Description
These Glazed Cranberry Orange Scones are a perfect balance of tart cranberries and bright orange zest, wrapped in a tender, buttery dough. Topped with a sweet orange glaze, they make an ideal treat for breakfast or a delightful afternoon snack.
Ingredients
Scale
Scone Dough
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour, spooned & leveled
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons orange zest (about 1 orange)
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, frozen
- 1/2 cup (120ml) heavy cream
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 heaping cup (125g) frozen cranberries
- 1 Tablespoon (15ml) heavy cream (optional, for brushing)
- Coarse sugar (optional, for sprinkling)
Orange Glaze
- 1 cup (120g) confectioners’ sugar
- 3 Tablespoons (45ml) fresh orange juice
Instructions
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt, and orange zest until well combined.
- Add Butter: Grate the frozen butter using a box grater and add to the flour mixture. Use a pastry cutter, two forks, or your fingers to combine until the mixture forms pea-sized crumbs. Place this in the refrigerator or freezer while you prepare the wet ingredients.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a small bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup heavy cream, the egg, and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Form Dough: Drizzle the wet ingredients over the flour mixture, add the cranberries, and gently mix until moistened. Pour the dough onto a floured surface and gently work it into a ball. The dough will be sticky; if too sticky, add a bit more flour, if too dry, add 1-2 tablespoons heavy cream. Shape the dough into an 8-inch disc.
- Cut Scones: Using a sharp knife or bench scraper, cut the disc into 8 wedges. Brush the tops with the remaining heavy cream and optionally sprinkle with coarse sugar for extra crunch.
- Chill Dough: Place the scones on a plate or lined baking sheet and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes to firm up.
- Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Bake Scones: Arrange scones 2-3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes or until the edges are golden brown and tops are lightly browned.
- Prepare Glaze: While scones cool, whisk together confectioners’ sugar and fresh orange juice to a drizzleable consistency. Adjust with more sugar or juice as needed.
- Glaze and Serve: Drizzle the orange glaze over the warm scones. Serve and enjoy. Store leftovers at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for 5 days.
Notes
- Freeze Before Baking: Freeze scone dough wedges for 1 hour, then store in a freezer-safe bag. Bake from frozen, adding a few minutes to the bake time, or thaw overnight before baking.
- Freeze After Baking: Freeze baked and cooled scones before glazing. Thaw on countertop or in refrigerator and warm before serving.
- Overnight Preparation: Prepare scones through cutting and brushing, cover, and refrigerate overnight. Bake the next day as directed.
- Use very cold butter and heavy cream to prevent scones from spreading too much during baking.
- Frozen cranberries are preferable to keep dough cold, but fresh or dried can also be used in the same quantity.
- Freshly squeezed orange juice is best for the glaze, preferably from the orange zested for the dough. Store-bought juice can be used as a substitute.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 scone
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 15 g
- Sodium: 230 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 11 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 36 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg
