving the perfect scone texture is an art, but these tips will make it a science. Avoid the common pitfalls of tough, dry scones with this advice.
Keep Everything Cold: Your butter, eggs, and cream should be fridge-cold. The cold butter creates steam in the hot oven, which results in pockets of air and those coveted flaky layers.
Don’t Overwork the Dough: The moment you overmix, you develop gluten, which leads to tough, chewy scones instead of light and tender ones. Mix only until the dough just comes together.
The Freezer is Your Friend: A final chill before baking solidifies the butter one last time, which helps the scones rise higher and become flakier. Don’t skip this step!
Check Your Leaveners: Make sure your baking powder and baking soda are fresh. To test, put a little in hot water; if it fizzes actively, you’re good to go.
Flavor Variations & Add-ins
While the classic cranberry orange combination is a winner, feel free to get creative! Here are a few ideas to customize your scones:
White Chocolate: Add 1/2 cup of white chocolate chips along with the cranberries for a sweeter, more decadent treat. It’s a flavor combination we love in our Cranberry White Chocolate Cheesecake Dip.
Nuts: Toasted pecans or walnuts add a lovely crunch. Fold in 1/2 cup of chopped nuts with the cranberries.
Spices: Add 1/2 teaspoon of cardamom or cinnamon to the dry ingredients for a warm, spicy note that complements the orange beautifully. For another spiced orange favorite, check out these Orange Cardamom Shortbread cookies.
How to Store & Freeze Cranberry Orange Scones
These scones are best enjoyed the day they are baked. However, they can be stored or made ahead with ease.
To Store: Keep leftover scones in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
To Freeze Baked Scones: Allow them to cool completely (unglazed). Wrap them individually in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer-safe bag. They can be frozen for up to 3 months. Reheat in a 350°F oven for 10-12 minutes.
To Freeze Unbaked Scones: After cutting the dough into wedges, place them on a baking sheet and flash-freeze until solid. Transfer the frozen, unbaked scones to a freezer bag. You can bake them directly from frozen; just add 3-5 minutes to the baking time.
The two main causes of dry scones are using butter that isn’t cold enough and overworking the dough. Be sure to use frozen grated butter and mix the dough only until it just comes together. A gentle hand is key!
Yes! If using fresh or frozen cranberries, chop them coarsely. Keep in mind they will release more moisture, so you might need to add a touch less liquid. Do not thaw frozen cranberries before adding them to the dough.
Absolutely. The best way is to prepare the scone dough, cut it into wedges, and freeze them unbaked. You can then bake them directly from frozen, adding a few extra minutes to the baking time. This is perfect for a quick, fresh-baked treat.
You can easily make a substitute! For every 1 cup of buttermilk, use 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice in a measuring cup, then fill the rest of the way with regular milk. Let it sit for 5 minutes before using.
Chilling the shaped scones in the freezer for 15-20 minutes before baking is crucial. It re-solidifies the butter, which then melts in the hot oven and creates steam. This steam pushes the dough upwards, resulting in a higher rise and flakier layers.
More Holiday Recipes to Try
If you loved these Cranberry Orange Scones, you’re sure to enjoy our other festive treats perfect for the season. We have a wide variety of Christmas recipes to make your holiday gatherings special and delicious. From cookies to cakes and appetizers, you’ll find everything you need to celebrate in style.
We hope you love this recipe for Cranberry Orange Scones as much as we do! It’s a true classic that’s sure to become a family favorite. If you make them, please leave a comment below and let us know how they turned out. Don’t forget to share your creations and save this recipe to Pinterest for later!
The only Cranberry Orange Scones recipe you'll ever need!
Cranberry Orange Scones Recipe
FL Recipes
Cranberry Orange Scones (The Ultimate Flaky Recipe)
Achieve bakery-quality Cranberry Orange Scones at home with this foolproof recipe! Learn the secrets to a perfectly flaky, tender, and moist scone, bursting with bright orange zest and tart cranberries. Topped with a simple orange glaze, they're perfect for breakfast or brunch.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Using a box grater, grate the frozen butter into the flour mixture. Gently toss with your fingertips to coat the butter.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the heavy cream, buttermilk, egg, and orange zest. Pour over the flour mixture.
Gently fold with a spatula until a shaggy dough forms. Do not overmix. Fold in the dried cranberries.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead a few times to bring it together. Pat into an 8-inch circle.
Cut the circle into 8 wedges and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Chill in the freezer for 15-20 minutes.
Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Brush the tops of the scones with heavy cream.
Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool slightly on the baking sheet.
To make the glaze, whisk together powdered sugar, orange juice, and vanilla extract until smooth. Drizzle over the slightly cooled scones.
Nutrition
Calories: 380kcalProtein: 5gFat: 15gFiber: 2g
Notes
Tip 1: Do not overwork the dough. A light touch is crucial for tender scones. Tip 2: Grating the butter while it's frozen is the number one secret to achieving flaky layers. Tip 3: Don't skip the chilling step before baking; it helps the scones rise better and prevents spreading.
Hi, I’m Emily Carter, and welcome to FL Recipes! I share simple, healthy recipes that make cooking easy, fun, and delicious for everyone. more about me »
