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This easy homemade Cranberry Orange Scones recipe is perfect for the holiday season! These flaky scones have a slightly crisp and golden brown exterior with a tender and buttery moist center. Bursting with fresh orange zest, fresh orange juice, fresh cranberries and topped with a sweet orange glaze.
Be sure and also try my Orange Cranberry Cheesecake too!
Homemade Cranberry Orange Scones Recipe (Perfect Breakfast For This Holiday Season)
These homemade cranberry orange scones are a must-make with a delicious, holiday-inspired & perfect combination of cranberry and orange flavor, thanks to the fresh orange zest and fresh orange juice, is the perfect match in these buttery scones recipe.
Making homemade scones is actually easier than you think with this easy scone recipe. These tender scones use tart cranberries, fresh orange flavor, and heavy cream to really get a flaky and soft-baked scone.
For another twist to classic scones try these Pumpkin Scones for Fall.
Ingredients Needed To Make
Cranberry Orange Scone Ingredients (Scone Dough)
- All-Purpose Flour
- Granulated Sugar : Provides the sweetness necessary for the tart cranberries.
- Baking Powder : This creates air bubbles in your scones so they have a light, airy texture.
- Kosher Salt : I prefer using kosher salt but you can also use sea salt or table salt.
- Fresh Orange Zest : The zest of an orange adds the fruit’s fragrance and flavor to the scones. You will need the zest of 1 large orange to get 2 tablespoons of fresh orange zest for the scones recipe.
- Frozen Butter : Butter creates a light, flaky texture for the scones. It also creates steam as it melts in the oven which helps lift and form flaky layers.
- Heavy Cream : No substitutes! Heavy cream creates a soft and tender center while slightly crisping up the tops of the scones.
- Large Egg : The recipe calls for the egg to be whisked – meaning, crack the egg into a small bowl and use a fork to whisk it really quick before adding it into the mixing bowl.
- Vanilla Extract
- Frozen Cranberries : You can either buy frozen cranberries OR buy a bag of fresh cranberries and let them freeze before using them in the recipe. You need 1 cup of frozen, halved strawberries so freeze 1 cup of the fresh cranberries in the freezer overnight so they’re ready to use the next day for the scones. Using frozen cranberries eliminates the possibility of smashing them into the batter while mixing them in. We don’t want to end up with pink scones!
Orange Glaze Ingredients For The Scones
- Powdered Sugar
- Fresh Orange Juice : Use the same orange that you zested for the fresh orange juice. Cut it in half and use a citrus juicer to squeeze that juice out!
How To Make Orange Cranberry Scones (Printable Recipe Card)
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients; all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, orange zest, and salt until combined.
Use a box cheese grater to grate the frozen butter. Add the grated butter to the bowl of dry ingredients. Use a pastry cutter to cut the butter into the flour until there are pea-sized crumbs.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the heavy cream, whisked large egg, and vanilla extract until smooth.
Slowly pour the bowl of wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients (butter and flour mixture). Add the halved frozen cranberries and gently stir everything together just until it comes together as a dough. Don’t overmix!
Cover your hands with flour, then work the dough for a few times with your hands to bring it together in a ball.
Transfer the dough ball to a lightly floured surface on a clean countertop or large cutting board. Form it into an 8-inch flat & thick disc shape. Divide the disc into 8 equal wedges and then transfer the wedges to the prepared baking sheet with parchment paper.
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden browned. Remove the pan from the oven and allow to cook for 10 minutes (on the warm baking sheet) before removing the scones to a cooling rack.
Make the glaze by combining the powdered sugar and fresh orange juice until blended. Add the orange glaze to a piping bag, a sandwich bag with the tip cut off, or just use a fork to drizzle it over the tops of each scone.
Serve the scones warm or at room temperature.
Helpful Recipe Tips For Making Scones
- When you combine the wet ingredients and the dry ingredients together the mixture will appear sandy at first like it’s not coming together. As you go in with clean hands to combine it, it will come together and form a more cohesive dough that can be formed in a ball.
