Cranberry Orange Scones Recipe

This Cranberry orange scones recipe is perfect for breakfast or bunch during the holiday season. The flaky homemade scones are loaded with tart cranberries and lots of orange flavor.

How to Make Cranberry Orange Scones

Let's make a batch of these delicious tender Cranberry Orange Scones. Follow along here with step-by-step images or hop down to the bottom of the article for the printable recipe card.

The recipe makes 6 scones.

Prep Time: 15 mins | Baking Time: 35 mins | Total Time: 50 mins

Ingredients for Cranberry Orange Scones

Here is all you need to make these delicious holiday scones!

• 1 ¾ cup (210g) all-purpose flour
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 1 ½ teaspoon (5g) baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon (2g) salt
• ½ cup (115g) unsalted butter, frozen and grated
• ¼ cup (60ml) heavy cream, cold
• 2 large eggs, cold
• Zest of 1 orange
• 1 cup (100g) fresh or frozen cranberries, washed and dried
• ¾ cup (100g) powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons (30ml) fresh orange juice (use leftover orange from grating orange zest)

Tip: Cold ingredients such as butter, heavy cream and eggs are essential to a successful result. Do not overlook this important factor in the recipe.

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.

Wash and dry cranberries. Remove any that feel mushy.

Combine flour, baking powder, brown sugar, and salt in a large bowl.

Work grated butter into the flour mixture with your fingertips until thoroughly distributed and broken into small pieces. If you have a pastry cutter, use that. It will help keep the butter cold.

In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream, and orange zest.

Pour egg mixture into the flour mix. Stir gently to incorporate until dough forms a coarse meal that resembles a shaggy mass.

Add the cranberries and mix them into the scone dough with your hands.

Bring the dough together into a ball using your hands, work just enough for it to hold together, and flatten into a circle approximately 1” thick on a lightly floured surface. Overworking does not produce flaky results.

Cut into 6 equal triangular segments.

Place on lined baking sheet and bake for 30-35 minutes until lightly golden brown.

Allow the baked scones to cool on the sheet pan a few minutes before moving to cooling rack.

Stir the orange juice into the powdered sugar until a thick glaze forms.

While scones are still warm, pour the orange glaze over them. Allow to harden.

The scones are best served the same day, either warm (not hot) or room temperature.

Leftover scones can be stored in an airtight container to be enjoyed over the next day or two.

Recipe Variations

Here are a few simple swaps or add-ins that will work in this recipe.

• Add a teaspoon of vanilla extract to the dough or for part of the juice in the orange glaze if you like.
• Add finely chopped crystallized ginger into the dough along with the cranberries if you like.
• No brown sugar on-hand, swap in granulated sugar.

If you enjoy these, try my Cranberry Orange Donuts with Orange Ginger Glaze or my Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies with Walnuts. They both feature the classic cranberry orange combination.

For more scone recipes, consider my Apple Cinnamon Scones, Strawberry Blueberry Scones or for a less sweet option, my Spelt Flour Scones Recipe.