Cranberry Orange Scones

Stephanie Hamley

Apr 13

3 min read

This EASY Cranberry Orange Scones recipe is perfect during the holiday season, or any time of year! They are slightly crisp and flakey on the outside and perfectly moist in the center with delicious bursts of cranberry orange flavor.

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Scone Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
6 TBS granulated sugar
2 ½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp kosher salt
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold or frozen
1/3 cup sour cream (or Greek yogurt)
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 large egg
2 tsp vanilla extract
Zest of 1 orange
1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries

Icing Ingredients:

2/3 cup powdered sugar
1-2 TBS orange juice
Zest of 1 orange

How to make Cranberry Orange Scones:

Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.

Cut cold butter into small cubes and place in the bowl. Use a pastry blender, fork, or your hands to combine the flour and butter until it resembles coarse meal. Stick bowl in the fridge while you combine the wet ingredients.

Combine sour cream, heavy cream, egg, vanilla, and orange zest in another bowl. Pour it over the flour mixture and gently stir to combine, just until everything is moistened.

Add in cranberries. Line an 8" cake pan with plastic wrap and press the dough into the pan. If you don't have an 8" cake pan, use floured hands to gently work the dough into a ball and then press it (or use rolling pin) into a circle about 1 inch thick.

Cut the dough into 8 wedges. Place scones on baking sheet lined with parchment paper and brush the tops with a little bit of heavy cream. In a 400°F preheated oven, bake for 15-18 minutes, until barely golden on the edges.

Make glaze by combining powdered sugar and freshly squeezed orange juice until smooth.

Cool baked scones on wire rack for at least 10 minutes before drizzling the glaze on top. Enjoy!

Why this is the best scone recipe:

Quick – These easy scones only take 30 minutes from start to finish.
Flavor – The cranberry orange combination is fresh and delicious, perfect around the holidays.
Perfect Texture – Follow my tips to ensure the perfect texture of slightly crisp and flakey on the outside and moist in the middle. These are better than any coffee shop or bakery.

Tips for Perfect Scones

Cold Butter: Some recipes like for you to grate the butter to create small pieces...if you'd like to do that, then make sure to FREEZE the butter. But as long as the butter is VERY COLD you can pick your favorite way. We want to keep the butter cold because as the butter bakes, it creates pockets of air which yields flakiness and tender, moist center. If the dough or butter is too warm when you bake the scones, they will spread more and wont puff up like we want.

Don't Overwork Dough: Just like when making homemade biscuits or pie crust, you don't want to handle or knead the dough more than necessary because the more you mix it, the tougher your scones will be.

Storage and Freezing Instructions:

To Store: Cranberry scones are best served fresh, the day of baking, but leftover scones can be stored at room temperature or in the fridge for up to two days.

To Freeze: Skip the glaze and let scones cool completely. Freeze in airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. You can also freeze scones dough after pressing it into a circle. Cover well and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw completely in the fridge, then cut into wedges and bake as directed.