- You want the glaze thick enough to coat and set on the scones. if the glaze ends up too thick then thin it out by adding 1 teaspoon of additional fresh orange juice until you reach the desired consistency. To thicken it, add 1 teaspoon of powdered sugar at a time until the glaze reaches the desired consistency.
- Sprinkle on some coarse sugar on top of the scones before baking for an added crunch and sweetness.
- To cut the round disc into the 8 wedges I use a bench scraper but you can also use a sharp knife to cut it as well. Cut it like you would a pizza.
- It’s difficult to find frozen cranberries at the grocery store so here is what I do – Measure out 1 cup fresh cranberries, cut each one in half, and then place them inside a freezer-safe container or bag and freeze them overnight in the freezer. It’s important to use frozen cranberries in the scone dough so the dough doesn’t turn pink and the cranberries don’t get smashed into the dough while mixing them in.
How To Store Cranberry Orange Scones
These scones are best served fresh after making them. However, if there are leftovers, store them inside an airtight container at room temperature or the fridge for up to 3 days. I like to warm up the leftover scone in the microwave so it’s softer and warmer.
Cranberry Orange Scones
Ingredients
Cranberry Orange Scones
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2½ teaspoons baking powder
- 2 tablespoons fresh orange zest (about 1 large orange)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) FROZEN butter
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 large egg whisked
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup FROZEN halved cranberries
Orange Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice (from the orange you zested)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400℉. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients; all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, orange zest, and salt until combined.2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 2½ teaspoons baking powder, 2 tablespoons fresh orange zest, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Use a box grater to grate the frozen butter. Add the grated butter to the bowl of dry ingredients. Use a pastry cutter to cut the butter into the flour until there are pea-sized crumbs. * Do not grab the butter from the freezer until right before grating it. It needs to be grated completely frozen straight from the freezer.1/2 cup (1 stick) FROZEN butter
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the heavy cream, whisked large egg, and vanilla extract until smooth.1/2 cup heavy cream, 1 large egg, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Slowly pour the bowl of wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients (butter and flour mixture). Add the halved frozen cranberries and gently stir everything together just until it comes together as a dough.* Don't overmix because when you go in with your hands, in the next step, the dough will come together more.1 cup FROZEN halved cranberries
- Cover your hands with flour, then work the dough gently for a few times with your hands to bring it together in a ball.
- Transfer the dough ball to a lightly floured surface on a clean countertop or large cutting board. Form it into an 8-inch flat & thick disc shape. Divide the disc into 8 equal wedges and then transfer the wedges to the prepared baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden browned. Remove the pan from the oven and allow to cook for 10 minutes (on the warm baking sheet) before removing the scones to a cooling rack.
- Make the glaze by combining the powdered sugar and fresh orange juice until blended. Add the orange glaze to a piping bag, a sandwich bag with the tip cut off, or just use a fork to drizzle it over the tops of each scone.1 cup powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
- Serve the scones warm (my preferred way) or at room temperature.
Notes
- When you combine the wet ingredients and the dry ingredients together the mixture will appear sandy at first like it’s not coming together. As you go in with clean hands to combine it, it will come together and form a more cohesive dough that can be formed in a ball.
- You want the glaze thick enough to coat and set on the scones. if the glaze ends up too thick then thin it out by adding 1 teaspoon of additional fresh orange juice until you reach the desired consistency. To thicken it, add 1 teaspoon of powdered sugar at a time until the glaze reaches the desired consistency.
- Sprinkle on some coarse sugar on top of the scones before baking for an added crunch and sweetness.
- To cut the round disc into the 8 wedges I use a bench scraper but you can also use a sharp knife to cut it as well. Cut it like you would a pizza.
- It’s difficult to find frozen cranberries at the grocery store so here is what I do – Measure out 1 cup fresh cranberries, cut each one in half, and then place them inside a freezer-safe container or bag and freeze them overnight in the freezer. It’s important to use frozen cranberries in the scone dough so the dough doesn’t turn pink and the cranberries don’t get smashed into the dough while mixing them in.
Nutrition
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