Cranberry Orange Scones

Buttery, bright, and smugly delicious, these cranberry orange scones bake up with tart cranberries, fresh citrus zest, and a sweet glaze that makes them look bakery-made. Quick to mix, dangerously easy to eat, and guaranteed to make people think you’re way fancier than you actually feel today.

Course Breakfast Quick Bread, Brunch

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 15

Total Time 30

Servings

Calories 381kcal

Author Marye Audet-White

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup sugar
zest from 1 orange
½ cup butter frozen
⅔ cup buttermilk
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoons vanilla extract or orange extract
1 cup cranberries fresh or frozen
1 ½ cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons orange juice more if needed - enough to make a glaze
½ teaspoon orange extract optional

Instructions

Mix the all-purpose flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and sugar.
Grate butter into the dry ingredients.
Stir
Grate orange zest into the mixture.
Stir
Stir in cranberries
Place in the freezer for 10 minutes.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, egg yolk and vanilla extract until blended.
Add to the flour mixture and stir with a fork until dough forms a ball. Dough will be sticky.
Place the dough onto a silpat lined baking sheet and gently pat into a disk about 1-inch thick. No need to roll!
Cut the dough into wedges with a sharp knife. Don't separate the wedges if you. like soft sides. Separate them if you like crusty sides.
Sprinkle top with sugar and let the cranberry scones stand twenty minutes at room temperature. This helps the gluten relax.
Bake for 15 minutes at 400°F or until golden brown. Interior temperature will be 200℉ if checked with an instant-read thermometer.

Glaze

Mix the powdered sugar and orange juice (and orange extract if using) until it's a smooth glaze.
Spoon over warm scones.

Video

Notes

Storage:

Wrap leftover scones in plastic wrap or store them in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Freeze for up to 2 months.

Tips:

For best results, use real buttermilk in your baking recipes! DIY buttermilk will sometimes do the trick, but doesn’t have the same thick texture or tangy flavor as the real stuff.
Let the scones rest for 20 minutes before baking, either at room temperature or in the fridge if your house is too warm. This allows the gluten to relax and helps make tender scones.
Brush the tops of the scones with heavy cream or an egg wash before baking to give ‘em a pretty shine.
Use just enough juice to make a pourable glaze. Add more powdered sugar if your glaze is too runny or more orange juice if it’s too thick.

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