Bakery-Style Cranberry Orange Scones
This Bakery Style Cranberry Orange Scone recipe is the perfect blend of orange and cranberry baked up into a buttery and delicious buttermilk scone. Filled with orange zest and fresh cranberries, it is topped with a sweet orange glaze that literally takes it over the top!
Servings: 8 scones
Calories: 323kcal
Ingredients
Scones
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- Zest of one orange
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 6 tablespoon unsalted butter cold and cut into cubes
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup buttermilk plus extra for brushing on top
- 1 tablespoon orange juice
- 1 cup fresh cranberries frozen for at least 15 minutes - up to one year
Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoons milk or 1 tablespoon cream
- 1 tablespoon orange juice plus more if needed
- Tiny pinch of salt
Instructions
Make the scones
- Place granulated sugar in a large bowl and zest the orange directly over it. Use your fingers or rubber spatula to rub the orange zest into the sugar, releasing the oils and flavoring the sugar.
- Add in the flour, .baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt and mix well.
- Toss cold, cubed butter into the dry ingredients and then grab the butter and flour together, using a finger snapping motion.
- Alternatively, you can cut in the butter by pulsing in the food processor. You should end up with a coarse texture with lumps of butter no larger than peas.
- Whisk together, buttermilk, and egg, and about a tablespoon of orange juice.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and begin stirring with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon.
- When about halfway combined, add in your frozen cranberries and stir until uniformly distributed. There will still be dry pockets of flour on the bottom of the bowl.
- Dump your shaggy dough onto a lightly floured work surface and use a bench scraper, or your hands to fold the dough over onto itself two or three times, incorporating all the dry ingredients.
- Use your hand to form the dough into a smooth ball. Flatten it out to a disc about 6 to 8 inches in diameter.
- Use a sharp knife or bench scraper dipped in flour, to cut your scone dough into eight wedges. Place them on a parchment paper lined sheet pan and put in the freezer while you preheat your oven to 400°F.
- When the oven is preheated, remove the scone wedges from the freezer and brush with more buttermilk or with egg wash consisting of one egg whisk with one tablespoon of water or milk.
- Bake at 400°F for 18 to 22 minutes or until fluffy and golden brown on top. Cool on the tray for at least 10 minutes while you make your glaze.
Glazing the scones
- In a small bowl whisk together one cup of powdered sugar with 1 tablespoon of cream, and one to 2 tablespoons of orange juice until you have a glaze with a nice drizzling consistency.
- Dip slightly warm or cooled scones into the glaze and allow the excess to drip off. Place back on the sheet pan. You can also use a spoon, fork, or whisk to drizzle the glaze over top.
- Eat immediately, if you don't mind getting a little sticky. Otherwise, wait about 10 minutes for the glaze to set and then enjoy them with a cup of coffee or tea.
Notes
These scones can be prepared ahead, placed on a parchment paper lined sheet pan and frozen for up to a month. Bake from frozen, adding a few extra minutes onto the baking time.
Scones are best enjoyed warm, right out of the oven. If you need to bake them ahead, do not glaze, and store covered at room temperature for up to two days. Reheat them gently in the oven to restore their freshness then glaze.
Nutrition
Calories: 323kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 48mg | Sodium: 401mg | Potassium: 87mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 29g | Vitamin A: 340IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 120mg | Iron: 2mg
